Eldera Akademus

In her dimly lit room, Kristel Saicy Fuldan lay motionless, her gaze fixed on the ceiling above. Inside, an inferno of emotions raged, but outwardly, she remained eerily still, like a wounded creature nursing its wounds in silence. Would she cry? No, crying was a concession she refused to make. To shed tears for the man who callously shattered her heart would be to admit defeat, and Kristel was not one to surrender so easily. He, the foolish puppet master of her emotions, was unworthy of her sorrow, a mere speck in the vast expanse of her universe. "Argh!" The scream tore from her throat, a primal release of pent-up frustration and rage. "How dare you! How dare you!" Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms as anger surged through her veins, igniting her face with a fiery heat. Kristel burned with the desire to retaliate, to strip him of his facade and expose him for the heartless charlatan he truly was. It was a craving that consumed her, fueled by the bitter taste of betrayal left in the wake of his deceitful words. He was human, yes, but a pathetic excuse for one at that. Why waste precious time and energy on such a contemptible being? It was a harsh lesson learned through pain and disappointment: human emotions were fickle and treacherous, unworthy of trust or reliance. And yet, despite her otherworldly nature, Kristel was undeniably human, with all the vulnerabilities and flaws that came with it. But she refused to let that define her. Whatever. Slowly, Kristel pushed herself up from her prone position, feeling the world wobble around her for a fleeting moment. As she steadied herself, her gaze wandered around the room, taking note of the disorder that had overtaken her once pristine sanctuary. Despite the chaos surrounding her, she found herself unable to focus on tidying up. The pain inflicted by Ken's betrayal gnawed at her insides, rendering her incapable of mustering the energy for even the simplest tasks. He had toyed with her emotions, treating her trust as if it were nothing more than a disposable scrap of paper, crumpling it up and discarding it without a second thought. Aunt Cara's warnings echoed in her mind, a haunting reminder of her own naivety in disregarding them. She had followed her heart blindly, choosing to trust in her feelings rather than heed the wisdom of her rational mind. Turning towards the full-length mirror positioned near her bedroom door, Kristel's reflection stared back at her, a stark reminder of the toll her heartache had taken. The books lining the nearby shelf remained untouched, their presence serving as a silent testament to her apathy towards anything but her own inner turmoil. Examining her own countenance, she couldn't help but recoil at the sight. Dark circles clung to the corners of her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights spent agonizing over her shattered heart. Her once lustrous locks hung limp and lifeless, a stark contrast to their former vibrancy, while her pallid complexion spoke volumes of the self-imposed deprivation she had subjected herself to in a futile attempt to regain control. Days had passed since she last set foot in the hallowed halls of academia, her fear of encountering Ken too great a burden to bear. The mere thought of facing him filled her with a sense of dread, a gnawing anxiety that threatened to consume her whole. Enough of the theatrics! Kristel realized she had been deceiving herself with all the melodrama. With a sigh, she pushed herself up from her perch on the soft, rosy floral bed, her knees trembling with weakness as if betraying her resolve. She chided herself for neglecting her own well-being without a valid reason. Despite the absurdity of it all, a part of her wanted to chuckle at her own sorry state—weak, unkempt, hungry, and unattractive. Gathering what little strength remained, she mustered the courage to move forward, albeit cautiously, lest she lose her balance. Stepping out into the hallway, she made her unsteady way down the wooden stairs and into the kitchen, her throat parched and her lips cracked from neglect. No amount of moisture from her tongue could erase the visible signs of her folly, a constant reminder of her own gullibility. In her haste to quench her thirst, Kristel failed to notice the watchful eyes observing her every move. Though she couldn't see them, she could feel their skepticism bearing down on her like a weight, silently mocking her foolishness. Ignoring the scrutiny, she reached for a glass from the plastic drawer and opened the refrigerator, the cold air sending a shiver down her spine. Finding what she sought, she poured herself a glass of the icy