Depression Plutus (Curse #4)

CHAPTER 16 Teasing

OTTILIE VIRSES POV



Nang matapos ang first period namin, dumiretso na kami sa laboratory kung saan nagtuturo si Mrs. Anderson. Since our second period subject is about potion making and Alchemy. Kailangan namin lumipat ng room dahil nasa laboratory ang lahat ng mga equipments na gagamitin sa paggawa ng potions. Our laboratory has shelves lined with jars of rare herbs, mystical minerals, and ancient tomes on alchemy.

Mahahaba din ang lamesa dito sa laboratory kaya hile-hilera kaming naka-upo. Sa dulong bahagi namin napiling pumwesto. Si Dylan at Jenna sa harapan namin ni Plutus nakapwesto. Oo, ang paepal na si Plutus ay pinili na naman tumabi sa'kin. Ayaw niya talaga akong lubayan, kaya tignan mo, ang sama-sama na naman tingin sa'kin ng mga classmates kong babae.

"Today, we'll explore the fine art of potion making and alchemy," Mrs. Anderson began. "Potion making isn't just about mixing ingredients. It's the balance between chemistry and magic, the harmony of elements."

I tried to focus, scribbling down notes, while Jenna and Dylan look so excited as they listen to our teacher. Favorite subject nilang dalawa 'to kaya buhay na buhay ang mga dugo nila. Habang ito namang si Plutus, pacool lang na nakikinig para sabihing nag-aaral ng mabuti.

"Now," Mrs. Anderson continued, "for today's activity, I want you all to pair up. This exercise will require cooperation and precision, so choose wisely."

Patay na, pairing daw. Ang magaling na si Jenna nag-peace sign lang sa'kin at saka kinawit ang kamay sa braso ni Dylan.

"Sorry, Ottilie! I'm with Dylan!" she said cheerfully.

I frowned, glancing between the two. Great. Abandoned by my own friends.

"Well, look who's out of options," Plutus said from beside me, clearly enjoying this. "Guess that means you're stuck with me, evil witch."

I shot him a glare. "You've got to be joking."

Plutus leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Hey, no need to thank me for saving you from working alone."

I let out a frustrated sigh, knowing there was no way out. Wala din namang may gustong makipag-pair sa'kin, pwede na siguro pagtsagaan si Plutus.

"Fine," I muttered, shifting my things a little closer to him as he casually leaned over the table like he owned the place.

"It's not so bad, Ottilie. At least Plutus is... capable," Jenna teased.

"Capable of being annoying," I mumbled under my breath.

Plutus chuckled quietly. "Come on, you know you love having me as a partner. You're lucky I'm even available."

Then, Mrs. Anderson clapped her hands and smiled at the class. "Alright, everyone! Let's get started. First, you'll need to gather the following equipment from the shelves: an alcohol burner, tripod, beaker, stirring rod, scale, measuring spoons, and a small crystal vial for your potion sample."

The entire class shuffled out of their seats, heading toward the shelves at the back of the room. Pagtayo ko, nakita kong parang wala man lang paki-alam itong si Plutus sa paligid niya.

"You get the beaker and vial," I instructed him, not in the mood for small talk. "I'll grab the rest."

Plutus just raised an eyebrow at me. "Ordering me around already, huh? Fine, I'll humor you this time."

I rolled my eyes and made my way to the shelves, grabbing the stirring rod, scale, and measuring spoons. As I reached for the last item, Dylan bumped into me by accident, causing me to drop the spoons with a loud clatter.

"Oops, sorry, Ottilie," Dylan said, laughing nervously.

I forced a smile. "No problem," I muttered, bending down to pick up the spoons.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Plutus watching the whole thing without emotion in his face as he walked over with a beaker in one hand and the vial in the other.

Problema na naman ng isang 'to, napaka-moody niya ngayong araw sa totoo lang.

"Having trouble, evil witch? Or did you purposely do that?" he teased, his voice low and mocking.

"Shut up," I muttered, grabbing the spoons and standing up straight. I shot him a glare as I brushed past him, heading back to our table.

"You know, if you're going to be clumsy, at least do it when I'm watching," Plutus said as he followed behind.

Dahan-dahan kong inilapag sa lamesa ang mga equipments na kinuha ko. Samantalang umusog naman sina Jenna at Dylan para magkaroon kaming apat ng space. Mabuti pa 'yong dalawa, chill lang, hindi katulad ko na stress na sa kadramahan ni Plutus.

Before Mrs. Anderson began her lecture, she cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention to the front of the room.

"Before we begin, I want each pair to get one small box from here. Inside, you'll find all the ingredients you'll need for today's potion," she explained, motioning toward the neatly stacked rows of small, wooden boxes.

I sighed, about to stand up, but Plutus was already on his feet. "Sit down, witch. I got it," he muttered as he made his way to the front.

Mabuti naman at nagkusang-loob ang isang 'yon.

"I love potion-making days," Jenna whispered to me, giving me a wink as Dylan got their box.

"Mabuti ka pa," I replied, watching as Plutus snagged one of the remaining boxes and started back towards our table.

When he returned, he dropped the box onto our table with a thud. "Here," he said, his voice sounding as nonchalant as ever.

Mabilis kong sinilip ang loob ng kahon. The box was filled with neatly packed ingredients, lavender sprigs, powdered moonstone, chamomile essence, and various small vials. Everything was organized perfectly.

"Today, we'll be making a simple but powerful potion," Mrs. Anderson announced. "It's called Serenity Draught, a calming potion used to soothe anxiety and promote restful sleep. This will be an excellent introduction to balancing magical properties with real-world chemistry."

She waved her hand, and the instructions appeared on the board behind her. "Pay close attention, as even the slightest mistake in measurement or mixing can lead to disastrous results."

To be continued...