Live, Alena (Luctus Academy)

Chapter 23

For the past few days, all we did was wander around the city. They all wanted me to get familiar with where we are now. And so I tried. Now, kasama ko si Ali at nasa malaking lugar kami na punong puno ng mga tao. They called it Mall. Actually, sa halos dalawang linggo naming paglabas labas, ilang beses na rin akong nakapasok sa mall at medyo nasasanay na rin akong may palaging nakatingin sa amin, o sa akin, hindi dahil isa akong reyna at ginagalang nila ako, kundi dahil sa mga kasama ko. The Bachelors. I frowned with the thought. Hindi ko akalaing gagawa sila ng pangalan sa mundong ito. Nalaman ko kasing mula noong pumunta rito si Ali bata pa lang kami ay mabilis siyang nakapag-adapt sa mundong 'to hanggang sa nachallenge siyang mamuhay lalo mag-isa. Pero paano niya iyon magagawa kung wala siyang pera? Kahit gaano man karami ang kayamanan ng pamilya, hindi talaga siya umasa roon para mabuhay siya sa mundong gusto niya. Kaya ayon, he got a job then started his own business after saving enough money. Sabay raw sila ni Colton. Tapos biglang dumating si Mr. Stark. Unlike Ali, he brought some golds kaya nabuhay siya. Then Ali encouraged him to enter business world as well. And he did. That's the story.

Now, they're billionaires. And I don't believe them but seeing how people react to them, it just tells me how big they are here, while I am a nobody. But I didn't care. This isn't my world to begin with. I'm so done being the queen. Wala naman akong kwentang reyna.

"Alright. Let's play." napalingon ako sa katabi ko habang ngiting ngiting pumapalakpak pa.

"Since this is your second time in this mall, let's see if you're remembering." he said and I just gave him a confused look. Ang dami niyang trip sa buhay.

"Let's play hide and seek. But not literally hide. I'll just text you where I am, then you have to go there as fast as you can." he excitedly said but I just frowned.

"You mean, exhaust me?" kunot noong tanong ko na tinawanan niya pa. "Game. It's fun! Let's part here. Wait for my text then find me." wala na akong nagawa nang takbuhan ako ng magaling kong kakambal. I didn't move. I stayed at where he left me until I received a text message from him saying he was in front of the Starbucks. Yes, I already accepted the phone. Prim allowed me to. Nadala 'ata siyang basta basta kami nawala ni Silver noong nakaraan.

I sighed as I started to walk and find that expensive coffee shop. I had watched some TV commercials that endorsed a coffee brand, which was something that we had in the kitchen, and it tasted good, really. It was cheap unlike the coffee in Starbucks. One cup of coffee takes a hundred.

I might have really lost all my abilities but I was certain that the superhuman strength and durability that we royal mages normally possess didn't fade. That's why maybe, they don't worry about humans when it comes to my safety. They worry about me myself. They worry that one day, my mental health would fuck me up again, or whatever. I don't know. Maybe, they're just scared that it might happen again. But I think not. I already addressed this issue. Na hindi ako mahina kaya 'wag nila akong ituring na ganoon. Because they had been taking too much care of me to the point that it made me feel like they no longer see me as the old Alena who managed to live alone and protect herself but just some weak girl who needed protection from everything. I just disliked the idea. I'm not weak. So, here they are. Letting me wander with just one tour guide tapos nagawa pa akong iwan ni Ali. Siguro, naintindihan na nilang hindi ako mamamatay kaya 'wag silang OA.

I also found out that one of the deadliest weapon in this world was a gun, but do we have to worry for that? It was only a manchineel that could kill me or us.

Akala 'ata nila ay hindi ako nakakatanda sa mga pinupuntahan namin. Pati nga ang mga kalsada, natatandaan ko tuwing madadaanan namin. Ali was now smiling from ear to ear. Nasa first floor lang din kasi ang Starbucks na iyon.