𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓

Tinakpan ko ang bibig ko't patagong humikab sa klase. Naboboryo kong tiningnan ang maestrong nakaupo sa harap. I bit my cheek and twirl my curls with my fingers because of boredom. I shifted my gaze to what was written on our classroom's board; Haverus Gwyer. Our subject professor's name.

"Did you know that a cockroach's brain is in its body?" Almost everyone gasped in disbelief. I just rolled my eyes because I didn't attend a potion class to hear random facts about animals.

Professor Haverus Gwyer has been sitting for almost an hour but still spitting unnecessary pieces of information. Ano ngayon kung nasa loob ng katawan ng ipis ang utak nito? Does knowing this fact will change my life and the world? Funny how Academies teach students facts that are useless in the real world. I just rolled my eyes because of disbelief.

The Academy's classroom is spacious the ceiling is made of thick woods and black bricks. Each one of us is seated in our own chairs and tables and two meters apart from each other. Basically, some would chitchat by passing small notes with each other and giggle in their sit but not me. I'd rather sit in the corner of the room. I'll mind my own business.

"Did you also know that Crocodiles cannot stick their tongue out?" Muli kong ginulong ang mga mata ko sa sunod kong narinig.

With just one look, I can tell that he's in the mid-sixties while sitting in his Windsor chair. His hands are locked together on his long table full of books, feathered pens, and piled papers. He wears a high collar and white cotton blouse paired with slacks and strong boots. I heard students would remember him with the maroon chaperon on his head, a long white beard, and the silver monocle glasses placed in his left eye.

Bored?

Napa-ayos ako ng upo nang isang matinis na boses ang narinig ko sa aking ulo. My eyes were piercing as I looked around to find the owner of the voice. Magkasalubong ang mga kilay ko. I'm sure that I shut my ability to hear my classmate's thoughts because It will be hella chaotic. And I'm sure too that no one can listen to my thoughts or talk inside my head.

"Do you believe that dinosaurs have feathers?" From my peripheral vision, I see students raise their hands to answer.

Muli kong ginala ang paningin ko upang tingnan kung may nakatingin sa akin ngunit wala naman. Lahat sila'y nasa harap ang atensyon. Nauubos na ang pasensya ko dahil 'di ko matukoy kung kaninong boses ang narinig ko. Suddenly, I heard tapping sound from the window beside me and saw a bird tilting it's head while looking at me.

Shookt yarn?

Magkasalubong ang mga kilay ko habang nakatingin sa maliit na ibon sa labas. It's a warbling white-eye. A small, green and rare type of animal. Napailing na lang ako dahil may naging komento pa ito sa sinabi ni professor Haverus. I never thought that birds can be this talkative, this specie should have replaced me in class. I wanna go home as fuck.

Hungry? I can share food.

Muli kong naigulong ang mga mata ko nang muli itong nagsalita. The bird titled it's small head once again, and seconds after It came back holding a cherry with its beak. Nasapo ko na lang ang noo ko dahil sa pagkairita. This is why I prefer hanging out with reptiles, they are quiet and talk only when they have significant to say.

Diretso lamang ang tingin ko't rumolyo ang mga mata. The moment I rest my chin on my left hand the window beside me opens. I can hear the white-eye start giggling and fly into my table and put the cherry on top of my hand. Kasunod nito'y ang pagtunog ng sikmura kong kumakalam. I just remembered Brio offering me food a while ago.

Brio who? Fafa ba 'yarn?

"You're nosy than my snake." boryo kong saad rito't hindi pinansin ang prutas na pinatong niya sa aking kamay. The bird tilts its head once again. Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay dahil 'di ko alam kung bakit ito nakatitig sa akin. It's not even blinking. Kung bunutin ko kaya mga mata nito?

Uwu, Fake ka naman pala naman ate gurl! Scam!

Mas kumunot ang noo ko sa sunod nitong sinabi. Why is this nimwit calling me fake? The white-eye looks like taking the cherry away from me when I raised my eyebrow and it floats in the air. I raised my pinky finger and the cherry flew on top of my finger. Mariin kong tiningnan ang ibon at napagtanto kung ano ang tinititigan niya.

I instantly hide my necklace inside my shirt without breaking eye contact with the warbling white-eye bird. I stared at it with piercing eyes.

"How did you know?" I gritted my teeth not minding people turning their heads, and probably thinking that I'm going crazy talking with myself. 'Di ako nagdalawang isip na titigan sila pabalik at taasan ng kilay. Sinabi ko bang tumingin sila sa akin?

Hihihihi. Secret. Pahingi muna fafa para sabihin ko.

