Chapter 15

Sorry for the delay; it was a busy week.

A week had passed since I had "that talk" with Mom, and honestly, things had been pretty awkward between us. Also, about three days ago, I received my acceptance letter to the academy, saying that not only did I pass the exam, but I was also placed in Group 101, which is said to consist of the most promising first-year candidates.

And today was my first day of classes. I put on the academy uniform, which consisted of a dark blue skirt, a white blouse with a red tie, and a jacket the same color as the skirt with some golden details.

I had breakfast with Mom, but neither of us spoke. We finished eating and got into the car, with Agatha driving. Halfway through the trip, Mom said:

"I understand that what I told you upset you..."

"Of course it upset me!" I don't like raising my voice, especially at Mom, but I couldn't help it. "How can you say something—something so horrible? How can you see the world that way?"

"Because it's the world I know, dear," she replied in a tone that, while calm, made me fall silent. Her voice was serene but incredibly authoritative.

"... Honey, honestly, as your mother, I'm glad you don't see the world as I do... I suppose that means I did a good job... even if you never met your father." I could barely hear the last part, and it surprised me since Mom never—really never—talks about Dad.

"But even so, this is how I see the world, and I would like you to, if not share my perspective, at least understand it. And I'm not saying this just because I want you to see the world as I do, but because I want you to be prepared for when the world hits you. And believe me, it always does." Mom had a distant look as she said this, as if she were remembering something, but then she focused her gaze on me.

I wanted to say something, but I just opened my mouth like a fish. In the end, I just nodded, but from the small smile she gave me, I suppose that was enough.

We sat in silence for the rest of the ride. I thought about what Mom had said, while she... honestly, I have no idea what she was thinking about. And so, we arrived at the academy. Just as I was about to open the car door, Mom hugged me from behind and said:

"I love you, honey, and that will never change. Also, take care and enjoy your first day."

"I love you too, Mom."

And with that, I got out of the car. As I watched it drive away, a doubt lingered in my heart: What kind of life did Mom live to see the world that way?

…

After walking through the grand entrance arch, making my way down the path, and getting lost in the hallways, I finally found Classroom 101, where I would spend the next year of my life studying and training to become a hero. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't both nervous and excited.

Upon entering, a few things stood out. First, about half the class had already arrived. Second, there was a humanoid snapping turtle over two meters tall. And third, two guys were arguing.

"I TOLD YOU THAT'S MY SEAT!" yelled a boy with dark green hair at another sitting in the last seat by the window.

"WHERE'S YOUR NAME ON IT, SPINACH HEAD?!" replied the boy in the seat, who had more normal black hair.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SPINACH HEAD, SHITFACE?!"

"OH, SO YOU'VE GOT BALLS, SPINACH HEAD?!"

And thus began a competition of who could come up with the most imaginative insults. It looked like they were about to come to blows, and some of the others in the room seemed eager to watch them fight. Just when it seemed like things would get physical, an annoyed voice rang out:

"Can you guys shut up? You're keeping me from sleeping." Suddenly, both boys started floating in the air, surrounded by a faint purple glow.

"WHAT?!" "HOW?!"

They both exclaimed as they floated, before the purple light vanished and they crashed to the ground.

While the two recovered from the fall, I looked around and spotted the source of the light—it was none other than Lucas, the boy I met during the written exam.

He glanced at me, and I waved at him, but he just ignored me and went back to sleeping at his desk. Deciding I should also take a seat, I chose one in the middle of the classroom. The seat to my left was empty, but to my right sat someone whose face I recognized after a few seconds.

"Hi, Thalía," I hesitated a bit before greeting her since she seemed lost in thought, but in the end, I decided it was better to say hello.

"Huh? Oh, hi, Aelyra. Sorry, I didn't see you."

"No worries. Have you been here long?" And so, we started chatting. After a few minutes, Selphira arrived and took the seat to my left. I introduced her to Thalía, and she joined our conversation.

"Isn't the teacher taking too long to get here?" Selphira asked.

"Yeah, it's been a while, and it looks like all the students are here," I replied.

"Maybe they're not coming," said Thalía.

At that moment, as if to contradict her, the door burst open. A woman with dark blue hair and a police-like uniform, but in light blue with black accents, entered.

"Hello, students! I'm Bubble Cop, and I'll be your teacher this year. But if you want, you can just call me Ms. Lila. I hope we get along!" she said with a smile.

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