The Moonlight Daughters

Strange Feelings

In a mansion along Brent Road. Where resides the family of Acosta...

The maids were outside on the balcony. They were waiting for someone to arrive. Among them was Seline's Aunt Naomi. Seline was beside her. She was standing quietly while watching the others conversing with each other. She was carrying a small square plastic container. Keeping her distance away from them since she's a little bit shy.

"I am shy," she told her. "Can we please go back home?"

"No," Naomi said. "Remember, you must have to thank Mr. Acosta for giving you free scholarship."

"Is he a scary guy?"

"No. Don't think that he is," Nime cheered.

She breathes in deeply.

"I was wondering why."

"Why what?" Nime asked.

"I was wondering why did he even grant me a full scholarship."

Her aunt was quiet. She was just listening to her.

"Isn't it awkward to grant a non-academic achiever a full scholarship?"

"That's why you must have to thank him. You are so lucky that Mr. Ian is a generous man."

Seline didn't respond. She creased her nose then she narrowed her eyes, reflecting on Aunt Nime's advice.

Then. A luxurious black SUV had entered the gate entrance of the mansion. The maids, and Seline, were watching it slowly approach while waiting for it to arrive in front of the spacious balcony.

"Is that him?" Seline asked.

"Yeah. Just get your food ready. I am sure he'll love it," Nime said.

"Uy. Enough talking. Get yourselves ready," one of the maids announced.

And so, everyone stood straight and they stopped talking. The SUV finally parked in front of the balcony. The maids were then waiting for Sir Ian to come out of the van. Seline got curious about what would he look like. He wasn't out of the SUV yet but Seline was getting more nervous. She focused her eyes on the person who was moving at the driver's seat on the silhouette of the dark windshield. But she can see that he was with someone. Nime noticed that her niece was sweating due to her nervousness.

"Are you okay, dear?" her Aunt suddenly nudged her.

Seline gasped for she got startled.

"Hey. Don't be nervous. Trust me," Nime told her.

She sighed. She looked at her aunt and she nodded with an uncertain expression on her face. Slowly, she looked at the SUV.

*****

"Are you okay?" Mr. Ian asked the person sitting beside him.

"Huh?" he immediately removed his earpiece when he heard him spoke.

"I said 'Let's get out of here'," he responded.

"Dad. Let me stay here for a minute."

"Suit yourself," he went out of the vehicle. "Just for a minute?" Ian pointed at him. Then he walked away heading to the balcony.

****

Seline was staring at the old man approaching. She looked at him nervously. At the same time, she can't help her heart raced faster since he's got a good-looking face. He's obviously half foreign.

The maids were excited. They greeted him just when he stepped on the balcony's tile floor. They approached him.

"How are you, Sir?" one of them asked.

"Stress as hell," he answered then laughed faintly.

"It seemed like you haven't aged a bit," one of them joked. The other maids laughed.

"I have been gone for a week. I miss this house."

Seline was keeping her distance. She was watching them joking and laughing. It made her smile slightly.

"Have you already prepared the merienda?" he then asked.

"Oh. We'll just prepare it now." Then, three maids entered the house. Three maids remained at the balcony including Seline's aunt.

Naomi. Looked back. She saw Seline standing away from them.

"By the way..." she told Ian.

She then signaled Seline to come closer by waving her hands up and down. Seline slowly walked forward. She felt that her nervousness was coming back. She finally faced him. He's more charming up close.

"This is Seline. My niece that I kept on telling you about. She wants to thank you for the scholarship."

"So. You are Seline," he slightly got surprised as he greeted him with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Sir," she smiled back at him. They shook hands.

"Ian. Ian Acosta."

"You have never mentioned that she's pretty."

Seline faintly chuckled and her cheeks blushed.

"Oh no, please, don't say that. Ahahahah," she said. You are the first person to say that," she laughed.

"I had prepared a graham cake. I made it especially just for you" She stretched out both her arms willing to give the container where she stored the food. Ian immediately accepted it. He thanked her afterward.

"You didn't need to, " He added.

"Umm... Take it as a 'Thank you' gift, Sir."

"Okay," he responded.

He lifted up the cover of the container to peek at the food inside. He also sniffed at it.

"Aah..." he exclaimed in delight after that. "I am sure this is delicious. You know what? I am pretty sure my son will gonna love this."

"Speaking of your son. Where is Ramsel?" Naomi asked.

"Ramsel!" he yelled to the person inside the SUV. "Would you please get out of there?"

Yet, he didn't come out.

"Ramsel! Ramsel! Huy!" He called again. "'This kid," he muttered.

Finally, his son opened the door. Seline was getting curious about the person she was sensing the inexplicable feeling besides Mr. Ian. A handsome boy, who looks similar to his father, having a light skin complexion, about the same age as she came out of the vehicle. She couldn't explain it but her heart suddenly raced faster.

She was watching him walk closer to them. She can't keep her eyes off him.

"Yes. Dad?" He smiled just when he arrived.

"What took you so long?" he complained.

"Just m**********g," he immediately answered.

Naomi, the two maids, and Seline got shocked. They widened their eyes and their mouths dropped as they gasp.

"Ahy... bad!" Naomi commented.

Ian laughed. Then he slapped Ramsel's back.

"Ah!" he yelled. He looked at his father with threatening eyes. His father also looked at him sternly.

"For God's sake, Rameses. Haven't you realized that we are talking to the ladies here?"

"I'm sorry," he then apologized as he laughed.

"I am just joking."

His smile on the face suddenly faded into surprise when his eyes brought him to Seline. He can feel an odd feeling coming from the mysterious girl. Seline was looking at him as insecure as he was.

"It seems like you know each other?" Ian suddenly spoke.

"Oh, no, Sir," Seline said.