The white eye starts giggling inside my head and I swear, I wanted to cut my head just not to hear its irritating thin and high-pitched voice. I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes. I wonder If animals have IQs too, this one is probably an idiot.

Duh! Judger ka, girl? I can do calculus and geometry!

I can't help but to raised my middle finger in the warbling's face and heard it gasped because of my action. Marahil ay ito ang unang beses niyang makatagpo na tulad kong may kakayahan na marinig ang sinasabi nito.

It ranted once again in my head on how bad it day was. Lumilipad daw ito nang biglang may nagtapon ng putik mula sa kastilyo kaya nama'y napuno ito ng putik kanina. Isisi ba naman ang ibang tao sa katangahan niya. If I were a bird, I would never fly below the worker's neighborhood in a broad daylight. Malamang sa malamang ay madami silang ginagawa. You can do calculus and geometry but can't use your brain with real life situations? What an idiot.

"Experts said that dogs might not understand everything you say, but listen and pay attention similar to the way we do." After what Haverus said some raised their hands saying that their own dogs or cats and sleep with them. "If you were given a chance to understand animals, would you say yes?"

"Hell no." Sinadya kong lakasan ang sagot ko kahit na may ilang napalingon sa akin. Tinaasan ko sila ng kilay dahilan upang umiwas sila ng tingin at magbulungan na lang. Haverus also looked to my direction and smiled. Nakakatawa ba ang sagot ko?

Saksakan ka ng sama, girl! Hindi ka na nga  pretty at—

The warbling white eye started panicking when its body floats in the air and seconds later, drifted away with a harsh speed through the opened window. Sunod na kusang sumara ang bintana upang 'di na ito makapasok muli. Nanatili ang tingin ko sa harap na tila ba walang nangyaring kakabalaghan sa tabi ko. I rolled my eyes and played with my curls instead. I heard it cursing me as If its a witch chanting a spell inside my head.

"There ones that are gifted with the ability to understand, talk, and sympathy with animals." The thick maroon book on his table started to float in the air. Bumuklat ito sa kaniyang harap at gumalaw ang mga pahina. "Vimos Alreedg, 1204, poet, writer and an impressionist painter for example. . . saved his family in a zoo attack when he discovered that he can talk to the gorillas." Napataas ang kilay ko sa aking narinig.

"Another example is Mrs. Adelita Vin'nyla, 1,214, an active painter, sculptor, and architect who lost her Emerald Green Pit Viper snake, and later on discovered that she can talk to reptiles and asked for help to Rainbow Boa snakes that she found in the woods. There are fortunate ones that can only talk to a variety of animals such as mammals, marine animals, and reptiles but chosen ones can talk to the whole Animal Kingdom and they are called the silver tongue."

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko habang pasimpleng nakikinig. I never thought that people who can talk to animals really exists. I thought that they only depend on rare charms and accessories like rings, bracelets or necklaces. Wala sa sarili akong napahawak sa suot kong kwintas.

Lucky for those who do not need to wear something like this.

"For your information, Imperial Academy is the only Academy that divides students according to their abilities. This class for example, Flareons have the ability to control and manipulate fire." Nakangiti niyang saad habang nakabuka ang mga palad sa harap.

I bite the cheek inside my mouth. Not me. Caius struggles to pick which class I belong because It seems like I do not fit from every class so he just put me here instead. I have no problem with it anyways, I can really manipulate fire. I can burn this Academy and turn everything into ashes anyways.

"We are pleased to announce to every student that Imperial Academy is looking forward for any silver tongue in the campus and would like to put them in a special class." I didn't hesistate to raise my right hand and Haverus looks hesitant to say my name. Can't help but to roll my eyes, as If saying my name would bring you misfortune forever.

"Won't distributing silver tongue in all classes would be better? Say for example, a zoo attack suddenly happened in the campus? Would it be reasonable if every class has a silver tongue with this kind of disaster?" Yeah. Just like what I did in the morning. Snakes scattered around.

"You have a nice idea. We thought of your suggestion before deciding to open a silver tongue class, but the decision about the special class is only temporary. Votings are still on-going in the upper officers of the Academy. I'm glad to hear your suggestion in class. . . Miss Scarlet." Tinagilid ko ang ulo ko at hindi na umimik sa klase.

Some raised their hands too and agreed with my decision. Some said that they are animal lovers and would like to have a silver tongue in class and communicate with their pets. If only they knew how stressing some pets are. They are also like people who have different personalities and traits. Some are talkative, timid, sensitive and insensitive. I swear, I encountered a lot.

