Chapter 1 - Letter

“Tina,” yelled Grandma while waving a small white envelope. “You have a letter from the Academy,” she added while smiling very sweet towards me.

She’s standing parallel to the gate. We are at the backyard busily lawning the garden when a mail carrier came. After hearing the good news, I immediately washed my hands at the nearby faucet and approached my grandmother.

I first looked at what she was holding. It was the envelope. I was hesitant to accept the envelope from her because behind the joy I felt there was sadness attached.

“Who delivered?” I asked trying to break the silence between us.

Grandma frowned and stepped closer towards me. She handed to me the envelope while staring blankly on it. I immediately felt sad because of that.

“Academy messenger? I’m not sure,” she answered with uncertainty and shrugged causing the smile I showed to be fake.

I thought of opening the envelope that was still sealed with the academy badge. Just imagining how formal they are excites me. But when I finally opened it, I was so disappointed when I saw that there was no single stain of pen ink or any letter on it.

After five seconds, I was so amazed when the golden paper floated in the air. Grandma also approached when she saw that too.

“Argus has not even changed his old methods,” Grandma uttered and shook her head as we watched how the paper tore itself.

“Woah,” I whispered in amazement.

I can’t help but be amazed even more. We are still watching the tearing of the paper into smaller pieces until it formed words, sentences and paragraph one by one right in front of us. We are like having a spotlight focused on us because of the brightness of the letter is producing. So fascinating.

I looked up at my Grandma and I saw her smiling and staring at me.

“Good day! Miss Tina Salamanca. Congatulations for you are officially invited to study in our prestigious academy. You have passed the written examination and we are looking forward for your success on the second attempt of the examination that will be held here in our academy. We are also looking forward for your presence tomorrow and please bring with you this letter, this will serve as your key on flying up here. Best regards and prepare for flying up!” basa ko sa mga punit na papel na bumuo sa mahabang pangungusap na ito.

After reading, it was restored into a clean and blank paper as if nothing had happened. I looked at Grandma with the combination of two feelings. I was happy because I was able to pass the written examination but sad at the same time because of the fact that I was going to leave Grandma alone here.

“Grandma! I passed! I passed!” I said happily while shaking her.

I wrapped my hands around her waist happily. She just chuckled. She smiled but when I looked at her eyes. I saw nothing but sadness. I immediately felt the guilt.

“Grandma,” I uttered with a teary eyes.

“I’m fine, Tina,” she replied and smiled.

“You are not, Grandma. I know you,” I said but she just looked away and removed my arms off of her. “We have already talked about this, haven’t we?” I said sadly while reminding her.

I led her inside and we sat on the sofa in the living room. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water to give her a drink first before I remind her again that she was the one who pushed me to take the examination.

“I just can’t help but be emotional. But I’m fine and I am very proud of you,” she proudly said with a teary eyes.

“But how are you here? You are going to be alone?” I asked worryingly and pouted sadly.

She just tapped my shoulders and smiled at me. I remember that she’s always doing this if she wanted me to be inspired. She wanted me to decide for my own by studying in the academy.

“Don’t worry, I will be fine here. Just promise me that you are going to pursue your dreams. I want you to graduate and make your life meaningful,” Grandma said sincerely as she looked me straight in the eyes.

I ended up without words to be spoken. She’s too serious and sincere as if she was going somewhere far away from me. I had no choice but to overthink.

“Hmm,” I answered her a nod.

“Don’t worry. If they open the academy for visitors, I surely do visit you there,” she said lively that almost hid her eyes in delight. I felt happy for that and immediately hugged her and kissed her on her cheeks.

“That’s a promise!” I happily said.

She answered me with a nod and then smiled, “I am not going to promise, Tina. You know me.”

“Aish!” I just grinned and crossed my arms while frowning but in the end I lose. I can’t stand being angry with Grandma.

The next day. Five men who wore a black tuxedo came into our house and help me carry my things. I was amazed when I saw the limousine that being parked at the gate. Before I leave, I saw Grandma ransacking something in her drawer and when she finally got it, she smiled.

“I want to give this to you before you leave, Tina. And I want to remind you that you should not take this amulet off of yourself, understood?” she said and put on the amulet she had given me. And I also felt that there seemed to be something strange about the amulet she put on me.

It was like preventing me to use the whole percent of my magical powers. I had no choice but to accept it and obey Grandma of what she was telling me to do. She is the only one who knows what I deserve. Including this restraint. The amulet.

