High Ranks (Completed)

Chapter X

Chapter X

“Are you with Elijah again?”

Kirsten shook her head. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked at me with her piercing gaze. Natahimik ako dahil sa sama ng kanyang tingin. What did I do?

“I’ve talked to Rayne. We have no school for college girls in this village and we can't risk you going outside so she'll be your tutor for now,” mapait niyang saad.

I nodded my head and said nothing. Mukhang masama ang umaga ni Kirsten, siguro dahil hindi sila magkasama ni Elijah.

Nang natapos naming ilipat ang mga maliliit na bulaklak sa isang malaking pot ay kaagad akong naligo. Kirsten said that I'll have my home school at ten in the morning until two in the afternoon.

Rayne is nice but she's a strict teacher that's why I have to be on time. Dumating ako sa townhall tatlumpong minuto bago magsimula ang klase ko. I thought that she'll praise me for being early but she could not even muster a smile.

Did everybody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today?

I was quiet the whole time, trying to absorb Rayne's teaching. She's better than my private tutor back in our house.

“Did you understand anything?” she asked me after our long day.

Tumango ako at kinuha ang mga librong ginamit namin at binalik sa malaking shelf.

“We’ll meet again on Friday. I'm sorry, I can't meet you everyday, I have a tutoring services in the city," she apologized.

“No, no, it's fine. I understand. I'm the one who should thank you. Thank you for protecting me and welcoming me in this village.”

“You don't need to thank us, Charlotte. You're one of us now, you belong with us.”

I sighed and closed the town hall. Kanina pa naunang umalis si Rayne. She said that she has to book the night train. She really looked like she's in a hurry earlier so I offered myself to clean the whole town hall. Walang masyadong pumapasok dito, kung kaya't hindi rin gaanong nagagalaw ang mga gamit. The files are kempt inside their proper drawers. The furnitures and the paintings are a little dusty tho so I cleaned them thoroughly to kill some time.

Nang matapos ako ay sinarahan ko nang muli nag town hall at naglakad pauwi sa bahay ni Kirsten. She brought us lunch earlier. Nagulat ako dahil mukhang maganda na ang mood niya nang pumunta siya sa amin. Ngunit kaagad rin siyang umalis nang matapos kami ni Rayne.

“I’ll have to face some business in the city, Charlotte. I have to leave you here for a while, will that be alright?”

Nang makarating ako sa bahay ni Kirsten ay nakita ko siyang nag-iimpake. She said that she's going to the city for some business. Sanay naman ako sa ganitong pangyayari. Hinatid ko na lamang siya sa labas ng kanyang bahay. Unlike Rayne, Kirsten doesn't use the train when she's going to the city. She always has this old carriage at iyon ang palagi niyang dinadala kung saan man siya pupunta. If I can remember it correctly, ganoon din ang sinakyan ko nang tumakas ako sa aming bahay.

“You’ll be in charge of the whole house, Charlotte. I asked Audrey to stay and keep you company. Just wait for her here, I'll take my leave now," she said.

I nodded and stood straight. Nagulat ako nang lumapit siya sa akin at niyakap ako bago sumakay sa kanyang lumang kariton.

Where did that come from? She's never done that before.

I never knew what to do inside that cottage. Should I clean it? But Kirsten does it everytime she's home. Her garden was also well taken care of. This is boring, all I have to do was to wait for Audrey, which I know that will take some time because she's on the other side of the village.