"Mind checking your attendance, who's absent in class?" A petite woman raised her hand. I wonder why she needs to stand in her sit maybe she wanted to flex her long bow hairstyle. With her black silky hair and round silver glasses, I can tell that she's vying for class president.

"Eagan, Sire." I raised a brow when I heard a familiar name. Eagan. I wonder where did I hear it before?

Blaze Ace Egan again. . . How I wish he can behave like Thunder.

Curiosity arouse in my system when I focused my attention in Haverus' thoughts. He keeps on shaking his head as he writes carefully with his feathered pen. Taas kilay ko siyang tinitigan at nag-abang ng susunod pa niyang sasabihin pero panay ang reklamo ang aking narinig.

Who's Blaze and how is he related to Thunder?

"Class dismissed."

My classmates began standing to their sits and group of friends started running towards each other, murmuring where they should go next or should they just go to each other houses and sleep. My head hurts because their voices are mixing up inside my head. Looks like I can only shut my abilities for a period of time. Fuck this ability. Fuck these people. Fuck everything.

I fixed my things. Maingat kong nilagay ang aklat na nilabas ko't pinatong sa 'king mesa. Rumolyo ang mga mata ko. I exerted effort in bringing this damn thick book but It looks like we won't use it in class. I only have two extras gunny sack made by Caius, and I don't know If this string bag will last this whole semester.

Napatigil ako sa pag-aayos ng isa sa mga kaklase ko ang na-aktuhan kong nakatitig sa akin. I don't know him and I'm not interested in knowing him either. Introducing myself with people would just waste my precious time anyways. Isa pa'y may kailangan akong hanapin dahil may atraso ito sa akin. Better hide, Thunder. Pray that you won't cross paths with me again.

"Hi. I'm Sebastian." Nilahad nito ang kaniyang kamay. I stared at his hand up to this face. He smiles shyly and displayed his dimples.

He's dark skinned and taller than me, 6'1 feet I think. I raised a brow when I noticed his well-groomed blonde side parted hair. Haircuts costs so much, maybe this folk have some money in his pocket. Napahinto ako nang may mapansin sa kaniyang mukha. He has a tiny mole below his left eye. Haverus mentioned that students who manipulates fire belong in this class. Maybe this one possesses fire element?

Napansin ko ang pamumula ng kaniyang mukha dahil sa tagal kong nakatitig sa kaniya. Binawi niya ang kamay niya't napakamot sa kaniyang batok. Nagkasalubong naman ang mga kilay ko. Why is he acting shy?

"Yeah. Scarlet is the name." Tried my best to sound friendly as I could. Ayaw kong matawag muli sa Principal's Office. Caius would be mad If that happens again. Can't help but to roll my eyes when I turned my back with the guy.

"Busy. Bye." I said once again. Hindi ko na hinintay ang sasabihin nito't naglakad palayo. Maybe It's better to walk in the campus. Sa totoo lang ay tinatamad akong umuwi. Wala rin naman akong mapapala kun'di ang sermon ni Caius o 'di kaya ang pangungulit ni Chuchay.

Napataas ang kilay ko dahil ilan sa mga dumadaan ay napapalingon sa akin. Hindi ako nagpatalo't tinitigan din sila pabalik. Right as thought, rumors spread as fast as the speed of light. Sigurado akong may ibang bersyon uli kung ano'ng nangyari kaninang umaga.

Well, I know what will happen next. Alam kong mas pabor sa kanila ang ibang tao dahil freshman pa lang ako. I don't care, idiots believe in rumors anyways. I know the truth.

Taas noo akong naglakad sa hallway kahit ang iba'y halos dumikit na sa pader para iwasan lang ako. I rolled my eyes and raised my middle finger in front of them. Tumaas ang isang kilay ko nang makita ang gulat sa kanilang mga mata dahil sa ginawa ko. First time?

I raised my hands and tied my hair in a tight bun. Nang makalayo ako'y inayos ko ang aking buhok. When I made another step, I disappeared and teleported into the Academy's canteen. Ang iba'y nagtaka't nagulat dahil bigla na lang ako sumulpot kung saan ngunit tinaasan ko lang sila ng kilay. What a bunch of idiot people. Lahat na lang ng gagawin ko'y may sasabihin sila, nakakaurat.

The Academy's canteen is basically a dining hall and is called The Great Hall. It is a large hall with tables for each house where students sat during break or meal times. Every table is separated by long red carpets. Above the glass ceiling that has four crystal chandeliers are floating candle lightsticks.

Sa harap ay makikita ang mahahabang mesa kung saan nakahelera ang iba't-ibang pagkain. I have no idea how to get food here, I just heard The Great Hall from Caius. I observed and knew that students would line up and the plates, utensils, and foods that they choose would just float.

