Chapter 20 - Showing Her Strength
Anna puffed her chest angrily like a little child and she tried hard not to pounce on Rose and practice what their martial art teacher taught them during the past two years on Rose but stopped because Rose had always beaten her on the mat.
Rose turned shortly before entering the elevator and looked back but Anna was not following her. That meant Anna was definitely planning something right now. Anna was not one to give up an argument easily. She began mentally preparing for what the young princess was plotting.
It was dinner time and she was yet to see Anna carry out her plan. She began to feel uneasy. Anna had a sanguine personality and it was hard to make her really angry. She showed her anger immediately and after carrying out a childish vengeance, she gets back to being Jovial Anna. That was one of the reasons why she loved Anna as much as she did; it made it easy for them to get along.
She went downstairs for dinner. Mr.. Whitfred and his wife were already seated with Anna. The atmosphere was tense and she did not know what might have caused it. She sat down quietly hoping not to move anyone of their attention to herself.
"Anna, you should pick your punishment," Mr. Whitfred said frowning seriously.
"I already apologized to him. I only wanted to show you all that I was capable of protecting myself," Anna replied bowing her head. She did not show any sign of remorse further agitating Mr. Whitfred.
"Do you want to go out with such untamed behavior of yours? Do you want to disgrace this household by picking fights?" Mr. Whitfred watched her as he thought seriously of how to get Anna punished for her crime.
Anna shook her head immediately. Rose sat down quietly now, aware that Anna most have carried out one of her childish vengeance to get back at her as well as persuade her parents that she was ready to go back into the world without being at risk.
The maids also waited in the kitchen when they sensed the tension hoping everything would be settled soon so they could bring the meals in.
Mrs. Whitfred made her decision as she watched Anna refuse to accept her fault. It reminded her that her daughter was not one to be restrained against her wish. Anna always loved to get what she wanted and since she wanted to go back to school, they had to let her go.
She had persuaded her husband to make the girls stay home schooled till they get into college but she was forced to reconsider due to Anna\'s wild action. "If she wants to go back to school, we should let her," she finally spoke out after wavering for a while.
Three pairs of eyes gazed at Valerie and three moutAhs were slightly opened in astonishment. "I thought you did not want her to go back to school?" it was Justin who asked when he could not understand what made his wife change her mind.
"She wants to go back to school. I don\'t think we should stop her after all she beat up of two of the securities in the house. I don\'t want her to go beating more people up," Valerie gave her reason wondering why the men Anna beat up were too weak and let her have her way.
Rose nodded her head at that shocking but expected act of Anna. She knew Anna was not going to sit still until she gets her vengeance but she had thought the vengeance would be directed at her but those poor men had to suffer from her plot. She had to admit that Anna was really wise.
"I think that is the main reason why she should remain at home," Mr. Whitfred decided at that moment to object.
Rose had to mentally chain herself up to hold back from pouncing on her foster father and scream asking him why he was trying to crush her hope. She was not happy Anna was allowed to go because of Anna\'s safety but since Anna had glued to her, she had no option than to agree to letting Anna go back to school. She will just protect her when they go out.
"She needs to learn how to behave properly. The fact that I employed someone to teach the two of your self-defense did not mean I want you to go beating up people. Is it right for a girl to go around beating up men? It reduces every atom of elegance you might have. Self-defense is meant for protection and not bullying," Justin continued his lecture looking at the two girls sitting with him in the dining room.
"Yes sir. I was wrong and I am sorry," Anna immediately accepted her fault and apologized immediately praying he won\'t force her to remain home schooled or she might really turn wild.
Justin kept quiet and watched his daughter. He knew very well that her apology was not sincere and frowned when he remembered the bruises he saw on the faces of the security men. One had a broken nose and the other\'s mouth was swollen and he also had a black eye. He might try to show outwardly that he was not in agreement with such behavior but he was proud of her.
If she could protect herself this well when she was kidnapped, perhaps what happened to her would have being prevented. He had thought earlier that they let her beat them because she was a daughter of the family but she had worn a maid\'s dress and threatened them with a knife. She had taken two men alone.
"Hope you did not hurt yourself?" Rose had to ask because she was not sure of Anna\'s fighting skill since Anna always got beaten up by her on the mat.
"No. I got hit on my abdomen but I punched him on his eye to revenge. I was really gentle and careful not to break any of their bones. You know what our teacher taught us," Anna answered proudly. "His punch was like that of a five years old boy."
Rose could not hold back her smile as she watched her sister boast of her skill.
"I will let you go since you are bent on leaving but I will immediately take back my word if any of you get caught doing anything against what your etiquette teacher taught you. I don\'t want you to disgrace yourself before your peers."
Anna and Rose agreed immediately with smiles on their faces. Rose sighed in relief. It was at this moment that there should be a standing ovation right? It felt as though she had won a lottery.
"Thank you, dad," Anna shouted throwing her hands around Mr. Whitfred\'s neck and hugged him tightly in a dramatic manner. She did not forget to leave a kiss with a loud smack on his cheek. Giggling, she moved to Mrs. Whitfred and did the same thing.
Rose smiled and looked back at the waiting maids and signaled to them to bring the meals over. They got her order and began serving the family\'s dinner.
***
On the morning of her first day in school, she was very nervous. Joyce brought over her uniforms. She had not expected to wear uniform and had already chosen what she was going to wear to school that day. In Y country, she did not wear uniform except for gym class.
She removed her dressing coat and began getting ready. It was half past seven and she had to eat breakfast and she was not sure of how far the school was from here so she was definitely going to school late on the first day. The feel of the fabric of her uniform under her palm was so unique. It was of very high quality.
When she was done wearing the uniform, she was impressed. She looked like a student from a high school society school she saw in a movie. The skirt was black with two grey strips below and its length was above her knees. The shirt was white with a short hand and there was stylish black bow tie. She stuck the white shirt under skirt properly before wearing the grey blazer.
Joyce did not leave a shoe for her so she went to her walk-in closet to get her shoes. She came into this family when she was fourteen and still growing and growing fast. Mara was in charge of her clothes and needed items. She admired how effective Mara was with her job. She had already changed all the clothes and shoes in her wardrobe that had become unfit and replaced them with new good clothes.