♤Short Story♤
Diana didn't think it was going to rain that day when she knew she unmistakably caught sight of the rising sun that morning. Life is indeed uncertain, she thought while staring at her reflection in the window as the rain fell endlessly outside. The atmosphere seemed so heavy and cold that she hoped and prayed that the day would end differently than the day before that, and all the days before that. She was undeniably lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the ringing of the school bell and the chattering sound made by her fellow students as they exited the room, eager to take their lunch after a tiresome and nerve-racking morning.
Still unaware of what was going on around her, a chocolate-haired guy who was standing by the threshold casted a glance at her and a deep furrow formed in his brow when he noticed her lethargic state. He shook his head in dismay and rudely threw a paper plane at her direction to pull her out from her reverie. Diana immediately flinched when the said object hit her head and when she turned her eyes to where it came from, her brows knitted in bewilderment upon discovering that no one was in sight and that she was alone, again. She heaved out a heavy sigh and picked up the paper plane from the tiled floor. Wondering what it was for, she quickly unfolded it and found out that something was written. Inside, a series of numbers which were in pairs lined up at the topmost part of the paper and a single-verse poem which seemed like a riddle was scribbled below it.
31 24 12 42 11 42 54
Go forth to where the golden sun fades
Where the light dies like a withered flower
To the weather-beaten grave of the everglades
And see a mighty god lose his power
Three minutes passed before Diana finally figured out the answer. Without a second thought, she hastily went out of the room, ran down the hall, climbed up the stairs two steps at a time, then turned right to where the person she needed to save was, the LIBRARY. She pushed open the door, entered the room, and was confused to see that not a single soul was inside—not even the ever-cruel librarian who favored cats over humans.
"Where is he?" Diana asked to no one in particular but herself.
She then went further inside, passing dusty shelves and empty desks. Just as she was about to reach the rear of the library where the computers were at, she remembered the riddle and her heart leaped upon knowing the exact location of her distressed friend. She turned to the left or basically, the west side of the room then to the corner where the History books were deposited.
Voila! There she found the one person she had been searching whom she thought was in grave danger. A chocolate-haired guy leaned his back on a bookshelf and gave her a once-over with a haughty smirk plastered on his handsome face. Instead of feeling glad that she found him and relief that he was safe and no doubt in good shape, she felt angry and irritated at him for setting her up when all she wanted was a peaceful day, albeit the cold weather.
"I hate you, Apollo." was the only thing Diana managed to say when clearly she had more in mind.
The guy named Apollo laughed. "Oh! I know. Your pretty face turns pomegranate when you're feeling shirty, darling."
Diana couldn't still fathom what the bloody hell was going on inside her head that she considered this man as a freaking friend when all he had given her was nothing but trouble.
"Ugh, what have I done to you to set me up?" She cried in utter indignation.
He shrugged. "Well, I did it to test you. I just want to be sure that you are loyal and trustworthy enough to be in my team."
