Greek University

Chapter 3: Welcome

"Do you have any questions Elo?" nakangiting saad sa amin ni Maeve pagkatapos siyang bigyan ng mga walang katapusan tanong ni Elo. She asked about Maeve's identity, her specials, deity parent and about university stuffs. I'm just listening to their chitchats and I'm not asking anything since I'm not interested that much.

Pinaglalaruan ko lang sa kamay ko ang dagger ng naramdaman kong may nakatingin sa akin and when I look up I saw the innocent and charming smile of Maeve. "How about you miss, do you have any question? You've been so quiet the whole time we're talking." I just gave her a blank stare.

"When will you leave? I'm sleepy." mukhang nagulat naman si Elo sa paraan ng pakikipagusap ko sa bisita namin kaya nilakihan niya ako ng mata at sinaway. "Hoy babae wag kang ganyan makipagusap sa kasama natin, ayusin mo yang pananalita mo!" Tumingin muli ako kay Maeve and I think she don't mind it, instead she chuckled which made her two dimples show, "No it's fine, I'm used to it. But I'm afraid miss that you can't sleep tonight." kumunot naman ang noo at nagtatakhang tumingin sa kanya.

"What do you mean?" she smiled again to me, seriously when will she stop showing those dimples. Nangiinggit ba siya? I mean I do have dimple pero isa lang yon! Hmp.

"You'll leave your life here ladies, we're going to the university tonight." sandaling tumahimik ang paligid at tanging hangin lang ang naririnig ko, did I heard it right?

"Huh anong ibig mong sabihin, Maeve?" Elo seems the first one to regain her shock. "You'll know soon but before that I need to do this first." tumayo si Maeve kaya mabilis akong naalerto at humanda ng may biglang sumugod. May lumabas na vines sa paa namin at unti unting gumapang sa aming leeg. Nakita kong pilit na kumakawala si Elo sa tabi ko ngunit sadyang mahigpit ang tali nito sa amin. Hanggang sa naramdaman kong may tumusok sa leeg ko and I felt my eyes are beginning to get heavy.

I girtted my teeth. I shouldn't let my guards down! Damn Ade, you're such a fool.

"Sleep tight ladies."

                        • ☽♚☾•

"Is that her?"

"Hmm yes isn't it obvious, they look much alike."

"How about the other girl, who is she."

"I think the two of them are friends, they live together."

Naalimpungatan ako sa mga boses na narinig ko. Iminulat ko aking mata ngunit agad ko din itong pinikit dahil sa pagkabigla sa liwanag. This time I scratch my eyes and open it slowly, adjusting from the light and I succeed.

A white ceiling welcomed me as soon as I opened my eyes. Ilang segundo akong napatitig don at iniisip kung bakit ako nandito. Biglang kumirot ang leeg ko at bigla kong naalala ang nangyari.

Maeve. University. Vines.

Nanlaki ang mata ko at agad na bumangon. Doon bumungad ang dalawang mukha na nakatingin sa akin. The girl from the right side has plain black hair and dark brown eyes and a familiar face from the left.

"Maeve." malamig ngunit may diin kong banggit sa pangalan niya. I remember what she did to us. Mas lalo akong nairita ng inosente siyang ngumiti sa akin at lumabas ang dalawa niyang dimple.

"Yes what is it miss?" I gritted my teeth out of frustration, how could she smile like that after what she did. Para akong biglang natauhan, right how could I forget Elo?

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin at dumako ang mata ko sa kaliwang bahagi ng kwarto, nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag ng makita kong kumakain ang babaeng hinahanap ko.

Bumaling naman ang tingin niya sa akin at ngumiti, "Gising ka na pala Ade, tara kain" itinaas niya ang plato at aktong ibibigay sa akin ng umiling ako. "No thank you I'm not yet hungry, kainin mo na yan," naningkit ang mata niya sa akin.

"Sigurado ka?" naghihinala niyang tanong sa akin, kilala niya ako na hindi tumatanggi sa pagkain kaya sa tingin ko ay may hinuha siya na gutom ako. I'm really hungry but I lost my appetite when I saw Maeve at isa pa tatanungin ko muna siya.

"Oo nga sige kumain ka na diyan" tumango naman siya sa akin at ibinalik ang atensyon niya sa pagkain. I'm relieved that nothing bad happened to her. Bumaling naman ang tingin ko kay Maeve, "Can we talk?" she nodded at me. Tumingin naman ako sa kasama niyang babae, "outside, just the two of us."

"Sure come follow me" bumaba ako sa higaan at napansing ayon pa rin ang suot ko mula ng mawalan ako ng malay. Sumunod na ako kay Maeve ngunit bago ako makalabas ay nadaanan ang babaeng hindi pamilyar sa akin. Her presence is powerful yet calm. I think she's a descendant from a major God.

Nang buksan ni Maeve ang pinto ay bumungad sa akin malawak na kapaligiran, the green bermuda grass compliments the calming blue sky. Makaraan ang ilang segundo ay tumigil siya sa harapan ko kaya ganoon din ang ginawa ko.

From where she stands, vines started to emerge and later on formed a two chairs. Lumingon siya sa akin at ngumiti, she motioned her hands on the chair. Nakuha ko naman ang gusto niyang ipahiwatig at umupo doon.

Katahimikan ang bumalot sa kapaligiran, pinagmasdan ko ang paligid, it's a wide green field and there's a thick fog that surrounds this whole field that's why I'm not able to see what's in the other side because of the fog that covering it.

"I know you have a lot of questions to ask and I'll gladly answer all of it," wika ni Maeve kaya naman nalipat ang atensyon ko sa kanya.

I composed myself and sigh before I started to speak, "What is this place," I saw in my peripheral vision that she look at me. "I'm glad to tell you that we're now in the University, this is a clinic place, as you can see there's a thick fog that surrounds every end of the field. This field is where the aurais practicing their skills as the healers" my mouth went agaped when I heard that I'm already walking in the University, a place where a lot of half-bloods and creatures wish to enter.

She chuckled at my reaction so I composed myself before asking again, "Why did you pick us by force, is it necessary to use powers just to get us?" nawala ang ngiti niya at napaltan ng seryosong mukha. Maeve's serious face is intimidating, she can be charming but at the same time dangerous.

"That was the command to us, we shouldn't let the newbies to know the way to University. That's a safety protocol, so no one would have the information of the exact place. Unless you are part of the Student Supreme Council. And I'm sincerely apologizing to the both of you" bumalik ang malawak niyang ngiti kaya nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

So that's her reason, should I really trust her? Should I let my guards down now? But this is a new place to me, I don't know how this place works and what type of half-bloods and creatures are staying here unlike at the Capitol.

"It's okay if you can't trust me for the meantime," she gave me a reassuring smile "After all we just met." I smiled at her, finally, a genuine one.

"Thanks for understanding" maikli kong wika sa kanya. Tumango siya sabay tumayo at ganon din ang ginawa ko.

Unti unting sumisikat ang araw at ng lumingon ako sa kinatatayuan ni Maeve, tuluyan na ngang sumikat ang araw at natamaan nito ang mukha niya. She faced me and her emerald eyes shone brightly, it was captivating.

"Welcome to the home of half-bloods, Ade. Your new home." she bowed her head lightly.

With what she said suddenly a new hope rose up from the bottom of my heart. May I find the answers about myself in this place. I just want to.