The Kiss that Sparked it All

Even when her father scolded her, Victoria didn’t deny a thing. But she had searched high and low across the school grounds, worked up a sweat that was still uncomfortably clinging to her skin.

How could Mara possibly have been waiting for her in the library?

“If anything had happened to Mara, I don’t know how I’d explain it to your mother. You’re old enough to know better, Victoria. I trust you to take care of yourself, so how on earth could you let such a mishap happen with your little sister?

I’ve only got you two girls. When I’m old, you’ll need to support each other. How can I relax if you’re so careless?”

Victoria remained silent.

Elton untied his apron hastily before rushing outside with Victoria, only to see Mara at the entrance of the building, looking lost and forlorn.

“Mara!”

They both dashed toward her. Elton wrapped Mara in his arms and checked her over, “Are you alright? You scared the life out of me! Weren’t you supposed to come back with your sister? How did you end up behind?”

Mara had been quiet, but once she started talking, tears fell like pearls off a string.

“Dad, I was so scared, I thought Victoria left me behind. She said she’d take me home, but I couldn’t find her anywhere. I looked in the auditorium, waited by the academic block for ages. But I just couldn’t find her.”

Despite her own heartache, Victoria couldn’t help but express her confusion, “Were you really in the library? I checked there twice, combed every other building, but I didn’t see you, either. How could you have been there?”

Seeing his youngest so upset and Victoria still questioning her whereabouts, Elton’s temper flared.

“Enough, let’s go home. No more fear now. Well deal with this at home.” Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.

Catching her father’s eye, Victoria bit her lip.

Mara’s sniffling continued all the way home. She seemed really scared.

“Victoria, how could you fail to keep an eye on your sister? If you bring her to your school, you’re responsible for her safety. The campus is huge, and she’s unfamiliar with it. How could she possibly know where to go?

And didn’t I give you both cell phones? Why didn’t you call your sister immediately when you couldn’t find her?

Even Mara knows to text me when she’s not coming home for lunch. And you? You’re so caught up in that silly choir competition that you forgot about your sister. Victoria, I’m really disappointed in you this time.”

“I didn’t forget! The moment I couldn’t find Mara, I called her, but her phone was off!

And the competition isn’t a waste of time, it could help with my scholarship application. Dad, you can’t write me off for one mistake.”

Victoria felt just as wronged. Today had been harrowing for her too, not just for her little sister. And it wasn’t even her plan to take Mara to school in the first place..