I.D.E.A. (International Diadem Elite Academy) [RECENTLY UPDATED!]

Chapter 1

Fifty-one minutes past seven in the morning, maybe it's the cold gust of wind outside or the downpour of rain that seemed endless after more than a week of tireless weeping of the heavens. It was supposed to be a warm summer break before school starts but the weather seemed to have forgotten that. She realized just how long she had been staring blankly on the foggy window of her room. What was on her mind? Nobody knows...not even herself.

She was thinking of putting on her favorite winter jacket and stroll outside. She was not exactly the type of girl who likes crowds and busy streets. She gets more hyped with silent and solemn moments she could spend on her own by the shore or maybe on top of their roof. But that was only one of the many secrets she tend to keep away from the eyes of what she deemed ordinarily innocent and naïve world.

She was tired.

"Are you gonna keep staring that way? It's not gonna bring you tons of money." , a smiling and somewhat sarcastic greeting of her housemate who just arrived home from who knows where. Judging from the glittery and body-tight clothes and slightly smudged dark make-up she wore from last night, she need not bother to ask. She took a deep breath...and once again put on her best defense, her camouflage. One second later, she turned into the jolliest girl you've ever met in the neighborhood...so much different than the gloomy gal that she was moments ago. Another secret she had under her sleeve.

"So how was last night? Was it fun?", Mavis asked heavy-eyed Jasmine who just burried herself on her bed as if she worked on a construction site last night. With sparkling light on her eyes, now she seemed very eager to catch up with her friend's night-life (mis)adventures. She grabbed a little strawberry throw pillow on the edge of her bed and started hitting Jasmine on the head.

"Come on! Come on! Spill!!!", Mavis kept nagging until finally Jasmine summoned her remaining strength and consciousness to sit up and talk.

"There's this guy...you won't believe just how hoooooooot he was! And OMG...(more blabbing)", Jasmine started her usual stories with so much eagerness and excitement and Mavis, just kept doing what she does best...pretend. For more than 3 years now, Mavis and Jasmine shared a decent apartment on the city, only a few kilometers away from their university. And almost every night, Jasmine would go out with 'friends' to clubs and other parties. Coming home late or maybe the following day isn't new to her. And every day, Mavis would pretend to listen to every story; a gesture she mastered after almost 18 years of friendship with her.

It was the usual morning, with the usual Jasmine and the usual after-party stories until...

"...and he's looking for you!" Before she realized it, she snapped out of her senses and found Jasmine's bewildered face just 3 inches away from hers.

"What?" , the only word Mavis was able to say. She was caught unprepared. Suddenly she felt like a break of sweat just came down the side of her forehead as Jasmine continued to give her a puzzled look as if she was keeping something from her. For Mavis, it was not the 'story or the question" but the worry that Jasmine might figure out that she wasn't listening to any word she's been saying at all.

"Hmmm...why would he look for you?", Jasmine had both her eyebrows on a duel.

"Why would he look for me?"(and who are we talking about?), Mavis was obviously lost with everything that Jasmine's been saying for a couple of minutes now. And thanks to her many years of practice with Jasmine's very predictable personality, she came up with what she thought was the most appropriate reaction called for by the unexpected situation.

Bam! Mavis just smacked her on the head quite strongly.

"Snap out of it you crazy. You're drunk. You must have heard differently!" , and with that Mavis once again redeemed herself. She laughed and got out of bed throwing the strawberry pillow on Jasmine again.