8. It turns out Stefany Skipped School

A bright morning greeted the village of Bibury, Cotswolds, England. The sun rose brilliantly, radiating warm rays that enhanced the surrounding scenery. Today, Daniel was so excited to go to school because he couldn't wait to meet his best friend, Stefany.

Daniel was in such a hurry that he even devoured his breakfast, a piece of peanut butter pie, quickly. His mother, Mrs. Miriam, then gently reprimanded him.

"Daniel, take it easy. Eat calmly, don't rush so much," his mother exclaimed.

"Sorry, Mommy. I'm just very excited to meet Stefany today."

However, Mr. Carlos, Daniel's father, gave his son advice before going to school.

"Daniel, remember to be careful and wise in associating with Stefany. The Madison family has a bad reputation in this village," the father cautioned.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I know how to take care of myself," he replied to Mr. Carlos.

In stark contrast to his father's attitude, Grandpa John and Grandma Sophia even supported Daniel to be friends and try to get close to Stefany.

"We are on your side, Daniel! You can rest assured!" his grandfather exclaimed.

"Say hello to Stefany, okay!" Grandma Sophia also didn't want to be outdone in supporting her grandson.

"Thank you for your support, Grandma Sophia and Grandpa John!" Daniel replied enthusiastically.

After finishing breakfast, Daniel said goodbye to his parents and also his grandparents. After that, Daniel immediately sped off on his bike towards school. On the way, he felt overwhelming joy.

Daniel then muttered, "Today will be an amazing day! I can't wait to meet Stefany."

When he arrived at school, Daniel quickly looked for Stefany. However, the teenage boy did not find his friend Stefany. Even though he had looked for her in every corner of the school.

The situation experienced by Daniel so burdened his mind. His anxiety increased after Stefany had not come to school for two days. Daniel felt responsible for Stefany's condition because they had gone home together a few days earlier, which made Stefany get scolded by her father, Mr. Frank.

Daniel looked gloomy at school, his face full of guilt and worry. Hugo and Filbert, his two friends who were sensitive to his feelings, tried to comfort him and invite him to play basketball on the school field.

Hugo then greeted his friend, "Hey, Daniel, what's going on? You look very gloomy today."

Daniel then replied, "I feel very guilty, Hugo. Stefany didn't come to school because of me. Her father was angry at her for coming home with me in the afternoon."

Filbert also said, "But it's not entirely your fault, Daniel. Stefany also has her own responsibilities. You act like you don't know how Mr. Frank educates Stefany. Too harsh!"

Daniel then chimed in, "But I feel like I'm the cause of all this. I should have been more careful."

"You can't blame yourself completely, Daniel. We all make mistakes. The most important thing now is how we can help Stefany," Hugo retorted.

"That's right, Daniel. Let's meet Caroline and Marsha and talk everything over with them. Who knows, the two of them have the right solution," Filbert said.

"You're right. I have to meet Caroline and Marsha. Who knows, they have the right solution." Daniel became enthusiastic.

"You can definitely do it, Daniel. We're all here for you." Hugo showed his support to his friend.

Filbert chimed in, "Exactly! We are true friends, and we will support each other in every situation."

"Thank you, friends. I'm very lucky to have you." Daniel felt grateful to have friends like Hugo and Filbert who always gave him support.

The three of them then went to look for Caroline and Marsha to ask for their help.

When the recess bell rang, the crowd at school began to stir. Children ran out of their classrooms, looking for friends, or just relaxing for a moment from the tiring lessons.

In the middle of the crowd, there were three boys who looked more serious than their other friends.

Daniel, Hugo, and Filbert stood in the middle of the school field, their eyes searching among the passing faces. They looked restless, there was something important that the three of them wanted to know.

"We have to find Marsha and Caroline," Daniel said in a firm voice, but full of worry. "They might know why Stefany didn't come to school today."

Hugo nodded in agreement. "I'm also curious. Usually Stefany is always diligent in going to school and never skips."

Filbert looked focused on seeing the crowd. "I saw Marsha near the cafeteria. Come on, let's go there."

The three of them then hurried towards the school cafeteria. There, the atmosphere was lively with the sound of laughter and chatter. The aroma of food was so tempting, making their stomachs rumble, but the focus of the three was not diverted. Their eyes kept searching for Stefany's two friends, Marsha and Caroline.

Finally, they saw Marsha sitting on a bench with Caroline, enjoying snacks. Daniel immediately approached them with quick steps.

"Hi ... Marsha! Caroline!" Daniel called.

The two girls turned around, looking surprised by their sudden arrival.

"Oh, hi Daniel, Hugo, Filbert," Marsha greeted kindly. "What are you looking for us for?" Caroline asked.

Daniel sat next to them, followed by Hugo and Filbert. While saying, "We want to ask something, do you know why Stefany didn't come to school today?"

Caroline nodded, her face changed seriously. "Yes, we know. This morning the teacher said that Stefany is sick."

"What?" Hearing that, Daniel felt his chest tighten. The guilt that instantly gnawed at his heart became even more intense. "Sick? What did the teacher say Stefany was sick with?"

Marsha looked at Daniel carefully, feeling that something was wrong. "The teacher didn't say the details, but maybe she has a fever or the flu."

Hugo, who was sitting next to Daniel, patted his back gently. "What's wrong, Daniel? You look very worried."

Daniel sighed deeply. "A few days ago, I took Stefany to play on the hill behind the school until the evening."

Marsha and Caroline looked at each other, then looked at Daniel with sympathy. "You didn't mean to make her sick, Daniel," Marsha tried to comfort.

However, Daniel still felt guilty. "But still, I feel this is my fault."

Caroline shook her head. "Don't think like that, Daniel. The important thing now is that we make sure Stefany gets enough rest and recovers quickly."

Filbert, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. "Maybe we can help by sending an encouraging message or bringing her something later."

Hugo agreed. "That's a good idea. Let's write an encouraging message for Stefany, so she knows we all care and hope she gets well soon."

They all agreed with that idea and started looking for paper and pens. While they were writing messages for Stefany, the atmosphere became warmer. Daniel felt a little better after talking to his friends and realizing that they all cared about Stefany.

When the bell rang signaling the end of recess, they collected the messages in an envelope. "Later after school, we can stop by her house and give it to her," Filbert suggested.

Daniel nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. Thank you, friends. I feel better now."

They then returned to class with a calmer feeling, although the worry about Stefany's condition was still there. Throughout the lesson, Daniel's mind often wandered to his friend Stefany who was sick at home.