MAGIC SHOP

Chapter II

Chapter II

The day went on and Aire couldn't stop thinking about the note she found on her locker, even Karis is worried about her. Both of them are wondering who would do that, and the fact that it happened on the first day of classes is disturbing. And why would anyone give her a cryptic note? What does the sender want, and what do they mean by that? Who does she need to avoid and why?

They were thinking so much that they didn't notice their teacher called them a few times. "Miss at the back?" They were startled by their teacher who is now right in front of them staring at them, they didn't even notice the whole class looking at them. "Are you girls okay?" she asked and put her hands on their forehead, "Wala naman kayong lagnat."

"We're fine ma'am, sorry po." Aire said while Karis only smiled. Tumango lang ang guro at bumalik na sa harap ng klase, maging ang mga kaklase nila ay tumingin na rin sa harap. "So as I was saying, I am Esther Cruz, your Self Development teacher," she introduced and fixed her posture.

"And instead of doing the same introduction, I want you to let yourself be known by answering my question, 'What do you think about the beauty standards set by society? And if someone says you don't fit the beauty standard, what would your response be?" She explained as she starts roaming around the room, and she stop in front of Trisha. "Miss Brooklyn, do you mind answering first?"

Trisha did not hesitate a bit as she stood up and adjusted her glasses, "I believe the beauty standards set by society are harmful, especially for our young girls who still have no knowledge about things like this. It perpetuates the idea that in order to be beautiful, you should have this or that which conditions people into thinking that it's the only way to be beautiful. I mean physical appearance does help but I think character matters more than just a pretty face. A true beauty, for me, is seen in what someone's heart desires. If one says to me I don't fit the beauty standard, I wouldn't waste a second of my time arguing with someone who doesn't understand beauty the way I do, or with someone who has their own concept of beauty."

Everyone was amazed by her answer, no wonder why she got the highest honor last year.

"Very good delivery of thought, Miss Brooklyn," Miss Esther smiled at Trisha, "Miss Atienza? It looks like you've got something to say?" she turned to Ruth as she slowly walked toward her seat, but the latter smiled and shook her head. Miss Esther nodded in response and eyed the whole class again, and her gaze stopped at Aire. "How about you, miss?" she said pointing at her.

Aire was confused for a second, but eventually she stood up, "Well, first of all I believe that beauty has no standard and whoever created the idea of it just ruined what real beauty is. I'm a firm believer that there is beauty in everything, in everyone. What makes us beautiful is the things that we are as humans—confidence, passion, morals, principles, our personality. We're too busy trying to come up with one definition of beauty and painting ourselves with it that sometimes we lose sense of who we are." She paused for a second and a hint of sadness was all over her face, "If someone tell me I don't fit the beauty standards, it's because there are no standards at all. Anyone should feel beautiful just because."

Tumango si ma'am Esther, "Yes, if there's anyone who should define beauty for you, it should be you." Saad nito kasabay nang pagbalik niya sa harapan, "I like how you see it. Thank you miss?"

"Aire"

Karis gave Aire a sweet smile and a thumbs up. "Nice miss ayaw ngumiti," she winked. Napailing na lang si Aire at umiwas ng tingin, pilit itinago ang ngiti. Napansin ito ni Karis kaya natawa ito at hinayaan nalang ang katabi, hindi niya tuloy maiwasang maalala ang pinsan niya kay Aire, pareho sila ng ugali at magkalapit pa ang pangalan.

The class went well, the discussion was fun, and Miss Clouds was kinder than they thought but a little bit frank.

Maayos na natapos ang klase at kaka-dismiss lang sa kanila nang may tumawag sa pangalan ni Aire habang inaayos nito ang mga gamit niya, si Var Villanueva, a friend of hers—used to be. The guy smiled at her and was about to ask her something when another guy put his arm around her shoulder turning her to his side and Airee was greeted by Ethan's smile, "Na-miss mo ba ako?" Tanong niya rito.

Aire glared at him and flicked his forehead, "Bitaw," malamig na turan niya sa binata na kaagad naman nitong sinunod. "I didn't missed you, Ethan. Sino ka ba?" sarkastikong tanong ni Aire na tinawanan ng mga kaibigan ni Ethan na malapit lang pala sa kinatatayuan nila.

"Oo nga, sino ka ba kasi Ethan?" pang-aasar ni Jedric.

"Sinong Ethan?" segunda ni Rashed.

Tiningnan ng masama ni Ethan ang mga kaibigan na umiwas lamang ng tingin, kaya ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Aire at nginitian muli ito, "I miss you so much my Aire, it's been three years!" he said just to make her cringe and he did not fail.

