Verse of the Day.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭

Chapter 17
Knowledge
[ Ava Maureen ]

"MY BOYFIE wants you and he left me! Did you flirt him, huh?! Answer me!" the girl yelled angrily. I don't remember her name. Siya 'yong bumangga sa 'kin no'ng first day of class ko rito.

What's her name, again? I think it started with letter B. Beau? Belle? Becky? Ah! Ewan. I really forgot it. But does that matter? E, tinawag niya nga akong alien! And she's a bitch! Nararapat lang siguro sa kaniya na iwan sa boyfie niya kuno. Thus, what did she just said? Flirting her boyfie?! I don't even know the name and face of that guy!

Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagpatuloy nalang sa paglalakad ngunit may humablot sa braso ko. Sasampalin ko na sana pero umilag ito at binitawan ako. I thought it's Accsie-girl but it's not. Si James Bradley lang pala! Jeez . . . muntik ko pang masampal kung hindi lang mabilis ang reflexes niya.

"Kalma, Mau! Ako lang 'to, ang nag-iisang gwapo sa buhay mo." After he said that, he wink. I cringed and make face at him. "Joke lang. Tara sa library, may nakita akong libro tungkol sa pinapahanap mo."

Sumunod ako sa kaniya pero bago pa ako maka-dalawang hakbang, may humablot na naman sa braso ko. I know it's not James anymore and it's Accsie-girl na!

"See? Pati si James na nasa Rank SUPREMUS ay naakit mo! Pumunta ka ba rito para lumandi? Simula nang dumating ka rito ay hindi na kami nakapagbonding ng boyfie ko dahil palagi ka na niyang sinusundan! Tapos ngayon, inuuto-uto mo ang mga nakatataas sa SUPREMUS dahil hindi mo pa alam kung ano ang kapangyarihan mo?! O meron nga ba?" She smirked.

My blood boiled automatically because of the words she said. Pumihit na talaga ako paharap sa kaniya at sinapak siya diretso sa mukha niyang sobrang kapal ng foundation. That's so eww! Feeling ko tuloy dumikit ang foundation sa kamao ko.

After that, she lost her consciousness.

"That's for your accusation and stalker boyfriend, bitch!" I roared.

Agad kong hinila si James patungo sa library na nakatulala habang pinagmamasdan ang dumugong ilong ni Accsie-girl, nakatihaya sa lapag. I snapped my finger in front of his face to pull him out of his trance.

"Ang . . . ang lakas mo naman sumuntok," manghang sabi niya.

"Of course. I put the half of my force on that punch because she's so annoying. She keeps on splitting nonsensical shts. I don't even know her name." Napairap ako.

Umupo ako sa 4-seat table na malapit sa mga estante ng libro. I like the scenery of books here. So relaxing to my eyes. Sumunod naman siya sa 'kin at umupo sa katapat ng inuupuan ko.

"That's Bea Desiree, Ella Stone's friend. May isa pa iyong kasama. Si Honey Christine. Si Ella ay nakakuha ng 63 pts. sa previous Ranking Ceremony. So, basically, nasa Rank SUPREMUS siya ngayon, Top 9. Si Bea naman ay nakakuha ng 53.8 samantalang si Honey ay 53. Nasa Rank DELTA silang dalawa ngayon. Ang tawag sa kanilang tatlo rito sa academy ay 'Three Lady Witches'" biglaang pagpapaliwanag niya.

Tumatango-tango ako. Alien Witches tawag ko sa kanila noon, e. So, kaya pala Gothic style yung outfit no'ng Ella dahil literal witch pala siya! Pati rin 'yong nasobrahan ng accessories sa katawan at iyong isa na nasobrahan din ng hairclip sa ulo. "Are you Wikipedia?" I asked.

He look at me, confused. "Ano?"

"Nevermind. Now, where's the book I need?" I put my palm in his front, lowkey commanding to hand me the book.

Ipinatong niya ang bag, na kanina pa niya dala-dala, sa lamesa. May inilabas siyang libro na kulay abo at manipis lang. The title of the book was, "Knowledge" I read it out.

"Hindi ko pa yan nababasa pero mukhang konektado ito sa ipinapahanap mo."

I opened the first page of the book and it says the steps and what you need to do when you have Mind Ability. In the last page of book was a picture of a green mossy book and the title was 'Knowledge II'. I'm sure it was the book 2 of this book. But it was familiar.

"James," agaw pansin ko sa kaniya. "Did you already saw this book?" I asked.

Tiningnan niya rin ang pahina at tinitigan ng mabuti ang larawan. "It was the book you're holding when you lose consciousness back on the fiesta!" he burst out. Nasita tuloy kami ng librarian dahil ang lakas ng boses niya! I made a gesture to him to lower down his voice and he did followed. "Sorry, nagulat lang ako dahil kapareha talaga, e. Napa-English pa, amp!" natatawang aniya.

Nakitawa nalang din ako at binatukan siya ng mahina. "Then where did you put that when you carried me?"

