The sky was overcast that day. Yet there was no sign of rain nor the sun itself intended to shine on their land and it had been days without one too. The breeze was colder that day but it was like any other year of that month of that particular season, winter was never meant to greet them any more than just cold wind and overcast sky.
They had gone on like this for ten years and people had suffered because their land cannot properly grow when spring comes in later months. Winter was meant for land to recuperate and so the land which was supposed to sleep never slept, that the wind came bearing the exhausted cries which Stella heard but never could help to ease.
A paper bird perched on her shoulder, made of brown paper that usually came with a moldy smell and as it unfolded in her hands, she saw cursive writings written on it. The letter was from Mrs. Trimme, the head of AcA and in her letter was probably the news that she had been waiting since last week.
"Who?"
"Mrs. Trimme."
She opened her mouth when Gitto fed her a piece of bread dipped in potatoes pottage.
"Is it about your application?" he asked as he continued to feed her his pottage.
She swallowed her lunch. "Likely."
"That's unusual," he wondered. He let Stella took his spoon and his bowl from his hand and they exchanged their duties.
"Nothing's unusual Gitt."
Stella tried to feed Gitto again but he averted his mouth held her hand with both of his hand. His eyes shone with determination. "I'll follow you."
"You have class."
"I can skip."
"And to get repeat again next year?"
"As much as I despise the word 'repeat', your safety is my priority."
"Mrs. Trimme is not going to bully me, Gitt."
"Danger every corner."
"I'll tell mother," she threatened him and that made him shut up. "Gitt, it's fine. Now, eat."
He took a bit of the piece she offered him. "This doesn't mean it ends here. I'll find you as soon as the class ended," he said begrudgingly.
Every day, they would have their lunch outside of the cafeteria, near the botany house and far from people. It was the better solution for both party since she would listen to the less mocking voice and Gitto has less thing to be mad about and make every single mouth that mocking her be slapped by his wind. Then he would be sent to detention class, repent and get punish yet again. The endless cycle was what made her decide to have lunch in a private space.
After finishing their lunch, Stella followed Gitto until he entered his class. Even when the professor entered and the students greeted their professor, she waited for him to really settled down that was her own way of making sure that her friend held the other hand of their promise.
"How is Mr. Lee faring?" asked Mrs. Trimme when Stella took her place in the chair in front of a lady with greying hair, small beady eyes, thin lips and sagged skin. She looked so old yet she able to hold her head high as if frail body and age did not stop her to look the best she can.
"Fine and active as always," she responded.
"Then how about you, my dear?"
That took her a moment to answer alas she only said a few too commonly words, "I'm fine."
Mrs. Trimme small beady eyes scrutinized her. "I believe the phrase 'don't judge a book by its cover' has been proven so many times and still proving to this minute."
When Stella did not give any reaction to her words, Mrs. Trimme sighed. "I shouldn't say your condition is a good thing but in this kind of condition it does help in a certain way moreover now I' going to deliver this news to you."
"Am I not qualify for it?" Stella asked, ready for any negative feedback.
Mrs. Trimme shook her head. "The class you are in now for is to test magic wielder on how far they can push their abilities laterally to their comprehension and skills. Yet, this special program can only be implemented for you to further help your understanding of magic not otherwise."
Stella had been applying for this special program since she entered this institute and was able to pass every written exam and with the help of this program to that, she was barely able to pass the practical exam. If she isn't able to request help from AcA then where should she do to pass the exam?
"Then why... why am I here?"
"I know it is devastating even I am hopeless to not able to help you this year and to be honest with you, I myself am puzzled by your situation and what the institute had thought when that paper appeared on the board. Even that poor Lee has to face its ruling. However..."
Stella's head perked up when she heard Mrs. Trimme word. She saw in that woman eyes a glimmer of shine glazed on her small eyes.
"I may not able to help you to get that 15% marks but there's someone whom I trust are able to help you."
"Who?"
"Effan Knight."
WITHOUT wasting more time, she left the AcA office and let her feet shuffled through the corridors while her head swirling so much question that it became unbearable. She stopped midway; a question erupted from her mouth.
"Why?"
That man had come to her house, had dinner with her family member, and even shared more than a stranger would with each other and yet why he did not utter a single word about helping her? Truthfully, everyone in this city knows about her condition even more so for a wandering traveler that she found at the bazaar every weekend. So why has he not told her of such ability and made his way of such farce moment to happen between them?
Was it to know her worth of trouble? Of whether she really was a girl born heartless and emotionless?
