THE WHOLE TIME she walked her way to the lecture hall that can be put as many as 100 students a time, where it usually filled with her best friend nonstop chattiness was replaced with silence. It was the first step of her normalcy that needed to change. She never cared about Gitto's never-ending nagging and whatnot but Lily sure was annoyed by it when sometimes met her in between classes.
Maybe because Gitto had always been with her since they were little that the moment became incomplete. Stella had to admit that sometimes people cried because of his foul mouth and rough attitude but he would never act that way if he did not feel threatened. One day she did ask him why he needed to go such measures and he answered, "it was to protect the one that I love."
Love.
She never knew one. Or at least felt one. She did know her parents loved her, her sister too, and Gitto of course. But to have a feeling of such towards another and towards oneself, it was not an easy concept to understand and to experience. However, she did try to ask Gitto the meaning of love, to understand his view other than trying to gauge it through every book that offers very simple meanings yet complicated.
He said, "to me love is you."
"Me?"
Gitto smiled. "You're my friend and my family. You're someone I wanted to care and protect. Most of all you make me feel complete."
Hearing it does not make it any easier to understand yet she had come to a conclusion that love was for those who had a friend and a family. Though she does not have a feeling, at least she understands it. Her best friend, her love will slowly disappear from her moment. He that understands her needs without her knowing her own and she, at that moment, was walking towards the lecture hall where she will let people devoured her.
"How can someone like her be in this class?"
"Wasn't she a non-magical wielder?"
"But her name is on the list."
"Then it's a mistake."
"You're a fool if you think it's a mistake. The board was a magical item. No one had touched that board ever since this institute was built!"
"Ergh, this castle always makes me feel creepy. Imagine a death note suddenly appeared on that board and boom! You're dead!"
"No!!!" One person was shouting dramatically while making a choking sound then followed by strings of giggled.
Stella took her place at the front row table. She could hear those voices whispering behind her not caring that their hushed whispered was not a whisper but more like a proclamation for all to hear. She knew they were going to say something about her sudden appearance for this Advanced Class whereas she was supposedly on her way to Apple-Borne Practical University ay Apple-Borne city that situated a mile away from this valley.
Apple-Borne Practical University was one of the ten universities that served courses for those non-magical wielders or low aptitude magical wielder. Many that she knew that had more aptitude than her yet still considered low by society went to these universities to learn skills of practical knowledge. For instance, there are engineering, arts, medical, business management, and so on. She had been waiting for her offer letter since the start of her last year-end holiday. But her letter never came. Instead, she received an offer letter for Advanced Class at Chamberly Institute, an offer that she never applied for.
Her parents, her sister, and Gitto they were ecstatic. Their face showed how happy they were for her. Yet she was not a magical wielder. She cannot survive in this class but who can deny a letter for such class. She might as well try and find reasons for this mistake.
She glanced on the two seats on her right. This was a seat that Gitto always occupied and now it's empty and vacant. No more jokes that she can understand and no more sharp glances to those who kept on bullying her. Still, she can still meet him later when recess came... yet, those two empty seats somehow hunting her conscience.
"Are the seats taken?"
At the end of the table, Stella saw the Wisdoms twin stands to wait for her to give a reply. While the brother smiled so sweetly, the sister still wore her cold expression that could freeze the whole lecture hall.
She nodded then paid her attention to the chalkboard. Lily might be good with people but Stella was one less friendly. That was why these years her only friend was Gitto and was the one that started this relationship. She took out her notebook and began to scribble. The instructors will enter once all the selected students were here.
"Please explain why the Wisdoms seats with her?"
"Where is the guy that always with her?"
"Heard that he got held back a year."
"Wasn't he supposed to be a prodigy? You're sure?"
"That exactly what will happen if you stuck with a stupid person. She'll suck all your brain cells and left you on the dirt."
"I bet that she magic him to be stupid and worthless."
"She can't even do single magic, you buffoon."
"Then how can she be in this class?"
"I guess the mystery lies in the magic board."
"Let's us see how she fare in the class later on."
Stella kept on scribbling her notebook without having any care of the world. Every word that they spilled was not even worth her attention. There was no need to get as low as they were just so that she can prove that they were wrong. The only matter most was that she knew how to appreciate herself. That was what Gitto taught her and that if they were ever tried to bully her with words then let it be. Let them spewed whatever nonsense they want. She just needed to be deaf, mute and only let the eyes saw of what was worth.
Besides, Gitto had always been reckless and that was so keen on being her protector.
A pen tip tapped on her notebook. Stella turned her head to look at Jacq's face. Since she saw him this morning, that guy had been smiling non-stop that it was a bit unusual to her. There was something that kept on tugging her heart. His smile although it seemed easy and gentle, it seemed as though there was another force that can make him smile like that the same way his hand gripped her before. And those eyes, it was the same as Gitto; the eyes that never judged a person.
"Just curious, are you always by yourself?" he asked.
Stella's eyes that were hidden behind the curtain of her long front hair continued to assess every wrinkles and line and the reasons behind his question. Back then he was so open and now he still was. Slowly, she shakes her head. "For now, yes."