The men have already taken my luggage and all I know I will leave is Grandma. She will be alone here. It was hard for me to say goodbye but it was harder for her to let me go.

“Just go, Tina. Time is running,” I did not hear a single emotion in what she said but I know how is the feeling to stop herself from letting me go.

It was hard for her because she has became my guardian and she is also my parent. She was the only one who raised me despite of aging. She raised me like her own child and like her own daughter. As if we have the same blood running through our veins.

I wiped away the tears on my cheek and for the last time I hugged her so tight.

“I’ll be back home soon, Grandma. With the honor in my name,” I whispered as my tears fell down on my cheeks.

She just laughed and caressed my back, “You must. Now go.”

Even though I was feeling heavy, I forced myself to walk away from her. Away from my dear grandmother. I got into the car with a heavy emotion. Until they started the engine and immediately boosted.

‘Lola will be all alone here.’

“She’s going to be fine. Believe me,” the other guy tried to comfort me and then smiled.

I smiled back.

“I hope so.”

“Anyway, may I have the letter. Please?” he mannerly asked. I nodded and brought out the letter from my bag and handed it over to him. “Thank you,” he added.

I have made the first decision in my life and it was to study. It was not just Grandma’s wish for me. It was also a wish for myself. I want to study because I want to know who I am and where I came from. I don’t want to disappoint Grandma.

I felt that our vehicle suddenly floated. I did not let them know that I was feeling nervous. We are far from home and I have no chance to back off. The flight of our vehicle accelerated up until we could see the vast of clouds. So fascinating.

“Just tell me if you’re scared,” the other guy said and winked at me.

‘Gross!’

Instead of understanding him, I fixed my eyes on the man in the corner. He folded his arms as he seriously watched the clouds out of the vehicle we are riding in. I frowned at him because of the strange feeling I felt towards him. It’s not the other way around.

I am trying to calm myself. I am not afraid of heights, only of deaths.

“Haven’t you read about the flying thing?” the guy who sat a meter away from me asked.

“Of course, I did! But I did not know that this is what the letter mean. I thought it was words of inspiration,” I embarrassingly said.

But instead of explaining, he chose to laugh at me because of my stupidity.

“And we’re here, Miss Tina,” the guy who was talking to me along the way said.

The engine stopped and the door immediately opened causing my hair to fly all over my face. I felt so irritated and mad at them for not explaining the whole thing to me. What a bunch of jerks!

And now I understand what the letter wants me to understand. It was better to climb a hill than to fly down to land. For my sake! There’s no way I would do that! And one more thing, those old balds left me here alone.

Minutes had passed and I couldn’t stop panting. I couldn’t find time to calm myself down. I bit my lip in annoyance while imagining those guys. I want to tweak them until their hair uproots! I am so pissed off!

‘Gosh! This is more than I ever imagine! I don’t think I would be able to graduate!’

“Miss Salamanca, come down here! Headmaster is waiting for you,” the guy said. I can sense him laughing at me.

What a stupid jerks!

“Hell no!” I exclaimed in annoyance while gripping my hand tightly on the handle.

“You are just going to fly down here. That’s too basic for everybody!” he replied again while laughing.

“I don’ want to die yet!” I shouted back.

“If that so, then, we will leave you here!”

“I don’t know how to fly!” I shouted again.

“That’s too common! Just effin come down, Tina. You are not going to die just for flying down!” I can also hear the annoyance in his voice, so, I thought for a better way to surpass this effin problem.

Just when I thought that I have another option to execute. Grandma thought me that ability to move fastly into another place or space. But she warned me that I should only use this in times like this. That’s it!

I wasted no time and immediately closed my eyes. I cupped my palm and took a deep breath. I tried to remember those letters she taught me a few months ago. Those Latin words.

“Evanescet!” I spoke and immediately felt the energy coming out from my body. It was soothing and so relaxing.

‘Disappear!’

Just when I opened my eyes, I saw them in front of me with their jaw dropping. As if they saw a ghost for their entire life. Except for that man who wores nothing really important but his grinning expression. He’s hilarious and I am going to be honest. I don’t like his attitude.

“What a waste of time,” he uttered that made me so annoyed.

But I remained calm and tried to understand his unpleasant attitude. What a stupid day to start isn’t it? I felt so disgusted.

But who knows that those guys will become a friend of mine. And that hilarious and insensitive man, I did not know that we would get along well.