Lumapit siya sa 'kin nang sobra talagang lapit at pumunta sa may tainga ko. "Pinasok ko lang sa drawer na nasa gilid ng kama mo. Akala ko nga mapupunit kung hahawakan ko," bulong niya.

"Why are you whispering?" takang tanong ko.

Pinalapit niya ako ulit at binulungan. "Nafi-feel ko kasi na may nagmamasid sa paligid at nakikinig sa lahat ng usapan ng mga tao rito sa library."

Inilibot ko ang paningin para may makita akong kahina-hinalang tao. Only five tables were occupied. The first one on the right side, sa gilid ng pinto, ay may apat na estudyante na parang may pinag-aralan. Pangalawa at pangatlo naman ay tig-iisa lang na student na natutulog. The fourth one was a guy wearing a black hoodie with gold linings. Para siyang natutulog habang nakaupo. No one is suspicious here. Grabe naman ang pangdama ng lalaking 'to. Ganito talaga siguro kung simula pagkabata ay narito ka na.

I pointed the guy who is wearing a hoodie and turned to James who is pretending that we're talking. Humarap kaagad siya sa 'kin at nagtatakang sinundan ng tingin ang aking itinuro. "Who's that?" I mouthed.

He grinned and stood up from his sit. Nagtatakang sinundan ko siya ng tingin. He is going to that guy! Susundan ko na sana siya pero napaatras ako sa gulat nang may sumulpot sa harapan ko! Jeez!

"What the effin' hell?!" I shrieked due to adrenaline rush of shock. Sinuway tuloy ako ng librarian and I caught the students' attention.

"Hala! Sorry, Mau! M-May humabol kasi sa 'kin kaya nagamit ko ang magic ko," Zoe Madelyn apologized. I can see in her face that she's lying. If she can't say the real reason, it's alright. I don't have the rights to question her because I'm not nosy.

"It's okay . . ." After I said that, she vanished again along the shadows. Tumayo ako nang dahan-dahan at naglakad patungo kina James. Napahawak ako sa braso niya. "O shiri . . ." naiiyak na sumbong ko. My butt..

"Ayos kalang, Mau? Naku naman itong si Zoe, o!" He acted as if he's my father. Oh, he's so cute!

"I'm okay, Dad!" biro ko. He just scoffed and guided me through walking. "Who's this?" tanong ko sa kaniya nang makita ang lalaking nasa harapan namin.

Napaangat naman ito ng tingin na para bang kami ang kasalanan kung bakit siya nagising. My eyes widened, it's Jack! My darling! Lumaki rin ang kaniyang mga mata at agad tumayo. I immediately followed but I stripped and got the hem of his hoodie! "Aw!"

He was fast to caught me in his masculine arms. His arms snaked at my waist pero dahil mukhang mabigat ako sabay kaming bumagsak sa sahig. I heard the students' gasps, probably they already saw that this is their prince. Goodness gracious! Stupid me! This is embarrassing!

"O to the M to the G! I'm so sorry, Jack!" I apologetically said. Hinila ko kaagad si James patungo sa dorm ng mga babae. Nagulat pa ang mga babae na naroon at nagtilian. Pumasok kaagad kami sa loob. Hinihingal na tiningala ko ang kisame. I muttered some curses under my unstable breath.

"Oh, my gosh! It's the most embarrassing moment for me!"

"Bakit mo ba ako dinala rito?" Napalingon kaagad ako sa nagsalita. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na hila-hila ko pala si James papunta rito. OMG! Ang tanga tanga mo, Ava! Baka kung ano na ang iisipin sa mga nakakita, huhu!

"Get the book 'Knowledge II', dali!" palusot ko.

Tumalima naman kaagad siya at binuksan ang aking drawer. He got the old book that the old man gave me. Ito yung kasabay sa bungled cuff bracelet na ibinigay rin ng babae na kaedad lang ni Uncle. I look at my wrist and saw the two white gem of the bracelet that's showing little lights. I take a little closer look and finally saw it clearly. It is like the tiny bits when my foster father made a tracker . . .

Hinubad ko ang bracelet at ni-lapag sa sahig. I went to my closet and fetch the block heel sandal. I went back to my room and smash the bracelet using the sandal. James look at me, shocked.

"Sayang naman 'yang bracelet, Mau. Ang ganda pa naman sana . . ." nanghihinayang na saad niya, "bakit mo naman sinira?"

"It is a tracker bracelet. My father used to made accessories like this when he was still alive," I told him. Why would that woman give me a tracker bracelet? "Come here, let's just sit at the floor. I don't have chairs here so bare with me."

He followed my command and opened the book. Dahan dahan pa niya itong binuksan dahil parang kahit hihipan mo lang ay mapupunit na. The book shows pictures and the uses of it. It also shows the person who invented and made those things. It's a knowledge, indeed.

The last page was the picture of the bracelet I smashed. I look down to see who was the inventor of that thing. And to my shock, it was my uncle.

@eggarru