Stella's POV
Iminulat ko ang mata ko at bumungad sa akin ang puting ceiling. I squinted my eyes on where I am right now, and that's when I realized that I'm in a clinic room.
There's a medical apparatus on my right side, and a bedside table on my left. Then there's Julian sitting on a sofa from the left corner of the room, he's sleeping. Mayroong bandage ang kamay niya, at sa pagkakaalala ko, 'yon 'yong dumudugo nang gabing nangyari ang lahat.
I used every strength that I have to sit down and that caused the bed to make a noise. Napangiwi ako nang sumakit 'yong ulo ko dahil sa paggalaw ko na 'yon. Am I always going to end up to a hospital every time I use Phoenix? Damn it.
"Hey..." A warm hand held my back, kaya napalingon ako kay Julian na nag-aalalang nakatingin sa akin. "... Are you feeling okay?"
Hindi ako nakagot dahil naalala ko ang nangyari kagabi. Another flashback went in my mind and I hissed. "Forget about me, how are you?"
"I-I'm good, I guess?" He shrugged and tried to help me to sit down properly.
Bigla kong naalala na hindi nga lang kaming dalawa ni Julian ang nandoon. "How about Caleb? How is he?"
Umiwas ng tingin si Julian at napabuntong hininga. "He's not okay."
Nanlaki ang mata ko and I started panicking. I'm the reason why he was there and I caused him so much trouble. "W-Where is he? Is he hurt?"
"What? No, he's fine. He doesn't have any wounds or anything. But what happened caused him a lot of trouble as the President of Sovereign Academy." Natigilan ako at napahawak sa ulo ko. This is all my fault. I should've listened. "The board of directors are currently in the meeting with Caleb. They are discussing about the possible sanction for the three of us who disobeyed the rules."
"But he didn't disobey–"
"He did, by following us into the Pavilion," Julian said that cut me off.
"Then, tell me the truth, Julian." I looked at him, straight in the eye. I want answers to all my questions. "Why did you lead me there when you know it's dangerous?"
He sighed and stood up straight. Then he started walking back and forth as if he was hesitant to tell me something.
"You promised you'd tell me the truth, Julian! So, please. Tell me!" asik ko. Ayaw ko nang magpaikot-ikot sa ganito. I don't want to be left behind from the truth again just like what Mom and Dad did to me.
"Your Father is missing, Stella." Natigilan ako at napatingin sa kaniya.
"W-What?"
"Before I transferred here, your Mom told me to find your Dad and ask him to come back and never step a foot to Sovereign Academy again, but when I got here, it was too late." Napapikit siya dahil tila ba ay frustrated din siya sa sinasabi niya sa akin. "He's gone, he's missing. No one would tell me where he is and until now, I'm still trying to find him. Alam kong may kinalaman ang Student Council sa nangyaring pagkawala ng Ama mo."
"Is that the reason why you asked me to stay away from Caleb?" I asked and Julian nodded in response.
"I wanted to leave this place so bad, but I can't go back to you without your Father." Julian held my hand and he squeezed it, making me feel at ease. "I want to come back to you with your Father so, I could make it easier for you and your Mom. Alam ko kung gaano kahirap sa'yo nang mawala siya. I just wanted you both to be happy."
"But you're putting yourself in danger!"
"So, be it, Stella. I don't fucking care." Julian stared at me as if his life depends on what he was saying. "I will do anything to get you and your Father out of here. So, trust me, okay?"
Sa isang iglap ay gumaan ang pakiramdam ko at mahigpit kong niyakap si Julian. I can't believe he's fighting alone all this time, for us to be whole again. It was for me, and I was so angry at him all those times.
"I lost my family once, Stella. I don't want to lose you too," he said.
"You won't. I'll be here, we're on this together," I whispered as I tightened my grip on him.
--------------
"Hey, I heard what happened!" Bungad ni Thalia nang pumasok siya sa clinic room kung nasaan ako naka-admit. "Are you okay? Ano ba ang nangyari?"
I smiled. I didn't know I would see her again. "I'm fine. I just need to get my strength back then I'm good."
