Amid the rustic charm and the serene landscapes of Prince Edward Island, Lydia Miller steps into the light of a hopeful future. Taken in by the benevolent Barry family, Lydia finds herself on the cusp of a new beginning, a stark shift from the shado...
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"Sometimes, it takes honesty and vulnerability to strengthen the bonds of friendship." - Jade Maki
Chapter 8 - Bonds of Understanding
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In the classroom, Lydia sat beside Ruby as Mr. Phillips led the lesson.
"Spell 'ravishing'," Mr. Phillips instructed the class, prompting a boy to step up to the blackboard and take on the challenge. While the boy wrote out the word, Lydia glanced up briefly and then focused on replicating it on her small blackboard.
Caught in her peripheral vision, Lydia noticed Diana leaning toward Rudy, exchanging whispered words. A small giggle escaped them, but Lydia chose to ignore the distraction, keeping her attention on her task at hand.
Rudy's amusement spread as she whispered to Tillie behind her, and soon, quiet giggles filled the air. Lydia let out a soft sigh but remained focused, not allowing herself to be drawn into their merriment.
As the boy successfully spelled out "ravishing" and returned to his seat, Mr. Phillips acknowledged his correctness before turning his attention to Moody.
"Moody, stand and deliver," Mr. Phillips called out, directing Moody to take his turn at the blackboard. Lydia watched as Moody walked to the front of the classroom, ready to spell the next word.
"Spell 'dreadful'," Mr. Phillips instructed, observing as Moody began to spell, adding a rude comment about Moody's handwriting.
"Moody, it has an 'A' in it right after the 'E', but the 'A' is silent," Anne instructed Moody.
Everyone in the classroom turned their attention to Anne, their faces reflecting a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Lydia couldn't suppress a smile at Anne's attempt to help.
"Yes, the 'A' is silent, as you should be," the teacher corrected, his tone stern.
Lydia heard a few boys snickering at the teacher's remark. Her smile faded into a frown as she noticed their mockery.
"You're the, um, orphan, yes?" the teacher asked, his tone lacking in empathy.
"My name is Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, and please spell 'Anne' with an 'E'," Anne responded firmly, introducing herself with dignity.
"Did I call on you?" the teacher questioned Anne, his expression serious.
Lydia felt a surge of indignation at the teacher's dismissive attitude towards her friend.
"Y-you just asked me a question," Anne mumbled, her voice barely audible.
Diana glanced back at her adopted sister, noticing Lydia's growing frustration.
"Did I call on you?" the teacher repeated, his tone firm.
