Kayla's eyes turned red, and she dug her nails deep into her palms as she suppressed the almost frenzied and twisted emotions threatening to erupt. She managed to hold back her anger, though just barely.
"Arnie, my foot hurts. Can you carry me over there?" she asked, her voice laced with vulnerability.
The car had broken down, and the driver needed to stay behind to arrange repairs. Moreover, Kayla had traveled such a long way to get here; it was impossible for her to be sent away now.
For this reason, Kayla would have to stay in Alverton by Arnold's side for a while.
Arnold felt a sense of helplessness but ultimately did not refuse. He examined her foot and found nothing wrong with it, yet Kayla insisted that she had injured it in the accident and couldn't walk.
"Arnie, I really can't walk anymore..." she whined.
Having already cried once and after being terrified all night, her face was pale and pitiful. It made it hard for Arnold to turn her down.
He bent down, offering, "Get on my back. I'll carry you."
"You're the best, Arnie!" Kayla beamed, her joy evident as she jumped onto his back. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
Amidst numerous gazes, Arnold carried Kayla back to Alverton.
It was no big deal for the villagers since they didn't know them, but the students participating in the training program couldn't help but make a few teasing remarks about their apparent intimacy.
Kayla giggled, occasionally blushing shyly.
Upon returning to the village, Arnold originally intended to have the village head find another family for Kayla to stay with. However, with all the other families' houses already full and Kayla stubbornly refusing to be separated from him, he had no choice but to take her back to the farm where he was staying.
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