"Oh hell, no," Ramsel said.

"The way you look at each other is gold," Rosita, one of the maids commented.

"Yeah," agreed the other one. "Your niece is really pretty, Nime."

"Your niece?" he looked at Nime with his face painted with a surprised expression. " She is your niece, Auntie Nime?" he pointed at her.

"Yes, she is my niece."

"I can't believe this. Who are you? Why do I sense something from you?" he said to Seline.

"Ha...hi?" she nervously waved her hands. "What are you talking about"

"Ramsel, what the hell are you...?" Ian reacted.

"Okay!" Ian clapped his hands. "Let's go inside the house so that we can taste Seline's graham cake. I can't wait ."

Everyone agreed.

Ian went in first, followed by Rosita and her friend. Seline, Nime, and Ramsel were left.

"I miss you," he drew near Nime and then he wrapped his arms around her.

"Miss you too," she hugged him back.

"Go. We'll get in later," Nime told him. And so, he walked towards the door.

Before he totally passes through the doorway, he turned back. He looked at Seline for a while. His face was blank. Luna can't determine what was he thinking.

Seline smiled and then slightly bow down her head. But he turned around without saying a word.

A few seconds later...

"Are you okay?" Nime asked.

Seline took a deep breath and she ballooned her cheeks. Then she nodded.

"Let's get inside."

And so, they went in.

****

It was a hot sunny day. Sherdel was in his favorite shed, sitting on a bench, watching a few students passing by. He sat still while thinking about their conversation with his father last night in their dinner.

***flashback***

At the dining area inside the Severino Alhibing's mansion...

There were five people sitting around the rectangular table. Sherdel was one of them. One side of the table, his father Severino Manio Alhibing, was at. On the opposite side sat his wife and an illegitimate mother to Sherdel. Sherdel sat alone on the other side while facing his two brothers whom he hates. Severine and his little brother were glaring at him. Sherdel glared back. They were quiet for a while. The maids were still laying the food on the table.

"So...Sherdel." His father spoke.

Sherdel nervously turned his head around.

"I heard you are seeing someone lately. Is that true?"

"Tsk." Severine sneered. "She's just nothing to him."

Sherdel looked at him. His eyes were darkened but other than that he didn't show any reaction.

"Yes," he answered.

"Tell me. Who is she to you?"

Sherdel took a couple of seconds of silence before he answered.

"She is as important as she is," he answered.

His father cleared his throat.

"Break her up."

Sherdel, Severino's wife, Severine, and Jordan widened their eyes in surprise while they took their eyes on the old man.

"Dad?"

"He's not your Dad. Ulol!" Jordan reacted.

"Jordan! Stop!" his mother yelled at him. Jordan kept quiet afterward.

"Break her up," his father repeated. "I know she doesn't mean anything to you. I also think that she is going to be a potential spouse for you."

"I don't understand," Sherdelino complained.

"Don't worry. I have someone in mind that suits you better than her," he said. "She is prettier and richer than her."

Sherdel rolled his eyes.

"Whatever Dad. I can't break her up just because you want it to."

"You can though. But don't worry, you will change your mind soon enough. I'm having an agreement with my friend."

"What kind of creepiness are you up to?" Sherdel suddenly got more nervous.

"We agreed that you and his daughter will be having a date."

"Thanks for inviting me to your dinner," Sherdel said as he stood up. His heart suddenly exploded in anger after he heard the news. He turned away from his father then he walked out of the dining room.

"Sherdel! Get back here!" His father yelled.

"Sherdel!"He shouted louder. But Sherdel continued to walk away towards the main door.

*Present*

"Bullshit!" he reacted in frustration, rubbing his hair gently while keeping his head down facing the ground.

Suddenly, he saw something shimmering on the ground. A tiny object indirectly stricken by sunlight had attracted his eyes. He stretched out his right arm to reach it. He lifted it up and he looked at it.

He had never seen anything like it. A stone almost as big as his thumb finger, transparent-resembling like crystal.

"A crystal?"

He stepped out of the shed to the spot where there is strong sunlight. He lifted it up and he observed it shine under the sun.

He suddenly remembered the moment when his brother collapsed in that exact shed where he always hanging out. He lowered his hand that was holding the 'stone'. He stared at it one more time as he tries to recall his memory.

Before he collapsed, Sherdel noticed a sparkle above Severine's shoulder. He just saw it for a second or two before Severine whimpered in pain then suddenly faint.

"Can this be..." he began to suspect. "Where did this thing came from?"

He wrapped it by his fingers and he slowly looked around.

****

"You are right, Apo Dionicio( nickname of Dionysus)," told Adan. "We are being investigated by the association."

"How did your friend got caught?"

"It started when I found out that an agent of them, Gisway, was spying on us. Then on, they are determined to capture us. They suddenly surprised at John Hay. We never had an idea that they tracked us down".

"Tsk. Tsk," he shook his head. "They are determined to arrest me"

"What are you going to do?" Adan asked.

"Let's hurry," he answered. "We must be in that land before they'll know."

"I also have something to tell you," he said.

"What is it?"

"Aside from the Association..." he gulped due to his nervousness. "There are people who can be a nuisance to our plans."

He readied his ears to whatever Adan will say.

"Our target is not the only Lignodon in the Horizon Reached."

"You mean there are more?" he brought his eyebrows close to each other, curious on what would Adan's about to say.

"The reason why I failed to grab Gisway is because of some students. "

"Students?" Dionysus creased his forehead.

"They are not ordinary. They are like us, but different at the same time. They have these abilities that I can't explain. I believe they are not Lignodons. I had never seen anyone like them in my life."

After hearing the news, Dionicio didn't give a reaction. He just remained quiet and gulped. He started to think.

"Go on, I'm listening," he ordered.