Golden Melody

Chapter 1.2

Zatariel Wov

His pov

Thyron Sebastian.
We've been classmates since kindergarten, and if there's one thing that hasn't changed, it's his knack for showing up at the most inconvenient times.

Mimi let go of my arm and turned to him.
The way he smiled at her made something in my chest twist, and when he pulled her into a hug, that strange feeling only intensified.

"Ron! You said you couldn't attend the first day of school because there's a storm in the States!" Mimi pouted, playfully pushing him.

He laughed and pinched her nose, his tone teasing.
"Oh, come on!
You really took that seriously? Haha!
I missed you so much!"

Watching them embrace and banter like they were the only two people in the world made me feel... out of place.
I hated this feeling, like I was intruding on something intimate.
I tried to look away, but my eyes kept darting back to them, a growing sense of annoyance bubbling up inside me.

Was I jealous?

The thought made me cringe internally.
Ugh, this is embarrassing.
Why am I even feeling this way?
I felt heat rise to my face.
Before they could notice how awkward I was, I turned on my heel and walked away, pretending I didn't care.
It's better to just stay out of it. Nakakainis!

"Hey! Waiiit! Staaaaapuuu!" Mimi's voice rang out behind me, but I kept walking, determined not to let this get to me.

However, when I heard her footsteps rushing closer, I stopped in my tracks.

Just as I turned around, she collided with my back, nearly falling in the process.
I quickly caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Sana masalo mo rin ako" I thought, glancing at her as I helped her steady herself.

She looked flustered but was smiling, catching her breath from running after me.

"Uh, wait... I don't even know your name," she said, laughing lightly in between pants.

I blinked, taken aback by the fact that she had chased after me just to ask my name.

"I'm Zatariel Wov," I finally said, my voice a little softer than I intended.
"It's... really nice to meet you, Miexha Verra."

She grinned, her eyes lighting up in a way that made something inside me shift again, this time in a good way.

"Zatariel, huh?
Well, I guess I'll call you Riel!" she said, still holding onto my arm as if she didn't want me to walk away again.
"Nice to meet you too!"

I shook my head with a small smile.
"Riel, huh? Sure, why not?"

Behind her, Thyron was watching us with a raised eyebrow, but I ignored him.

Ugh, classmate na naman kami. I'm so tired of seeing his face.

Miexha Verra, the academy's golden girl, waved goodbye as she headed towards the freshman building.

"See you later, Riel," she called, her voice a warm melody.
"Good luck with your classes!"

I nodded, a faint smile playing on my lips.
"You too, Mimi"

As she disappeared into the throng of students, my gaze fell on Thyron Sebastian, a figure I had known since kindergarten, a thorn in my side, a reminder of my own effortless superiority.

"Good luck, Zatariel," he said, his voice laced with a hint of challenge.
"This time, I'll be the class valedictorian."

I raised an eyebrow, my amusement tinged with a touch of disdain.
"Good luck, Thyron," I replied, my voice a smooth, silken caress.
"You'll need it."

He seemed about to retort, his face contorted with a mixture of frustration.

"I just said good luck to you, What's wrong with that?" I asked, my voice laced with a sardonic amusement.
"Don't tell me you're actually intimidated by the prospect of me excelling, Thyron."

"Miexha," he spat, his voice dripping with venom.
"Don't take advantage of her just because she has a disability."

I turned to him, my brow furrowed in confusion.

"Disability?" I echoed, my voice a low, questioning murmur.
"What are you talking about?"

"Her hearing impairment," he snapped, his eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and pity.
"She can't hear properly. You're just taking advantage of her."

I stared at him, my amusement replaced by a flicker of genuine curiosity.

"You're worried about Miexha?" I asked, my voice laced with a hint of disbelief.
"I thought you were more concerned with your own ambitions."

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Just focus on your own life, Zat," he said, his voice a cold, dismissive whisper.
"Leave her alone."

He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my mind swirling with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"Disability?" I repeated, my voice a low, questioning murmur.
"What is he talking about?"

Before I could ponder the matter further, a giant of a man materialized beside me, his broad shoulders practically blocking out the sun.
"Go, class" Jayson, his voice is deep.
"Ready... academic dominance?"

I chuckled, my amusement returning.
"As ready as I'll ever be, Jay," I replied, my voice a smooth.

The halls of Wayne Academy, a labyrinth of marble and mahogany, echoed with the sounds of laughter, gossip, and the faint hum of ambition.

I glanced back at the freshman building, where Miexha had disappeared.
"Disability," I murmured, my voice a low, questioning whisper.
"Interesting."

"I wonder what you're hiding, Thyron," I mused, a faint smile playing on my lips.

I took a deep breath, the crisp autumn air filling my lungs with a sense of anticipation.