Fred left his mum and climbed the stairs to his room. Anna quickly followed him, though there was a sizable distance between them because Fred had walked faster.
"Fred! Fred!!" She kept calling but Fred ignored her and banged his room door shut. There was great debate within him as he was climbing the stairs and going into his room.
"Should I tell her what happened? But if I tell her, she will apologize on behalf of everyone. Or she may follow me to school and try to defend me as a mother. Yes, as someone who cares and someone who wants to absolve my shame. Wait a minute, will that do me any good? Or more will it be a cause for more mockery?"
There was a gentle knock on the door. It was Anna, she knocked and waited for Fred's response.
"My love, my treasure. Can I come in?"
To he
