As Magic Blooms

Part 1

"Hoy, Aeilla!"

Napabalikwas ako sa pagkakahiga nang marinig ang malakas na kalabog. Nanlilisik ang aking mga mata sa takot, nag-aakalang may taong dadakma sa akin habang mahimbing na natutulog.

Natutulog?

"Ang OA ha," komento ni Mcintyre na siyang nagpakunot ng aking noo.

I closed my half-opened mouth as she enters Cole's office.

"Hindi mo man lang ako tinext! Lokaret ka."

My brow furrowed. Not because of her sentence but because of me, being in Cole's sofa.

Kailan pa ako nandito? I was at the stre-

"Ay ayun! Nananaginip pa," taas-kilay na saad ng kaibigan kong nasa harapan ko na pala. "Are you even fine, Aeilla?" may bahid na pag-aalala nitong tanong. "Anong nangyari sayo?" tanong niya na nagpagulantang sa kabuuan ko.

"B-bakit?" medyo kinakabahan kong pag-uusisa.

"Hay, jusko! Na-pasmo na akong friend. Kumain ka na nga du'n. In an hour, aalis na tayo," may inis nitong usal bago ako tinalikuran at iniwanang nakalula sa kawalan.

Nang makitang nakaalis na ng tuluyan si Mcintyre, napatawa ako sa sariling kahibangan. "Am I dreaming? The hell, what was that?" nalilito kong tanong sa sarili nang maisip ang huling eksenang bumuhay sa kalamnan ko kagabi.

"I made a wish, right?" wala sa sarili kong usal hanggang sa pag-alis namin nila Cole at Mcintyre patungo sa skwelahan.

My friends who were busy at their mobile phones didn't budged to mind my stupid and nonsense words. Sabi ni Cole hindi naman daw ako umalis ng café kagabi kaya baka nanaginip nga lang talaga ako. Marahil sa sobrang pagod at sakit ng katawan ko kakapunas ng mga dumi ng buong café.

Siguro nga, panaginip nga lang, para sa kanila. But for me, it's beyond a dream.

"Aeilla, tara."

Ang malalim kong pag-iisip ay biglang natigil nang iniangkla ni Mcintyre ang braso niya sa katawan ko. With a smile, I shrugged my thoughts and wander my eyes at the beautiful scenic of Schola Magola.

This is not the school you we're thinking. It doesn't mean it has a meaning, school of magicians, means we are all fairies, gods or godesses. We just believe that magic blooms, together with our dreams.

Exclusive nga lang ang Schola Magorum, hindi lang dahil sa mahal ang tuition fee na kailangan mong bayaran dito. It is a school of arts. School of music and passion of dear hearts of people who wishes something beyond our measures.

"3rd bus daw tayo," Cole disputed as we walked our entrance towards the first bus, waiting outside of the school.

"Bakit pang-tatlo? Eh, 1st section tayo dati?"

I chuckled with my friends state. "Gaga. Baka kamo dahil 3rd batch tayo ng Arts Class noon?"

Mcintyre wrinkled her nose as she get my point. Napailing na lamang kami ni Cole at sabay kaming umupo sa pinakadulong upuan nitong bus.

Kahit nagtataka dahil kami pa lang ang tao sa loob ng bus, walang ni isa sa amin ang sumubok na magtanong sa bawat isa. We just waited for another couple of minutes for our batchmates to come. But unfortunately, no one came, aside from a gorgeous lady who seated next to ours.

"Ah, excuse me po," pukaw ng kaibigan kong babae sa dalagang napakaganda na siyang kadarating lang.

She's not from our batch.

"3rd batch po ito," mahinang usal ni Mcintyre nang hindi man lang siya nilingon ng babae. "Ay bingi."

Cole cleared his throat as he eyed my brat friend. Nag-away pa nga sila ng ilang minuto bago ko naawat. And when I looked at the front seat to apologize for the lady, in behalf of my friend's behaviour, I couldn't see anyone.

"Ayan tuloy, nawala na! Kainis ka talagang babae ka!" bulyaw ni Cole na may padyak pang nalalaman.

I just sighed and rolled my eyes as I couldn't stop the two of them fighting. Kaya imbis na mamroblema sa dalawa, pinili kong maupo sa unahang parte ng bus. I leaned my head at the window at my side as I closed my eyes.

Pero bigla na lamang akong nakaramdam ng kakaibang sensasyon nang biglang rumehistro sa aking isipan ang pangyayaring pilit nilang sinasabi na isa lamang panaginip.

"Make a wish," I unconsciously uttered before a tons of our batchmates came in.

"Oh? Cole with his two babies! Ang aga niyo as usual ha!"

Napaayos ako ng upo nang isa-isa silang pumasok at umupo para makipagchismisan sa bawat buhay ng mga naging kaklase namin nuon.

"Hi," a sweet voice enveloped my system as someone sat next to me.

Dahil sa hindi malamang dahilan, bigla akong nakaramdam ng kilabot.

Make a wish.

I groaned as my head suddenly hurts. My heart began to pump abnormally and sweats on my face down to my neck, became visible.

"Hey, are you ok-"

I gasped as I felt someone's cold touch on my skin. Nang makitang galing ito sa babaeng hindi ko masabing isang ordinaryong tao, marahas kong hinawi ang kamay niya. At nang akma akong tatayo upang makalayo sa babae, du'n naman siya nawala sa aking paningin na siyang nagdala ng kakaibang dagok sa aking dibdib.

"No way. Ci!" I yelped as I called for my friend. "Ci!" pangungulit ko nang hindi man lang ako tapunan ng tingin ng babae.

"May problema ka Rhyne?"

I turned to my side and saw Azael, one of my closest friend when I was in fourth year. Concerned and being worried was evident at his face, so I tried smiling to show that I'm okay.

"You sure?"

"Y-yeah!" I chuckled to cover my nervousness. "Pero Az, nakita mo ba 'yung babaeng maputi na katabi ko kanina?"

Kumunot ang noo niya na siyang nagpataas ng aking kilay. "Wala ka namang katabi eh," he said with a smirk and shook his head. "Okay ka lang ba talaga Rhyne? You look so," he surveyed his eyes to me before he continued his phrase. "You look so anxious."

Napalunok ako ng wala sa oras at napailing sa kanya. I walked out of the bus and search for something I didn't know at the first place. Lumakad ako ng lumakad hanggang sa may makita akong maliit na halamanan.

"Hoy, Aeilla! Ano ba girl, magpapaiwan ka ba!?" dinig kong sigaw ni Mcintyre sa malayo na siyang inignora ko lang.

I was fascinated as I saw a wishing well at the center of the garden of roses.

Make a wish.

At katulad ng nasa panaginip ko kagabi, kung panaginip nga ba ito, bigla na lamang lumakas ang ihip ng hangin kasabay ng paglitaw ng isang nakakasilaw na liwanag mula sa mahiwagang balon.

Make a wish, my dear child.

An unknown feeling embraced my system, together with an alluring and senti music escaped from somewhere.

Make a wish, Aeilla. Say what's your heart's desire.

At kahit hindi ko malaman kung totoo nga ba o hindi ang nangyayari sa pagkakataong ito, pinili ko pa ring pumikit at humiling, gaya ng ginawa ko kagabi.

And this time, I wished while remembering all the memories I had on this land.

"I wish,"