The Damianya Anthology 3 - Damianya Week 2024

Chapter 6: The true value of his presence (Jealousy)

"You don't know what you have until you lose it"

Anya had heard that phrase when Loid told her to value and take good care of her toys. It was a phrase she didn't think much of it at first, as her mind was more focused on more childish things, which was normal in her early years in Eden. She always acted innocently and only focused on her personal mission, ignoring some advice that was abstract or didn't make sense to her.

The idea is that this phrase was applicable only to objects, but it could also be applicable to people.

Over the years, she formed unique friendships in Eden, the most important being Becky and Damian. She never thought she would find two people who made her happy in school hell, they were the best friends she could have had in her life. On the one hand, she had the humblest and kindest friend she could imagine, having with Becky many adventures in the city and enjoying luxuries she could never have because she was a lab rat.

On the other, she had Damian, the boy who became more than just an asset to her mission. He became her closest friend, even closer than Becky. He was the guy she could always talk to, even though sometimes he acted silly with her. The attention he had with Anya, as well as being the only one who put up with her nonsense to the fullest was something she really liked. At every recess, she would always follow him around and they would end up playing cops and robbers, or there were times where the two of them would just talk about random topics.

She didn't deny that during all that time she was living the best experience of life together with the two of them. At every break and in every class, there was a new adventure, she smiled genuinely and felt that her friendship with the two of them was going to be permanent.

But everything changed when Damian got 8 stella stars and Becky had to change classrooms because of grades.

Damian moved up to Eden's elite, having an instant change of classrooms the following year. Becky, on the other hand, had more outstanding results than Anya, so she had to be moved to another classroom as well. Anya was still in the same grade as them, but no longer shared a classroom with them because her grades weren't the best. She was alone again.

Or so it seemed at first glance. In reality, she could still see them around the academy, mostly during breaks or extra activities. They couldn't talk as many hours as they had in years past, but it was either that or not being able to see each other at all. At first, Anya thought she could get used to it and was sure that, if she tried hard enough, she could join them in their classrooms again.

She was very wrong.

The studies became more complicated as she progressed, and not having her friends was a disadvantage because she didn't have someone nearby to explain the subjects to her. Beyond the fact that Operation Strix was going to become more difficult for her, she realized that it was going to be impossible to go back to studying with her friends. Even her powers couldn't give her a perfect result.

But beyond the academic issue, another problem was born. Insecurities about her friendships. For all those years, she had been with Damian and Becky every day of her life, playing and laughing with them non-stop; but now in this new year, they seemed to have vanished from her life. It was as if they saw an opportunity to separate from her and took it without hesitation. Although she wanted to think that it was just because they were in different classrooms, her mind started to make her think that they wanted to get away from her.

The problem didn't come with Becky in such depth because she always sought to be with Anya at recess and even went to visit her at her house on weekends. She would tell her all about her adventures in her classroom and how much she missed her. She loved being with her friend, and she showed it in her actions.