DY GRIMONY'S POV
"This is your location, Grade 11." - Teacher Lavenia
We all looked at each other. In front of us were some plants that were so beautiful. It was such a great spot for pictures.
"Don't be deceived by looks! You might think the plants behind me are pretty, but they're thorny and..." she took a deep breath, "...itchy on the skin. My dear Grade 11, those hideous things are wild plants. Pests in the garden!" Teacher Lavenia pointed at the wild plants with irritation. "And I want you all to eradicate those ugly things! I desire only beauty! Something that is pleasant to my beautiful eyes!"
Again, we all looked at each other. If our hunch was right, we were going to be the ones killing those weeds. When Ma'am Lavenia mentioned that they were itchy, we all suddenly felt itchy. People whispered that it was itchy even though we hadn't even started yet.
"But don't fret! Only the boys will cut those ugly wild plants while the girls assist," she announced elegantly.
"Life is so unfair."
"Where's the equity?"
"What the heck? I'm way too handsome to be pulling weeds."
I overheard the boys whispering.
"Who said that!?" The murmuring went silent at Ma'am's displeased tone.
Our gardening time happens at the same time as other sections and year levels, but since it was the first week of class, we weren't grouped with them yet. Ma'am said that next meeting, all year levels will be together.
Since we were in Grade 11, naturally we were assigned to the untouched part of the garden.
Every Friday is Agriculture. Wednesday is civilian day. Monday is P.E.
P.E. classes are by section because our homeroom advisers also serve as our P.E. teachers.
So that was it. The boys had to cut the weeds while the girls cleaned up what had been cut. We had to put everything into the sacks and throw them in the compost pit. Some girls even held umbrellas over the boys.
"Unique umbrella," I heard Azure say while shading Seth. "Where do you think Ma'am bought this?"
The umbrellas we were using were unusual. Unlike regular umbrellas, the ones Ma'am lent us looked like giant blooming flowers.
"For sure Ma'am's exskill is nature or the enlargement of things," Sol guessed. Maye was holding the umbrella for him.
Ish nodded. Speaking of Ish, he was under my umbrella. He had been quiet for a while. What did this guy swallow? Why's he on silent mode?
I looked around for his fangirls and spotted them in Class Mayari's group.
Their leader was holding an umbrella over one of their classmates.
"It's so hot here, Besssh!" - Fangirl #1
"Yes, Beshy, you're so right! And it itches too!" - Fangirl #2
"Can you not? Fix the umbrella!" their classmate complained.
I saw them backing away from the sunlight. They hated being under the sun as if it would kill them.
Hmmm... I think I have an idea... Haha!
I…
…bend the light.
It was hilarious watching them try to avoid the sunlight. I couldn't help but grin. Serves them right!
"Hey, what're you grinning about?" - Ish
I gave him my classic rolling eyeballs. "You know what… who wouldn't be amused? I mean look at you... while I'm just the umbrella holder."
He just rolled his eyes at me. He rolls his eyes so well—like a professional snob! Is Ish taking extra lessons?
He opened his mouth but closed it again. Looked like he wanted to say something but didn't continue. He glanced at his fangirls, then ignored me again.
"It's so hot! Let's move, Besssh?" - Fangirl 2
"Yeah... that's probably a good i—" - Fangirl #1
"Wait? Why's the sunlight following us?" - Fangirl #3
The two other fangirls raised their eyebrows.
"Am I going crazy?! It's seriously following us!" - Fangirl #3
The boy being shaded by fangirl #1 stood up. He looked confused.
I got distracted and lost focus for a second, not realizing that the other Mayari students were also starting to feel the heat.
Uh oh.
Uh oh.
Uhhh ohhhhh...
"What's happening?" They started asking questions.
Someone stepped in dramatically as if they were about to drop a bomb—
"Ah... maybe... it's not just girls who chase me… even the sun does? No doubt… I am handsome."
…what a conclusion.
"Shut up, Chisel!" - Fangirl #1
"The sun seems so focused on Mayari. Why not on Tala or Hanan?" They started to get suspicious and looked at Fallen.
"What're you staring at, Teo?" Fallen snapped.
Ooops. I quickly returned everything to normal. Their brows slightly rose at the weirdness of the sunlight earlier.
"It's just strange how the sun was targeting us." Teo said deadpanned.
Fallen looked surprised at Teo's accusation. He stood up and pushed away the girl holding the umbrella for him.
"What?! Don't just accuse me out of the blue!"
