Luna returned home with a heavy heart, her steps slow and her eyes downcast. The abandoned puppy she had seen in the morning, the one she had hoped to bring into their family, had already found a new home. The disappointment lingered in her chest as she closed the gym with Arthur and headed upstairs to their apartment.
During dinner, Arthur noticed the sadness in his sister's eyes. "What's wrong, Luna?" he asked.
Luna sighed, "I saw a puppy today, all alone and abandoned. I wanted to bring it home, but someone else had already taken it. I thought it could be a part of our family…"
Arthur offered a gentle smile. "We can always buy another one if you want." But Luna shook her head, her face still clouded with disappointment. "It's not the same."
Trying to lift her spirits, Arthur leaned forward, his voice teasing. "You don't really need a puppy, you know." Luna looked at him, puzzled. "Why not?"
"Because," Arthur said, his grin widening, "you already have one right here." Luna raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking about yourself? You're a bit too big to be a puppy."
Without missing a beat, Arthur made a pair of puppy eyes, his face adopting an exaggeratedly cute expression. "Woof," he barked softly. Luna couldn't help but laugh. She reached over and stroked his head playfully. "You really do look like a puppy now. Make that face again if you want me to pet you."
Arthur made the face again, and Luna leaned in, wrapping him in a warm hug. She quickly snapped a picture of them together.
"Hey! Delete that!" Arthur protested, half-laughing, half-serious. "No way!" Luna retorted, holding the phone out of his reach. "I'm keeping this as my wallpaper. Maybe I'll even frame it and hang it up."
Arthur shook his head in mock defeat. "Fine, keep it. Just don't show it to everyone." She nodded, still smiling. "I promise. But it's staying right here with us."
After a pause, Luna's asked, "So, how was your day at school?"
Arthur shrugged. "The usual, mostly. But Nora… she's starting to talk to everyone more."
Luna's eyes narrowed slightly. "I still find it suspicious. A girl from a rich family transferring to a school like ours? There's got to be something behind it."
Arthur frowned. "She's a good person, Luna. She's not some kind of shady character. I'll ask her about it tomorrow if it'll make you feel better." They finished their dinner and headed off to bed.
The next morning, as usual, Luna and Arthur walked together to his school. When they parted ways, Arthur caught up with his friends and mentioned Luna's suspicion.
"Yeah, we've been wondering about that too," Jane admitted. "But we didn't want to pry."
"Since you're close to her, you should ask her," Henry chimed in, with a smirk. "After all, she seems to have a soft spot for you."
Arthur rolled his eyes at their teasing, but the idea of asking Nora stuck with him throughout the morning. By the time lunch arrived, he had resolved to ask her.
In the cafeteria, Nora sat alone on one side of the table while Arthur and his friends took the opposite side. Without hesitation, Arthur got up and moved to sit next to her. His friends continued their conversation, oblivious to what was happening.
Nora noticed him sitting closer and gave him a curious look. "What is it?"
Arthur hesitated, then said, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you. It's been bothering me for a while." Nora sighed. "Can't you just eat quietly?"
"I could," Arthur said, "but I'd feel better if I asked. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
Seeing Nora's expression grow serious, he continued, "Why did you transfer to this school? You were in a prestigious school before. Why come to a place like this?"
Nora's face fell, and she remained silent. Arthur quickly added, "You don't have to say anything. Just asking has already made me feel better."
The lunch break ended, and they headed back to class. As Arthur took his seat, he felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He turned to find Nora standing there, her eyes cast down. "Meet me during P.E. class," she whispered. "I'll tell you then."
During P.E. class, Nora waited under a tree, her thoughts racing. She doubted Arthur would come. But just as she was about to give up, Arthur appeared and sat beside her in the shade.
Nora took a deep breath and began to speak. "My parents… they divorced when I was little. My mom left, and she didn't want anything to do with me. She thought I was a mistake. My dad… he loved me, but he couldn't bear to look at me because I reminded him of her. He buried himself in work, and I was left alone."
Her voice wavered as she continued. "I went to a prestigious school, but it was lonely there. Everyone only cared about money. I never made any real friends. I tried to find friends outside of school, but people just wanted to use me for my money. I couldn't trust anyone. But when I saw kids here, kids who didn't have much but were still so happy… I wanted to be part of that. Even if it meant being an outsider."
Nora's eyes welled with tears, and she lowered her head. "Please don't look at me like this…"
Arthur's heart ached as he listened. Without a word, he opened his arms. "You can cry as much as you need to. I'll hold you, and no one will see."
Nora hesitated for only a moment before leaning into him, her tears soaking his shirt as she sobbed quietly. Arthur wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her head. After a while, Nora pulled away, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry for wetting your shirt."
Arthur shook his head. "Don't be. And don't worry—you're not alone. You have me and our friends."
He smiled softly and added, "Now come on, let's go play with everyone."
As they walked back to join the others, Henry called out, "What were you two up to?"
Arthur simply grinned. "Just lighting a fire. A fire called friendship."