Chapter 33: The Meeting (2)
"She has been like that ever since. She has no friends because that's what she wanted. She has schedules all the time, in and out of school. Every after school, she still has private lessons under different subjects. Even during weekend she will always be doing something. I don't think I saw her play or something similar before."
I nodded. So that's the reason of her somewhat isolated attitude to others. Now it made sense.
"I realized her plan of joining the Cup back in our freshmen classes. She began to excel in all the trainings and became extremely focused to the mastery of her ability. No one will try that hard if they don't have a plan to participate. That's a common fact here in Titan Academy." Luna heaved a sigh.
"Victoria wants to join the Cup because if she wins she will have an opportunity to become a member of UBSL. When that happens, she doesn't need to follow the plans of her family anymore. It's a rare opportunity to become a member of UBSL and it's also not easy to just back out from such even if you're the future heir of some big business."
Luna partly turned to me.
"I think they are in quite similar situation, her and Team Captain. On the same year we entered as freshmen, it was also the same year that Captain's brother, Priam, participated in the Cup. Then Priam's group brought victory for Hesperia after the last from ten years; the people then kept great expectation for Gin becoming a senior student, his turn to participate in the Cup. Everyone's already foreseeing that he will bring the 4th victory like what his father and brother did."
"Oh," I replied.
Their life sucks. One advantage I have against these perfect people is at least I can do what I want, to be where I want and when I want. That's why I just let myself be swept into this place even if it's not in my plan. Somehow, I can say I'm free in a sense since I still handle my own life and my own decisions. I don't just settle with anything; I get to choose. That's why I don't regret anything.
"If Victoria wanted to join the Cup to escape," Luna continued. "Team Captain accepted everything as his responsibility. They are under the same pressure but two different causes, both will eventually lead them to the same result. Ironic, isn't it?"
I just nodded.
Luna also told me why Ethan wanted to join the Cup. It's for his sister who participated the Cup six years before Priam's turn. Ethan's sister's name was Eliza who's a deceiver. Unfortunately, they didn't reach the final location before the wipeout that's why no one survived from their group. Luna said that the time difference is only a minute; just a mere minute and they could have survived.
Cain joined because that's what he really wanted. It's been the aspiration of his family to have a Hunter (Cain's last name) join the prestigious Cup. That's why his parents were most proud of him throughout their clan. Their family was pretty close so Cain was also happy to do this for them.
Lastly, Luna? Well, it's clear why she was in the group. Although, she didn't have any plans of joining but since she excelled in the mastery of her ability which she actually didn't even notice, she was selected. She said she's studying well for her Dad; he was a healer and she wanted to help him in his profession. Unluckily, her dream brought her to another direction.
I thought then we're somehow interconnected even if in an unintentional fashion. At first everything was all just for the prize; the status that will be received, or maybe the material things. Those were the different reasons that led us to the same place— in the same group.
I'm not supposed to be part of it but somehow neither them. I guess at one point we all have similarities after all.
Afternoon came and almost everyone was ready for the General Meeting slashed party. You could barely see a student outside because all of them were back to their rooms getting ready. The decorations in the chamber where the meeting will be held were neat and elegant. The surrounding was filled with white and black flowers together with the glistening of the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Even the stage where each parent, representative and teachers will have their speech was also elegantly arranged.
A few minutes left before the start of the meeting, I was still in my room and watching myself in the mirror. I almost gave myself death glare. I was wearing the dark red, like some maroon sparkling dress that Miss Aura sent for me to wear. It's really tight. It actually fitted my whole body as if it's permanently glued to my body. I slightly turned to see my backend loudly cursed.
"Fuck."
What kind of dress is this? Is this still a dress? It's just only a thin fabric with expensive designs. This is ridiculous. This is only to show off, to tell everyone how much money one has, to waste for an expensive cloth that could not make the wearer comfortable. I nearly wanted to wear my uniform instead and just wave this cloth in front of them. They will immediately understand what I wanted to convey and it's also comfortable.
I sat on the bed again, still annoyed. Earlier, some servant came here who were all sent by Miss Aura. They put something on my face and fixed my hair. But it seemed all their works will become wasted.
Four o'clock in the afternoon came which was the start of the meeting. I remained inside my room and played the dagger that I took from the training room between my fingers.
I don't want to go. But I need to. The group needs it. Fuck—
A sharp and irritating noise coming from somewhere stopped my idling. It hurt my ears so I nearly covered them. What the hell?! I jolted up while my annoyance kept building up. I thought that I became deaf because of that. The sound didn't stop yet as if it's inside my ear or in maybe my thought.
"Shia Sheridan!"
I almost shrieked when I heard Miss Aura's voice in my ear. But how? Where is she? What kind of gimmick is this?
"What is this?" I asked.
"It's the mind link." She answered.
Her every word seemed to echo in my ear. I was only able to completely understand her words when my body got adjusted to the sound.
"I shouldn't be using this, but where the hell are you? The meeting already started!"
I heard in the background the noises, people talking, the sound of champagne glasses and others.
"I'm coming. Just stop this— whatever this is."
"Just make sure that you will be here within five minutes or else I'll send Gin into your room."
"I will," I answered. "I will go down."
I heard a noise once again— like a static sound or whatever it was.
It's too sharp and irritating to the ear. Then the noise suddenly disappeared. I thought I even heard a slight click or something like a switch. I heaved a sigh of relief. It felt like something invaded my mind. Mind link.
I got up and put my shoes that were on the side. It's painful to my feet but it looked like I must endure. I walked a few steps inside the room before I directed to the door. I breathed deeply before I opened it.
I guess I was left with no choice then.
It's better to face those people and slap to those faces that whatever they do they have no choice but to accept me— to accept Shia Sheridan.