Oktofinitum

Chapter 30

Mirakov

Nakahinga ako nang malalim nang makatakas mula sa sitwasyon na iyon. Buti na lamang at hindi ako nakita ng mga fangirls niya kung hindi ay baka kung ano-anong kamalasan at pambubully ang maranasan ko sa kamay ng mga ito. Papasok na sana ako sa stone arc nang may mapansing pamilyar na aura. A cloud of dark green smoke hovers behind her back, "Veronica!" I shouted her name but she probably didn't hear me. Sa sobrang taas ba naman ng stone bridge na ito. Kanina ko pa siya hinahanap dahil sabi niya sabay kaming magdidinner sa cafeteria pero hindi ko na siya naabutan roon, why is she heading towards the entrance of the Forbidden forest?

Kinabukasan maaga akong kumilos at pumasok sa silid namin pero may naabutan akong komosyon sa labas ng room, "Oh my god! She's so lucky! What the heck!" Maraming estudyante ang nagtipon sa tapat ng room namin at tila nakiki-chismis sa kung ano, "I heard she saved him during the survival of the eight, and that's when he fell in love with her," ani ng babaeng nasa harapan ko, "But she's a lower rank!"

"Excuse me," nahihiya akong makisingit sa usapan nila pero kailangan ko nang pumasok sa room dahil nakikita ko na ang pamilyar na ulo ng unang guro namin sa araw na 'yon, "What's this commotion all about?!"

"Apologies, Professor Edilloran. I'm just here to see her," tila nawaglit naman ang masungit na ekspresyon ng mukha niya nang matanto kung sino ang nasa harapan, "Lord Alfonso." Wow? Favoritism? "And you! Why aren't you at your respective classes?! Everyone back inside your own rooms!" Agad na nag-pulusan ang mga nakiki-chismis na estudyante at naiwan akong nakatayo sa gitna ng hallway, bago pa ako mapansin ni sir ay agad akong yumuko at tumakbo papasok ng room, "Safe." Nakahinga ako ng maluwag samantalang si Darren naman na siyang pakay ni Lord Alfonso ay nananatiling naka-yuko sa kahihiyan dahil sa malaking bulaklak na nasa tabi niya. Agad na pumasok ang guro sa aming room at nagsimulang magturo, at tulad ng nakaraan ay bigla bigla siyang nagtatawag, that's why I kept my head down to not get noticed. Nang tumunog ang bell hudyat na tapos na ang huling klase ay lumingon ako sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ko. Veronica was absent, which was a first time since I came here.

"Hey, nakita niyo si Veronica?" I asked a classmate sitting in front of me, sandali naman siyang napaisip pero umiling rin, "Kung ganoon, alam mo ba kung saan ang dormitory room niya?" Muli na naman siyang napa-isip pero umiling ulit. Ilang kaklase pa namin at mga kakilala niya mula sa ibang section ang napag tanungan ko pero kakatwang wala silang alam kung saan ang dorm room ni Veronica, sabi niya lang noon sa west wing pero hindi ko alam kung saan eksakto. I was wondering how to find her room without realizing nasa tapat na pala ako ng pamilyar na pintuan, "Hello?" Lady Arlene was not at her desk again when I came in. I do remember clearly that the prince offered me help to find out about my affinity, but I was still not sure if he's really serious about that or he just offered to be polite. I walked inside quietly when I noticed a golden glow at the dark far end of the shelf, "You're a little late," aniya sa isang malalim na boses. He remained at his position, his mini sun hovering above his palm while his other hand holding a thick old-looking book, his back leaning against the shelf like some sort of a super model doing poses for a library themed photoshoot instead of actually reading the book he's holding.

"Sorry, your highness. I had to look for someone," nagtanong-tanong pa kasi ako kung saan ang dorm ni Vero at hindi ko rin naman kasi sigurado kung talaga bang seryoso siya sa usapan naming magkita rito tuwing pagkatapos ng klase. He closed the book he was holding expertly but remained leaning against the shelf, "That's Aidan for you and it's quite okay. You're here now is all that matters," he smiled.

My breathing hitched at that, "Are you going to just stand there?" Lumunok ako at agad na lumakad papalapit sa kaniya, it felt weird to walk in an aisle towards him, "How exactly will you help me? I've searched almost all the books in this library since the day I came here but I found nothing about my ability to make people stop..." Tila natigilan siya doon sa sinabi ko, "Ability? I thought you're a novice? So your ability has manifested already?" Tumango ako ng marahan, "Yes, but I still can't really tell what kind is it. Wala akong nakita sa Almanac of Affinities & Abilities tungkol sa kakayahang ganoon," he licked his lips and stared at me hardly as if he's trying to decipher my very core.