Pristine Academy: Singularity's Manifestation

Overloaded

Veronika looks at her with that consistent straight face, albeit more tired than bored. “What’s the matter?” Patricia looks at her, “I am sorry if I am quite unruly for you, but I will be here if you want help. You seem to have a lot of problems, I can feel that. Besides, we are roommates, I am sure I can lend a hand to you. And take that as repayment for you not taking the sight of my hand earlier.”

Her roommate sighs and takes a seat on one of the chairs. “Save your heroism for others, I don’t need any of it. Besides, you have seen the causes it could do to you first hand. If you want your social life to bloom in the school, you should avoid weeds like me. Besides, the sight of your hand is nothing compared to what I have witnessed before. As I said before, I couldn’t care less about it. It’s not my business to tell everyone you’re a hybrid. I know to not interfere with anyone’s business, I have learned that a hard way.”

“I understand that.” Veronika turns her head to her, “Let me guess, Miss Cassidy asked you to look out for me, no?” Patricia was speechless, but she knows more about the context of her situation than she did. She probably knew the professor will take caution and guard her as much as possible. “I am not a toddler that needs a guardian. I appreciate Miss Cassidy’s gesture, but I rather not disturb anyone else for this matter.”

“She just wants you to feel safer and welcome, especially since you have returned.” Veronika shakes her head, “I did not come here without any preparations. I don’t expect to feel welcome or even safe. Danger lingers in every corner of this school for me, walls even have ears if they have taken notice of me.”

“Your life seems on the line when you say it like that.” Veronika shrugs, “Maybe so, maybe not. Just don’t pry on my affairs and I won’t pry on yours. Please take my reminder at heart, don’t interact with me outside as much as possible. Just pretend I don’t exist, like I’m not there at all, I’m invisible, whatever you want. Just don’t interact with me. If I am in danger, whatever danger is in your book, ignore me altogether. I can handle it myself, whatever it is. If you step in, you are hanging your feet on a cliff’s edge, and it will only take a small push for you to fall to your demise.”

Patricia’s spine shivers with all of these words. “Just say you don’t want to be friends with me, don’t say those words as if you say them every day. This feels like a death threat!” Veronika didn’t budge anymore, she started scribbling in her notebook. “Don’t treat people as if they are going to die even if they just gaze on you. It’s just an exaggeration on your side. I think that’s why Miss Cassidy is making me look out for you.”

Veronika sighs, “Just do as I say and we’ll be on good terms.” Patricia crosses her arms, and Veronika uses that forsaken phrase again. “You will be a hefty one to work on.” She muttered to herself and left the room without saying goodbye to Veronika. The latter seemed didn’t mind this and continued whatever she was doing earlier.

Patricia approaches the balcony as the gentle breeze of the night caresses her. It calms her down as she looks over the small town that she was in. She takes a deep breath and exhales all of her frustration.

“Patricia?” She heard a soft voice behind her back. She turns and saw Antonietta approaching her. “Hey, good evening.” Patricia wears a smile at her, bright as the moonlight that night. “You seem a bit melancholy earlier, did something happen?” Patricia sighs, “Nothing much, it’s just Veronika’s words sometimes go off the rails of what needs to be said.”

“Why? Did she degrade you?” Patricia shakes her head and looks at the buildings on the horizon, “No, it’s just, she’s making parallels that befriending her or even going near her is like me signing a death warrant for myself. As if I talk to her, someone’s going to slit my throat at night. It’s just creepy, you know?”

“That sounds horrible! I am sure that she has some reason to say such a thing. Even with her demeanor, I feel that she’s a reasonable person not to make comparisons between those things.” Patricia shrugs, “I don’t know, she seems like just emanating an emo attitude to me.” She sighs, “What is this mission that I have set for myself?”

“I mean, if you don’t want to be friends with her, you could just stop. It’s as simple as that. You don’t need to waste your time on such people.” Patricia fixes her hair, “But something inside me is telling me that I need to put this to action no matter what. I can feel that she still has some soft spots in her. With what Miss Cassidy told me, she’s in dire need of a companion, even she says herself that she doesn’t need to.”

“If that’s what your gut tells you, do what you wish, and what did Miss Cassidy tell you?” Patricia looks at her, “Nothing much. She just said that I must look out for her, and maybe, just maybe, tame the wild beast that she is. Miss Cassidy knows her, so Veronika is hiding something from the world.”

“Well, she’s a mysterious one after all, but I rather not pry on that thing. Whatever it is, she would only tell it with the person she will trust the most. I gotta say, she slowly piques my interest. I once had a friend like her, he’s even much more anti-social than me. He said to me that I am the only one who appreciates what he does. He might have been flattered when I kept raising his spirits when we were project partners. He has some problems with his family.”