Var faked a cough to get Aire's attention, "I'm sorry, what's up?" Aire asked, she also noticed that the boys seemed uneasy. "Nothing much, just wanted to come say hello. How have you been?" he asked. "Fine." Aire shortly answered and gave him a half smile.

"I see. Glad you're okay," he smiled. "Uhm anyway, I gotta go. Bye." Paalam niya at mabilis na umalis.

"You know him?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah, he was a friend." She answered, "Anyway, bye." Aire stormed out the room even before Ethan could say good bye.

"Di man lang ako pinagbabye," bulong niya sa sarili na tinawanan ng mga kaibigan niya.

Naglalakad sila nang biglang magtanong si Harrix, "I didn't know you're related to that girl, Ethan?" he said. "Kailangan ba alam mo?" biro ni Ethan na ikina-iling ng kaibigan. "Kidding. I met her at her grandfather's birthday almost 3 years ago. We were friends."

"Were?" singit ni Yves sa usapan nilang dalawa, "Is she not your friend now?"

"She is, I just don't know if I am still her friend," Ethan answered.

"Bakit naman?" tanong pabalik ni Harrix.

"Well, she suddenly stopped answering my letters before and I couldn't reach her either, so I don't really know," Ethan said.

"Baka naman nagsawa sa 'yo," pang-aasar ni Grey, "Kahit ako magsasawa sa 'yo e, boring mo kaya kausap," dagdag niya na tinawanan ng mga kaibigan nila.

"Sus, baka naman hindi lang kayo friends noon?" Jedric teased. Ethan rolled his eyes, "Shut up, Malton," he replied, "She really is just a friend. She's Dr. Aixza's daughter."

"What!" all of them exclaimed, "Yung mukhang may galit sa mundo na yon anak ni Dr. Aixza?" gulat na gulat na tanong ni Rashed. "So she's a Celeste?" dagdag pa niya.

"No, nothing pops up here." Saad ni Yves habang kinakalikot ang cellphone niya. "Bakit kasi Celeste nilagay mo, Aire is a Yushiko." Ethan, yet again, reveals another information about Aire that shocked them.

"Damn, your faces are priceless, man." He laughed.

"That lady is so reserved, unlikely of her mom." Lei commented that everyone agreed to.

"Yeah, she's 'like lolo, like apo' kaugali niya lolo niyang parang may galit sa lahat ng tao." Biro ni Ethan.

Natahimik nalang sila nang palabas na sa gate ng school at wala nang mapag-usapan.

Even though they're part of really wealthy families, they don't take their fancy cars with them unless necessary. Aside from what happened a few years back, the school's parking is always full.

Habang naglalakad sila ay binuksan ni Yves ang usapan tungkol sa Someday News at sa Editor-in-Chief nito na si Hannah Yuu.

"I don't think she's willing to tell us what she knows. We've been asking her for help for 3 years. I'm really losing hope." Grey said in a very serious tone.

"Don't be too serious Grey, 'di bagay sayo at 'di kami sanay," pang aasar ni Jedric na ikina-iling ni Grey. "She will eventually tell us everything she knows, maybe she's just waiting for the right time, you know?" he added to make Grey feel better.

Nagpatuloy sila sa paglalakad nang walang nagsasalita, ngunit binasag ni Lei ang katahimikang bumalot sa kanilang grupo. "Are we all gonna go at Phines this weekend?" he asked.

"I'll go," Ethan answered. "Me too," Harrix said as well. "I will too," Yves join in, and Lei as well.

Malapit na sila sa entrance ng Subdivision nila nang makasalubong nila sina Samyra at June Lee na palabas. The ladies didn't seem to notice them, and they looked like they're in a rush and worried about something.

"She cute." Jedric blurted out, and was too late to realize what he just said when his friends looked at him, and the next thing he knew, everyone is teasing him already.

"You mean to say, 'I like her' whoever she is?" Harrix teased. Jedric shove them away, "Geez, I just said someone's cute. I never said I like her. Your minds are just on another level," he reasoned out and walk away.

"Yeah, sure." Yves casually said, as they followed him. "Pero sino don sa dalawa?" dagdag pa niya.

"Hulaan mo," sagot ni Jedric.

"It's June, halata naman." Singit ni Rashed na naging dahilan na naman para tuksuhin nila si Jedric. Kasabay nito ang pagpapaalam ni Lei na uuwi muna siya.

Maya maya pa, nakarating na sila sa barn sa likod ng bahay nila Harrix. Ibinigay ito ng daddy niya sa kanya na ginawa naman nilang tambayan nilang magkakaibigan.

