章節 15: When She Was Six
Tracing back on the younger years of Violet Berseashore's life, she was far from the party and fashionista girl that she is now that she is sixteen.
In fact, she wasn't even called Violet.
"McKeyla, my sweet granddaughter. What are you doing here?" A younger Grandfather Seto asked her granddaughter. "The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the wind is blowing! What better reasons to get out and explore?"
"What's there to explore, Grandfather? I would get lost in the woods and I have already explored the whole village," six-year-old McKeyla Berseashore reasoned politely.
"Don't you have any friends in the village? There are a lot of kids there. Didn't you make any friends while exploring the village?" Grandfather Seto asked, full of concern.
"Grandfather, you know me. I am not good at socializing," McKeyla said as if she is saying this for the millionth time. "I am shy and I stammer when I try to talk to someone new. I would rather read books here. At least that way, I could learn new things immediately."
"You can learn new things by making friends as well."
"But it takes too much work and talking. I am not good at talking to other people."
"Being alone isn't fun."
"Being alone helps me focus. Especially on my studies," McKeyla said rather bitterly more on the last sentence.
Grandfather Seto sighed and sat beside her granddaughter to comfort her.
"Is your father giving you a heavy burden on academics again?" Grandfather Seto asked softly.
McKeyla nodded as she tries to hold back the tears that are on the verge of rolling down her soft cheeks.
Grandfather Seto paused for a whole minute to think about what to do. He couldn't stand seeing his granddaughter sad. He talked to his son (the girl's father) about not pushing her too much and let her enjoy her life, but it seems that his son has a head as hard as cement and a heart as cold as stone.
After the pause and thinking, Grandfather Seto took the book from the girl's hand and returned it to the bookshelf. McKeyla was about to protest, but Grandfather said, "I think that you need to explore the world outside the books."
"What would be the benefit of that?" McKeyla asked in low-spirited energy.
Grandfather Seto answered, "Think of it this way. You spent most of your time in the world inside the books and now, you have mastered its world. You now know a lot because of reading and studying. But how will you know if you really know what you know? How will you know if you can successfully execute what you know?"
McKeyla knows the answer right away. "Then, the outside world will be my training field?"
"Exactly," Grandfather Seto said. "Let's say that you already acquired all of your... magic... and knowledge, but those will all spoil like leftover food if you don't use them."
"I understand, Grandfather," McKeyla said and stood up with more confidence and a smile.
"Good, good," her grandfather said as he patted her on the head as they headed for the door.
When the two reached the door, McKeyla started to have second thoughts.
"Will I really be okay, Grandfather?" she asked.
"I know you will," Grandfather Seto answered calmly.
Thirty minutes of exploring the woods later, McKeyla realized that one of her fears has just come true.
She's lost.
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