章 12: I Wouldn't Recommend Doing That
Anna took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.
The confusion she felt was overwhelming, and for a moment, she closed her eyes tightly, hoping that when she opened them again, everything would be back to normal.
'This is just a dream,' she kept telling herself over and over.
But when she looked around again, the shabby beds, the children running around, and the musty smell were all still there.
Everything was just as real.
Every detail was so vivid, from the mocking laughter of the girls to the echo of footsteps on the wooden floor.
In that moment, a fleeting smile of someone with red eyes like hers crossed her mind, but… she couldn't remember it clearly.
It was blurry, as if it faded before she could grasp it.
The thought unsettled her since she couldn't recall it well.
Meanwhile, the children continued arguing with Leo, accusing him of being a 'killjoy' for scolding them and trying to keep order.
Anna used that moment to take a deep breath and calm herself, trying to focus on what she could do in this situation.
She looked at Leo, still bewildered by his presence and how young he looked. At least, it was comforting to see him there, even though he didn't know who she really was.
"Thank you, Leo," she said softly, trying to regain her composure.
He glanced at her sideways, not paying much attention to her gratitude as he was still dealing with the rowdy kids.
"Where's Edrick?" Anna asked suddenly, a faint glimmer of hope in her voice.
If Leo was here, maybe Edrick was too, and with both of them together, she could figure out what was going on.
Leo frowned and turned to her, puzzled.
"Who's that?" he asked, as if he had no idea who she was talking about.
The question hit her like a bucket of cold water.
"What do you mean, 'who's that…'?" she murmured, more to herself than to him.
Edrick had been such a crucial part of her life in the orphanage, a pillar in their little group.
The fact that Leo didn't know him only deepened her confusion.
Anna put a hand to her forehead, trying to process what that meant. Slowly, an uncomfortable truth began to form in her mind: not only had she gone back in time, but she seemed to be living in the early days at the orphanage, long before Edrick even appeared in her life.
Before she could ask more questions, the door swung open forcefully, and the head of the orphanage entered the room with a stern expression.
"What's going on here with all this noise?" she demanded, looking around with narrowed eyes. When she saw Anna with fresh tears on her cheeks, her face hardened. "And why is the new girl crying?" she asked, directing her gaze to the other children.
Some of the children hung their heads, while others crossed their arms, trying to appear indifferent.
"It's not our fault," one of the boys mumbled, but the headmistress wasn't in the mood to hear excuses.
"Listen carefully," she said in a cold, authoritative tone. "Just because she's new doesn't mean you can pick on her. Got it?" She turned her attention back to Anna, who was still trying to process everything. "And you, girl, try to keep calm. We don't need more problems."
Anna nodded weakly, still in shock from everything that was happening.
'New girl…,' she thought.
That only confirmed her fear: she was in the early days of her life at the orphanage. It made sense now that Leo didn't know Edrick since they had met much later, when Edrick suggested they start gambling after finding some money.
Before she could defend the children or explain that they hadn't made her cry, the headmistress turned and left the room, leaving them alone.
An uncomfortable silence filled the air, and Anna could feel the irritated stares of the children boring into her.
One of them crossed his arms, frowning.
"Thanks for getting us in trouble," he said sarcastically.
The others didn't say anything, but their expressions said it all. Though Leo tried to calm things down, sighing as he looked at Anna.
"You should be careful," he said quietly. "I wouldn't recommend making enemies here. It's a tough place, and life isn't easy."
Anna nodded, still overwhelmed by the situation.
"I know…" she murmured, but her thoughts were far from that moment.
Her mind was tangled up in what she would do next.
She needed to think clearly, to plan her next move. She wasn't sure anymore if she should repeat what she did the first time, if she should follow the same path that had led to her being adopted by the family that ended up destroying her.
Would it be better to change things?
As she tried to figure out her next step, the sound of rain hitting the windows pulled her out of her thoughts.
Outside, a storm had begun to rage.
The children quickly ran to close the windows, preventing the rain from soaking the room.
Anna watched the raindrops falling fiercely, and for a moment, she remembered the atmosphere of those early days at the orphanage.
In her first life, she had tried to make the orphanage a happier place, which eventually led to Damian and his family noticing her.
But maybe… maybe that had been a mistake.
What if changing things from the start could change her fate?
Edrick's image crossed her mind.
He had always been smart, the brain behind their bets and games, and if anyone could help her figure out what to do, it was him.
Anna made a quick decision: she would look for Edrick. She had to find him and work with him, just like before. His intelligence was crucial.
With her heart pounding, just as she headed for the door with the firm intention of going out to find him, Anna stopped dead.
The door… had a lock.
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