Sabrina's Point of View

Natataranta akong napabalikwas sa aking pagkakahiga nang biglang tumunog ang alarm clock mula sa bed side table. Inis ko itong dinampot at itinapon tungo sa dingding dahilan para masira ito. For god's sake, I didn't even set an alarm last night. Who the hell is―right. I guess, I know who it is.

Bumuntonghininga ako nang malalim nang napagtanto kong itong araw pala na papasok daw ako sa paaralang sinasabi niya.

"Sabrina?" Napagulong ako sa aking mata at bumangon. Iniligpit ko ang aking pinaghihigaan bago pumunta sa bathroom. "It's almost ready. Baka dumating na 'yong sundo mo."

"Gising na ako," matipid kong sagot sa kaniya.

"Okay. Sunod ka na lang sa kitchen para kumain after mong makaligo," habilin niya sa akin.

Pero hindi ko rin maiwasang ma-curious sa pangalan ng school na papasukan ko raw, gaya nga ng sabi ni Katarina. Imitheos Academy. Ano'ng klase ka bang paaralan? Why do I feel like something is weird going on, on that school?

Kung nandito lang ang eskwelahang 'yan, bakit ngayon ko lang siya nakilala? Bumuntonghininga na lamang ulit ako't tinapos ang pagligpit sa unan at kumot.

After I fixed everything in my bed, I went straight to the bathroom. When I entered, I had this feeling that something bad would happen to me. Something is telling me not to continue what I had in mind. Pero, hello? Ayokong pumunta nang hindi naliligo, 'no.

Bahala na nga.

Naghubad na ako ng aking suot-suot na pantulog na damit at hinayaan itong nasa sahig lang. Naglakad ako papasok ng shower room. At binuksan ang shower faucet. Nang mabasa ang aking buong katawan ay bigla-biglang humapdi ang aking likuran. Kumunot kaagad ang aking noo sa pagtataka. Hindi ko na lamang ito pinansin pa't nagpatuloy sa pagsabon sa katawan ko.

Makaraan ang ilang minuto, hindi ko mapigilang mapasigaw nang malakas. Dahil mas lalong humahapdi ang aking likuran sa tuwing dumadampi ang tubig sa katawan ko. Napatakbo ako palabas ng bathroom na hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagsisigaw. This is my first time experiencing like this. And I am confused as hell how did this all happened.

"What the hell is happening to me?" sigaw ko, habang mangiyak-ngiyak.

Ilang segundo ang lumipas, narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pintuan ng bathroom at ang natatarantang mga hakbang ni Katarina.

"What happen to you?" pag-alala niyang tanong.

Napatakbo ako sa kaniya at humagulgol sa bisig niya. "I don't know what was happening to me, but there's something strange going on, on my back."

"Shush. It's okay," pagpapatahan niya sa akin.

Humakbang muna siya papuntang bintana habang ako nama'y nakayakap pa rin sa kaniya. Tiningnan ko naman siya at napansing tila may sinilip. Bigla namang nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata dahilan para mapakunot ang aking noo.

Ano ba ang sinisilip niya? She was weird yesterday when she picked me up at the orphanage and made me her legal child. So, what now?

"What is happening to me?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

"It's about water and the new moon," she said, which left me puzzled.

A mischievous grin plastered upon her lips, as if she saw something interesting. Ano'ng tungkol sa tubig at sa bagong buwan? Ano ba'ng pinagsasabi niya? Kunot-noo ko siyang tinignan, nagbabaka-sakaling makakuha ng sagot mula sa kaniya.

"What's with the water and the full moon?"

She heaved a deep sigh and looked at me intently.

"Your curse is manifesting its true potential. When the moon and the water combine or the other way around, the curse within you is triggered. The mark of the curse is now visible in the eye," she precisely said.

Mas lalong kumunot ang aking noo dahil sa pinagsasabi niya. What the hell is she saying? My curse is triggered when moon and water is combined or the other way around?

Sasagot na nga lang siya hindi pa niya magawang matino!

"No matter how I wanted to tell you everything, my goddess. But, I was told not to do anything that Zeus might crush me with his divine lightning bolts. Soon enough, you'll get the answers to your questions. And when that time comes, you must embrace yourself. Neither of us, deities, isn't ready for what's coming." She smiled at me bitterly and excused herself.

Habang ako naman ay nakatulala sa mga pinagsasabi niya. I remember, she even mentioned the name Zeus yesterday as well. And she keep on calling me "my goddess" since yesterday. I don't know why, but I questioned myself if I got the right new parent.

Iniling ko na lamang ang aking ulo dahil nagsimula na naman itong sumakit. I guess, it's better to ignored all her moronic thoughts rather than paying attention to it. Because it really gives me headache. Big time. Umaasa ako na sana maging maganda ang buhay estudyante ko sa papasukan kong paaralan.

