Earth to Sea

1734 Words
Somewhere, along with the shaded areas in the corners of the wide playground of the Horizon Reached University... A student named Sherdel was sitting on a concrete bench designed to look like it's made of pine logs. Next to him was a concrete table which has the same design as the bench where he laid his bag down. He was just there, sitting alone. Boredom drew out on his face while watching the students moving at the grassy ground in front of him. He was glaring at them that those who were passing by felt insecure when they saw him. A couple of moments passed, he finally ceased staring at people. He took his eyes on his phone, hoping that someone will call him by that minute. He sighed as he put down his phone on the table, then he ballooned his cheeks. Just after that, he got startled when his phone suddenly rang. He immediately took it and answered the call. "Hi, babe!" He greeted her with a cheerful voice. His face who was painted with boredom and bitterness broke down and changed into something bright and excited. "Babe, may I ask a favor?" The girl on the other line responded. "Okay. What can I do for you?" he replied. "Wait, I am starting to get nervous about your favor," he joked. "You little rascal," the girl chuckled. "Don't worry, I am not going to ask you to jump over a cliff. Just fetch me here in Burnham. " "That so? Okay, I'm on my way," he hung up his phone. He immediately stood up, grabbed his bag, and then he walked away. ***** At the parking lot owned by the university... Sherdel was on his way to the corner where his car was. Then, his phone rang. He picked it up. "Hello, babe. Yes, I'm already near my car." "Hurry up. It feels like it's going to rain." She hung up her phone. Sherdel can already see his car about ten meters away. He walked toward it as fast as he can. Finally, he got there. He seated at the driver's seat and then he started the engine. He advanced his car forward, but suddenly, his car screeched as he stopped his car when someone blocked the way. "Bullsh..." he pressed the beeper. He immediately hopped out. "Hoy! Would you please be careful next --" he suddenly paused when he realized that the person he was yelling to was someone he knows...but not a friend. "Sherdel!" The young boy greeted. Sherdel didn't say a word he was just glaring at him. He clenched his fist as he readies to punch him. "Don't be like that. Come on," He told Sherdel while showing his fake optimistic smile against Shardel's irritated look. "I've got no time to play with you, Gregory," he told him. "Get your face out of my face. I have to be somewhere." "Really now?" He went closer to Sherdel. Without a warning, Gregory punched his face. "That's what you get for breaking us up with my girlfriend." "Girlfriend? Which one? The other one or the other one?" Sherdel talked back. "You never loved them anyway, so why bother? It's better to tell them that you stink than making them fools." "What did you say?" Gregory grabbed his collar. "Don't act like you are innocent," Sherdel pushed him away. "So, would you please move?" Sherdel was about to touch the knob of the car when he took another punch on the face. The punch was powerful enough to knock Sherdel down. "You sick son of a b***h!" Sherdel immediately stood up. It's his turn to hit Gregory. Likewise, Gregory knocked down. Then he stood up and they wrestled. A few minutes later, a security guard finally came to stop them. **** "Sherdelino Prado Malvar Alhibing!" His grandfather shouted so loud that even the teachers outside his office got startled . "Lolo. I'm sorry, okay. My emotion gets the best of me," he told. He's got bruises on his left cheek and around his left eye which were covered by bandages. Sherdel was sitting down on a chair in front of his grandfather's desk. While his grandfather was walking around the room as he felt frustrated. "Don't 'sorry sorry' me, boy. You know, I am sick of all your reasons. How many times did I tell you to stop being so aggressive? Almost every day, there are people coming to me reporting and complaining about you brawling with everyone!" "I tried. I tried to stay away from them but they are the ones who are looking for me," he defended himself. The old man rubbed his forehead with his left hand. Then he ballooned his cheeks in order to calm himself. "Sit down," he said with a soft voice - indicating that he somehow managed to calm down just a little. Sherdel sat down on a chair next to his grandfather's table. The old man sat across him afterward. He sighed before looking at Sherdel. "Listen up, Sherdel," he pointed at him. "I want you and Mr. Gregory, who is at the hospital right now, to attend community service." Sherdel widened his eyes. He couldn't believe that his Lolo will make him attend to one of the things he hates. Moreover, Gregory will be there. "No. Please. No." "This is your punishment for being reckless. Whether you like it or not I will force you to." Before Sherdel will speak, someone outside knocked on the door. "Enter!" the old man said. Then the secretary entered. "I am sorry to interrupt, but the press is here." The old man stood up and then he fixed his necktie. "Let's talk again later," he told him before he and his secretary went out. Sherdel sighed in frustration.                                                       **** "Mama! Yehey Mamma!" A girl was shouting to her mother as she hurriedly approaches. She was excited to tell her the good news. Her mother paused hanging her laundry when she heard her daughter calling. "O. Grace Joy. Why? Is there any problem?" Her mother asked just after her daughter stopped in front of her. "I passed." "What passed?" "I passed the entrance exam for the tuition fee discount of the Horizon Reached University! Yes! I gotta study there," her face was filled in with excitement. Her mother covered her mouth and screamed because of joy. "Oh my daughter. Congratulations!" She hugged her tightly. She let go after a few seconds. "Finally, we don't need to pay it all." "I am so proud of you. "Come let me hug you," she opened her arms. Grace Joy giggled then she went closer to her.                                                              ***** "Sir, can you tell us about the Horizon Reached University?" One among the reporters asked. "Um...where should I begin? Oh, I know. It is a university associated not just with the GeoAtlas company but also with the entire partners who remained loyal to our company all these years. It is a school that every student had ever dream of." The press then noted what he had said. "The feedbacks from every citizen are great. They say you are a good ruler of this school," one among the press praised. "Well..." Mr. Alhibbing chuckled faintly. "Unlike any other universities, in this school, I make sure that the students meet not only their academic needs. But I and my fellow teachers and professors are also making sure that our students feel comfortable and safe within the campus." "But sir...!" one of them raised her hand which caught Mr. Alhibbing's attention. It was Grace Joy's mother. "What can you say about the complaints about the tuition cost?" "Thank you so much, Ms. Asunta..." then he cleared his throat. "Well, I admit that Horizon Reached University has a tuition rate a little higher than the other universities. I have my reasons why my partners and I agreed to it. The school is indeed new. " The people in the room began to murmur. "But...I always keep on reminding everyone not to let poverty as an excuse to not achieve their dreams. Like other universities, we do accept scholars. One more, there's a discount if ever your ward passed the entrance exam held during the fourth week of March to the third week of April," he defended. "Don't worry, dear parents. The expenses might be high but your children's experiences here will be worth it. We will make sure they learned something before they graduate. " **** Grace Joy was in her room, sitting on her bed while enjoying her glass of water as she sang one of Moira's calming songs. She lifted some of the water to the air above the glass by her power. She shaped it into a sphere then she tore it into smaller marble-sized droplets that spread in the mid-air around her. She stopped singing because she got amazed at what her eyes revealed. She watched them shimmer against the light as they revolved around her slowly. Meanwhile, through her mind, she turned them into hard solid. Not ice but something crystalline and transparent like marbles. "Wow!" She whispered. Someone came to her room's door. It was her little brother Janus. "Hoy, get out of there, let's eat!" he yelled as he knocks. Grace Joy got startled when she heard the noise from outside. And so, she dropped them down on the bedsheet. "Yeah, I heard you. Just go, I'll be there in a moment." "Okay. I'm going downstairs now," Janus replied. **** On that same night, at the Alhibing mansion... Sherdel was in the veranda connected to his room. He stepped closer to the barricade to see the moon's glimpse that was covered by another veranda above him. He stood straight against its light as he looked up. The moon was full that night. He held his head high to watch the moon change shape. He sighed then he pulled something out in his pocket. It was a locket, he opened it then he began to stare at what's inside - it's a small picture of his mother while carrying baby Sherdel on her lap. Meanwhile, he stared at the moon again but that time he smiled at it. "If ever you're alive, will you never push me away?" He asked with the softest voice he can speak. After those words to the moon, he decided to get back inside his room.
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