Love is the Sunshine novel Chapter 101

Carla told herself repeatedly not to care about Terence.

But, could she really deny her love for him?

After spending a long time together, Carla and Terence knew each other like a couple. Thinking back to those happy days, she felt like she was watching a movie, remembering everything as if it were only yesterday.

Ironically, the more she tried to resist the urge to see Terence, the more she told herself that she really cared about him.

Though she didn't want to admit her love for Terence, she had fallen deeply in love with him.

The more she tried to suppress her true feelings, the more she missed him.

Carla had to admit that she really cared about him a lot, but she was afraid that she was too humble to be his girlfriend.

Despite of her sense of inferiority, she loved him from the bottom of her heart.

She actually cared about him so much, but she always assumed an air of indifference. She had masked her feelings well.

All she had left was her dignity.

She would rather keep her dignity than humbly entreat him to pity her. Even if he left, she hoped that she would be able to survive without him.

Carla curled up into a ball and covered herself with the quilt, trying to soothe herself.

Still, she felt sad with longing.

She often recalled Terence's handsome picture from the cover of a magazine where he was formally dressed and had a broad smile. The more he smiled brightly, the more she felt pain in her heart.

The feeling of heartache almost engulfed and choked her.

Sean came back from school. He called out to her as soon as he came into the house.

"Carla, Carla.

Where are you, sister?"

Hearing her brother's voice, Carla quickly wiped away her tears, combed her tangled hair and got dressed. Then she went out to greet him.

"Have you finished your class?"

She didn't want her brother to see how helpless and depressed she felt at the moment. After all, she was his older sister who was responsible for protecting him. She had to make herself strong because he looked up to her for guidance and relied on her.

"Yes, Carla. Have you been crying?"

Although Carla smiled, Sean could see the sadness in her eyes.

"No. My eyes are sore. Why did you come home so early today? I'll start dinner for you," she said, trying to change the subject. Carla hurried off into the kitchen.

Sean followed her and grabbed her by the arm suddenly to attract her attention.

"Carla, I have something to tell you."

He looked up at her and said, "I mentioned this to you last year, but you have probably forgotten about it since you are really busy. Anyway, our teacher said that seven outstanding students would be selected and sent to study in the best school in JA City for one month this year.

It's an inter-school communication program that has been running for a while now. Well, the teacher said it would be implemented this year.

The school selects seven of the best students according to their comprehensive performance and results—"

Sean blinked and furrowed his brows, looking at her. It seemed that he had something to say but stopped for some reason.

Carla was thinking about something else then. After hearing his words, she woke up from her daydream. She smiled and looked down at him, saying, "My dear brother, you have been selected, haven't you?"

She knew that Sean had excellent grades. Although she always criticized him in order that he wouldn't become too proud and complacent with his studies, she admitted that he was really good in all aspects.

"Yes!" Sean nodded, still looking at her with expectant eyes.

Carla ruffled his hair up and said, "You're very good. I'm so proud of you. But I will be worried about you when you go so far away."

Sean was worried that Carla might not let him go. But when he heard what she had said, his heart was filled with joy and he smiled happily back at her.

"You don't have to worry about that. The teacher also said that we could ask an elder to accompany us. After all, we are still primary school students. There will be a unified apartment for us to live in. Except for some accommodation fees, we don't have to pay for anything else!"

Carla went silent for a moment and Sean noticed the hesitation in her eyes.

"Carla, this is a very rare opportunity and only a select few are chosen. I have heard that there are professional foreign language teachers in the school of JA City. Their education is very advanced and very outstanding. If I go there to study, I will benefit a lot from it!"

Sean held her by the arm again and looked at her with pleading eyes.

Her silence was not entirely due to the fact that Terence was in JA City. After all, her brother's education was much more important than that.

Didn't she work so hard so that her brother could have a better education?

The problem was that she had been working at this new place for only a short time. If she asked for a month's leave during this critical time, she wondered what the manager would think and if she would even be approved for a month off of work.

After all, a month's leave was a long time.

"Sean, do you have the fixed schedule yet?" Carla asked after thinking it over in her head.

