Connectors of the Two Worlds

Chapter 23

Everybody was busy exams. After three days, all students were tasked for checking some exam papers. The resto becamebusy as well with the cooking and cleaning in front of me as I help them with some errands.

Today is the last and final examination in Saint Claire Academy. Math is quite easy to my advantage. Social Studies and English, too, but all in all, some exams were confusing. 

My best friends all joined me in our lunch time at the cafeteria. It was fun talking to them. They all went with their crazy stories during the Quiz Bee, except for Alfred, who was quite a bad boy and a loner. I still caught him walking around the school. Other bullies try to gang him but he didn't budge. He's quite a smooth operator. He does all the bad boy stuff looking a lot in a gentleman way. He would talk loud about history and wisdom.

But Dunwalt's gang didn't like his angst. I saw them trying to punch Alfred but the latter just dodged all of them, leaving them exhausted with their impulsive movements. After that, Alfred never talked to us... err... precisely he didn't talk to me.

After the whole exam, the faculty teachers gathered all of the students in the covered court. It's a general meeting for all the High School students of Saint Claire Academy. The principal is to announce something big. All of us did guess the announcement. We came up with the prom. It's not quite hard to guess. It's always during February after the examinations.

Miss Joyce, the principal, spoke on the microphone with her polite smile plastered on her face. "On February 17th, Saint Claire Academy is inviting you all to go on a special occasion. A Masquerade Ball for our Junior-Senior Promenade!" she announced excitedly.

All of the students clapped at the announcement. Everyone put their smile on their faces as if the announcement was their reward after the exhausting examination days.

"Now, all of you guys should wear masquerade masks with your nice suits and ball gowns, okay?" All of us laughed. "Just one more rule to follow guys..." She paused, made all of us stop our cackle. "Don't ask an outsider for a date, okay?"

Hilarious laughs followed as it echoed inside the court.

Now, the game is on. Students will be so busy thinking about this...

****

These past few days, the whole school got busy practicing the arranged program for the JS Prom. After that Monday Announcement, the lines of "Are you going out to Prom with me?" or "Can you be my date at the prom?" was just an easy eavesdrop experience around the school campus. They couldn't stop thinking about it.

Lorraine wanted to ask Rex out. She even asked me to arrange it for her, but it turned out that Ashley won his yes already. Wednesday was such a timid gal evading the prom topic inside her mind. She tried to avoid it many times as our classmates tried to ask her about it. She would rather talk about her grades and the Arts Club. But, she didn't realize that she couldn't avoid the topic anymore, when suddenly Jermaine, from the second section, asked her out on a date. That was just officially sweet. Lorraine gave up the idea of the prom, too. But Jay asked her out.

And yes. I was the only one left behind. Without anyone to have a date.

I tried to talk to Alden Joe but he couldn't come. He told me that he has to stay at his mother's side until she recovers. Alfred... well... Alfred was persuaded by dozen of girls at the campus ground. They would give him flowers and chocolates, even write a love letter for him, but he acted too strange lately. Normally, he would show his bland face to other people and not show his reaction or opinion to them. But lately when girls started to wreck his solitude, he started to be grumpy. He frowns, even grunts some time. I would just laugh at him silently whenever I get to see him like that. He probably didn't want to attend the prom. I guess Westerners didn't like parties.

Those ideas didn't leave my mind until it was my time to sleep. I felt so restless thinking about the prom, but that's my role as a young adult...

The shiny red floor was giving enough space to all the feet that were on it as the masquerade ball began. There played a dramatic music by the hired orchestra. I felt the dullness of the place. I would admit that the Voulners Mansion is quite majestic and marvelous inside the hall. The red carpet is laid at the center. The people started to chatter with their drinks and food. Some are dancing and some are just watching those who pathetically brag about their wealth.

I felt like I was the outsider, not belonging into this empty, dull world of the prominent Daemons in this land.

It's my twin brother's and my soon-to-be sister-in-law's engagement ball. The thought of it makes me sick. I wanted to shout.

My plan was ruined by Mantra Voulner. She ruined my plans in marrying Alfred. She wanted us apart because she knows where I'm coming from. I needed Alfred as much as I needed to finish my real mission.

The curse was already in my veins and it was never lost ever since the day I was born and all the generations of El Zallers felt it, too. The curse that the Salomars have put to us.

I wanted to come up with another plan, but it was impossible with all these people around me ruining my center of concentration. I wanted to proceed what I aimed for, but there's someone that will be hurt in the process. With this, I'm starting to reluctantly do what I was tasked to do.

Klaus came. "Did I made you frown, my dear sister?"

I smiled and turned to him. "No, you didn't. I'm just not feeling well, that's all..." I lied.

"I can read your mind, you know... You don't have to hide it from me..." he suddenly said as he sat on a soft chair beside me. "I frowned for you, too..."

I looked at him in confusion. "Don't do that. You know that I'm still happy for you. No matter what... your happiness comes first, don't you remember?"

"But I'm not happy. How can I be if my sister is in pain? I know that you love Alfred. I know that you still want to proceed as planned."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act all innocent in front of me, Claudine. Stop hurting for the past that didn't occur to you. Stop it..."

I sighed. "Stop this. You should be happy. We should be..." I insisted. "By the way, where's Mother?" I suddenly asked when I noticed she was nowhere to be found.

"She's at the—" An explosion interrupted Klaus' statement. He immediately covered me, embracing me with his mighty arms.

