Chapter 4

"So, hindi ka talaga traydor?" Persephone asked. I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Sabi na sa'yo, Celes eh!" Saad nito at pinitik sa noo si Celes na ikina-aray naman niya.

"I'm staying here," I said while showing them the keys. Persephone's forehead creased. I mouthed 'What?'

"May susi ka naman pala, bakit kumatok kapa ng napakalakas?" She pouted. I just faked a smile.

"I just wanna who my roommate is.. and it's you two."

"Saiyo na lang yung bed ko. Sa double-deck na lang kami ni Celes," nakangiting wika ni Persephone. Celes isn't talking, minmasdan niya lang kami. She really have some trust issues.

"Okay," Dinala ko ang bag sa isang kama katabi ng double-deck.

Malawak ang dorm namin. Yung double-deck nakadikit siya sa wall at katabi nito yung isang kama na pang dalawahan, yung headboard ang nakadikit sa wall. Tapos ang study tables naman ay nasa may gilid, katabi ng pinto, katabi ng kama ko. Nasa harap namin ang banyo.

"Saan ka nakatira..? Ano nga bang pangalan mo?" Tanong ni Persephone. Inaayos ko ang gamit ko nang magtanong siya kaya nilingon ko siya sa likod.

"Manila," sagot ko. "I'm Eilonwy."

"Ah.." tango-tango nito. "Manila? I think that's a very familiar word."

"Huh, haven't you been to Manila yet?" I asked, my forehead creased. Weird, everyone knows Manila because it is the Capital of the Philippines. Well, I'm not one-hundred percent sure that everyone knows Manila. Maybe, there are people who don't know Manila and that includes Persephone.

"Nope, heheheh."

"Mundo ng mga tao iyon, Perse." Sagot ni Celes.

"Why? Aren't you people too?" I asked.

"Of course, no." Saad ni Celes habang nakaupo siya sa higaan niya kung saan nasa taas na deck.

"Then, what are you? Aliens?"

"Tsk." Hindi ako nito sinagot at nahiga na lang sa kama niya. And I remember what Head Master said, they're different and they have abilities. So what are they? Immortal People? Magicians?

"Bakit ka nandito kung hindi mo naman pala alam kung ano kami?"

"Why would I know? Kasama ba iyan sa dapat buhay ko?" I sarcastically asked Persephone.

"So, tao ka nga?"

"Yeah,"

"Eh??? Bakit ka nandito??"

"Will you please shut up? Go to bed, it's already midnight." I said and she pouted. Umalis na siya sa harap ko at dumiretso sa higaan niya. Natapos na rin ako sa pag ayos ng gamit kaya nahiga na rin ako sa kama.

I turned off the lamp beside me. Hindi pa ako makatulog... Ano ba ang dapat gawin ko bukas? Ngayong, dito na ako mag aaral dapat bang mag adjust ako ng time? Wala kasing binigay na schedule sa akin ang Head Master.

Paano ko naman malalaman yung subject ko, 'di ba?

Hays, bakit ba kasi naging ganito pa buhay ko. 17 years kong hindi alam sikreto nila Mommy tapos ngayong saka mag 18 na ako, ngayon ko lang malalaman.

Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang mga nangyayari ngayon, like parang kahapon lang ay nag aaral ako sa isang normal na unibersidad at tahimik ang buhay habang sinasaway ang napakakulit kong mga kaklase.

Papasok sa school, uuwi, kakain, matutulog. And now, magbabago kaya ang life cycle ko gayong alam ko na kung ano ba talaga ang hindi ko pa alam sa sarili ko?

Magics. Powers. Abilities.

Ano ba ang dapat na i-discover ko sa sarili ko? May powers din ba ako kagaya nila Mommy? And these roommate of mine, what are their powers? Is it some kind of fire, water, ice, air?

Hindi ko namalayang nakatulog pala ako kakaisip kaya heto ako ngayon nagising nang dahil sa inalog-alog ako ni Persephone. Saying, "Good morning, gumising kana. May pasok tayo,"

"What? 8AM pa ang pasok."

"7AM po ang pasok dito sa amin." She said kaya napabalikwas ako. I don't like getting late kaya agad akong tumayo sa pagkakahiga at naligo. "Woah, you're so fast."

"Yeah, male-late na tayo 'di ba? Halika na, sainyo na lang ako sasabay." Sabi ko. Hindi ko kasi talaga alam ang schedule ko!

"Oh... Okay." Sabay-sabay kaming pumunta sa classroom and this room was really big.

"Woah," napahanga ako nang dahil sa sobrang laki nito. Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng ganito sobrang laking classroom pero kapag nasa labas ka makikita mong maliit lang ito.

"Tara, dito tayo." Aya ni Persephone saamin ni Celes. May mga kaklase na rin kaming nasa loob at lahat sila ay nag eensayo ng kapangyarihan nila.

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

Meron din kaya ako niyan?

They stopped when a group of men passed by our room. They started screaming and they went out . What the hell is wrong with these Immortal's?

"What's happening?" I asked. But Persephone is not in my side anymore kaya nilingon ko si Celes na busy sa pagbabasa ng libro. Not minding everyone.

"Ganiyan lang talaga sila kapag dumadaan ang limang lalaking iyan." Sagot ni Celes. Tumango naman ako sa kaniya.

"Why are they like that? It's just man, you know."

"Yeah,"

They went back when a Professor entered. Pati na rin si Persephone ay bumalik na sa tabi ko.

