Chapter 5

AS A CHILD, Danaelya has always been the center of attention. She is used to the hushed whispers running around her tail, following her wherever she goes. She knows about their unsaid written feelings towards her. She can feel the impending pain of the knives on her back she's been collecting since day one, like antiques ready for auctions. She knows what's going on behind their eyes and the lies they tell, she can see through them. Every smile has a hidden agenda, every honey dripping word has a poison coating, and every laugh sounds like a clown mocking her.

She can still hear them, after all these years, she thought she had moved on. But even in her sleep, it still haunts her. Taking her back to the time when gauging out her eyes was not even an option. Bringing out the little girl she has fought so hard to keep in the mirror.

Danaelya was a child, a naive innocent pampered wealthy child. Whom people think of as nothing but a bridge towards her parents. Of course, she didn't know that back then. She didn't know that she was just a toy, made for them to play whenever and however they want. She didn't even have the slightest idea that a child like her could be so vile and evil.

 They approached her with sunshine smiles, bringing light to her darkness filled days. And for once in her life, she thought she could finally have that second family that everyone who has friends have been talking about. And maybe, just maybe, they were once a family.

She was a child longing for attention. She was thirsty for it. So the first time that someone actually noticed her, she drank like she has been experiencing drought all her life. She did everything she could to have them by her side. She didn't see past their playful jokes and conniving eyes. All she could see was children like her begging for some love and acceptance. In her mind, she tries to convince herself that maybe they didn't mean any of that. Maybe, they did treat her and look at her like a friend and not as a laughing stock. Maybe, she once was more than just a wealthy child.

The bomb was dropped and it was pandemonium around her. Souls screaming and running around and the professors are doing nothing but watching as the duwendes try to get everything under their control. Some are even going as far as flashing curses and reversing them right away. Danaelya did too. She tried to feel panicked. She tried to feel like she's not grateful for what they are offering. Right then and there, she instantly wanted to rip her silver paper so she could stay there forever. Not that she tried. She's just thinking about it and thinking whether it will work or not.

For the first time in her life, she felt… home.

"Christ, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Reagan blurted out from beside her. She has totally forgotten about her friend, and her voice reminded her of her presence.

"Yeah, right," she whispers to the wind.

"Hey," Reagan's soft voice pulled her out of her head. "I'm here. We can get out of this, there's got to be another way than just staying."

Staying, that sounds like a good plan. "There's none," she says quietly. A part of her doesn't want there to be another way, a part of her doesn't want to look for any way out.

"What?" Reagan asks, looking at her as if she's grown two heads. "I'm sure there's–"

"There's none, Reagan." Her voice came out stronger than she intended. Her friend still wears the same confusion but doesn't argue. "We have to do what they want us to do. Besides, we're just going to study." She tries to sound nonchalant, but she cannot hide the excitement in her voice.

"We are going to study to survive."

"Haven't we been doing that all along?" Her voice turned cold and distant, which made her friend shut up.

Sparks flying from somewhere made her stop. Literally. It's a sensation she hasn't felt before. It's new and a little bit uncomfortable but she can manage. The only thing she can move is her eyes. She notices that everyone around her is the same. It's like time stops. But it didn't. It was them who stopped. It was one of their professor's magics, Prof. Gothel. All of them were frozen on the spot, including the duwendes.

"My, my, what a commotion you caused there, Professor Mireda." Her sweet sultry voice once again filled the air. You can hear nothing aside from their heavy breathings. "You see, this is why I didn't tell them about their silvers. I knew this would happen." Her facial expressions were animated as well as her exaggerated movements. She's like an actress who is overacting.

Professor Mireda stayed quiet while watching them, seemingly unconcerned about Gothel's rants. Hmmm, she thought.

"There is nothing you can do to change your fates. All of you have already boarded, the only thing you must and shall do is move forward. I know that you were picked by the prince. But, remember, you wouldn't be picked hadn't you wanted to be here as well. You chose to escape your own world without knowing the price. Now you know, escaping doesn't offer the freedom you were hoping for." She paused, making sure to make eye contact to every soul her eyes could reach. "Take this however you want, a survival or a vacation, I don't care. But while you're here, you must abide by the rules and regulations of our school. This is not your world, here, you are all equal and powerless under us. We can erase your existence from your own world with just a snap of our finger, so make sure to think of your every move. That's it, I hope that all of you will have a wonderful time studying in our school." She turns to walk away but stops and looks back from her shoulder, the light casted by the moon throws a shadow over her face. "Who knows, maybe at the end of the school year, you will find the answers you weren't looking for."