Chapter 11 - Kids Can Rule the World (1/2)

When Grandma Sadiya heard the bell ringing during class time, she frowned. Who were her visitors? Before she could start interrogating the turnip heads, she froze.

”Scarlet!”

”Hello, grandma... is Venessa not around?”

The old lady clicked her tongue at her adopted granddaughter's rudeness. ”That's Ms Lee to you, young lady. What happened to your hair?”

Scarlet shrugged and showed the old librarian her hall pass. Jasper and Alex did the same and were asked to sign-in on the book. Grandma Sadiya observed the chopped hair and felt her heart aching. Scarlet had very beautiful straight black hair that cascaded like a waterfall. She always enjoyed watching the expressionless girl walk around with her twin-tails bouncing with every step. Now that it was so brutally destroyed, Sadiya mourned the loss. It was such a shame!

”Oh, you're early today...” a young lady with short black hair that curled at the end of the bob peeked from behind a row of books.

”Hello Venessa, I'm here on a special mission today with my friends. Do you think I can have an extended use for the computer today?”

Venessa blinked. Scarlet never mentioned having any friends before this. Also, wasn't it class time? As much as Venessa was happy for Scarlet making progress socially, she was also worried about the girl's class skipping behaviour. Still, she decided to close an eye for the matter seeing Scarlet's unusual appearance.

”What happened to your lovely hair?”

Scarlet shrugged. ”Fashion disaster.”

Both librarians exchanged complex looks but didn't question further. It must be really tough for a little girl to open up about the difficulties she had. That hair was definitely a sign of bullying. Scarlet's new friends didn't look like the kind to bully others. From the news going around recently, they must be the other two who were 'gifted' too. That would explain how all three of them were able to obtain special hall passes.

”The third computer at the end of the row is reserved for you as usual. It's going to be break time soon, will you and your friends be going out?”

Scarlet looked over her shoulder to Jasper and Alex. She usually skipped breaks, choosing reading over eating, but the same couldn't be said for Alex and Jasper.

”Oh, don't worry about us,” Alex smiled. ”We don't usually eat during break time.”

”I guess we'll be staying in the whole time until lunch then,” Scarlet nodded and led the way.

Alex hasn't been inside the library before so she took in everything with great interest. There was a particular stuffed lion toy in the reading corner that caught her eye but she was too shy to go near it. Jasper saw that and asked Venessa if they could borrow it.

While Scarlet was busy setting up the computer, Venessa and Jasper made themselves comfortable in the reading corner beside Scarlet. Alex chose a fairy tale book while Jasper was more than content with observing Scarlet.

”What are you playing?” he finally asked. Scarlet's fingers were flying all over the place and he highly doubted that she was playing anything.

”I'm researching information for my grand plan.”

Alex looked up from her book. ”Grand plan?”