Sentry

8- Troublemaker Gaius Kühn

Natatarantang lumabas si Rifka dahil sa ingay na narinig niya mula sa salas ng kanilang dorm room. Hindi niya maintindihan kung saan galing ang ingay na 'yun na nagpagising sa kanyang malalim na pagtulog. 

Ngunit gan'on na lang ang panlalaki ng mga mata niya nang makitang si Tiana pala ang may gawa ng nakakabinging ingay na 'yun. She was struggling while trying to play a mandolin. But instead of creating music, she was making a very irksome hullabaloo. Si Rifka na ang naawa sa mandolin na hawak ni Tiana. If it could talk, for sure, it would beg to be destroyed.

Tiana was still playing seriously but Rifka couldn't hear music. Instead, parang naririnig niya ang iyak ng mandolin sa loob ng utak niya. It was crying 'Please kill me now. Spare me from my misery.'

"Oh, did I wake you up?" biglang tanong ni Tiana nang makita si Rifka na nakatayo sa may pintuan ng kwarto. Somehow, she wasn't showing any sign of depression which was good, Rifka thought. Dalawang araw pa lang ang lumipas mula n'ong natalo ito sa SiBeAe at nawalan daw ng pwesto sa student council.

"A-Ah..." She couldn't find the right words to tell Tiana that she was noisy without offending her. Baka kasi talakan nanaman siya nito.

"My mandolin recital is getting close. I need to practice. Besides, it's already five in the morning. It's time to wake up anyway," mataray nitong sabi saka muling bumuwelo sa pagpapatugtog. Ni hindi man lang ito nahiya sa roommate.

Walang nagawa si Rifka kundi ang bumuntung-hininga. Nakakainis na si Tiana pero nanatiling tikom ang kanyang bibig. Her roommate seemed to be the kind of girl who was used to getting whatever she wanted. Ayaw niyang makaaway ito.

Pumasok na lang siya uli sa kanyang silid at kinuha ang kanyang tuwalya. Iniwan na niya sa loob ng banyo ang kanyang toiletries kaya hindi na niya iyun kailangan pang dalhin pa.

Her shower was quick at mabilis lang din siyang naghanda para pumuntang library. Kailangan niyang mag-research para sa klase niya sa Phytotherapy. This was her favorite class so far. As a Faiga vampire, using of plants to help them heal faster was very important. They were not like any other Purebloods. They couldn't heal fast. They were not as fast and strong as the other vampires due to their diet. So, she knew Phytotherapy like she knew the back of her hand.

Malaki ang library. Sobrang laki kaya tila biglang kuminang ang mga mata ni Rifka nang tuluyan nang makapasok. Isang tila terrace ang bumungad sa kanya mula sa pinto. Nang dumungaw siya ay nakita niya sa baba ang napakaraming mahahabang mesa kung saan naroon ang mga estudyanteng nag-aaral o natutulog. The books were all in the shelves that were all over the wall. From floor to ceiling ang mga shelves kaya may mga hagdanan na pwedeng i-slide para maakyatan at maabot ang mga librong nasa itaas.

Panay ang tingala ni Rifka sa ceiling na pabilog at may stained glass na may naka-portray na isang nakaluhod na babae na nasa gitna ng dalawang lalaking nakatayo. All of them had long hair na parang tinatangay ng ihip ng hangin. Each had a sword on their hands.

"They're the founders of Sentry Academy and all of them are still alive now."

Hindi na nagulat si Rifka nang makita si Gaius na nasa likuran n'ya. His left hand in his trouser pockets while the other hand was resting on his side, holding a book. His hair was disheveled, as per usual, and he wasn't wearing the necktie, again, which was part of the uniform.

"I see. Thanks," simple niyang sagot saka ito iniwan. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit siya nito kinakausap gayong malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw ang sinabi nito. Hindi sila magkaibigan. Nalilito siya kung bakit bigla na lamang itong sumusulpot every time na kailangan n'ya ng kasagutan.

Rifka decided to ignore Gaius' presence behind her as she descended to the lower part of the library where the tables were. She exerted too much effort to succeed though. Gaius was not the type of a boy to be ignored. His perfectly handsome face, towering height, arrogant shoulders, they required attention. But Rifka knew she had to disregard the urge to look back at him. She should not spare him a glance, or she'd sin.