Sean quickly took the form out from his schoolbag and gave it to her.

"Our teacher asked us to fill out this form. Then it will be delivered to the school in JA City for registration. About a week later, we will be notified and then we can leave for the school!"

'Only a week later? It's so soon.'

Carla frowned, feeling a bit upset, because she felt embarrassed to ask for leave as a new employee.

The next day, Carla decided to cancel her previous leave and talk to the manager about getting one month's leave in a week's time. As Sean's sister, she attached great importance to his study.

She had thought it was going to be impossible to get leave for a month.

However, after hearing Carla out, the manager said that he would discuss her leave with the superior again, because the duration of her leave was beyond his permission. But he also assured her that the company had approved leave for special reasons before.

In that case, she would most likely be approved the leave this time.

Carla felt relieved when he told her the news.

She found that she had no time to be sentimental. She would rather take time to study and work hard than waste it on useless things. Only in this way could she achieve greater progress and provide a better life for Sean and herself.

In the future, she would definitely spend more money on her brother's education. So she must work harder to earn the money.

These days, Sean seemed to understand his sister's intention. After coming back from school, he concentrated on reading and doing his homework instead of watching TV. He seldom bothered Carla by asking her to play with him.

He often saw that his sister was in a daze. She would stand by the window, sit on the sofa, or stare blankly at the stove.

Wherever she did it, she was in a day dream for a long time.

During the week, Karen had called her on the phone, urging her to come out on a blind date, but she refused her.

Noah also called her when he wasn't in BH City. He told her that if she needed anything she could call him.

Of course, she knew that Karen's kindness was sincere for her.

As for Noah, whatever his real intention was, she decided to keep him at arm's length.

A week later, the school informed the parents to make some preparations and gather at the school gate with the children at eight o'clock the next morning. There would be a bus to take them to JA City.

Carla's leave was approved the day before the trip. However, because of the one-month leave, she wouldn't be allowed to have any holiday time during the second half of the year. But she would be allowed one day off every week. And she would have to work during any other holidays once she had returned.

Carla was content with that arrangement.

Sean was very thoughtful of his sister these days. He kept studying hard all the time, co-operating with her and helping her with chores.

The night before the trip, he helped Carla to pack their clothes.

"Carla, it's not cold now. Two summer outfits will be enough for me. You can pack some more beautiful clothes for you. After all, you are a girl," Sean said as he folded his clothes.

Seeing Sean behave like an adult, Carla smiled with satisfaction and felt touched, "My dear little brother, when did you become so thoughtful?"

"Of course, I have grown up. It's time for me to start taking care of my sister," Sean said as if he were a small adult. He folded the clothes neatly and packed them into the suitcase.

"I'll pack the rest. You go to bed and get some rest. I'm going to prepare some food to take on the way," Carla said while patting her brother affectionately on the shoulder.

Sean nodded, yawning. Feeling tired, he went back to his room.

Carla was busy preparing food until very late. She put the boiled eggs and snacks in a separate bag and packed it into her suitcase. In addition, she gave her neighbors the perishable items out of her refrigerator, since they were going to be away for a month.

By the time she had finished everything, it was already past midnight.

Feeling extremely tired, she went to bed.

Carla didn't hear the alarm clock in the morning; perhaps, it was because she went to bed very late.

When Sean woke her up, she found that it was already half past seven.

The teacher had asked them to arrive at the school gate by eight o'clock.

"Don't worry. It doesn't matter. Let's go immediately and take a taxi. We are sure to be there in half an hour," Carla reassured Sean who was about to cry.

"We don't need to take a taxi. I've asked Uncle Carey to wait for us downstairs." Pursing up his lips, Sean looked up at his sister.

"Really? If that's the case, then that would be even better. You've made a good decision." After praising her brother, Carla hurried to wash up.

Carla realized she had to be careful. Even if she was in a hurry to go, she closed the main circuit. She also checked the gas range all over again before leaving her house.

Fortunately, their entire luggage was packed and ready last night.

Carla quickly grabbed their suitcases and carried them downstairs. She was ready to go to the school with Sean.