Chapter 24: The Visit (1)
I’ve been disgusted with myself for many days now. I’ve wanted to strangle myself with a live wire. Why am I feeling like this? Why do I have to fucking feel… this? This unfamiliar tension between me and Gin. I don’t like it. It needs to stop.
Few days had already passed since my weapon training with Gin. I had also avoided facing him for many days. These were those days where close encounters with him were needed. It may either be when we’re alone or with the group. It’s exhausting. I could just sigh a relief when his attention turned to someone else.
It’s already been a week since I entered Titan Academy, but that one week itself felt like one year in hell. Looking back at the events, I don’t know how I survived. I guess I’m just lucky.
I trailed to the Breakfast Hall like usual and instantly noticed the strange atmosphere. Everyone is looking enthusiastic and animated. Usually in the morning, these people would rather greet me with eyes as sharp as cutting knives.
“What’s up with them?” I asked Luna who’s already sitting by our table; I sat down, as well.
This girl would sometimes wake up late or sometimes could be the earliest. She withdrew her eyes from the book she‘s holding and turned to me.
“It’s the last Friday of the month.”
“So?”
“Town’s day.”
I froze at what she said. Town’s day. It’s the day when the students of Titan Academy visit the town of Hesperia.
“R-Really?” I asked almost doubting her.
But there’s only one thing, one person, that came into my mind. Lucas. I could see Lucas; I could talk to him today.
She nodded.
“Yep. Didn’t Miss Aura tell you?”
I didn’t mind if she really said it or not. I often ignored her when she was discussing things. Maybe I just didn’t notice when she mentioned about it. I suddenly felt excited; I could see the town again.
I didn’t notice the arrival of the other members of the group. I was too preoccupied. I don’t know why but other than excitement, I’m nervous too. If I found about this yesterday I wouldn’t have a good night sleep. What would Lucas say if he sees me? What would he feel when he sees me wearing the Titan Academy uniforms and walking with them?
I remembered telling him something at the hill before. I said that I hated the days when the students from Titan Academy visit the town of Hesperia. I always tried to avoid going to town on those days. There was one time when we really needed to; around the town, I saw how some of these people looked at us. In their eyes, we were akin to a dirty stain on a white cloth. It’s not normal for them to see youths similar at their age working instead of studying in advance education.
What will Lucas say?
I really want to see him and tell him all that happened. But I’m also scared of how he will respond. I remembered of what I had gone through in the illusion created by Victoria. What if he reacts the same way?
“Shia, what is it like to be a student of Titan? The school I so much yearned for?”
“Psst! Shia.”
I woke from musing when I felt Luna nudging me on my side. I furrowed my brows and turned to her.
“WHAT—” I couldn’t continue when I saw all of them looking at me. The entire group.
I raised my brow, surprised and uncomfortable at the same time. I didn’t notice that everyone has already arrived. Even Ethan who often ate on the long table is with us now.
Ethan tipped his head towards Gin’s direction as if telling me something. I looked at Gin and instantly noticed his furrowed brows. He was looking at me pointedly with his eyes as cold as steel. He looked really pissed off while the other members were just silent.
“What?” I asked him with a raised brow.
Cain groaned beside me. He might be thinking I was really challenging Gin.
“Uhm— Captain was saying something about the Town’s Day.” Luna interfered with a nervous laugh.
She stared at me as if telling me to cooperate or else another chaos may break out in the Breakfast Hall.
“Ah okay,” I answered with a shrug.
Luna furtively leaned to my direction.
“He called your name twice already,” she whispered. “You should respond in a single call by the Team Captain. My God Shia, don’t space out before him.”
I slowly turned around the table. I noticed everyone has the same reaction as Luna except maybe with Victoria, who has apathetic expression. But somehow, I saw something flashed on her sharp eyes. Was she amused?
Gin looked up. I even heard a silent sigh as though he chose not to criticize me anymore.
“As I’ve said,” he looked at me straight to my eyes so I tried to stare back with unconcerned look. But I found myself avoiding his penetrating gaze instead. I really get distracted on those eyes. It’s as if, words are unnecessary for him to communicate; his eyes are more than enough.
“You should have known, that aside from us on this group, no other students knew where you really come from.”
I stilled on what he said. It’s not the statement that bothered me but the way he said it. I suddenly felt uncomfortable in front of them. I almost overlooked that one simple fact; I’m not really one of them. If we are a product, they are the original and I’m the counterfeit.
“You need to be careful when we are there,” he continued. “Some people might recognize you. Stay away from them. We don’t want to create another commotion.”
—
I was thinking of what Gin said in the Breakfast Hall the whole morning. I can’t help but scoff. What he said was so obvious; I can’t see Lucas. I might see him but I can’t talk to him like I wanted to.
Annoying.
It would be a big mess if they recognized me. The students here have no idea that I came from town. All along they thought that I’m a daughter from some powerful family so I was able to easily enter Titan Academy and joined this special group.
Rich kid my ass.
We prepared after breakfast. We needed to be in our field uniform. The same uniform the group had when I first saw them in Lucas’ house; that very intimidating black leather coat. I even wondered how long I won’t be eating just to buy one. I looked at myself in the mirror before I left the room.
Yet look at me now.
We assembled in front of the castle. I noticed that only the senior students are with us on this trip. Luna told me that it’s because of the schedule. The first Friday of the month is for the freshmen students, the second is for the sophomores, and so on.
If so, I needed to be more careful.
Leading before us, are two teachers. One of them is Miss Aura while the other is unfamiliar to me. Walking alongside them are the Head Girl and Head Boy, Corrine and Ethan. We are situated on the rear.
We walked along a wide way out of the school. It’s more spacious than I remembered. It’s almost like a deserted highway. The sound of the forest is still the same, as if some wild animals are inhibiting the place, and it’s even supplemented with the electric fence around it.
We got out of Titan Academy after a few minutes of walking. Most of the time, the group stayed silent. Sometimes they would talk about what they needed to visit or purchase from town. Sometimes they would reprimand other students who were noisy along the line. But sometimes they would look at me; like they want to know what I was thinking at the time.
We then got to the woods, the forest between the town and the hill, when the students began to complain. It was nine o’clock in the morning but the humidity and fog in the forest remained heavy.
Nearly half an hour later, we got out of the woods and the town was then revealed to us. My heartbeat picked up its pace when I saw the familiar environment; the noise, the smell, the worn out old buildings, the place itself. I almost felt weak on knees. This is home for me.
I noticed Gin looking in my direction when we entered the town. The group of seniors stayed together until we got to the town square. I started to feel conscious from the looks we got from the town’s people. Some of them are even familiar to me but they seemed not to recognize me.
“Stay with as much seniors as possible.” Gin stated.
He faced me and leaned in my direction. I can’t help but step back when his forehead almost touched mine. What is his problem?
“Yeah, whatever,” I answered.
When he withdrew, I immediately noticed the eyes looking at our direction. They quickly looked away when I turned to them but a certain pair of eyes stayed staring.
Corrine.