"That's good to hear." Nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong niyakap at natawa naman si Kaia na nakatayo sa harap namin ni Thalia. She was holding flowers and fruits on her hand and placed it on the bedside table for me.
"It's good that you're okay," Kaia said. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nandito silang dalawa. Even though we're not that close, they still went here to visit me.
Hindi tuloy ako makatingin kay Kaia. Pakiramdam ko ay kasalanan ko ang nangyayari ngayon sa Kuya niya. Caleb is the President of Sovereign Academy and I made a trouble that caused him to be part of the sanction.
"Hey, whatever you're thinking, it's not your fault," sabi ni Kaia habang pinaghihiwa niya ako ng orange na inilagay niya sa pinggan. "Kuya Caleb just did his job, okay?"
"But–"
"No buts! He asked me to come here, anyway." Nanlaki ang mata ko at sabay kaming napatingin sa kaniya ni Thalia. Even she was shocked with what Kaia said. "What?!"
"He asked you to come here?" tanong ni Thalia, she's just as confused as I was.
"Yes, dummy! What's the big deal?!" ani Kaia na para bang walang mali sa sinabi niya.
"May nagsabi na ba sa'yong Kuya mo ang may pinakamasamang ugali at pinaka-cold hearted person na nakilala ko?" tanong ni Thalia na ikinatawa ko. Kung ako lang ay hindi ko magagawang sabihin 'yon kay Kaia.
"Since when did my brother become like that?" aniya. Siguro dahil magkapatid sila, kaya never niyang sinungitan si Kaia. Pero kaming lahat? Baka nga walang makatagal sa ugali n'on.
Hindi na lang kami sumagot ni Thalia at kumain na ako ng prutas na hiniwa-hiwa ni Kaia. She's so sweet and I couldn't believe she's being like this to me.
Marami pa rin akong tanong na tumatakbo sa isip ko tungkol sa Sovereign Academy, but I can't deny that there are still good students here.
"Hey, girls!" Sumilip si Julian mula sa pinto kaya sabay-sabay kaming napalingon sa kaniya. "Everything good here?"
"Hi, Julian!" They both greeted him in unison. Looks like someone is famous.
"Can I have a minute with Stella?" he asked at tumango naman silang dalawa, pagkatapos ay lumabas na sila. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Julian doon habang kinakain ko pa rin 'yong ibinigay sa akin ni Kaia. "It's good that you have new friends."
"Yeah, but I missed Cynthia." I wish I went here with her, sigurado akong magugustuhan niya rito at magiging kaibigan niya rin si Thalia at Kaia. "I missed Mom, I missed home."
"I know. Which is why..." May inilabas siya sa bulsa niya, dalawang envelope. Those are like the envelope that Caleb gave me when I was accepted here in Sovereign Academy.
It also has a crest on where you can open the envelope. "What's is this?"
"I got us a free day pass. Every once in a month, we can go outside but it's limited. Fifty students lang ang nabibigyan niyan and guess what? We're included in it," he said while smiling. Hindi ko rin maiwasang mapangiti habang binubuksan ko 'yong iniabot niya sa akin.
"But how?" hindi ko makapaniwalang tanong.
"I used my connection to get it. But of course, once you're out of this room, we would have to go to the board of directors with Caleb for our sanction. Still, I have this for us once it's done," aniya at hindi ko mapigilan mapaiyak.
"Thank you, Julian."
He laughed. "I told Caleb to get that for me, you know? It's so hard to swallow my pride and talk to the guy I hate."
"H-He still gave it to you even though we just got him in trouble?" tanong ko na ikinatango niya.
"He's dangerous, I know. But somewhere deep within him, he's also a good guy."
Napangiti ako at hindi ako nakapagsalita. All of a sudden, Caleb's face started to flash on my mind. He never left us when we needed him and I know that it's hard to admit, but he really did his job as Sovereign Academy's President.
As soon as I get out of here, I would surely thank him for saving me. For saving us.
*************
N O T E:
Another update, as promised for a daily update. See you on the next chapter!