Mirren Academy of Spells

Chapter 5: Bane of Existence

Chapter 5: Bane of Existence

"Where have you been?" Ito ang bungad ni Alice pagpasok ko sa dormitory matapos ihatid ng sasakyan. "I left you for the day and you came back in an assembly car?"

Alice had so many questions habang paakyat kami sa hagdan. Tahimik lang na nakasunod si Claudia sa 'min. She must have known something was up.

Alice sat on her bed with her arms folded, waiting for my answers. Huminga ako nang malalim bago umupo sa opposite bed. I couldn't sort out my emotions at the moment, let alone explain everything to them.

Nakasandal si Claudia sa nakasarang pinto. "Did you tell your father about the spell mishap?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong niya, like she was challenging me.

"Did you?" Alice's doll-like eyes could hold so much emotions unlike mine, which were just cold, and flat, and tired. "A spell mishap isn't a small thing, Olivia. What if the legend happened to you?"

"What legend?"

"You know, the incident that happened decades ago where a spell user suddenly disappeared from the magic world after using an undeveloped healing spell?"

"Exactly," said Claudia. "There's no way she would tell her father about the incident to keep her good records. Tell me I'm wrong, Olivia."

Good records. What was so important about it?

"I had just something to deal with..." I answered in a small voice.

"You're hiding a lot from us, Olivia." Claudia's words were straightforward, cutting me. "Just make sure it's something you can handle on your own."

She then left the room. Mas lumalim ang buntonghininga ko.

"Don't take her words seriously," Alice assured me. "She's just worried. There's a lot going on lately and we don't want any one of us to get into trouble."

I stayed in the room until dinner. Nasa dining hall na ang dalawa para kumain. They asked me kung sasabay ako kanina but I didn't respond to them under the sheets.

Bumaba ako sa dining hall while everyone was in the middle of their meals at busy sa pagk-kwentuhan. Habang nakapila para kumuha ng pagkain, a specific topic from a nearby table caught my attention. Pagpunta ko sa table kung nasaan si Alice at Claudia, 'yon din ang usapan nila.

"He's currently at the sentinel."

"Isn't this the second time this month?"

Umupo ako sa tabi nila at pinatong ang tray ng pagkain sa mesa. But I already lost my appetite from guilt. "Is it about Santi?" I tried to sound nonchalant.

"Sino pa nga ba?" Claudia muttered followed by a dragging sigh. "The bane of everyone's existence. The thorn in everyone's throat in the academy."

Alice pulled her lower lip into a pout. "He made a habit of getting into trouble with the authorities. He's an excellent student pa naman when it comes to high level spells."

"'Yan na naman ang wala sa lugar na paghanga mo," ismid ni Claudia.

"I'm just stating a fact," Alice blurted out. "Can we just accept the fact that he's skilled and also freaking hot? We're responsible but we're not blind."

I had to agree with Alice's point. Santi was good-looking in a reckless, dark kind of way. He seemed to be the kind of person who knew what he was doing. He was the total opposite of me—lost, literally and figuratively.

"I don't think he's that bad..."

Pareho silang napatingin sa 'kin. The grilled meat from Alice's fork fell back on her plate.

"Seriously, Olivia?" Claudia muttered. "Are you forgetting something here? Aren't you the one who swore not to associate yourself with someone like him?"

But it wasn't Olivia in this mess this time...it was me.

We were about to go back to our rooms after dinner when the dorm keeper told me someone was waiting for me at the lobby. Bumaling ako sa dalawa.

"Can people visit this late in the day?"

"It must be him!" squealed Alice, pinching my arm.

Claudia rolled her eyes and raised her hand to the lobby's doorway. "Go to your prince."

Hindi ko maintindihan ang ibig nilang sabihin until I saw who was waiting for me at the lobby. He was sitting patiently on one of the brown couches in the waiting area. Claudia didn't lie. He looked so much like a prince.

Matangkad siya, katamtaman ang katawan. He had soft-looking sandy hair, a sharp nose and a kind smile. Kumaway siya nang makita kami, smiling so radiantly, that even the other girls who were on their way to the staircase had to stop and stare.

He was the guy in Olivia's pictures. Liam.

"Olivia!"

He stood up and jogged a few steps towards me. Alice and Claudia's smiles had malicious intent lalo na nang bigla nila akong iwan sa lobby kasama si Liam.

"Mauna na kami sa taas," hagikgik na bulong ni Alice bago umalis.

I didn't know how to act in front of Liam. What if I messed things up?

"Hey," bati niya, nakangiti. He looked dashing. "I heard you got into trouble." Pinagtitinginan kami sa lobby. Every girl seemed smitten by him. "You should be more careful, Olivia. I'm no longer in campus to watch over you."

I racked my brains para alalahanin ang mga sinabi ni Alice at Claudia patungkol kay Liam. He's a senior student like us but got accepted to the early internship program in the assembly that's why he's rarely in campus.

"It was just a spell mishap," I managed to say.

Umiling siya. "I'm talking about the incident at the sentinel building."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. Even Alice and Claudia didn't know about my involvement in the incident. Hinawakan ni Liam ang ibabaw ng ulo ko. He patted my hair gently.

"I'm working in the assembly now, Olivia, so expect me to know."

I averted my eyes from him. "It was nothing, really. I got back here safely."

"You were with Santi." There was a slight change of tone at the mention of Santi's name. He took a deep breath, broad shoulders rising. "Olivia, if there's something you need, anything, you have me."

It took me a moment to get his point. "I'll keep that in mind...Liam."

Muli niyang hinawakan ang ibabaw ng ulo ko para guluhin ang aking buhok. "I'm sorry I called you here this late. Nag-alala lang ako. Magpahinga ka na."

Liam's words lingered on my mind hanggang sa makabalik ako sa dorm room. Alice was in the bathroom changing to her pajamas. Humiga ako sa kama at wala sa sarili na pinagmasdan ang mataas na kisame.

What was with Santi? Why did people either detest his existence or admire his recklessness? Why did everyone want me to stay away from him?

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