THE BIRD THAT IS HAPPINESS
ISOLDE'S POV
Sometimes I feel like I am incapable of tolerating my own heart.
I hated that wretched thing. I hate it for causing the dull ache in my chest at the thought of mama. I loath it for beating faster at the mention of my father.
I hated it for opening itself up, even for a moment to a noble. I hated myself for thinking that just because I was blessed like them, it meant somehow I will not be humiliated by them.
I shouldn't have let the warmth of the academy delude me into a false sense of safety among these people.
Do not get me wrong, I hadn't expected him to help me but all those bantering afternoons in the library must've at least given him a good judge of my character.
Nobles, all the same. Quick to accuse and condemn anyone they deem beneath them.
I hated him. He made me expect and I know that expectation is a carriage often driven by heartache. I can't afford to accompany that rider just yet.
Esme's arrival broke my stare off with Akira. He looked away almost immediately.
"Ah, Miss Garcia, I assume. People here have controversial opinions on your role in the recent incidents including Miss Abdallah over here and a bucket of horse crap", the Assistant headmaster said with a cheeky smile.
Everyone rolled their eyes at him. This man was truly enjoying himself at our expense.
"Greetings, Sir ", Esme bowed her head slightly.
"Showing respect to him is not gonna earn you any points", Naeem injected his unwanted opinions yet again.
"Mister Abbas, please," Dayuu hissed a warning at him yet again and he cowered behind Akira.
"So Miss Garcia, these people over here," he pointed to the noble trio," Are in the opinion that you were involved, if not the mastermind behind the horse crap incident. So what do you have to say in your defense?" he asked, looking more amused than he should.
"I swear I didn't do anything. I had nothing to do with this incident. Please believe me," Esme vehemently denied the accusation.
"Well, then what do you say to the eyewitnesses who saw you with Miss Morozova, the person on the rope?" he asked again.
"Who saw us together? We don't even mingle," she looked confused now.
"This afternoon by Mister Abbas and his friends", he said while pointing at Naeem.
"This afternoon? Oh, then! it was the first time we had talked. she saw me crying so tried to help me. How does that mean that I am the culprit?" she said in that oddly high-pitched voice of her.
"Well, since you're denying then Miss Morozova might need to acquire some new proof of your innocence," he said looking at me in pity.
Why do I even need to prove anything? I am innocent!
I felt heart, fury raising at the injustice. Is this how mama felt? Did she ever get tired of explaining her purity to the world? That she really was married to the man who had fathered her child before leaving?
"Wait. Why was she pulling the curtain anyway? It was Nazma's job. Unless she gave it to Isolde," Esme's voice snapped my attention back to her.
"Another character introduced to this thrilling drama!" Master Orion's voice rang with excitement.
"Sir, will you please refrain from showing excitement in this situation?" Dayuu gritted out.
"Oh sorry. So this girl, Nazma was supposed to pull the curtain but she gave it to Miss Morgan who then gave it to Miss Morozova," Orion summarized the situation.
"Wait, Miss Morgan? As in Miya Morgan? What was she doing there? She said she was sick in her room!" Esme's said in puzzlement.
"She was?", Dayuu asked Esme.
"Yes, Dayuu. She's Nazma's roommate actually. Maybe they planned this? Miya's brother works in the stables, you know," Esme said with a scrunched nose.
"Now why would Nazma or Miya do this? They don't hate Eboni unlike you!" Naeem said again, his voice laced with anger.
"You really think I am only me who hates this wench for trying to take my position? There are dozens who coveted that position. They couldn't even open an election yet you come here and all of a sudden and everything goes your way. Of course, there are people who hate her guts!" Esme spat her words laced with fury.
The room goes dead silent at her outburst.
"Miss Esme, You're not really helping your case. Please keep your hateful thoughts to yourself", Dayuu said with a tired voice.