Mabait ako ngayon at magtitimpi kaya nama'y nakipila ako kahit kaya ko silang paalisin sa kanilang mga puwesto sa isang pitik lang. I've been standing for 20 seconds. Rumolyo ang mga mata ko dahil agad akong nainip sa bagal ng usad ng pila. 'Di ako nagdalawang isip na titigan ang dalawang plato. I read the preferred foods of the five people ahead from the line and did the work. Wow, never thought that I'll do something like this in the future. What a shame.

''Ayos, pre! Tara, balik uli maya!'' Kulang na lang ay yakapin ng isang lalaki ang lalaking nasa likod niya na mukhang kasama niya naman.

They should kneel and kiss my feet instead If they're happy. Akmang aakbang na ako nang isang tao ang mariin na kumapit sa braso ko't hinarap ako sa kaniyang direksyon. Nagkasalubong ang mga kilay ko ngunit napalitan ng pagtataka ang ekspresyon ng mukha ko nang makita ang taong nasa harap ko.

''What? Stop touching me,'' masungit kong sabi at tinabig ang kaniyang kamay. He is breathing and sweating like he ran from mountain to mountain before reaching where I was.

Nanatiling nakataas ang kilay ko dahil masama ang tingin na binibigay niya sa akin. Halos basa na rin ng kaniyang pawis ang suot niyang kulay-abong kamiseta na may mahabang manggas. Pati na rin ang buhok niya ay basa na rin sa pawis. Nangunot ang noo ko dahil pansin kong may punit din ang gilid ng suot niyang kamiseta.

''Scar...'' he whispered under his breath and combs his hair upwards. Tumingin siya muli sa akin na tila ba may nagawa akong krimen. Ginulungan ko na lang siya ng mga mata. Kung may gusto siyang sabihin ay sabihin niya agad, hindi 'yong sinasayang niya oras ko.

''Kinakausap kita.'' Agad kong tinabig ang kamay niya nang akmang hahawakan niya muli ako. People are already looking into our direction. Ako nanaman ang mukhang masama sa paningin ng iba. The person in front of me is no other than Brio.

''What? Stop wasting my time.'' I gritted my teeth. Tinitigan ko siya mula ulo hanggang paa at napakunot noo nang mapansing puno ng maliliit na damo ang pantalon niya. May bakas din ng putik ang sapatos niya. He should stop putting a show, I swear. He's getting into my nerves.

Napaatras ako nang iangat niya ang nakasara niyang palad at sa pagbukas nito'y isang ibon ang aking nakita. The bird is laying peacefully in his hand with closed eyes. I noticed that the bird has a cloth and tape wrapped around it's left wing. Hindi ako kumurap habang nakatingin rito at magkasalubong pa rin ang mga kilay ko. This bird have nothing to do with me.

''Hindi mo naman sila kailangang saktan kung hindi mo sila gusto.'' Tumaas ang kilay ko dahil sa sunod na sinabi ni Brio. Muli kong tinitigan ang ibon at napagtanto kung bakit ito pamilyar sa akin. It's no other than the annoying warbling white eye. Sa pagtitig ko rito ay napansin ko ring galing sa damit na suot ni Brio ang nakapalupot sa pakpak nito.

''Nonsense. Don't accuse me. Wala akong ginagawang masama.'' Umigting ang panga niya dahil sa naging sagot ko. Muli niyang sinuklay ang buhok niya't hindi ako matitigan nang matagal. Looks like he's probably calming himself. I don't care If he punched me, I can punched better than he do.

''Ang sabi niya sa akin ay ikaw daw ang may salarin kung bakit siya nahulog sa ikatlong palapag,'' he said with his calmest voice.

Tinitigan ko siya dahil tila namali ako ng rinig. Ang sabi niya sa akin? Muli ko siyang tinitigan at naghanap ng isang bagay na kaniyang suot. I looked into his neck, fingers and ankle hoping to find necklace, ring or even anklet but I found none. Brio is not wearing anything. Hindi ako tanga at mas lalong hindi ako bobo para hindi maintindihan kung ano'ng ibig niyang sabihin.

''Ayos ka lang? Huwag ka munang dumilat kung hindi mo pa kaya,'' muli niyang bulong sa ibon at hindi makapaniwala ko siyang tiningnan.

I immediately hold my neck but wondered why I didn't feel my necklace's chain. Dalawang kamay kong hinawakan ang dibdib ko at nagtaka nang wala akong maramdam. I nervously looked to Brio and he wondered why I'm sweating so much in front of him.

Fuck! My necklace is missing!