Yves let out a breath and laid down on the couch, "Another day without Lei here again."

"He's probably out there jogging again. He'll be here later," Ethan said as he open a can of soda.

"Hindi ba kayo nagsasawa sa lasa ng soda? Can we have some beer, or anything? We—" Rashed stop talking and straight up drank his soda when he felt his friends shooting daggers at him. "Ahh!" he let out a breath and slammed the can on the table, "Sodas are great."

Harrix slightly shook his head, "Rashed—" before he could even finish his words, Rashed put both of his hands on the air, "Okay okay, I get it. I'm sorry!" he said because he didn't need yet another lecture from Harrix.

They spent an hour or two at the barn—doing video games, swimming, and eating before Lei came in bathing in his sweat. "Gross, maligo ka nga muna bago ka tumabi sa akin," bungad ni Yves sa kanya nang umupo si Lei sa tabi niya.

"Pareho lang naman kayong hindi naliligo, arte mo!" Jedric butt in and threw water at them but Lei's reflex is so good he managed to move away swiftly.

"Oh my f-cking god," Yves cursed when it wetted his shirt, "Jedric I swear I'm gonna kill you!" he yelled and threw a couch pillow on Jedric but only hit the water when Jed dip underwater which really just pissed Yves more, "Imma get you one day, Malton."

Their friends just laugh at them, Jedric's always fooling around so they're pretty much used to it. "Pauwi na kami, ngayon ka lang dumating," nabaling ang atensyon nila ngayon kay Rashed nang tanungin nito si Lei. "Whatever, it's just 7 PM, go home if you want," sagot ni Lei sa kaibigan na hindi na nakatanggap ng tugon.

"Anyway, Harrix," Yves spoke while changing his shirt, "I just remembered isn't Aire's the one we met 5 years ago in Charleston?" kumunot ang noo ng lahat sa tanong ni Yves.

"In California?" Lei asked.

"Hmm, when we went there, siya iyon diba?" Tanong muli ni Yves kay Harrix na saglit natahimik.

"Wow, don't tell me you met her first before I did?" Ethan teased.

Harrix shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah that obnoxious girl with her insufferable cheerleader friends." He answered.

"She wasn't that obnoxious though, was she?" Yves asked feeling confused.

Mag-a-alas nueve na nang nagdesisyong umuwi ang mga kaibigan ni Harrix, kaya hinatid niya ito palabas at nang makalayo na ang mga ito ay naisip niyang maglakad lakad sa labas nang makita niya si Aire na naglalakad mag-isa, baka pauwi lang dahil naka uniform pa ito at dala pa ang bag.

Nagkasalubong sila, and the moment Aire met gazes with him, he saw just another eyes with sadness. He was staring straight to her eyes so she looked away, "Bakit ginabi ka na ng uwi?" tanong niya sa dalaga na inirapan siya. "So? Tatay ba kita?" balik na tanong nito sa kanya na hindi na niya sinagot.

"Excuse me," Aire said, and he moved to the side without saying a word. Naglakad siya palayo at sumabay lang si Harrix sa kanya, "Go away." Aire said.

"Someone might kidnap you," Biro ni Harrix na ikinatigil ni Aire at liningon siya, "Oh yeah? What part of you thinks I couldn't protect myself?" pagtataray niya at naglakad ng mas mabilis para iwasan ang kasama.

She felt someone staring at her as she walk, thinking it was just Harrix she didn't mind it at all. Mas binilisan niya na lang lakad niya, tutal malapit na siya sa bahay nila. Ilang hakbang na lang at makaka-uwi na sana siya nang maramdaman niyang may dumapong kamay sa kanyang bibig niya at may nakatutok na matulis na bagay sa kanyang leeg. Kinaladkad siya nito sa dilim.

Hindi makita ni Aire ang hitsura ng taong humila sa kanya dahil sa suot nitong cap at mask, gawa rin na madilim ang kinaroroonan nila. Mahigpit siyang humawak sa strap ng bag niya, nag-iisip ng paraan kung paano siya makakatakas. But she trembled, a hint of fear clouded her whole system as the memories of the past flashed before her eyes. Everything felt like a deja 'vu, and the feeling of fear is nostalgic, it made her body weak.

She wanted to fight back, but her body is too weak to even move a finger, for a moment she wished she hadn't ran away from Harrix. She couldn't do anything but close her eyes, but a few seconds passed and she didn't feel anything happening to her. She opened her eyes again to see the person she's hoping to see—Harrix.