Patricia’s eyes widen and look at Antonietta with a big smile on her face. “Antonietta, you’re a genius!” The girl with glasses shrink and flushed, “W-why?” Patricia looks out the balcony, “You’re right, I must make her feel that I just don’t do this because I feel burdened to do so. I must make her feel that everything I do is genuine. If only I know what really her problem is, then this would have been easier.”

“Is everything you are doing to her already genuine? Why does it sound like you need to frame it as something real when it is already?’ Patricia sighs, “I might have been too leaning on the middle ground that I am framing all of my deeds as something I needed to do for her. I thought it would have been a bit formal for her attitude. It produced the opposite results. I really don’t want her to feel weak to do her things but at the same time, I need to earn her trust.”

“Maybe just… don’t mind everything? Don’t make yourself or she feel that she’s a special case. Just be normal? Don’t get me wrong, it’s just a bit weird that you seem to fixate on her. Just relax, everything will come someday. It’s still our third day of school tomorrow, I am sure that in due time, she will take notice of your efforts. I assure you that.”

Patricia sighs, “You’re right. I think I can’t handle that much especially when I am still new in this school. All of us are.” Antonietta smiles, “My mom always says that you should always have patience. For now, focus on yourself. I am going to go now, we still have classes for tomorrow.”

Antonietta leaves her be. Patricia spent an hour on the balcony before returning to her room, where she found Veronika sleeping already. She decided to sleep as well to prepare herself for tomorrow.

Patricia woke up and prepared for her school today. As she was fixing her uniform, she noticed her hand once more. She sighs, she must get used to this. Her eyes wander around and caught sight of her gloves. A temptation floods her to wear it. She tries to shake it off, but the lingering fear of getting bullied again because of her hand wins. She immediately wears it to her crystal hand.

She knows to herself fully well that she doesn’t need to, but leaving it exposed felt so wrong. She might have been able to stand half of a day yesterday all exposed to everyone, but she can’t stand another day. Patricia takes a deep breath, “I am sure I will be used to this… Sooner.” She tells herself. She heads to her school and to the Pristinity classroom, where she and Gabriel wait for Miss Cassidy to arrive.

Miss Cassidy arrived in the class with a much different demeanor than what Patricia is used to. She seems stressed and her hair doesn’t hide that fact. She was late as well, showing up ten minutes past 7:00 in the morning. “I am sorry class, I had an urgent business to attend to.” She fixes her hair, “I hope it’s not a bother. Anyways, good morning.” They greeted her back which makes her smile.

“I have an announcement to make before the class starts. As you know, there will be a weekly duel happening every Friday to test the lessons you have learned in both Valiantry and Pristinity. I am expecting that I have relayed this to you or Mr. Rohan did.” The students nod.

“However, this week’s Friday will have no classes or the weekly duel we will be doing. Instead, the Student Council prepared activities that will span from seven in the morning to noon. It’s Club Recruitment Day and also a Student-to-Student Orientation Day. It’s an annual event that will help you to become acquainted with students that you have not yet met in your classes with the same interests as you. I will be expecting you to have fun and join groups that you are passionate about. Further details will be in the announcement boards scattered around the school.”

The students in her classroom cheered which made their professor smile, “Reserve your excitement to the very event. I don’t want you to get exhausted before you even get the chance to go around there.” She laughs, “Anyways, we should continue to our class. I will take this chance for me to teach you several techniques for summoning your elements. There are three degrees of this, minuscule, large, and surge. There are three types which are general, specific, and special and we will tackle those as we go.”

Cassidy started to demonstrate the said variation of conjuring elements. Type after type, she calls someone in front to do as she does while the others follow. Patricia was nervous every time she does hers, but she seems pretty in control of her abilities this time, unlike the previous days.

Cassidy was observing her and was pleased with her progress. She decided to call Patricia on one of the types, the surge one. “Miss Patricia, please show us the surge summoning of your element.” Patricia was nervous but she took it as a challenge she was going to win. She walks to the front and focuses on summoning a lot of crystals around her. It was successful, but she caught wind of one of the whispers through the crowd.

“That’s what she’s best at, summoning a lot of crystals and then hurting someone—“ They stopped as they saw her glare at Gabriel, “Excuse me, you’re whispering so loud that everyone heard your audacity to talk trash to one of our classmates.”

Patricia sighs as Cassidy lets her take a seat. “You didn’t have to do that.” Gabriel rolls his eyes, “I mean, if they are going to talk maliciously about you, they should be a lot more silent." “Still, you—“ Patricia stops as she feels a sharp pain in her chest.