𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃

02. 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼

      SCHOOL COULD BE DESCRIBED AS FUN FOR ESZTER. Coloring and creating pasta art is one of the best feelings, and it allowed Eszter to create a few works for her parents. It would be another collection to the fridge, a dedication to the children's many arts over the years. With it protected inside of her backpack, Eszter was too excited; she couldn't wait until Iryna and Oleg see the work that she had spent on. All of her hard work became a masterpiece. In the end, Eszter was proud of her little art, and she made sure it was special and struck her approval before deciding to present it later.

     However, Eszter still had to learn how to subtract and add before she was allowed to do any arts and craft--it was almost like a test before moving on free-time. Anything regarding numbers, Eszter struggled greatly; she often counts on her fingers when adding, and sometimes when she subtracts, Eszter becomes a bit baffled. However, her teachers helped her with her assignment by presenting an example--if Eszter has ten pieces of candy but gave six away, how many candies would she have left? Then her teacher would lay out ten little candy bites in front of her, pushing six away from the group, Eszter counts the remaining amount; four. Then suddenly, adding and subtracting wasn't so difficult for her.

     The twins had picked up Eszter once class had been dismissed, finding their little sister to be waiting in a beat-up playground (if you could even call it a playground). If anything, it was nothing like a playground. A rope tied to a rubber tire on a tree as it functioned like a swing, a few children playing on it as they'd take turns; the slide was merely children using the lids of trash cans and sliding down a makeshift hill from piles of rubble, and mostly children running around and playing tag in the open field. Wanda and Pietro found Eszter playing on the makeshift slide, which worried them a little when she had fallen off the lid once she reached the bottom of the slope; however, Eszter propped back up to her feet, cheering loudly excitedly.

     "Hello, you two," a woman greets from behind, catching the twins' attention as they turn away from their sister's figure across from them; they look up at one of the teachers. "Are you still looking for your parents?"

     Wanda glances at Pietro, tapping his arm.

     Pietro shakes his head. "No, Ma'am. We're here for our sister."

     "Oh! Yes," the dark-haired woman looks away from the twins and finds Eszter waiting in line to slide down the little slope, waving her hand. "Eszter! Time to go!"

     Eszter snaps her attention away from the screaming children at the sound of her name being called. Besides her teacher, Eszter finds both her siblings smiling with warm looks on their faces, like they were happy to see her after a few hours apart. A toothy grin stretches on Eszter's lips, the little girl doesn't hesitate to give her farewells to her friends before running for her backpack; quickly as possibly, Eszter yanks her backpack and makes her way towards the twins. Wanda and Pietro instantly brace themselves, Eszter launches herself into the two.

     "Hi, Essie," Pietro chuckles as his arm instinctively wraps around Eszter's shoulder, fiddling with the girl's hair. "How was school?"

     Pulling away, Eszter shifts around the two and grabs Wanda's hand. Walking away from the crowded school, the Maximoff siblings began making their way back to their home, a route they take on a daily basis.

     "Fun! I made more pasta art," Eszter felt giddy. She was more excited to be with Wanda and Pietro, knowing that soon, finally, they'll be home and Eszter can show Iryna and Oleg her art.

     "Really? Can I see it?"

     Eszter shakes her head. "No! Mama and Papa have to see it first."