Ever After

XXVII. Seventh

Students walking in the hallway, friends talking at the side. The 'back to school' atmosphere is so jolly. The almost a month vacation already ended.

There are still prying eyes on me because of the case of the sorcerer but it was lessened. Actually, konting-konti nalang talaga.

I'm again wearing their white dress and golden ochre skirt and necktie. Medyo nakakasanay na rin.

But this day is such an awkward day. Everyone in the campus already knew about Ethan and I's so-called relationship.

Some even congratulated me as if being Ethan's girlfriend is an award. Sabagay, iyon naman talaga ang tingin ni Victoria. But heck, ang awkward kaya lalo na kapag kasama ko si Ash. It feels like I'm stabbing her.

"Hoy," tawag ko kay Ethan kaya napalingon siya sa akin. Ashley went in the comfort room kaya kaming dalawa lang ang magkasama.

"Yes, babe?" Agad ko siyang binatukan sa sinabi niya pero humalakhak lang siya sa reaksyon ko. Kanina niya pa ako inaasar.

Nakita ko namang napalingon sa amin yung mga nasa katabing table at parang kinilig. Geez, ang cringy kaya ng tawagin kang 'babe'. Ew

"Sabihin natin kay Ash," bulong ko, sinadya ko talagang hinaan para hindi marinig ng mga echosera sa katabing table.

"Ang alin?" tanong niya tsaka sumubo ng inorder niyang carbonara.

"Yung pagpapanggap."

"Wag na," napasimangot naman ako sa sagot niya. He likes Ashley, so, why not?

"She's my bestfriend. I don't want to hide anything from her."

"Sabagay," saad niya at napatango-tango.

Natapos na siyang kumain at dumating na rin si Ashley kaya umalis na kami sa cafeteria. Nauna naman si Ethan dahil may dadaanan pa siya.

Ashley's always cheerful whenever with us but today, she's silent. And I know why it is.

"Seriously? Legit?" That's her first reaction when I told her about what happened last week.

"That's absurd! Ikaw ang ipapalit nila kay Rina bilang asawa ni Primo?" Dagdag pa niya.

"Yeah, that's why Ethan did that. Kaloka di'ba?" I said while massaging my temple. Sabay namin kaming tumawa.

"I know that you like Ethan," sabi ko dahilan para tumigil siya sa pagtawa.

"Ano? Hindi kaya," saad niya at umiwas ng tingin sa akin. Natawa nalang ako.

"Masyado ka kayang obvious."

* * *

"Good morning class," bati ng professor nakakadating palang. They also greeted her but I didn't. I'm busy looking at the wonderful things placed in ever table in the laboratory.

Mayroon ditong mga kakaibang berdeng bulaklak. Mayroon ding kulay asul na mga dahon. Mayroon ding mga pixie dust na nakakapagpalutang sa mga patak ng tubig. Geez, I wish I can take a picture of these.

"Today, we will make a potion that can make a human live without breathing." Nagbulungan naman ang mga kaklase ko dahil sa sinabi ni prof. A potion that can be used underwater.

"Turn your books in page 47,"

I turned my book in it. 'Potion: Do not Breathe', that's the tittle of the chapter. Sa ibaba ay may mga ingridients at procedures.

"In the table lies the ingredients for the potion. You may now pick," saad ni prof kaya agad akong lumapit doon para kumuha.

Alchemy is my favorite subject. Back then, I turned a stone into a diamond. How I wish I can use that on the mortal world. But sadly, dito lang nakukuha sa Everland ang mga sangkap.