Phew. Finally finished the last one.

Geez, I heavily underestimated the power of coffee, thinking that twelve chapters would suffice for the iced coffee I drank. In hindsight, that was a grave mistake that cost me hours of sleep. On the other hand, half of the books were taken off the list instead of just four. Thanks to that, only one Awards remain.

Let me tell you, I'm completely exhausted. Good thing it's a Saturday.

Upon clicking the paper plane button, I hurriedly shut down my laptop and proceeded to lie down. It would usually take me thousands of constant flipping to get the perfect sleeping position. But tonight was different. My eyelids and consciousness wasted no time giving in to the fatigue.

Soon, everything was black. From where I stood to the sky above me. There were no clouds. Just an empty abyss. Strangely enough, my figure wasn't bathed in the same darkness. It was perfectly visible to my eyes. Something that defied both logic and reason.

For what felt like hours, my feet continuously walked, only for my eyes to be greeted with the same scenery again and again. No matter where I looked, there were neither chirping birds nor standing obstacles anywhere. Not even a single grass. Silence perfectly reigned over the whole place. So much so that even I couldn't utter a word. It's not like conscious efforts were being made, it's just that my mind was ignoring a totally normal course of action.

Time was a thing that was unable to be grasped here, and everything felt instant at once. Yet, there was nothing.

And just like every other dream I had, I forget about them the moment I wake up.

5:00 AM. No alarm clock this time, but the wake was executed precisely; not even a tiny excess stood. Perhaps this was what others call a miracle. Certainly, it must be. Such an occurrence has been unveiled to me multiple times. Even so, they never fail to entertain each time.

Now, you might be thinking, who wakes up at 5 in the morning on a Sunday when you can just continue sleeping until noon? I remember that one of our teachers once held an activity wherein you would narrate your weekend routine to your partner. Mine started laughing uncontrollably matched with their index finger pointing towards me when I mentioned my own. They were too bewildered to take my words to heart; a statement I understand very well.

Of course, I was formerly dwelling in the very same mindset. Until the realization hit me.

Sleeping less would enable me to read more.

That's where everything began. As they say, sacrifices have to be made.

It was necessary to sacrifice a matter that plays an important role in your physical health in order to consume more content. Why not? After all, sleep is for the weak.

Crazy? Nah, I'm just too passionate for the populace. They don't understand what it's like to dedicate your whole life to reading and still wouldn't be able to finish every book out there! It's barbarous. Like, could there even be a greater tragedy?

I dedicate all my Sundays to reading from dawn to dusk. An affair that is, without a doubt, non-assailable. Saturdays could be begrudgingly negotiated to handle overwhelming tasks that couldn't be terminated during the past five days. This includes group work, part-time jobs, and interns. Anything beyond that would have me turning into a feral beast because life's just invading too much of my sanity.

Aside from reading non-stop once a week, none of the events transpiring today is worth noting. Except that my average consumption of meals and water greatly decreases due to the same reason. Hence, I tend to save more. Then again, that's probably not the healthiest thing to do.

Also, even if we do end up having a test or any big events tomorrow, I'm still taking the day off. Period.

At first glance, that seems like a very foolish idea to deal with such matters. Nonetheless, I wholeheartedly trust all the active knowledge I've harnessed during the weekdays. Plus, the brain needs an adequate amount of rest to function properly. A statement that sounds like it came right out of Wikipedia, but has proven its worth from time to time.

When the clock struck exactly 8 in the evening, that was my cue to finally get ready for the next day. An hour before my bedtime. The very first thing would be to prepare my uniform. Then the rest can follow. Gadgets, books, notes, and food. It's amazing how I can do everything in more or less sixty minutes. This is mostly contributed to the fact that progress has been made already in earlier days.

***

Reviewing of notes, done.

Advance reading for lessons today, done.

Packing of lunch, done.

For once, I actually had a decent upcoming meal. Not that most of my foods were harvested from green trash bins; it's just that the cute lunch box I won from a random contest would now be put to use after sitting in the storage cabinet for six straight months. During its stay, it was a constant debate on whether to sell it or not. But eventually, its cuteness triumphed over me.

Can't say no to a lunch box with a cat sticker now, can I?

Alright, then. With everything complete, let's head out.

The walk to the Academy was rather refreshing, with the winds gently blowing. Enough to provide you with the necessary cold, but not so much that you end up being transported to the magical land of Oz.

Today's classes were more on the boring side. I constantly found myself drifting from one cloud to another while sighing. This is precisely why something lit inside me when they announced that we would be visiting the Science Lab for a change of pace. Alas, the exciting part has shown its face. While Mathematics was my absolute favorite subject, Science was the one you could refer to as my unexpected talent.