The people around us started to panic and went into hysteria. Others were running and screaming. I was just calm as always and closed my eyes.

I sensed the intruder. I sensed the darkness trying to be invoked in this place. This has never occured before. It seems like the peaceful world of Dio started to shift 180 degrees.

I opened my eyes and faced Klaus. "Go and find Cassandra and Alfred. Make sure they're safe, understood?" I ordered him.

He nodded with his eyes already panicking.

"Go!" As I have said that word, he ran away fast. I stood up and hid behind the huge wall near my position.

The explosions were still ravaging continuously in the hall of Voulners Mansion. I heard many cursed laughs and murmurs out there. I can sense bad Daemons lurking around. It's definitely the De Evos. I could sense their presence.

But why are they here? What's their connection to the Voulners?

Suddenly, a dark Daemon showed up and raised its arms, showing his hands. I widened my eyes after that, as they released a bright light that is about to blast upon me...

"No!" I screamed as I sat on the bed where I laid. I was catching my breath. Beads of sweat started to streak down my temples. My heart beating erratically.

Another nightmare... I sighed.

Someone had opened the door of my bedroom. There, appeared Dad with his worried face. "Clan, honey..." He looked at me. "Are you alright? What happened?" He knelt and reached for my pale face and caressed it.

"I was just having a nightmare. Don't worry." I sighed in relief as I've thought it had ended. I never had bad dreams lately not until today. But, I'm still glad that it's just a nightmare. Nothing real. But it really looked real to me...

****

It's past 5 AM and I'm still not sleeping back. My nightmare made me stay up all day as I've watched the breaking dawn at my window. It was shivering in my room despite the airconditioner turned off. I climbed downstairs and drank my chocolate drink with Kyla and my Dad.

Kyla looked at me with her twinkling eyes. "Your dress is so wonderful, Clan! So fashionable!" she commented when Dad had showed her a picture from his laptop. They opened the prom topic on our table.

"I'm not going..." I told them blandly.

They were shocked at my words. "What do you mean you're not going?" Dad asked.

"Are you serious?" Kyla asked me in her scolding stance.

I shrugged. "I just don't feel like going, Dad."

"Why? There must be a reason," he kept on asking.

"I hate dancing, you know that..." I rolled my eyes and ate my sliced bread.

"Too bad, your dress is pretty and you don't wanna go." Kyla sighed.

"No, she's going..." Dad suddenly decided and looked at me. "Because your mom told you to..." He sipped on his coffee. "She's going to Canada this afternoon."

I widened my eyes and my heart stopped for a bit at the news I have heard.

****

I wasn't looking at the street as I wondered the streets with the thought of my mom. I was so stupid to ever lett go of the chanc I should have tied with them on those past few days they were free to have me, but all I did is to ignore them with my selfishness and stupidity. I cried silently while walking, which made my sight blurry. I just walked and walked.

"Clan?" someone called behind me.

I never stopped walking until a grip had stopped me from further moving. I turned around and saw Alfred, grabbing a hold of my hand.

He looked a little worried with his eyes staring at my wet face. "You're crying..." he said matter-of-factly.

I never answered but my tears were continuously falling. He just let me cry. He understood me.

****

Alfred stopped his car in the parking lot of the airport and looked at me beside him, sitting on the passenger's seat. "Are you sure we can still catch her?" he asked.

"I hope so..." I opened the door and got out lazily as I saw a lot of people walking on the shiny floor of NAIA.

Alfred walked with me finding my mom, Aurora and Phil. We asked from the reception area if the flight to Canada had already taken off. We ran into circles. I almost cried helplessly there, until we found them at last.

"Mom!" I yelled at them but they did not hear my voice. I yelled again. "Mom!" This time, Aurora heard me and pulled Marrianne's dress.

She turned around and stopped as she found me. She smiled while seeing my tears falling down.

I ran towards them and hugged her.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you getting ready for your prom tonight?" She sounded so worried.

I looked at her with my eyes already in tears. "I wish I could make you stay. I wish that you'd find reasons to stay." I cried louder. "Mom, I don't want you to go..."

She wiped my tears and smiled sadly. "I wish I could stay, Angel but I can't. This place is not for me. Not for us..." She touched my cheek. "I just want you to be happy. Go to the prom and have fun. Be happy. I know you're good and smart." She kissed my forehead. "I love you, Angel. Take care of yourself, okay?" She suddenly looked at Alfred and smiled. "Would you rather take her to the prom?"

Alfred's eyes widened in surprise. He even pointed himself in his innocent looks. "Me?"

Marrianne nodded. "Yes. Would you? I would be comfortable if she takes someone like you to the prom. I know you're a good person..." she demanded.

Alfred just scratched his head and looked away. He didn't answer.

Marrianne returned her eyes to me and smiled. "Go now, okay? It'll be fine..."

I just nodded while crying.

"Auwie, say goodbye to your sister now..." Marrianne told Aurora.

"Bye bye, Angel! I will miss you!" she waved her little hand and whimpered.

I bent to kiss her on her cheek. "I will miss you, too, Auwie," then I hugged her. Suddenly a loud announcement echoed in the airport about the flight to Canada.

"I think we should go, honey..." Phil reminded them. They walked slowly away from us as we were separated to each other.

I smiled and stopped my crying as they've all gone out of sight.

"They're not gone..." Alfred suddenly said, looking at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean... they're not gone. They just walked a distance away from you. They're still inside your heart."

Those words mean a lot to me. It eased my sadness...