Before After

CHAPTER VII

Chapter VII

Wendy Kirst

WENDY Kirst. Who are you?

Wendy opened her eyes abruptly. Her breathing was deep and fast, like there were horses that ran after her. Her heart thumped frantically. Even in her sleep, she could still feel those haunting deep brown orbs staring at her, looking beneath through her identity. And she felt a chilling sensation ran down her spine. That same chilling sensation he alone could make her feel.

Kaiser.

“Hey, are you okay?” She felt someone nudged her. And when she turned on her right side, she saw Sera curiously staring at her. They were currently in their classroom, she, sitting on her proper seat, and Sera, occupying the seat next to her. Wendy’s eyes traced the position of the wall clock that hung at the middle of their room. It was five minutes before eight o’clock and the bell hadn’t ring yet. It was early in the morning, yet she was sleeping—dreaming.

“Wendy?” Sera studied her face. “You’re pale. Are you sick or something?”

“No, I’m… fine,” she replied, her breathing still unstable. “It was just a dream.”

It was just a dream, but it felt real. It felt real because it just happened yesterday.

She could still recall how intense Kaiser’s stare was when he asked her that preposterous question: Wendy Kirst. Who are you? They were in the middle of a word fight when he suddenly asked her that. And that totally confused her. Kaiser was really one unpredictable guy. He would put you at the edge of the cliff, holding you, threatening that he’d let you fall, and once you assumed that you’d fall, he’d lift you up again. He was just that unfathomable. He was certainly bleak and unreadable. And his words were arbitrary; you’d never know what he meant.

Sera was blabbing about some things Wendy couldn’t really understand what she was saying when Kaiser walked in front of them. He had just arrived in their classroom with his bag still on his back, and his huge earphones drowning his sense of hearing. And as she was staring at him, questions started popping out of her mind.

'Kaiser Aldeguer, who are you? What are you thinking? What goes around your unfathomable mind? What do you mean with what you asked me? Is that a threat, a signal? What…’

“Hey!” Sera snapped her fingers in front of her to get her attention. When she turned at her, a teasing grin was etched on Sera’s lips.

“What?” she scowled at her.

“Why are you staring at him?” Sera inquired curiously. The grin on her lips seemed indelible. “Did something happen?”

“What?” Wendy asked with a crumpled forehead. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s something between the two of you, I know,” Sera said confidently. “You don’t stare at people. It’s as if you don’t care. But the way you stared at him—it’s like you’re trying to figure him out or something.”

She suddenly stopped and consequently fell into pondering about what Sera had just stated. Did she really look like she was trying to figure him out? Maybe, she really was. Because no matter how she tried to deny to herself, there was this part of her that was curious of him.

“Who is he?” she had asked even before her mind could even think of what to say. Sera, on the other hand, seemed lost with her sudden question.

“What who?” she inquired, her face contorted with confusion.

Wendy’s eyes went straight to Kaiser, who was just staring outside the window. Again, Kaiser looked too disconnected with the world.

“Kaiser?” Sera confirmed, finally getting what her question meant. “Why do you ask? Everyone knows he is Kaiser Aldeguer, the topnotcher, the council president—Crawfordsville’s Emperor.”

“And?”

“And what? And that he is the only son of the rich and influential Aldeguer clan.”

“How did he become influential? What does his family do?”

“Well, the Aldeguers run an empire. They own world class hotels all over the globe. They also own shipping and airline companies. Plus the fact that his family, along with the families of the other elites, is a shareholder of this school. You see, they’re that powerful. They have connections in different parts of the world. Actually, what I’m telling you is an understatement. I, myself, couldn’t imagine how vast their richness is,” Sera paused for a couple of seconds, catching a glimpse of Kaiser. “And Kaiser is the only heir to the throne.”

Wendy followed the trail of Sera’s eyes. She saw Kaiser, still disconnected to the real world. His eyes were empty and vague. And she wondered how he sees the world with that kind of stare.

“Maybe, that is why he is that stiff. He carries an enormous responsibility on his shoulders.”

“So he’s always been like that?” Wendy asked, gesturing towards Kaiser.

“Like that?” Sera watched at Kaiser. “You mean like he doesn’t care about the world at all? Yeah. He’s been a total snob.”

Wendy’s gaze shifted from Kaiser to Sera, and she saw the latter’s eyes still intently glued to the emperor.

“But you know, he’s been acting weird lately.” Sera looked at her. “Like something’s amusing him.”

Wendy felt a little uncomfortable with Sera’s gaze.

“You sure are a very observant hater,” she whispered. “You hate him, don’t you?” she inquired.

Sera looked at her like she was suddenly caught off guard with that question. She blew a deep sigh, her eyes making a direct connection with her toes.

“Yes, I do hate him,” she said in a low voice. “I hate him because he knows he is the emperor. And I hate him more because he doesn’t seem to know how it feels like not to be in his place.” There was a trace of sadness on Sera’s voice. But after some seconds, she was able to look at her, her eyes fired with some kind of determination.

“You hate him, too, right?”

There was no doubt she hated him, too. She hated him the first day when he ignored her while she was asking what he wanted as a payment for his ‘kindness.’ She knew it hit a nerve on her when she saw how rude he really was when he just let their schoolmates bully the poor nerdy girl who spilled something on his shoe. All that pushed the nerd to stop schooling. And she hated him more when he just kissed her to shut her off. But she couldn’t grasp the courage to mouth her abhorrence.

“If you hate him,” Sera held her hand and squeezed it tight as if her life depended on it. Her eyes were almost pleading Wendy. “Please help me give him his own dose of medicine. Kick him out of his throne.”

Her heart throbbed in fear, because there was a part of her that wanted to help Sera, but she knew she shouldn’t. She couldn’t.

‘Wendy Kirst,’ her sanity talked to her. ‘Who are you? Who do you think you are to even consider intruding other’s business? Kaiser Aldeguer, and anyone else in this school is none of your business!’

She shook her head and tightened her resolve. “Why are you always bugging me about this, Sera? Who am I to even try to beat Kaiser? And what’s in it for me if I try to beat him?”

Disappointment flashed Sera’s face. She bit her lower lip and nodded her head, trying to tighten her beaten hope. “Right. I don’t know what’s in it for you,” Sera said with a doleful face.

“Good morning class!” Miss Fate’s loud and lively voice cut her thoughts. The Science teacher walked effortlessly in front of the classroom, wearing that amiable smile on her face. Their adviser was all set to start the discussion and the whole class was drawn to their teacher once more. Wendy sat comfortably on her chair, her chin resting on her arms. She wished the discussions about stars and planets could occupy her mind.

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