1 Love

"Sana! Sana!"

"Careful, Kurt! You'll fall!"

"Sana! Sana!"

"Yes, princess. I'm coming!"

Young girl with black hair, brown eyes, and fair skin—Sanara Copley— very nice to meet you, everyone. I'm in my senior year of high school, but today I'm here at my work—kindergarten. I'm a part-time teacher, as I have always wanted to become one since I was the one who taught my little brother and sister when our parents died in a plane crash.

I was only thirteen years old then. My siblings are twins, and they were just newborn babies when they were pronounced dead. They now live in my aunt's home. Me? I have decided to live on my own. I know that my aunt wants me to stay there until I reach eighteen, but I want to become independent, for I know that I really cannot stay in their home forever. The same goes for my siblings. I will find us an apartment and move us out of their house immediately.

"Miss Copley," I heard somebody say as I turned around to them. It was Mr. Sev, a part-time teacher here as well as me. "I can take it from here. Thank you for buying me time."

I smiled. "No worries. I understand why you arrived late today, sir."

He chuckled. "Please, call me Sev."

I shrugged. "Not in front of the students. They might call you the same way I do."

"Of course," he smiled. "You'll really make a great teacher one day."

•°•°•°•°•°•°

"Tomatoes, potatoes, toilet paper..."

Whispering to myself and looking down at the list I made this early morning, I carefully lifted up one carrot and squinted my eyes. I am currently shopping for my aunt, as I am going there to see the twins. My aunt is skeptical when it comes to these things. Maybe it is because it is something that we eat. Considering the fact that she has a three-year-old boy, Jack.

"Put it back," I heard someone say from my left; the voice was that of a man. With dark brown hair, thick eyebrows, and a tall nose, I think he's about six feet tall, or that I'm really just short.

"Cleo, put it back," he commanded as I turned over to my back and saw a little girl holding an apple in her small hands.

"But I want one, Deither."

"But you can't have one."

Cleo, as he said, pouted. She turned around to put back the apple that she had gotten. Argh.. My heart, which is fond of children, is crying! I couldn't help it. I deeply apologize, Aunt Greta!

"I'll pay for it!" I shouted, with a raised hand and wide smile. Deither looked at me with a death glare. "I'm being honest! I'll really pay for the apple!"

"Really?!" Cleo exclaimed.

"Ye-" "No!"

"Eh?"

"Cleo!" he yells. "You're well aware that you are allergic to apples!"

Allergy? Apples? Huh?!

"It's only once! I won't eat any more!"

"Cleo-"

"Have you eaten one before?" I interrupted, bending down on my knees as I put myself on her level. Cleo looked at me and nodded. "What happened then?"

She looked over to the man who was with her and back to me. "Sore throat. Itching. Swelling of the lips."

"Would you want that to happen again?"

"No, but I'd like to eat one."

"But you are allergic to it."

"But I want to eat it."

"But you're going to itch again."

Cleo sighs as she puts back the red apple and stands beside Deither. "This is my brother, not my father or my uncle."

I smiled. "I see. Then my name is Sanara."

Looking down at my basket, I realized that I already had everything I needed. Cleo, her brother, and I went to the cashier. He seems like a man with a kind character. I really thought he was the snob type.

"Thanks for convincing my sister; she rarely listens to strangers. She must have felt something with you as she did what she was told."

I chuckled. "Perhaps she has sensed that I really like children. I'm a kindergarten teacher. A part-timer."

"Which kindergarten, if I may ask?" he replied. "I'm currently finding a school fit for my sister. I feel that if you are there, Cleo will be alright. You are good with kids."

"Kids' Cove," I answered as the man beside me chuckled.

"That's a creative name. Well, I'll talk with my parents regarding this, and I hope you and Cleo will see each other very soon."

I smiled. "You're a good guy, Deither."

"Deither Leandro Chen; she and I are Chinese." He extended his right arm for me to shake, and I gladly obliged. "Are you Asian as well?"

I looked at him as I nodded. "I'm half Japanese; that's why my name is Sanara."

"Well, it's really nice to meet you, Sanara."

"You can call me Sana," I suggested. "Sanara is too long."

He gave me a sweet smile as he looked into my eyes. "As you wish, Sana."

"Bye bye!" Cleo shouts as they both leave the store.

Poor little girl. She cannot enjoy apples. I felt how much she wanted to try it, but thanks to her allergy, she couldn't. It must be hard for her.

"I'm here!"

"Sana! Sana!"

Two lovely twins, Savannah and Sylvester—ain't it so high class? I don't know about my parents. They have named me Sanara, yet my siblings' names sound like they came from a noble family. I am their maid, I guess.

"Did you buy me pudding?"

"Did you get me an ice cream?"

I laughed. "Yes, yes.. I have everything you asked for, Sav and Yves. Now.. can you get these to the kitchen for me?"

"We will!" They snatched the plastic bags away from my hands and dashed to the room, leaving me empty-handed with a smile on her face.

