Sovereign Academy

Chapter 8: First Day

Stella's POV

Everything happened so fast. Namalayan ko na lang 'yong sarili ko na naglalakad palabas ng office ni Caleb at nakatulala. Did he just tell me that I'm accepted?

Naglakad ako palabas ng main hall nang hindi alam 'yong gagawin. I didn't even open the red envelope with patterns and the crest of Sovereign Academy in it. I couldn't process the fact that I'm accepted. He just told me before I left, "You should pack your stuff once you got home. You're going to live here in Sovereign Academy."

I've never actually thought about living in this place. Mom didn't even let me know that this is a boarding school. No one knew, at all. Even Cynthia and Sally doesn't know about this. Ganoon na nga lang talaga magtago ang sikreto ang Sovereign Academy. At malalaman ko 'yon sa oras na makalipat ako rito.

Hinatid din ako ng shuttle na naghatid sa akin hanggang sa bahay at nang makapasok ako sa bahay, laking gulat ko nang biglang bumukas ang ilaw. "Congratulations!" sigaw ni Mama at Cynthia kaya natigilan ako.

Mama and Cynthia were wearing hats on their hand while holding balloons. As if they anticipated my arrival. "How did you know that I passed?" nagtatakang tanong ko at nagtawanan naman sila.

"We didn't, but we knew you'd pass," ani Mama habang nakangiti. I don't want to ruin their happiness, kaya pilit akong ngumiti para kahit papaano ay gumaan na rin ang loob ko.

"Thank you, both of you." Niyakap ko silang pareho kahit pa sa loob ko ay mabigat sa akin ang nangyayari. I don't know what would happen to me from now on, but I will surely find my Father and save Julian.

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Welcome to Sovereign Academy!

This is an official letter to express our deepest sincerity in welcoming you as one of the students of Sovereign Academy.

Ibinaba ko 'yong letter at napabuntong hininga. I was packing up my things while reading the letter inside the envelope that Caleb provided me last Friday. Everyone from Hendrian Academy knows that I passed the entrance exam. They also officially declared me as Soverein Academy's student.

Today is Monday, and this is the day of my departure. Sabi ko kay Mama ay puwede naman siyang sumama sa paghatid sa akin, pero ang sabi niya lang sa akin ay hindi pa kami pupuwedeng makitang magkasama sa ngayon.

"Stella, do you need help?" Mama asked when she saw me sitting on my bed while my things were scattered on the floor. This would probably be the last time that I could sit here in my bed. I didn't even imagine myself going to a boarding school and leaving home, leaving Mom.

"Ma, are you sure you want me to leave?" tanong ko. The weekends had passed but I'm still skeptical with all of this.

Mama said beside me and placed her hand on my shoulder, consoling me. "I'm sorry that I had to ask you to do this for us," aniya. That's not it. Hindi naman ako nagrereklamo dahil ako ang napili niyang gumawa ng mission. I just don't understand why I had to leave her here.

I'm only eighteen, and this is the first time that I would have to live away from her.

I looked at Mama. "Do you still love Papa?"

Hindi siya nakasagot. Saglit siyang umiwas ng tingin at mayamaya ay hinawakan niya 'yong kamay ko. "I never stopped loving your Dad, Stella."

I smiled. "I know. I could hear you cry some other nights because of him." 'Yon na lang siguro ang panghahawakan ko, ang maibalik si Papa kay Mama. May dahilan kung bakit hindi pa rin niya sinusukuan si Papa, at gagawin ko ang lahat para maibalik ang pamilya namin. "I will save our family, Ma. I will save Julian and the dark magic users of Vermont."