If Gitto indeed skipped his class and followed her to Mrs. Trimme office, he definitely would lash out and be angry but no, he wasn't there. There was no one who can be angry for her and that left her empty and hollowed.
She heard a voice. No. Three voices exchanged between them in hushed whispers. Then she came to the realization that in her spur of neglect occupied by a whirlwind of questions, her feet had led her to the institute gym.
She took a step forward to the back of the building where she heard those voices. It belongs to those three people that had made her life hard if not for Gitto had come to save her that day.
Kai and his goonies.
They were surrounding a student, obviously doing the one thing that they are very good at; bullying. However, the situation did not indicate that the student who was bullied by them was being bullied when she saw how calm and composed the student was. Rather they looked like they were having a normal banter between peers. Yet, what was seen does not mean what was stirred inside and having stood where that student had stood, she cannot let such incident pass by.
She inches forward. Readied herself to jump into the situation.
Suddenly, the bullied student pushed Kai's hand that was playing with her hair. The student's face was fierce and she held her chin high. To see it from her distance, she could finally make out the student who was being bullied. It was one of the Wisdoms twin, Jill Wisdoms.
It was foolish of her part to not recognize that silvery white hair moreover that proud beautiful face of her.
Kai laughed out loud followed by Pamela and El; unfazed by Jill little revolt.
She tried to hear their conversation but doing so only happen in the theatre play or scripted radio drama. She did not have much time to spend on dilly dallying while Jill was there fighting alone. If Gitto was here with her, he would have rushed to help and what more excuse does she need to step up and fight those bullies?
If Gitto can do it, she can do it. Even if one does not have any magic, it does not mean one does not have a brain.
"Hey," she called, stepping out of her hideout.
Four pairs of eyes were looking at her. Each and every one of their faces she saw clearly. The emotion that surfaced on Jill's face, the contrast of maturity in Kai, El, and Pamela, and how quiet the place had become.
She was no longer a nine years old girl and they were no longer a group with childish faces and a nasty grin. They had grown so much and too different that she could see it then.
"The princess has finally graced us folks and she has come without her knight!" said Kai.
"Stop bullying people, Kai." Stella approached them. There was something inside of her that started to stir. Something foreign. It was something that had been drumming her belly since she decided to stop here and help Jill. What is this?
"Trying to be a hero now princess?" taunted Kai. "Is that one of Lee's teachings? Play nice or he breaks your damn finger? Are you going to break my finger princess?"
Stella saw that Pamela and El tried to stop Kai but it seemed that after ten years of leaving her alone, he missed taunting her.
"I'm not going to do anything," she promised. She knew that Gitto broke Kai's arm and finger when he came to save her ten years ago and those bullies never approach her again or so she thought it was.
"Says the princess. I dare you that if I touch even a strand of your hair, that knight of yours would bite my head off seconds later," said Kai and he blew a few strands of her front hair that she was not able to dodge.
Kai never sees her eyes. That was for sure because the moment he did, he froze and somehow his whole body had disappeared from her vision with a gust of wind that came from nowhere.
Pamela screamed and El cursed.
That was when she saw Kai, who was struggling to lift his body even with the help of his two friends.
"Come out you coward!" Kai screamed. "You think I don't know that was you? I can feel your magic, bastard!"
Stella scanned her surrounding but she did not see the person who had blasted off Kai. The wind before felt like it was Gitto's but she knew that her best friend would not do such an underhand method to punish people like Kai.
She eyed Jill who had been standing still beside her when Pamela and El dragged Kai away from them.
Was she hurt? Did they do anything to her?
Knowing Kai, external injuries are commonly associated with his bully-victims. That girl was quiet and for someone as dense as Stella regarding emotions and whatnot, she could tell that Jill was holding something.
"Are you hurt?"
"I don't need your help!" Jill lashed at her.
Stella would not expect to receive a glare from anyone or that the whole tie she was leading her life she never cares to look at people properly but it was the first time for her to receive a glare that could make her whole body stops.
Nevertheless, to see that Jill did not injure herself or to be in any predicament, her abruption had bear fruit. Yet it was uncommon for people to be mad when helped. Supposedly Jill has to thank her and she can reply to him with usual conversation queue. Then, what was she supposed to do?
"Your welcome?" she guessed.
Jill bit her lip. Her cheeks were flushed. "Don't ever think to do this again," she grumbled and started to go her way leaving her alone to think what wrong she had done to that beautiful girl.