"Just admit it! Who'd even believe you? You're a lying pretty boy!" - Fangirl #3
"Hey! I'm not bothering you people! I shouldn't even be associating with peasants! Instead of suspecting me of something obviously not my doing, why not thank me for helping here?!"
Did he really call us peasants?
"Sometimes I lie, but not today! Promise! Cross my heart! Hope you die!" Fallen added. He raised his hand and made a cross over his heart.
Students paused what they were doing due to the rising tension between Fallen from Hanan and Teo from Mayari. Some started taking sides.
"Commonsense, Teo! Fall's a Sand User! How is that related to sun?" defended one of Fallen's friends, the one with the bubble exskill.
Teo paused and looked around. When he couldn't answer, one of his classmates backed him up.
"You guys need common sense! Gin, that Fallen classmate slash friend of yours is a jerk!" Some from Mayari snapped.
"Hey! You Mayari people, did your brains fall into a dark alley along with your common sense?!" shouted by the twin Emerald.
Then they started throwing weeds at each other.
Someone from Class Hanan created a turtle-shell shield for protection, while some in Class Mayari hid in yellow cubes. Those who didn't make it into the shields were now part of the weed-throwing war.
Teo and Fallen raised their eyebrows. They were supposed to be the ones arguing, but now their crazy classmates were the ones at war.
It's not just Fallen's group causing trouble here at ALVAACAD? There are more of them? Too bad Ma'am Lavenia left. She's not here to stop the chaos. She said she couldn't stay in a place with those ugly wild plants.
Class Tala was in between of Mayari and Hanan, we got caught in the crossfire. Sol was about to create a shield but Mirasol stopped him. Because of that, we ended up running away from the two fighting sections.
"You're such drama queens, Hanan!"
"No, you are, Mayari!"
"YOU'RE ALL JEJEMONS!"
"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM WITH JEJE?!"
"guyslistentomaamwillgetmadifsheseesyoufightin-"
"Shut up, Gali!"
"Stay out of this!"
I felt a little bad for Gali. He even tried to speak faster just so he wouldn't get cut o—
"Gali! Get out of there, you might get caught in it!" shouted by the concerned students from Hanan and Mayari.
"No! I'm not leaving!" Gali exclaimed. He bend down and slam his palm on the ground it causes the ground to vibrate as if a reaction from the force. The earth only calmed down once everyone else did.
Gali stood while the rest of us ducked and sat. He took a deep breath. "Listen to me. Ma'am Lavenia's not here but the C.A.T. Officer or someone from the SSG might see us! Do you want to end up in Guidance?"
Someone raised their hand. All attention went to them. "Let me speak." Everyone nodded. "Listen, Teo. It wasn't Fallen. If you're going to accuse someone, know their exskill first."
"Alios has a point." - Gin
Ah, Alios was the turtle-shell shield user.
"If not Fallen then... who?" - Teo
I gulped when I saw the plants around Teo wilting.
What happened?!
Teo was slightly shocked to see the plants dying around him. He panicked and looked at his hands, but relaxed when he saw he was still wearing his black gloves. I saw him take a deep breath and hug himself. Was he trying to calm down?
Don't tell me… that was his exskill?
In the middle of the chaos, someone suddenly spoke. "Wait... I think someone from Class Tala has a light-based exskill."
I gasped silently while everyone looked at Class Tala. Sol and I looked at each other.
Fall glared at us, and just when he was about to say something, one of my classmates stepped forward.
"I dare you, Mayari and Hanan."
Mayari and Hanan fell silent at the challenge. My classmate grinned and exhaled.
"Good choice! I assure y'all it will not end well for any of you if you make me angry."
Why did they all look… scared of him? Even Fallen and Teo seemed afraid?
"Enough, guys! Let's just forget this ever happened. Let's take a breather and exhale this tension, kay?" Mirasol advices, she's trying to cool down the rising tension.
It looked like everyone was convinced. The shields slowly disappeared.
I... I shouldn't have used my exskill. I just got annoyed at those fangirls. I didn't want a class clash.
"Hey, why so quiet? Scary, right?" Ish nudge my side.
"What're you talking about?" I whispered to him.
"I know what you did."
"Huh?!" My eyes widened, but before I could panic, he added—
"But don't worry, I won't snitch on you."
I sighed in relief.
"Just don't do it again. Like they say, think before you act. You're lucky Mirasol noticed what you did and stopped Sol from creating a shield. If he had, they would've known the two of you were guilty. You don't want your brother to get hurt too, right?"
To be continued...