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[ philosopher's stone ]
THE THREE KIDS SCREAMED. Maya threw a stone at them as they tried to run away, one of them tripping over their own feet which made her let out a loud laugh.
"I hate those pricks," she muttered, turning to her younger sister who sat in the dirt. The three kids were teasing her and when one of them took it too far and pushed her down, Maya snapped and punched them hard. "You okay?"
"I'll live," Priya muttered, taking the hand Maya had offered. They kept their fingers locked as they looked to where the kids ran off to before looking around the park. Maya looked down at her younger sister when she squeezed her hand. "I don't want to go back yet."
"I know," Maya whispered, tightening her hold. "I don't either," she admitted, slowly looking toward the only exit of the park which was the way to their 'home'. "But we have no choice. Madam will begin looking for us otherwise."
Priya frowned but nodded, the two girls beginning to make their way across the mowed grass. Priya was a year younger than Maya, and although they were considered the lowest you could be as a child, she was glad Madam didn't try to seperate them when they appeared on her doorstep.
"Madam will be so angry," Priya muttered, gesturing to her pretty white dress that had dirt marking it. It definitely showed where these girls came from now.
"I'll explain everything to Madam," Maya said.
"The last time you did that, you got put in the reflection room for talking back," Priya frowned.
"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat for you, Bon," Maya whispered as the orphanage for troubled girls came into view. Outside, Maya could see that Madam was having all the girls assemble for count, making her immediately rush over and let her and Priya take their places at the back of the line.
"Didi, my dress," Priya whined in a whisper.
"Don't worry," Maya whispered in reply as Madam finally stopped in front of them. She looked at Maya, checked her off before directing her attention to Priya. As she was about to check her off as attended too, however, she saw the dirty dress she was wearing.
"Hm," Madam sneered at the older Shaan girl. "And what did you do, Maya?"
"Gave them what they deserved? They pushed her, I pushed them," Maya shrugged, deciding she wasn't going to mention how she also made a connecting with her knuckles and a chubby boy's jaw.
