Unforgotten Tale

CHAPTER 25

ALBERT

I'm already at our palace. I'm waiting for my magic instructor. I don't really know what he or she is going to teach me. Isn't the school teaching everything that we need to learn?

I ate my dessert and sip on my juice. I am trying to relax my mind and my body. The cool breeze of the windy afternoon is a great help in my meditation if you could really call what I'm doing meditation.

I am staring blankly at the empty chair in my front when my mind traveled to what happened a while ago.

"How are you?" He asked me. My heart skipped a beat because of that.

"I'm fine." I lied. He looks at me with those scrutinizing eyes. It seems like he's delving deep into my soul.

"Really?" He asked. There's a tug of a smile on the side of his lips and his eyebrows are raised. I bit the inside of my cheeks before I told him what I really felt.

"It's nerve-wracking," I started. "A lot is going on. I never expected any of these, not even in my wildest dreams. Honestly, I just really want to go back to the mortal world." I laughed a little at my last statement. Totoo, I want to leave everything, if only I could. If given the chance.

It seems like he's not happy about what I said. Joaquin is just staring at me intently, it's like he's thinking for the right words to say. "Running on your problems is not a smart move Aurora. That's not courageous." Napalabi ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

"I'm not trying to be," I said softly that I bet he didn't hear it. Tumingala ako at tumingin sa asul na kalangitan. I don't want to look into his eyes, he might get a hint on what I'm thinking.

I was wrong though, he heard what I've said. "Is that the real Cheska? A quitter?" Dahil sa tanong niya ay nagbalik ang aking paningin sa kanya. It's the first time he called me by my first name. But, what caught my attention is what he describes me. I want to get mad at what he said but I don't have the right to because he is right. The real Cheska is a quitter.

"Where's the Cheska Aurora that I've met the first time?" He asked. I don't even know what to answer his question. Nag kibit balikat na lamang ako sa kanyang katanungan. Sa totoo lang habang tumatagal ay pinanghihinaan ako ng loob.

He moved closer to me. He is now in my front and we're just inches away from each other. Dahil sa ginawa niya ay na higit ko ang aking hininga at lumakas ang pag tibok ng aking puso.

"What are you doing?" I asked breathlessly. He cupped both my cheeks and stared straight into my eyes. I on the other hand stares at his captivating hazel orbs. The beating of my heart didn't stop, rather it accelerated.

"Listen to me," He said those words with a conviction that made me nod. "I know it's hard but don't ever think of giving up. We are just at the tip of the iceberg so it's not the time to give up. I want that no matter what circumstances you may face do not ever think of running away." May laman ang bawat katagang sinasabi nya. Hindi ko napigilan ang aking pag ngiti. Just some time ago I was feeling so down but because of his words, I feel good.

I also told him about my queries to my parents but he just told me to listen to them because they are just thinking about my sake. He promised that he would be there whenever I needed him. That's the only thing that we talked about but it's more than enough for me.

My deep thought was interrupted because of the voice that speaks right on my back. "You must be Aurora?" The voice seems familiar so I turned around and I saw a middle-aged man wearing an item of very respectable clothing. He has his coat with a vest as an inner together with high-waist pants and boots, he also has his top hat. You can compare it to Victorian fashion. He removed his hat and slightly bowed and I did too.