"You're back.."

"Hi, Aunt Greta." I carefully took the sleeping Jack from her as she sighed. "How was today?"

She plopped down on the soft couch with closed eyes as she stretched out her arms. "I'm a bit tired, but if this house isn't as lively as today, every day would be boring."

I giggled. "Did the twins give you any trouble?"

"Oh no." She shook her head. "Savannah and her brother are really good kids. It could be because of you. You have taught and disciplined them well, and Jack is now becoming like them."

"Jack is a really good boy. I assure you that."

"Yeah, I'm glad you are here; you are really liked by children, Sana." I smiled.

"Well, I'll be putting him to bed, auntie. Would you like me to cook you something?"

"Don't worry about me, Sana. Think of yourself. You still haven't eaten, I'm sure. Give me Jack and find yourself some food to eat in the kitchen!" she exclaimed.

"Then.. excuse me, auntie.."

I got myself into the kitchen and found the twins sitting by the fridge. Savannah is busy eating her pudding, and Yves is enjoying his ice cream.

"Do you want to have a taste of my pudding?"

"Sav, that's your favorite. I know how much you like that."

"Yeah, but I want to share it with you."

"Then I'll share with you my ice cream."

I smiled to myself. Taking care of children is not easy, but I'm really happy that I was able to raise my siblings well. They know how to share and apologize when they have done something wrong. They know how to say thanks and respect others. Mom and dad, I wish you were proud of me up there.

•°•°•°•°•°•

"Good morning, Sana!"

The children who were already at the school greeted me with big hugs and smiles. Such cute human beings! I just hope that I can get my own siblings into this school.

"Good morning, everyone! How was your sleep?"

"I dreamt of a dog!"

"I saw myself swimming in the ocean with sharks!" I giggled.

"I dreamt of having a snake as a pet!"

"You all have amazing dreams, wow! What about you, Dion? What dream did you have last night?"

"I didn't have any dreams, Sana."

I smiled. "You did; you just don't remember it."

As I clapped my hands, the children gathered, and I slowly stood up from the ground.

"Okay everyone! Why don't we sing a song as we are all waiting for Ms. Marissa?"

"Yay! What song are we going to sing?"

"Do you still remember the song I taught you? The "My Body' song? "

The children jumped. "Yes!"

"Very good! Then let's start!"

Children really are wonderful beings here on Earth. They are special and innocent. There is nothing in this world that could prove me wrong.

"Good morning," a voice said from the door. My eyes grew wide when I saw Deither standing beside her little sister, Cleo, and waiting from the outside.

"You have a new friend, children," the teacher assigned to this class announced, looking over the door frame. Cleo carefully walks in and catches my eye as I stare at her.

"Hi, Sana!" she yells.

"Welcome to the school, Cleo!"

"You know Sana?" Daia asked her with creased eyebrows.

Cleo nodded. "We met yesterday."

"She is Cleo Xyrin Chen. She came from Angels' Rainbow. Welcome your new friend now." Ms. Marissa smiled as she placed her soft hands against Cleo's little shoulders.

"Welcome, Chen!" The children all exclaim in chorus.

As little Cleo tried to make friends with all of them, I stepped outside for a moment to have a word with her big brother.

"Thank you for getting her into this school; the children liked your sister," I chuckled while looking over to the happy kids playing. "I only wish I could get my own siblings here."

"Are they not here? Do they go to a different school?"

I slowly nodded. "I couldn't afford a school like this. There is no way. I raised them on my own."

Deither looked surprised, and that made me laugh. "You obviously did not think of that."

"Well yeah.. I mean, you look like you're eighteen, so.. I thought that you were living with your whole family."

"No. I live only with my siblings."

"May I know why?"

"Sana! Sana!" Tracey tugs on my shirt. "I want to build you a necklace! Come with me!"

"Aw.. that's so cute!" I looked back up to the man before me. "Please don't worry about Cleo. She'll be perfectly fine here. You can go to your work, Deither."

"Yeah, I guess I should really do that." He looked over my shoulder as he searched for his little sister. Soon as they met each other's stares, Deither waved Cleo good-bye.

"Take care, Deither! Don't worry about me!"

"Be good, alright? Be good!"

"Yes! I will!"

I was smiling while watching them. To think that they have a huge age gap, as Deither looks like he's in his 20s. He's not the kind of brother who neglects his siblings. He and Cleo have a really good relationship, which makes me happy.

"Are you looking at my brother?"

"Eh?" It was Cleo who was asking.

"My brother says he doesn't need love."

My eyebrows creased. "He said that?"

She nodded. "Yes. He never tells me why, but he said that he doesn't need love until he meets her."

"Her?"

"I don't know either. My brother is really hard to read."

I laughed, saying, "That's because you observe him too much. Come on, let's go play with the others!"

Me too, though. I don't need love. As long as I have Sav and Yves with me, I don't need something like that.