Jiwa

Chapter Twenty

When I woke up to the sound of my alarm, I groaned and rolled back over. I did not want to get up this early on a Saturday, even if I did have to meet with the Headmaster.

The Headmaster! I had to meet with him today! Crap.

I sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. After stuffing my feet into shoes and throwing a jacket over my PJs, I shook Devi and Kelly awake frantically.

"Headmasters' office! We! There! Go! NOW!"

Minutes later, we stood outside the huge doors. Still in our PJs, but still. We were there. A second later, we were standing in the huge office, clutching bowls of buah to our chests as the Headmaster organized papers on the huge desk.

"Girls, welcome. Please, sit," We groaned as we found ourselves sitting on the beanbags. I could feel the buah in my stomach lurch.

"This teleportation is making me queasy," said Kelly, clutching her stomach. Devi and I nodded our agreement.

"Well, then just walk around my office," said the Headmaster. "But you know I'm not here to talk to you about my magical abilities. I'm here to talk about the Scarlet Snakes." The three of us shared a look, then dropped our gazes to our laps.

"Girls, I don't want to worry you, but the situation is getting worse by the day. I am worried the school might not be the safest place for you, Fiona. I might have to send you back to your apartment."

Devi nearly choked on her buah. "Headmaster!" she exclaimed, once she had swallowed her food, "I think the school is a lot safer. The only way in or out is through the portals, and it has all of the magical enhancements surrounding it. Fionas' apartment, however, " she paused, casting me a sidelong glance, "has no magical capabilities. And..." Devi dropped her gaze back to her lap.

I looked confusedly at Kelly, then it dawned on me. I made the 'o' shape with my mouth as I gazed at Devi.

"And, my family is no longer in the apartment. Only my brother," I finished.

The Headmaster was astonished by this news. "What!? Your family...they moved away? But-but they have to notify the school! So now, you live in the dorms..."

"She basically already did," interjected Kelly. "She never slept in that apartment. The dorm was more of a kediaman for her than the rest of her family ever was." I stared at Kelly in shock. 

Kediaman, she had said. Kediaman, the sacred word for home.

"And whats' more," she rambled, "Is that her parents didn't even know she had gotten sick! They don't care enough about her to check on her, or even be home! So I don't think sending her back to such a place will be much better, Headmaster. I think keeping her here, with magical protection and people who care about her, is such a better solution for Fee." 

Kelly took a deep breath and slumped against her beanbag, breathless after her rant. She took a small nibble of buah as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Devi nodded her agreement, and the Headmaster sighed.

"Well, then I'll have you stay at the school, under maximum security. Fee, you and your roommates managed to still take additional classes, correct?"

I sighed and nodded. Although the captains had said to avoid everything except Base Classes, my friends and I had managed to smuggle textbooks and workbooks out of the Additional Class classrooms, so our grades did not fall behind.

"Well, I will now have to absolutely forbid that, girls." We all gasped. Devi dropped her buah but suddenly found it clutched back in her hand.

"But Headmaster!" I cried. "But, we can't abandon all non-craft studies because of the possibility of a threat! I mean-"