"So what do you want me to do? I hate her. Of course, I'll say that out loud. I can't fake what I feel. You, nobles are all the same. Entitled brats", Esme's reply was quick with her head held high.
"So what about the things you two said yesterday?" Akira asked, finally breaking that mute spell he was under.
"What did we say yesterday?", I asked before Esme.
"That we fight dirty and unfair," Akira said and a barely audible voice added, "That you hate us."
"Of course we hate you, spoiled brats. And it is true, you guys fight dirty," Esme scoffed at them.
"Miss Garcia, not helping," Dayuu warned again.
"We don't fight dirty. And unfair. Why would you say that?" Naeem asked again in a defensive tone.
"Oh please, everyone knows the new elections were allowed only to impress Eboni's mother who will be coming here as a guest teacher next week," Esme replied, the bite in her voice made Naeem flinch.
"No, they didn't," Eboni spoke up for the first time since we came here. Her voice was full of disbelief.
"Yes, they did, why else do you think they would force us to host an election in the beginning of the year. Don't pretend to be naïve. Dorm representative elections are always held before spring break. So that we get the whole year to get to know the person we would be voting for," Esme replied while rolling her eyes at Eboni.
All three noble kids looked shocked for a moment. Eboni's eyes splashed with unconcealed hurt. She looked up to Akira but the boy didn't meet her eyes.
"I am telling you, sir, I had nothing to do with her public humiliation. And I know for a fact she didn't either," she said, pointing her index finger at me, "Unlike me, she's nice." She looked rather disgusted at the concept of niceness, for some reason.
Huh?
My eyes met Esme's eyes and she winked at me.
"Well, now that we have gotten some new suspects to interrogate, you guys are adjourned for today. I will talk to you after I have some word with Miss Morgan and Miss Hussain," and with that, we were dismissed.
Parting at the door without any word, the noble trio went to the mass hall and the two of us made our way towards the peach castle.
"Did you really not do it?" I asked quietly.
"Of course not. I am not stupid enough to do something so public. This is clearly the work of a novice," Esme flipped her long ginger hair over her shoulder.
"Oh, I am sorry I thought you actually did do something after I told you to fight dirty," I told her, feeling a bit guilty.
"Oh, you were right. I did do something. I put itching powder inside the pages of her book in magical history class while I was overseeing cleaning duties. She would've itched herself a rash when the teachers interviewed us for the elections tomorrow," she said with her eyes twinkling in mischief.
"I take back my apologies," I deadpanned.
She laughed at my comment. A pearl of beautiful, melodious laughter with her head falling back.
"That girl really had the audacity look surprised!! Can you believe that? As if she actually believes world will just hand her stuff others have been working their behinds off for. She really tried to pretend she didn't use her privileges'!! I hate people like her," Esme suddenly spoke up.
"Maybe she truly didn't realize?" I try to give her the benefit of doubt. Eboni wasn't that bad of a person.
"Well, she should. Privileged people not accepting that they are privilege are worse," she dramatically threw her hands in the air.
"Well, what do we know how nobles think?" I say in a tired voice.
"I know how she thinks. She's after my position. And It will be a cold day in hell before I give up this hard-earned without a fight," she says in a determined voice.
"Best of luck. Just don't use any kind of animal-dung, please. I only accept their use as stove fuel."
"Oh, don't worry. Next time, it will be unicorn pee. I heard it's good for skin," she says with a straight face.
I didn't realize when I started to laugh too. I felt a single tear slipping from the corner of my right eye.
I haven't laughed like this in a long, long time. I am glad I didn't forget how to.
"I really thought I would be punished without anyone listening to me because they were nobles," I say in a quiet voice.
"Me too," Esme replies in an equally quiet voice.
The lonesome tear rolled down my cheek. I didn't wipe it off.
Esme pretended not to notice. Just like how I looked away from her tear-stained face glistering under the moon's dazzling presence.
There's this thing about happiness, it always carries a little sadness on its wings.
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