𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞

xxxv

Ｔｅａｃｈｉｎｇ

Westchester,
New York.

"Now we are going to correct the sentences you had for homework, alright?" She asks at the class full of hormones from teenagers with their heads in the clouds. Eleanor looks around the classroom and points at a blonde student in the back of the class "Melissa, go on" She says looking at the girl. She looks at her classmates and nods. She looks at her notebook and clears her throat.

"The house was full of bees, so we had to leave for a week" She reads out loud. Then she takes a breath "La casa estaba llena de abejas, así que nosotros fuimos por una semana" Eleanor grimaces slightly.

"Casi. The first part of the sentence is correct but the second would be:" She starts to explain as she writes it on the board "así que nos fuimos durante una semana" She says underlining what she had wrong. Melissa nods and looks at her notebook again "But well done, Melissa, it was a difficult sentence" Then she looks at her sister who is drawing in her notebook. She crosses her arms over her chest and raises her eyebrows "Sophie, please, would you do the next one?" Sophie looks at her sister and looks around the class. She grins and nods.

"Sure" She says looking at her book "Everything was already ready because I had been cleaning there the day before" She reads with a smile "Ya estaba todo listo porque había estado limpiando el día anterior" Eleanor nods and forces a smile.

"Muy bien" She comments looking at her sister. Then she turns to look at the other students and smiles "Okay, Henry, you do the next one" Eleanor continues correcting the sentences. The class ends after they finish correcting the sentences. Eleanor looks at Sophie as she tidies her things and starts to leave.

"Sophie, please, come here" She calls her sister with a smile. Sophie turns around and jumps next to her sister with her books in her hand "You know you are already on your senior year, don't you?" She asks raising her eyebrows.

"I keep track on that, yeah" She answers with her typical smile "Why?" She asks as her smile fades quickly.

"You see... You have 19 years old, you are going to have to do a choice. What do you wanna do, which path do you wanna follow in the future..."

"Oh, right. Well, I want to be an artist, you know, paintings and sculpture" She says smiling widely and Eleanor smiles shocked "I've already known for a while, but I guess I wanted to look my options" Eleanor frowns.

"You are going to go to university?" She asks narrowing her eyes. Sophie laughs and shakes her head.

"What? No! I am staying here, I heard about a course in New York City, it's pretty interesting and I think it's perfect for me" She explains happily. Eleanor nods with a smile and stands up as her sister takes out a paper "You see, you have these classes for the first year: Artistic Drawing, History of Art, Color and Shape Analysis, Photography and Art Psychology. It would be eight hours a week for one year, then you start to do your own creations in the second year as you also continue with different types of paintings like sanguine or oil paintings. In the third year you put on a show in which you publicly show your creations, in an exhibition" Eleanor watches as how her sister explains with excitement and enthusiasm her plans.

"And how much does it cost?" She asks her sister with a smile. Sophie looks at her chuckling "I just- It sounds nice but it also sounds expensive..."

"Oh, don't worry, I've got it all covered. I haven't been working as a waitress during this four years for nothing" She says. Eleanor frowns and scoffs.

"Come on, don't be stupid, I have enough money to pay you ten college degrees and I would have money left for traveling and buying you a house"

"No, Elie, I want to do this by myself. I don't want to depend on you forever" She says to her sister "Don't get me wrong, I love being here and being with you but I want to feel like I can do things on my own. All my life I've been treated like someone who can't do anything: in the orphanage, with Emma, in the psychiatric hospital..."

"Sophie..." She murmurs looking at her sister, feeling deeply sorry for her. She looks down and nods, understanding what her sister wants "It's alright, I just wanted to help you. I know you've been working really hard. I just wanted to do something that is worth it with my money" Sophie smiles at her sister "But I'm proud of you, if you need help-"

"Yes, I know" She says chuckling "But you already do something that is worth it with your money. You created this school, you fight for what you believe in. That's worth it" She explains, feeling proud of her older sister "I'm okay, I don't need your money"

"Ouch" Eleanor comments jokingly "That could be a song, you know" Sophie laughs out loud and watches as her sister walks in front of her "Oh, honey. I don't need your money. All I need is a little bit of your love. That's all I need for me to carry on" She starts singing, improvising the melody and the lyrics. Sophie laughs covering her mouth and claps. Eleanor joins her and laughs looking at the ceiling "Now, sing with me!" She exclaims pointing at her sister.

"Oh, honey. I don't need your money. All I need is a little bit of your love. That's all I need to carry on" They sing jumping around the classroom. They need some moments together, as sisters and as friends.