☽ ♆ ☾

"Sabrina! Nandito na ang sundo mo!" tawag sa akin ni Katarina.

After that bathroom scene, Katarina and I had our breakfast together in a very long silent ambiance. While we were in the kitchen earlier, I noticed how graceful she was in every move she took. I've also noticed how gorgeous she is.

Bumaba na ako ng hagdan at saktong pagkakanaog ko ay nakita ko ang isang lalaking naka-tuxedo. Taas-noo pa itong nakatayo sa gilid ng pintuan.

A sweet smile plastered upon my lips. Pero biglang napawi lahat ng 'yon nang mapansin ko ang hitsura ni Katarina. She―my jaw dropped. She had yellow-green waist-length hair. Different from what I saw yesterday. My eyes gradually grew wider when I realized something.

Her hair seemed like a seaweed. Napatakip ako ng aking bibig at kinagat ang aking ibabang labi upang pigilan ang sarili na matawa. She really is weird. Why would a person like to wear a seaweed hair? Well I guess, being weird is who she really is.

Aside from her hair, her ocean blue eyes are noticeable. The color of her eyes I accidentally saw. She also had a slim face―she surprised me again when I saw a scale of a fish at the back of her arm. She wore a blue robes belted with a seaweed, and a floor-length cape. Had pearl necklaces that embraced her flawless neck, and crown made of corals and pearls.

Despite being weird, I find her presence soothing like the calm waves of the ocean.

Napabalik ang aking buong atensyon sa lalaking magdadala sa akin sa paaralang hindi ako pamilyar. His hair was perfectly comb backwards. He's wearing baby blue polo and a navy blue vest as well as his bow tie. Maging ang slacks niya ay ganoon din ang kulay. 'Yong sapatos niya ay black leather. He's also wearing a white gloves.

To guess his age, he's in early 20's. Ang gara niya, ah. Ganito ba kaespesyal ang mga estudyante ng Imitheos Academy? I didn't hesitate to get outside the house when the academy's fetch driver gestured his hand to let me go out first.

At ramdam ko naman ang presensya ni Katarina na nakasunod sa akin.

But, my jaw once again dropped when I saw a white limousine parked outside of the gate of our house. Katarina's house, I mean. Lumingon ako kay Katarina at sumalubong sa akin ang matamis niyang ngiti. Tumatango-tango pa siya. Like, seriously? Paano nagkaroon ng magarang sasakyan gaya ng limousine ang eskwelahang papasukan ko?

Nagtataka nga rin ako kung bakit walang binabanggit si Katarina about sa tuition fee. So, ibig sabihin―my eyes grew wider when I realized something . . . again. Tuition fee are free? Kumunot bigla ang aking noo sa pagtataka at kaba. May free pa ba ngayon? Is this some kind of shady act?

"Katarina, you haven't told me about the tuition fee," I said.

She softly scoffed. "You don't have to worry about that thing, my goddess. The academy provides it all. The only thing you should be focused on is your study," she responded.

As expected. "Right. Is fetching me with a limousine included?"

"Yes, my goddess," sabi niya at tinapik ng mahina ang aking balikat.

Why is she always keep on calling me goddess? I mean, there's nothing wrong about it, but the more I heard that word, the more I felt uncomfortable. Ang kaninang inis ko ay biglang nawala nang yakapin ako ni Katarina.

"Be safe, my goddess. I will be watching over you. And I am certain, you'll find answers there." Bulong niya sa tenga ko dahilan para mapatingin ako sa kaniya nang masinsinan. Pero isang matamis na ngiti lamang ang kaniyang itinugon.

What does that even mean? She'll watch over me? Sasamahan niya ako papuntang academy? Plus, her voice seemed like a calm sea current. Pinagbuksan naman ako ni fetch driver ng pintuan ng limousine.

Pagkapasok ko'y bumungad sa akin ang flat screen T.V na nasa dulo at ang magkabilang mahabang couch. Till now, kinakabahan pa rin ako sa paaralan na pupuntahan ko. And I have really trust issues when it comes like this.

When I have the convenience of life, this is when luck won't stick with me. It's as if bad things that happened to me were foretold.

"Ma'am, you can do whatever you want. Just stay relax and enjoy the ride," rinig kong sabi ng driver.

After he said those words, the engine came back to life. I looked outside the limousine's window once more, and there I saw Katarina's wide smile. She waved her graceful left hand as we slowly moved away from her.

Before we even disappeared from Katarina's sight, I waved back. While riding a limousine alone, it's really boring.

Therefore, I choose to take a nap instead of watching television.