Sovereign Academy

Chapter 15: Rutherford

"What?"

"Sovereign Academy. Kaia will never leave that place. Even if I wanted to, she would always tell me to stay there with her." Kinuha niya 'yong basong may lamang tubig at ininom 'yon.

Magtatanong pa sana ako nang ilapag na ni Tatay Bernardo 'yong frappe at strawberry cake sa table namin.

"Go, try it." Iniabot ko 'yong tinidor kay Caleb at pareho pa kami ni Tatay na nakatingin sa kaniya. Nagkibit-balikat naman siya at agad na sinubukan 'yong cake. "How was it?"

He looked to Tatay Bernardo, then stared at me after. "It's so good."

Natawa kaming dalawa ni Tatay dahil doon. He's really bad at expressing himself, huh? Maybe that's the reason why he's being misunderstood? He would always come forward as someone so hard to approach and very anti-social. But what I see right in front me is the real him. The real Caleb that we all didn't know exists.

Iniwan na kami ni Tatay roon at kumain lang kami nang kumain. From time to time, we would start a conversation, pero napuputol lang din 'yon.

"Ah, busog na busog ako." Naubos na namin 'yong frappe at ilang mga slices ng cakes na inihanda ni Tatay Bernardo sa amin.

"Yeah, me too," he said and looked at his phone, he was reading something. "Where should we go next?"

I was about to speak when someone called me. "Stella!"

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Caleb at natigilan ako sa kung sino ang nakita ko. It was Cynthia, but she was with my Mom and Julian.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita at nagkatinginan lang kami ni Mama na para bang may ideya na siya sa kung sino ang kasama ko. "Oh, Stella! I missed you!" sabi ni Cynthia habang yakap-yakap ako, pero 'yong atensyon ko ay na kay Mama lang na nakatingin pa rin sa akin habang naglalakad silang dalawa ni Julian palapit sa akin.

"How did you know–" I was cut off when Tatay Bernardo came out and joined us.

"Ako ang nagsabi. Tinanong kasi ako ng Mama mo kung nandito ka raw dahil nag-aalala sila sa 'yo," sabi ni Tatay.

"Nandito ka na pala sa bayan, Stella. I went to your Mom directly para sana sunduin ka namin," Julian said. Hindi ako makapaniwalang sa ganitong situwasyon pa talaga kami magkikita. On top of that, I'm with Caleb James Rutherford! Damn it.

"Pakilala mo naman 'yong kasama mo," nakangiting sabi ni Cynthia na para bang inaasar ako. Ang hindi niya alam ay gusto ko na lang magtatakbo paalis dahil sa situwasyon. But of course, she doesn't know. She doesn't even know about me being a dark magic user.

"I'm Caleb," Caleb said and gaze at all of them before turning to me. "I have to go, Stella. Fancy meeting all of you."

All of a sudden, Caleb became his usual self and became cold again. He took a money from his wallet and left it at the table. Hindi ako nakapagsalita dahil nandoon si Mama at nakatingin lang silang lahat sa amin, hanggang sa naglakad na si Caleb paalis.

I watched his back as he walked away and I just sighed and stared back to my Mom. "It's not what you think."

"We need to talk. Julian, can you stay with Cynthia for just a minute?" sabi ni Mama kay Julian habang nakatingin pa rin sa akin. I know where this is going. Kapag tiningnan niya ako nang ganito ay paniguradong marami siyang sasabihin dahil nakita niya akong kasama si Caleb.

Mama and I walked out of the establishment and went at the side, where no one can hear us. Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at nilingon ako, and she looks angry.

"Ma–"

"He's a Rutherford, Stella." 'Yon lang 'yong sinabi niya pero ramdam ko na 'yong galit niya sa akin. "Didn't I tell you to investigate them? Not befriend them!"

"But Caleb and Kaia are different, Ma! It looks like they have nothing to do with this mess!" paliwanag ko, pero halata mong wala siyang balak makinig sa kung anuman ang sasabihin ko.

"You don't know that! Halos magtatatlong linggo ka palang sa School na 'yon! Even Julian knows how dangerous they are! Paano kung malaman ng batang 'yon ang tungkol sa'yo? Ang tungkol sa pamilya natin?" inis niyang sabi sa akin.

I sighed and looked away. "He doesn't know! I won't let him know about it–"

"Why are you defending him? Stella, your Dad is missing because of his family!" Ngayon ay mas lalo siyang nagagalit kaya hindi na lang ako nakapagsalita.

I still don't know a lot of things about what's happening, but I know that there's a reason why my Mom is reacting this way.

"I'm sorry," 'yon na lang ang nasabi ko, kaya naman bumuntong hininga na lang siya at niyakap ako.

"I'm just worried of what might happen with you inside that School. I don't want to lose you and your Father."

I hugged her back. "You won't."

After that, Mom stared back at me again and became serious. "You have to find out the magic of their family. You have to know what they are hiding behind closed doors, maliwanag?"

I nodded. In situations like this, I would usually just say yes and go on with the plan. But now, I don't know why I'm having doubts about this.

Kaia was so good to me ever since I moved to that place, si Caleb? He was a bit off at first, but in the past few days, he also helped me.

What is really with the Rutherford that my Mom and my Father, and even Julian are suspicious about?

I have to find it out. Even if that means losing the friendship that I just made in Sovereign Academy.

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