✔️Hazy [anne with an e]

| PORCELAIN

chapter six: porcelain

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"YOU SHOULD GET to school Caroline, you'll be late.", Gilbert looked at his sister, who was sat on a bale of hay in the corner of the barn, as he continued to brush their horse.

Caroline humphed, moving her hand that was previously on her lap to fold it into a fist under her chin, "So will you.

Her brother sighed and began to brush the horse a bit firmer now. It was almost as if she could sense his stress and frustration radiating throughout the barn. She couldn't understand what her brother was feeling and she knew that. Caroline would be able to move on eventually and find someone who makes her happy again but Gilbert would be forced to become the man of the house. He would be forced to grow up years before he should have had to. He didn't deserve that. Nobody does.

Caroline sighed, breaking the silence of the barn, as she stood up slowly. When Gilbert stopped brushing, he just stood still. She could've sworn she heard a small sob as she got closer to her brother. Her hand touched his shoulder gently, causing him to jump, then relax as he closed his eyes. Caroline wrapped her arms around her brother's shoulders and rested her head against his upper back.

"It's going to be okay, Gil.", she whispered but she didn't believe it.

He didn't reply, so the twins just stood there. In the cold, holding one another. They didn't know it yet, but this feeling of security, the feeling of knowing that the other would always be around, wasn't going to last much longer.

Gilbert took in a breath and turned around, holding Caroline's smaller hand in his, "Go on to school Care, we'll be fine."

She looked into his eyes, searching for any sense of doubt, anything that convinced her she should stay. There was nothing there, just Gilbert and his small, probably forced, smile. Caroline reached down for her bag and placed it around her shoulders. She raised up onto her tip toes and gave her brother a kiss on the cheek before running off into the snow. The snow was barely broken at all, it was still pristine and untouched.

So she broke it herself.

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Caroline slowly opened the door, hoping that Mr.Phillips would be engrossed in a lesson and wouldn't notice her coming in an hour late. However, her cover was blown when all heads in the class turned to her as the door was slammed shut by the wind. A cringe rippled through her body and she froze for a second. Here we go, she thought as Mr.Phillips set his chalk down and made firm eye contact.