Stella's POV
I made my way out of Caleb's office and as soon as I got out, I ran towards the dorm and went to our room. Isinara ko 'yong pinto at napaupo ako sa sahig. What did I just hear?
It took me an hour for me to compose myself, and walked away from the dorm to our classroom. Pagdating ko roon ay nakaupo na si Caleb sa usual spot kung saan siya nakaupo. His hair is still on a curtain style, but it was a bit messy this time. He's reviewing and reading something on the book that was at the table in front of him.
What are you hiding, Caleb? What is it that you want from us? May kutob akong hindi ito tungkol sa School. This is more of a personal grudge or a family secret. Why are you trying so hard to look for dark magic users?
Tumabi ako sa kaniya, kaya napalingon siya sa akin. I don't know how to act right now, but I'm still trying my best to compose myself. I can't back out now. I've gone a long way and I already know some details. I have to do everything I can to find out where the other dark magic users are.
If Caleb is doing this for his family, I'm doing it for my family as well. I have to go back home with my Dad and Julian, safe.
"What? You're looking at me again with that look," Caleb said kaya naman napaiwas ako agad. I didn't even realize that I was staring at him.
"What look?" I asked, while trying not to stare at him.
"That look as if you're trying to read me. I'm not a book, Stella. You can ask me what's bugging your mind," sagot niya. If only I could, I would've asked the one thing that is bugging my mind. Why can't I be angry with you despite hearing everything?
Deep down inside me, I feel like there's more of him that I need to know. Pero ayaw kong masira ang plano namin ni Mama. Ayaw kong dahil dito sa hindi maipaliwanag na nararamdaman ko ay masira lahat ang pinaghirapan namin. I don't have the time to be distracted by you, Caleb.
"I've heard about the First Great War of the magic users. The final battle was mainly about Absolute Force users and Dark Magic users. What do you know about it?" tanong ko. Alam kong mas may alam siya tungkol sa nangyayari, and I don't want to raise any suspicion, but I know that through Caleb, I would know more about it.
He sighed and started flipping a page on the book. "Is this because of the training yesterday?"
Tumango na lang ako. "You're an absolute force holder, your clan is like the hero of this world."
"Not anymore," sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin na para bang ayaw niyang pag-usapan 'yong nangyari. "If you want to know more about the great war, come to my office later after all your classes. I can let you borrow my book about that."
The class went on and I was nervous of Caleb, finding about me being in his office earlier when he was talking with his Dad. Mabuti na lang at sa ibang subject ay hindi kami magkasama, kaya kahit papaano ay gumaan na rin 'yong pakiramdam ko. But on that subjects, I'm in the same class with Kaia which does not make any difference with Caleb.
"Naibigay mo ba?" tanong ni Kaia, pagpasok na pagpasok ko sa classroom.
"I-I did." Muntik pa nga akong mahuli ng Dad at Kuya mo, gusto kong idagdag. Pero umupo na lang ako at nagsimula na 'yong klase. Honestly, when I look at Kaia and Caleb, I don't see any bad aura from them. It's more like Caleb is being compliant about what his Dad wants, but he doesn't have his own decision.
I wonder, what would happen if Caleb would make his own decision about everything? Would he still follow his Dad? Are we still going to end up fighting each other? Ang daming tumatakbo sa isip kong mga tanong, pero alam kong hindi ko rin naman 'yon masasagot. Not until the truth would surface.
"Hey..." Caleb said as soon as I walked inside his office. Nakaupo siya sa swivel chair at may suot na glasses. He's really handsome wearing it and he looks a lot serious which suits his expression.
I smiled. "Is now a good time or are you busy?"
"It's fine. You can come in and sit down," sabi niya kaya naman naglakad ako palapit sa kaniya at sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Kapag kaming dalawa lang talaga ay hindi ko alam kung bakit para bang hindi matigil yung puso ko sa pagtibok nang napakabilis. It's like I'm running but I'm not.
