THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
34.Past Times

Little Nayla who was then 5 years old and used to be called Louise by her brother was running with swollen eyes and cheeks.Multiple times her little hands rubbed the flowing tears.She only had one the goal in his mind was 'Library' to hide.

Successfully sneaking into the library, Louise hid among the bookshelves that had a small space left and was enough for her body.Hugging her own knees and closing her ears, Louise looked down with her forehead stuck to her knees.

"Louise..."

"Louise.."

A voice of two boys called out his name with worry, but it just made his body tremble and his cry became more and more.

"You look there.I'll go there." he gave the order.

"What is this." the voice of the middle-aged woman who had just walked out from behind the door looked at the two kids who were making a rowdy.

"Nicholas..Chris"the middle-aged woman was ruffled around her waist.

"Sorry aunt Goldie, we didn't mean to make a fuss" Nick said."We're looking for Louise." she added.

"Louise must be hiding here"topped Chris.

"What's going on?"ask Goldie.

"Mama and Dad had a fight again, and they were venting their anger on Louise, which happened when I wasn't home from school" Nick said.

"Oh my God.."Goldie shut her mouth."Then he must be hiding here, aunty will help him find" Goldie said in a panic.

Nick and Chris nod and begin to split up in the library.Nick and Chris who are still wearing school clothes do not care about their dirty clothes.

"Louise.."Call Nick."This is brother, where are you?please come out."Nick kept looking for a slight raise of voice as he called out and his eyes looked around every corner of the library.

Louise covered her ears and sobbed, biting her tongue so as not to make a sound and hide her face.

Slowly, a hand gripped her wrist to keep away from the ear she had closed since.Louise prepared to rebel as a soft voice made her turn.

"It's Louise's sister.Don't be afraid, you're not here" said Nick gently trying to pull his sister from the cramped space he used to hide.

"Are you also going to be afraid of big brother?"ask Nick to smile.

Shaking slowly, Louise finally complied to come out and hugged Nick tightly with her still trembling body.

"We'll treat your wounds first, okay?"persuade Nick to gently rub Louise's head which nodded slowly.

"Ah..Thank goodness Louise met."sigh Chris relieved."Aunties..Louise is here" cried Chris.

"Bring here, you'll make me some warm chocolate."the aunt replied to Chris' call behind a row of bookshelves.

"Are we going home, brother?"louise looked up at Nick.

Gently rubbing Louise's head, Nick shook his head and smiled.Before Nick replied, Chris had already opened his voice.

"You're staying at my house.What do you think?"chris asked with a big smile at Louise trying to reduce the fear that was still left on her face.

Louise turned her head for a moment towards Chris, then turned to Nick's face again asking for an answer.Nick smiled then nodded.

"I don't know you don't want to go home yet" Nick said softly.

"I'd be sad if you said no Louise" said Chris with a face..

Louise giggled softly and nodded which made Chris cheer and hold Louise's body with a heart that realized there was a wound on her body.

"But before that, we treat your wounds first.okay?"said Chris.

'I can't go on like this.My age is still lacking if I want to babysit Louise.But if I can work and make money, I can't,I don't care anymore if papa and mama get divorced, but I won't let Louise join any of them.' Nick thought.

Aunt Goldie had prepared a container of warm water and a small haduk and some medicine in her private room.

Gently Chris cleans Louise's body after successfully seizing the small towel from Nick's hand.Insisting to treat Louise.While Nick just shakes his head to see his best friend very fond of Louise.

"How could they do this to Louise?"ask Goldie quietly to Nick who is standing not far from them.

"I just heard papa and mama quarrel.They said they were going to divorce and throw each other the responsibility to take care of us.But after I heard them yell and throw each other the blame if they beat Louise until Louise ran away,I went straight after him." said Nick.

"And Chris heard all that?"ask Goldie.

"Yes..We planned to take Louise down the street after we got home, but we heard the fight" Nick said.

"Are you going to explain this to Louise?"ask Goldie.

