Amaranthine Academy

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Mixed Blood

"What's wrong with you, Amara?" Syren hissed, referring to what happened earlier.

"What? I didn't do anything, though."

Even though I know what she's referring to, I still don't want to admit it. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit nagawa ko 'yon kanina. Maybe because of irritation? Irritation of what? I don't know.

We're here in our condo since our class is over. Astro is with Draven, and Syren is with me. Gusto nilang paghiwalayin kami dahil napansin nila na naging mainitin ang ulo ko pagdating kay Draven. Minutes passed after I walked out of that room; my comrades, except Draven, followed me to where I wanted to go and asked me what my problem was. I just told them it was nothing, as our professor had told me it was a duel. But they still didn't believe me.

Even here in our condo, Syren continues to interrogate me. I rolled my eyes when I saw her eyes narrow.

"Huwag mong sabihing buntis ka? Naglilihi ka?!" she exclaimed.

"What? Gaga ka ba? You know that we vampires can't get pregnant until we're 30 years old! We can only conceive every 30 years." Syempre gawa-gawa ko lang ito.

"Eh? Why didn't I know that? You didn't inform me!"

"Syempre hindi ka bampira. And why would I inform you? Are you valuable ba?" I rolled my eyes again.

"You hurt my feelings, Amara! You don't understand my pain, tapos you wanna hurt me too?"

"Tsk. Stop that kaartehan of yours." I stood up and started walking towards the room.

"Wait. I still want to tanong you more questions. So, don't go." She held my hand and pulled me back onto the sofa. Before sitting down herself, she straightened the seat and helped me sit down, then took her own seat.

Aba, ang plastic naman nitong babaeng 'to. First time?

She turned to me eagerly and held my hands again. Her eyes were sparkling as if I had good news to report to her.

She scratched her nose as she asked her first question. "So, are you friends with the bully victim?"

Natigilan ako sa kaniyang tanong. Are we really friends? I don't think so. She just approached me to say thank you, and now she wants to befriend me? O baka may binabalak lang siyang masama? O baka naman mabait lang talaga siya? Hmm. Is she really a good person or a bad person? You can't blame me; I only met her yesterday. Her stories about Kirsten may be true, but still, I couldn't trust her enough, and I don't trust anyone here.

"Amara? Syren?"

I snapped out of my deep thoughts when I heard Astro's voice. I looked at him, and my face immediately turned to a grimace when I saw Draven standing right beside him. He was staring at me as if he could see into my soul.

I looked away, unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze. Napabaling ulit ako sa kanila nang maramdaman na tatlo na sila ang tumitig sa akin. I raised my eyebrows at them.

"What? Did I commit a crime?"

"Tell us honestly, Amara. Don't lie to us," Astro said in a monotone voice.

"Why? Am I lying? You don't have any grounds to accuse me. And what are you talking about?" masungit kong tanong at tumaas ang mga kilay ko.

Even though he is a god, well, I'm a goddess too. The goddess of beauty. Oh my gosh, ang ganda ko talaga. The power feeling assumera pero maganda naman talaga ako. Kaya nga kinagat agad ako ni Draven sa unang pagkikita palang namin eh.

"I have my ways," he replied.

"Then ask me." We stared at each other. I raised my eyebrow at him with a mean look while he was seriously looking at me. Draven broke our eye contact with his cough.