Eric Montrel

Eric Montrel was only fifteen, but he already had the impatience in his eyes, the kind of person who thought the world moved too slowly. He lived with his mother in a simple house on a quiet street surrounded by ancient trees. It was just him and her—and for him, that was enough.

But that week, everything changed.

Eric's mother received an urgent call: her best friend was in the hospital, in critical condition. She hurried out, promising to return soon, but when she returned, the silence in her eyes told him what he already feared. Her friend had succumbed to cancer.

At the door, clutching a worn teddy bear and with tears in her eyes, was Ana, the ten-year-old daughter.

"Eric…" the mother said, her voice trembling. "Starting today, she'll be living with us. I promised her mother that I would care for Lia as if she were my own daughter."

Eric didn't like that at all. The house was small, his room was his world—and now he had to share it with someone?

In the early days, he took everything out on her: he teased, made faces, hid her toys, and whenever his mother left, he declared himself "the boss of the house." Ana was small and sensitive, and tried not to cry.

But one day, Eric went too far. Trying to scare her with a silly prank, he ended up making Lia fall down the stairs. The shock was enormous—she fainted, and he felt his heart nearly stop.

At that moment, Eric realized what he was doing was cruel. He stayed by her side in the hospital, holding her small, cold hand, hoping she would open her eyes.

When Ana woke up, she looked at him and smiled—no rancor, no anger. Just that pure look only children have.

From then on, everything changed.

Eric began playing with her, helping with chores, and even participating in the "imaginary adventures" Ana created with her teddy bears. The two of them invented kingdoms, missions, and promises of eternal friendship.

And so, a fifteen-year-old boy and a ten-year-old girl became inseparable.