"And I won't let Louise come with them either" Nick said firmly.

"Thank you so much Auntie.I'll work hard for it. I don't need to continue my school.Because I'm not sure they'll leave anything for us" Nick said.

Goldie nodded in understanding of Nick's position and set his eyes on Louise who was joking with Chris after the treatment process was over and smiled sadly.

'How can a child their age experience this?All this time I can only help a little for them.But now I can not be silent anymore.They have been too often violent.And if it is true they divorced, they do not deserve to bring Nick and Louise.'Goldie in my heart.

"alright...Now drink his warm chocolate." Goldie said stopping Chris and Louise's joke.

"Auntie's good" said Louise, receiving a glass from Goldie and drinking it slowly.

"You're so cute.Are aunts better than your sisters?"goldie asked smilingly stroking her hair.

"If compared to Nick's brother, the brown made by aunty is better than the made by brother" Louise replied innocently.

"eehh...Didn't she?So you don't have to make hot chocolate for you anymore?"said Nick folded his hands purporting to be angry.

"Sister Nick is still the best."ralat Louise smiled and ran to hug Nick.

"Ehh,, Traitor.so you said I was the best."protest Chris.

"Sister Chris is number two" Louise replied.

"Where can I.I don't want number two" said Chris again approached Louise.

"Can't dong.Kak Chris will not be able to defeat Nick's brother." replied Louise again stuck out her tongue.

"Ehhh..Ngledek yaa.?"said Chris randomizing Louise's hair.

"Aaahhh.kak Chriss.."protes Louise put on a sullen face.

It actually makes them laugh at once, or do not want Louise to come laugh.

They also say goodbye to Aunt Golde to go home to Chris as said earlier.

Nick's arrival was warmly welcomed by Chris' parents, even treated like his own child.Those who really understand Nick's condition from the story they heard from Chris, did not ask anything to keep his feelings.

"So what are you going to do Nick?"ask Chris.

Nick was silent for a moment, his hand rubbing the head of his sister who was asleep on his lap in Chris' room.

"I'll try to find a job I can do." replied Nick.

"My offer is still valid about you staying here" Chris said."Besides, my mom's dad doesn't mind, I've talked to them" Chris said.

"Thank you Chris, but I can't if I have to stay here" Nick replied.

"At least think of him" Chris said staring at the slumbering Louise."He's still too small." he added.

"At least it's better than seeing a fight every day.I'm also more able to make sure he's no longer treated rudely." replied Nick.

"Isn't it safer for him?papa my mama can take care of her." asked Chris.

"But did you forget how he was?He may be 5 years old, but he has a sharp feeling more than a child his age.I can't even lie in front of him." said Nick.

"Youise knows when someone is lying to her and she will act like a believer in that lie" Chris said, enveloping Louise.

"I just need two more years so that I can fully get the right to care for her.I can't possibly send her to an orphanage.So the only way is for me to find any job I can do to make money."said Nick.

"I'll try to help you Nick." said Chris."You're not just my best friend, but you're my brother, and Louise is my sister." Chris said sincerely.

"Thank you so much Chris" Nick said.

Chris nodded and smiled.They also laid their bodies.Nick with his heart shifted Louise's head to the pillow, while Chris corrected the position of the blanket covering Louise.

They fall asleep with Louise among them.

However, their sleep did not last long.When midnight, Nick and Chris woke up simultaneously.They simultaneously looked at Louise who had somehow grasped the fingers of their hands in each hand.Hasped tightly the fingers of their hands with trembling.

"Shhh..Ssh..Louise.."Nick patted his sister's cheek gently.

Nick's face turned frantic and immediately straightened his body.Feeling Louise's body hot.

"Yes god...Louise..Oi..Louise.."Nick tries to wake his sister but to no avail.Chris puts his hand on Louise and is shocked by Louise's body heat.

Nick pulls Louise's body to lean on her back and begins to hold her to take Louise to the hospital, following Chris behind him.

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