BLEEDING SILVER

Chapter 9

The Striders celebrated Alina's birthday on the next day, Sunday, through a simple dinner and gift-giving. The following morning, Alina dressed herself with a pastel white female tuxedo paired with dark gray closed heels and baby blue tie. As usual, she went to the dining area to have breakfast with the family.

"Looking formal today, honey," Ellen complimented Alina with a soft glance.

"Uh, school requirement," Alina uttered, trying to evade the topic about the immersion.

"Very nice then. Have fun!" Ellen remarked.

Alina just beamed at her mother.

"Honey, we'll be off for another trip again," Sirius said as he sets aside his phone and starts digging in his waffles.

"Oh. When will you return?" Alina replied with a hint of disappointment. Her parents have been traveling a lot lately due to uprising issues made by humans on different regions.

"There is no definite date yet. This time, we have two subsequent locations to be at," Sirius said as he let a slightly frustrated sigh. "Apparently, humans are getting better at jamming our towers."

Alina just silently sat there, assuming their long absence.

"But, we'll try to go home as soon as possible," Ellen pat Alina's back with assurance. "Just call us if you need anything else okay?"

"Yeah, I will. Keep safe, alright?"

"Of course we will."

Alina has been excited for a while to surprise her parents about her work immersion location but she thought it would be a fail later on, expecting their return a month after. Nevertheless, she headed to school with Atlas who wears a nice beige tuxedo paired with black inner shirt and maroon tie.

"Where are you planning to immerse by the way?" Atlas asked.

"Down south, you?"

Atlas quietly stared at Alina as his thoughts swirl in his head.

"Is there something wrong?" Alina queried, noticing the long pause.

"To Ademar?"

"Yep," she shortly replied while popping the p sound.

Atlas just blankly stared at Alina.

Uneasy about Atlas's gaze, Alina followed through, "I've got a gold pass already so I'm pretty much free there whenever."

Atlas waived off with his remark, "I'll be at Darian Sports Center. Come visit if you like."

Alina scoffed, "Yeah, and we're just about to do an interview today."

Atlas just smirked.

On their first period, the consent forms were collected by the professor in charge. Just as they were to be dispatched, Alina approaches Lucian and hands him two paper bags.

"What are these?" the baffled yet still composed Lucian, who wears inner ink black formal long sleeves covered with paper white tux coat paired with black slacks, looks at Alina.

"One of it is me returning what you lent." Alina then leans forward, almost whispering to Lucian, "The other is a present." Alina beams at him. "I saw your birthday on our partnership profile. Belated happy birthday."

Lucian's face showed a slight yet noticeable curve on his face.

"Did you just smile?" Alina teases as she pokes Lucian's arm.

Lucian instantly drops his lips and starts to walk away.

Right off the bat, Chand pops on Alina's front. "Hey," he greets, "are you free tonight?"

"I guess, yeah."

"Meet you at eight then," Chand briefly said then dashed off.

Alina deadpanned, "He didn't even tell me where."

In front of Human Resources Office of Dreamcatcher Inc., Alina patiently waits with a long line of applicants. When she heard her name called, she confidently approached the door, knocked thrice, greeted the panel inside and sat on the chair on the middle.

"Alina Strider?" one of the intimidating panelists asked as he holds her resume.

"Yes Sir."

"Rather than an interview, we would like to inform you that we received a letter of recommendation from one of the higher ups, securing a place for your immersion."

Shocked, Alina just sat still.

"You will be assigned at the Finance Department. Ask the information desk if necessary. You may start on Wednesday."

"Yes Sir. Thank you," Alina automatically replied in a robotic manner.

She exited the cold, wide room, still confused as to the identity of her backer. She discarded the thought of it being her parents because they were not even notified of her immersion. Just before the door finally closes behind her, she hears the panelists murmuring, "To think that she was chosen by 'the' Mr. Hendrix!"

"A strong backer indeed."

"I wonder—what could be their relationship?"

Alina sighs as she whispers indistinctly, "'The' Mr. Hendrix, huh?"