He walked towards one of the shelves behind him and took a book. "This is the book that I was talking about earlier. Here," inabot niya 'yon sa akin at mabigat 'yon.
The First Great War of Vermont
It's a little bit dusty, and I could smell the old odor coming from it, indicating that this haven't been opened for a long time. "Thanks. I should go."
"Why are you curious about my magic, Stella?" I was taken aback by his question. "Is there something worth knowing about it?"
Hindi ko inaasahan na itatanong niya 'yon, but I knew it would be suspicious for me to suddenly ask about the history and about his clan. "I'm just a fan of history and your clan. That's it."
Tinitigan niya lang ako at mayamaya pa ay tumango siya. "Ibalik mo na lang 'yan kung kailan mo gusto. Just a reminder that everything on that book is a lie."
Natahimik ako saglit at hindi makapaniwala. "What do you mean?"
"My clan didn't save Vermont from the dark magic users." Why is he telling me all of
this? Is this even real? Paano na lang kung kunin ko ito bilang bagong impormasyon at ipakalat sa iba. "I know you're wondering why I'm telling you this since this is a secret of my clan. But there's nothing to hide about it."
"Why?"
"Because no one can beat my Dad. Even if you are a traitor, you can't stand against him."
Parang sasabog 'yong ulo ko habang nakaupo ako sa higaan sa kuwarto namin ni Kaia. What Caleb told me, blew my mind so hard. I didn't even know how I leave his office. Does he know about me? Did he find out that I was the dark magic user who infiltrated this School? No, that can't be. I'm too careful for him to know.
Sinubukan kong basahin 'yong nakasulat sa libro, pero walang pumapasok sa utak ko. Ever since Caleb told me that everything on this book is a lie, I couldn't bring myself to read it even though it would help me a lot.
"Someone, stop them!" Both Kaia and I, stared with each other when we heard a loud scream. Sabay kaming sumilip sa bintana, kung saan tanaw namin ang quadrangle ng School at pareho kaming natigilan sa nangyayari.
Tumakbo kami pababa ng dorm at dumiretso sa quadrangle. Almost every student were there, watching the fight. They were circling around but no one dared to stop them.
"Tabi!" Tinulak ni Kaia 'yong mga nakaharang at ganoon din 'yong ginawa ko. When we saw Julian and Caleb, knocking each other off, agad kaming tumakbo ni Kaia para awatin sila.
"Fuck you, Caleb!" sigaw ni Julian. Galit na galit sila sa isa't isa at pareho silang duguan.
Caleb smirked and wiped the blood on his lip. He stopped fighting as soon as Kaia held him. Inawat ko naman si Julian na galit na galit pa rin kay Caleb.
"Julian, stop! What is wrong with you?!" inis kong tanong kay Julian na pumipiglas pa rin. I don't even know the reason why, but I know that they are really angry with each other.
"What happened here?" tanong ni Kaia sa Kuya niya.
"Ask him, he started punching me and I just defended myself," sabi ni Caleb kaya agad kong sinamaan ng tingin si Julian.
"Shut the fuck up–" I cut Julian off.
"Stop, please!" Natahimik siya dahil sa sigaw ko at tumingin siya sa akin. His lips were bleeding as well and he has a dark circle under his right eye. "Julian, tumigil ka na."
"Don't worry, Julian. I wouldn't steal anything from you, because it would come my way no matter what you do," sabi ni Caleb nang nakangisi at naglakad na paalis kasama si Kaia.
Hindi ko maintindihan 'yong sinabi ni Caleb pero paglingon ko kay Julian ay nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin.
"What was that, Julian?" I asked him, confused about all of this. Other students started walking away from us, hanggang sa naiwan na lang kaming dalawa roon.
"This is about you, Stella." I was shocked when he said that and he looked at me with a serious expression. "Caleb likes you. And fuck, I can't do anything about it, because I know he's right. He wouldn't steal anything from me, because you feel the same way as him."
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