"Sayang, hindi mo sila nakita." Bulong ni Persephone but I ignored her and looked at the Professor in front. May nilabas siyang papel na napakaluma kung tignan at may parang hinahanap siya rito.

"Good morning. We have a new student." Saad nito at lumingon sa paligid when our eyes met. This old lady has some eyeglasses and I guess, his eyes were dim. "You."

Tinuro ko ang aking sarili upang makasigurado kung ako nga talaga ang tinatawag niya. She nodded and signaled me to come down.

"This is your new schoolmate." Sabi ni Professor habang nakahawak ang kaniyang kamay sa aking balikat. Introducing me to the class. "Her name is..."

"Eilonwy Nerys Alterio, 17." I said and my fellow students, gasped. I just shrugged and go back to my seat.

"Miss Alterio," tawag sa akin ni Professor bago pa ako makahakbang sa hagdan papunta sa upuan ko. I looked back at her. "Mind showing what's your specialty?"

My forehead creased. I don't understand her. What should I say? "Uh... I don't know," the whole class laughed. The Professor scolded them so they shut up.

"Okay. Go back to your seat." Sabi nito kaya pumunta na lang ako sa kinauupuan ko. Malayo-layo ang unahan nasa unahan ng room kaya hindi ko makita kung ano ba ang sinusulat ng Professor sa blackboard.

Kinuha ko ang eyeglass kong mahina ang grado para makita ko ang nasa unahan. Bakit ba kasi napakalayo namin, tsk.

ALCHEMY

She encircled the word at humarap sa amin.

"Does anyone know what Alchemy is?" The Professor asked. I haven't even asked Persephone what's the name of this Professor. "Anyone?" I raised my hand. "Yes, Miss Alterio?" I stood up after she called my name.

"Alchemy is a function or procedure that makes something different in a mystical or grandiose manner." I confidently said while there's no expression in my face. The Professor looked impressed for what I have just said. We studied that in Biology last year.

"Well done," she clapped her hands elegantly and I just smiled. Naupo na ulit ako sa aking kinauupuan nang harapin ako ni Celes at Persephone.

"Woah, ang galing mo ah." Sabi ni Celes. Giving me a thumbs up.

"Ang galing galing mo naman," saad naman ni Persephone. I just faked a smile at them and focused in front. I am used to compliments, halos everyday akong kino-compliment ngunit hindi na bago iyon sa akin. It's sad to think na wala akong natanggap na compliment sa mga magulang ko because they were never beside me.

"Potential uses of Alchemy?" Tanong ni Professor kaya napabalik na ako sa pakikinig. A girl with Orange Hair raises her hand with a smile on her face. Kung papel lang ang bunganga niya edi sana napunit na yung bibig niya sa sobrang lawak ng ngiti. "Yes, Miss Vander?"

"The potential use of Alchemy is used to enhance the magic system of a novel, providing a unique and original word to use other than magic." She smiled confidently.

"Very good."

Nagpatuloy lang ang subject na iyon hanggang sa matapos ito. We just recited and the Professor give us quiz. I get 10/50. Yeah, napakababa. Ano namang alam ko roon 'di ba? I'm just new.

"Miss Alterio, come with me." The Professor said before leaving our classroom. My classmate gossips saying, "Napaka hambog naman kasi, sampu lang pala ang makukuhang score."

"Buti pa si Khloe, grabe 49 out of 50, isa na lang perfect na!"

"Syempre, ang talino kaya ni Khloe."

I didn't mind them at sumunod na lang kay Professor Humblecut. I asked Celes kanina what was the name of the Professor.

I bid goodbye to Persephone and Celes because sasama ako kay Professor Humblecut. Maybe, she would bring me to the detention room? But instead, she brought me to the Head Master's Office.

"She got 10 out of 50 that's why you're bringing her here?" Tanong ni Head Master.

"It's not about that quiz, Professor." Professor Humblecut said. "It's about her ability. Mapapahiya siya sa klase kung hindi niya pa ito alam."

"Give her some time, Professor Humblecut." Dahil sa boses ni Head Master napatigil si Professor Humblecut sa akmang sasabihin sana nito.

"Look, Head Master. We're not even sure if I have some.. some ability. You can't just guess if I'm really one of you." I said. They looked at me so I shut my mouth, zipping it using my hand.

"Wait until next month, Humblecut. She is just new, she's adjusting." Head Master whispered. I rolled my eyes at them while looking at my nails. Why would they even bring me here kung sila lang namang dalawa mag uusap. My time is precious just so you know.

"Can I.. go now?" I said habang pahina nang pahina ang boses. They both sighed and nodded so I went out at inayos ang bagpack ko. Sinabit ko ito sa kanan kong balikat.

Wait... Where's my eyeglasses?

I checked my bag at halos magkanda gulo gulo na ito dahil hindi ko talaga mahanap sa loob nag eyeglasses ko. Suot ko ito kanina habang nag leleksyon and inalis ko ito kanina nang matapos na ang klase. Where did I put it?

I bumped into someone because I'm not looking where I'm going. The guy's stuff fell so I helped him to get it.

"I'm sorry," I said while helping him. He has white hair with sharp eyes.

"Your fault." He said.

"Alam ko, kaya nga nag sorry na ako 'di ba?" Sabi ko at binigay sa kaniya ang napulot kong gamit niya at naglakad na.

Duh, this world really is weird. How can I live here without being weirded out?