eps 2

At five years old, Evie began school, excited to start a new chapter of her life. The school wasn’t far from her grandmother’s house, so every morning, she would walk there on her own, her tiny legs carrying her briskly along the familiar dirt path. Her bag was always slightly oversized, bouncing with every step, but her bright smile never wavered.

Evie quickly made friends, her cheerful and imaginative nature drawing people to her. During recess, she would gather a group of her classmates and tell them stories from her “imagination world,” weaving magical tales of enchanted forests, talking animals, and brave princesses.

“And then,” Evie said one day, her voice filled with excitement, “the dragon gave me a crown! He said, ‘You are the queen of the skies now!’”

One of her friends, Nadia, clapped her hands. “I want to meet the dragon too!”

Evie giggled. “You have to visit my imagination world first!”

Despite her playful and sometimes mischievous personality, Evie worked hard in school. She struggled to remember the alphabet at first, but she refused to give up. Her teacher, noticing her determination, often praised her. One afternoon, the teacher called Evie to her desk.

“Evie, you’ve done such a good job learning your letters,” the teacher said, smiling. “Can you help Nadia with hers before you go home today?”

Evie’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can be the teacher?”

“Yes, you can,” the teacher replied with a laugh.

Evie proudly sat beside Nadia, pointing at the letters on the board. “This is A, and it’s for apple. Can you say apple?”

Nadia repeated after her, and Evie beamed with pride.

A year later, Evie turned seven. She had grown a little taller but was still the same vibrant girl. However, she started to experience frequent nosebleeds and nausea, which worried her grandmother. Though her mother, Mary, was busy working in City B, Evie never complained.

One evening, while sitting on her grandmother’s lap, Evie whispered, “Nenek, do you think Mama misses me?”

Her grandmother stroked her hair gently. “Of course she does, sayang. She’s working hard to make life better for all of you.”

“I know, Nenek,” Evie said with a small smile. “I’ll be patient. Mama will come home soon.”

But as time went on, Evie’s family faced more challenges. Her eldest sister, Aria, fell seriously ill and had to leave for City C with their Uncle Mal to focus on her treatment. Her second sister, Arin, dropped out of school to work, while her third sister, Annie, did the same. Only her fourth and fifth sisters, Elis and Elisha, continued their studies.

Evie missed her sisters deeply but found joy in teasing her cousin Emil during holidays. Emil, terrified of ghosts and the color black, was often Evie’s target for playful pranks.

One evening, as Emil sat alone in a dimly lit room, Evie crept up behind him, draped in a black sheet. “Boo!” she shouted, making him scream and run out of the room.

“Evie!” her grandmother scolded when she found out. “Why are you always scaring Emil?”

Evie pouted. “It’s just for fun, Nenek.”

“Fun for you, but not for him,” her grandmother replied sternly.

Evie nodded, though she couldn’t hide her mischievous grin.

Life wasn’t always playful. One day, Evie returned home late from school because her friend had asked her to wait. Her grandmother, worried and upset, scolded her harshly.

“Why are you so late? I thought something happened to you!” her grandmother yelled.

“I’m sorry, Nenek,” Evie said, tears streaming down her face. “My friend needed me.”

Her grandmother’s anger boiled over, and in the heat of the moment, she accidentally struck Evie, causing one of her front teeth to fall out. Crying, Evie ran to an empty house nearby, clutching her tooth.

Once there, she dug a small hole in the ground and buried it, whispering, “I’m sorry, Nenek. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

As the years passed, Evie grew more accustomed to her new family structure. She referred to her stepfather as "Uncle," a term her grandmother insisted on. While she didn’t fully understand the complexities of adult relationships, she noticed the tension whenever her grandmother mentioned her stepfather.

At ten, Evie’s second aunt offered to take her in, and her grandmother agreed. Living with her aunt brought new experiences, including learning to cook. However, Evie began to withdraw, fearing judgment from others. Even at school, she only spoke to her best friend.

One day, during her cousin’s birthday party, Evie suddenly burst into tears.

“What’s wrong, Evie?” her aunt asked. “Do you want a party too?”

Evie shook her head. “What’s a birthday party?”

Her aunt’s heart broke. “You’ve never had one?”

Evie shook her head again. “No, Auntie.”

Determined to make it special, her aunt planned a simple celebration for Evie’s birthday that July. When the day came, Evie couldn’t stop smiling as everyone sang for her.

“Thank you, Auntie,” she whispered, hugging her tightly. “This is the best day ever.”

Two years later, Evie asked her grandmother to let her return home. “I miss my sisters,” she said softly.

Her grandmother agreed, and soon Evie was reunited with her family. By then, Aria was married with two children, Lala and Nick. Though Evie was happy to be back, she still struggled with her fear of socializing.

One evening, as she sat with her sisters, Evie whispered, “Do you think I’ll ever be brave like you, Aria?”

Aria smiled, placing a hand on Evie’s shoulder. “You’re already brave, Evie. You’ve been through so much, and you’re still standing. That’s courage.”

Evie smiled, feeling a small flicker of hope. With her family’s love and support, she knew she could face anything.

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