The Witch's Doll ⚢

Chapter 14

Alessandra sat at the back of her ever first Philosophy class. Evonnie sat next to her, and Alessandra knew it in herself that she didn't show how much she appreciated it.

The two girls had, in the past few years since they arrived at Fortuna, developed something of a routine. It consisted mainly of eating meals at their table, attending their various classes, some of which they had together and others not, and meeting up in the library or outside window shopping, eating out on old and new establishments that they can afford, and playing arcade or card games before heading home in their respective flat rooms. Even on the weekends, the two of them spend the middle of the day together studying, completing their work, or, on a rare occasion, just simply reading.

And overall, it was quite tolerable—pleasant, even.

Everything changed when Isla Cecil came into the picture.

Alessandra grimaced when the certain blonde and her lapdog sat right near the front. Some of the kids around were naturally thrilled to have the Student Council President and Vice President as their classmates.

Her hand instinctively reached for the spherical object near her neck, accompanied by a fervent thought of boiling the Cecil girl alive. One way or another, she started feeling better.

Cecil seemed to notice a burning gaze headed her way; she turned around and met Alessandra's eyes. Alessandra quickly took refuge by dropping her gaze to the desk, enduring everything.

"I didn't know they were that famous," Evonnie whispered to her.

Alessandra shrugged. Long been enduring the scalding water that filled the tub to the brink of overflowing. She wished for the class to be over even though it hasn't started.

"Alessandra," Loa whimpered, and her voice hoarse and weak. "Alessandra... I feel ill."

Here came another rambling from her sentient doll. Propping her elbow on the desk, Alessandra shocked to know a doll that emanated malevolence would feel sick. The doll had completely defied Alessandra's expectations.

"A higher force beckons... Its aura is clashing with me... please Alessandra... hide me away..."

Alessandra's forehead creased at Loa's strange request and felt her pocket. Loa was still there, soft and bulgy. In that spontaneous decision, Alessandra's elbow bumped into a girl who was passing by. Her little squeal came to Alessandra as a surprise.

"Sorry, about that." A girl with short red hair and round glasses apologized and moved up a higher tier and sat behind Alessandra.

Puzzled, Alessandra was unprepared to meet a shy person who apologized when she wasn't even at fault. Never in her life had she felt disoriented, like a déjà-vu. Possibly, she had already met this girl and forgot about her.

She could feel the girl's eyes following her every move from behind.

There was a thundering set of footsteps that came inside the room. People turned away from the Brits as Professor Cruz entered the classroom. She started the lesson after a brief introduction.

Professor Cruz was blabbering about the philosophy of reason and faith and somehow, Alessandra suddenly knew where the class topic was going. God and all that shit. She had clearly broken her ways from the orphanage religious ways and the possibility of discussing it in class for the sake of intellectual debate rouse the anger she was holding back.