The seats within the Lab operated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore, you had to make sure you were never late. If not, you were doomed to be seated in the 'average' ones. They're not exactly bad, but they're not excellent either.

It was initially expected that we would have the area all to ourselves, so it came as a surprise when the teacher announced we would be having company from HUMMS 12 - Titania.

Due to that, my seatmate became different. Instead of Molly, the one who occupies the seat next to mine is now a blonde with blue eyes.

Oh, wait. She looks familiar.

For that whole session, she was my partner. Even though it was our first encounter, we clicked nicely together despite her noticeable weakness in the subject. It matters very little as she's quick to be up on her feet and listens carefully to each piece of advice with a smile. A smile that had me invariably mesmerized by her beauty. While at the same time, a fit of lingering jealousy dwelled in me. How I wish to also be granted that kind of elegance. It didn't help either that she was the type of person to constantly show her teeth.

Let me tell you all, they were very white. As in no stain could be seen.

Also, I want her voice. It's too lovely—

"Eliza?" She snapped her fingers in front of me. "Are you okay? Feeling sick?"

Oh, shoot. I got caught. "I-It's nothing."

Although Liliabeth noticed me staring a few times to the point that she questioned whether there was something on her face, the papers still came back as A+. For what it's worth, I didn't slack. The other party hopped around the room in joy and continuously shook my hand grinning from ear to ear while my reactions were... let's just say, nothing journalism-worthy.

This particular letter had constantly paid me a visit so much so that it became mundane. No longer did it send me the rush of adrenaline that formerly had me hitting the ceiling with my head.

My thoughts were abruptly cut off when Liliabeth suddenly decided to stop in her tracks. The hallways grows cold, and it was only that no one was around. A situation that seems too convenient, especially when the unpleasant expression plastered on her face became visible the moment she turned around.

An expression I've become accustomed to over the years I've watched illegal animes. As these types of scenes unfold, the 'good girl' takes off their pretty little mask that barely fits their face to reveal a hidden ulterior motive. Of course.

She scans me upside down with her judging eyes, "You sure look like you're having fun."

And you sure stick to cliches, darling.

The sweet smile her face previously flaunted no longer lingered on her lips. This may possibly be the last time I would ever be granted the honor of seeing her very white teeth. Seems so, because my silence appears to have frustrated her even more.

Her right eyebrow twitches. "You're just a low-life who couldn't even be loved by your own mother!"

K.

"Don't ever think you're worthy of him!"

Is this what I think it is? Is this where the childhood friend or crazy fan starts slapping me because I stared at their crush for 0.02 seconds?

"Walking home with him, eating ice cream, and just casually talking about soccer." She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. "Who do you think you are anyway?!"

Well, that was a quick 180 degrees.

"Lucas is mine!" Yeah, a plot twist that everyone saw coming. +1000 points for originality. "Back off, you slut!"

Sorry, you all, I'm a walking spoiler.

W-Wait, d-did she just call me a slut? But I'm a virgi—!

"From the moment we were born, we'd always been inseparable!"

Really? But I didn't even know you existed until like a few hours ago.

"Nothing could tear us apart!" It's no good; she's too fixated on tearing me apart. It would not be far-fetched to say that her listening capabilities have been rendered useless.

Therefore, reasoning with her would be a waste of time.

"In the first place, you two don't even look good together, so don't get ahead of yourself!"

Bold of you to assume I'm even interested in him to care.

"He's the son of a multi-millionaire while you're barely living from paycheck to paycheck."

Alright, that one hurt.

"His looks have attracted several modeling agencies around the country. For him to end up with trash like you, that's— that's blasphemy!"

What in God's green lands is this girl on about?

First, she sucks at Science. Now she sucks at being a girlfriend. No wonder Lucas always acts like he's single. I'd like to remove this leech off of me as soon as possible too.

Wait... if she's also a Vanderbilt, and Lucas is an only child, wouldn't that make them cousins? Sweet Home Alabama.

As she rattled on and on about how unworthy my being was to gain the attention of her beloved cousin, not a single statement came from my side. Listening was already a bother; why should I use my energy to humor something so trivial? Besides, it makes me wonder how exactly she's been spending her time with him if she's yet to come to the realization that Lucas is naturally fond of the people around him.

It's not that he views the world through rose-colored glasses. He just sees the good in everything. A beautiful yet naive ideology.

Well, whatever hullabaloo this is, I didn't sign up for it.

Therefore, don't blame me for quickly turning and leaving, even without saying a single word. After all, choosing to spend a single watt of my energy to engage in such a foolish conversation wouldn't be clever.

My running skills were no joke, so when she attempted to stop me in my tracks, I retaliated by sprinting even faster, leaving the academy in the faraway distance.

Q: Did Liliabeth's sort of "plot twist" seem obvious from the start? Did it feel forced?

Author's Notes commented inline here ➵