Unknown Happen Stance

Chapter 51: Fear of Being Unloved & Unlovable (Evie Centered Chapter)

Evie and Musa were learning from Mulan's mother, Miss Fa, the delicate art of handcrafting smooth folding fans, originally created in Minglania. Mushu perched comfortably on Lonnie's shoulder, his tiny eyes darting around, taking in the vibrant atmosphere of creativity and camaraderie.

"You seem troubled, Evie," Lonnie observed, noticing her friend's distant gaze.

Evie sighed, her brow furrowing. "As I embraced some silence, I realized I'm worried about Doug. We have a decent relationship, but I keep leaving him out of things. Like this adventure—I do it because I'm protective of him, but I also get so nervous. He's so shy, and I just . . . How do I really know how much he truly loves me back? We can't even say the 'L' word to each other."

"You don't need to worry. It's normal for relationships to have different expressions of love," Musa reassured her, a nod of understanding on her face. "Two of my friends learned that different ways still mean the same thing in their romances."

"I wish I could believe that," Evie replied, her voice tinged with doubt. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, contemplating Musa's words.

Miss Fa smiled warmly at the girls and clapped her hands to regain their attention. "Are we ready to begin crafting your own personal handheld fans? You can add your favorite painted design afterward."

"We're ready! Teach us," Lonnie responded, her excitement infectious. The three girls sat at attention at the outdoor craft table, protected beneath the shimmering bubble shield established during their earlier efforts.

"Alright, let's start! First, you'll each take a square piece of paper. This will be the body of your fan," Miss Fa explained. She handed each girl a vibrant sheet of origami paper.

"Now, fold it in half diagonally," she directed, demonstrating the fold. The girls mimicked her movements, careful to create a sharp crease.

"When you unfold it, you'll see a triangle shape. Next, take the top corner and fold it down to meet the center crease," she continued, her hands moving gracefully. "Then do the same with the bottom corner, bringing it up to the center. It should look like a smaller triangle now."

Evie diligently followed along, glancing up now and then to match her folds with Miss Fa's. "This is actually kind of relaxing," she murmured, focusing on the paper.

"Exactly! Now, you want to take the left edge and fold it toward the center line," Miss Fa encouraged. "And then do the same with the right edge. This creates the initial pleats of your fan."

"Like this?" Lonnie asked, her brow furrowed in concentration as she folded.

"Perfect, Lonnie! Now keep folding back and forth, like an accordion. The more pleats you make, the more your fan will open beautifully," Miss Fa explained, gliding her hands back and forth to illustrate. "Feel free to experiment with how wide you want each pleat to be!"

As they continued to fold, Musa glanced at Evie. "Hey, you could even use your favorite colors or patterns for this! It'll make the fan really special."

Evie smiled slightly as she folded, imagining how she could paint it later. "I'll definitely add the colors that remind me of Doug."

"Great idea!" Miss Fa chimed in. "Once you're satisfied with the pleats, pinch the base of your fan together to hold it in place. You can use a bit of tape or glue to keep those folds secure."

"I've got some tape right here," Lonnie said, producing a roll from her craft bag.

"Fantastic! Now, for the final touch, take a popsicle stick or a sturdy strip of paper and stick it to the back of your fan, right at the bottom. This will be the handle. Just make sure it's centered so you can hold it easily," Miss Fa instructed.