water, relishing the sensation as it cascaded down her throat, revitalizing her weary body and dispelling the drowsiness that had threatened to engulf her just moments before. "Are you feeling better now?" Kristel turned towards the source of the voice and found a woman seated on the couch, her hands skillfully weaving yarn as her eyes remained focused on her task. "Yeah, I'm feeling refreshed now," Kristel replied, meeting the woman's gaze. The woman's long white hair was neatly tied up in a bun, and she wore a simple shirt paired with plain jeans. A gentle smile graced her thin, red lips, but Kristel couldn't shake the feeling that it held a hint of amusement at her expense. "You're always right, Aunt Cara," Kristel conceded with a defeated sigh, her steps heavy as she made her way up the stairs, her thoughts weighed down by the burdens of her existence. "Clean your room and then have something to eat, Kristel," Aunt Cara's tender voice called after her, stirring a longing within Kristel's heart that she struggled to suppress. Aunt Cara had always been there for her, a constant source of comfort and support, almost like a second mother. As Kristel ascended the stairs, a wave of bitterness washed over her. Why did life have to be so cruel? Why did she have to endure the pain of losing her own mother, only to find solace in someone who wasn't even her mother? It was an injustice she couldn't comprehend, one that left her feeling hollow and resentful towards the unfairness of it all. Without a word, Kristel went back to the bedroom and cleaned it up, following Cara's instructions. She cleaned herself well and then went out to eat, finding Cara in the kitchen placing a glass bowl of rice on the table. The kitchen was large, with the counter separating the living room from it. The walls were painted white and clean, with no visible dirt, though her aunt was very particular about cleanliness, insisting that everything be tidy and clean. "It's good you came out. I thought you weren't going to eat. Look, you're losing weight," Cara said, shaking her head. Kristel's aunt hadn't said a word when Kristel had told her over the past three days about what Ken had done. Kristel had expected her aunt to be angry and give her a lecture, but instead, her aunt had let Kristel do what she wanted. Cara hadn't knocked on her door or even called her to eat. Instead, her aunt observed what Kristel would do and how she would overcome her misery and distress. Kristel sat in the chair opposite Cara. "I'm human too and hungry," Kristel said as she scooped up the rice and placed it on a square plate. She grabbed a dish and placed it beside the rice, feeling even hungrier as she smelled the steaming rice and the accompanying dish. Cara was the best at cooking food. She owned her own restaurant in the city, where Kristel often ate during her lunch breaks. Kristel's mother's older sister, Cara, had taken care of her when she left her former home. Unlike her own father, her aunt understood her, and Kristel felt that Cara loved her more than her father. Kristel ate quietly, her attention focused on her food. When she lifted her eyes, she noticed that Aunt Cara was no longer in the kitchen. Looking around, Kristel had thought Cara would eat with her, but she was mistaken. Only now did she realize that Cara had been lost in thought earlier. "What could it be?" Kristel wondered as she held the plate in her hand, about to wash it. But she paused in front of the refrigerator. There, a plastic strawberry fridge magnet held a sticky note in Cara's handwriting. "I'm going home for the night. I hope you're doing well now. Because I know you didn't hear what I said, I just wrote it while you were eating and thinking deeply." Aunt Cara, with love. Kristel's eyebrows rose slightly as she read the note. She hadn't even noticed Cara's departure or her words about it. With a flick of her hand, she plucked the sticky note from the refrigerator and tossed it into the nearby trash. Hastily, she washed the dishes before retreating to the bedroom in search of her phone. The last place she remembered seeing it was atop the nightstand, but it wasn't there now. Despite the room's modest size, her phone eluded her. She crawled beneath the bed, sifting through the darkness to no avail. Dust clung to her knees and elbows as she emerged, her loose clothing rumpled. Frustration mounting, Kristel scanned her bed, her sigh echoing her helplessness. She couldn't function without her phone. Perhaps it was in the kitchen. With a pivot, she turned, her mind racing. But before she could take a step, a scream tore from her throat as something materialized before her in an instant.