The Peculiar One: Chapter IV

“Reighll!” Maren tried her best to keep up with her best friend. She sighed and looked up before shaking her head. “I guess I have no choice,” She cleared her throat, frustrated. She teleported right in front of her friend, causing Reighll to bump right to her. The two girls fell on the floor.

“Ah, ****,” Reighll muttered, caressing her forehead. “Just what the hell?” She turned to the person whom she bumped to and saw her dear friend sitting right in front of her, pain evident on her eyes as she checked her back.

Reighll stood up, getting Maren’s attention. She held out a hand, surprising Maren.

Maren looked at her friend, then at her friend’s waiting hand. Reighll shook her hand like she got impatient for waiting for Maren’s hand.

“What? You don’t want my help?”

“No,” Maren took her hand to stand up. “I was just surprised.”

Reighll raised an eyebrow before walking away.

“How disrespectful.” She froze for a moment. “How dare she act like that in front of Miss Maren?” The mutterings of her schoolmates started. She just bit her lip before deciding to leave.

“Stop it, all of you.” Maren’s authoritative voice echoed through the whole hallway. The mutterings stopped. “If you’re going to speak ill of Reighll, please do make sure it won’t reach my ears. Because I swear, I won’t forgive whoever does that!” The students pressed their lips into a thin line and looked down. “Or better yet,” Maren glared, “Don’t ever speak ill of my dear best friend.”

Maren cleared her throat before leaving to chase after Reighll.

“Reighll!” She yelled and yelled Reighll’s name, but she couldn’t find her friend.

Maren decided to go to the school garden at the inner part of the school, just before the Ferine Forest. The forest was, of course, just exactly as its name described. Trees there were alive and there were creatures living there that was as dangerous as the plants found there, if not, more dangerous. The garden was the complete opposite of it though, which was so obvious.

But on her way to the garden, she saw the campus president, the girl raised by the King himself.

“Miss Maren?”

“Alva!” Maren exclaimed. “Great! Have you seen my friend? Reighll?” The girl tilted her head like she didn’t know what Maren was talking about, “I’m sorry, Miss?”

“Reighll! Have you seen her?” Maren repeated. Alva smile, “I… I am sorry, Miss Maren, but who is this girl you are talking about? And how did she manage to get pass the school gates? Outsiders are forbidden to enter the campus.” Maren looked at Alva like she couldn’t believe the girl in front of her.

“Alva,” she seriously spoke, “Reighll is not an outsider. She studies right here in this school.”

Alva’s expression changed. She now looked like she finally had an idea inside her mind. “Hmm, now that you mention it, Miss, that name is indeed familiar.”

Maren nodded, “Reighll Logene Vervendilla.”

Alva nodded, “Right! I know the girl. The girl the king told you to bring to him, right?” Alva said. “Uhm, I told her already about it, but…” She let out an awkward chuckle, “She just passed by me like I was the air itself.”

Maren looked apologetic as she bit her lip, “I’m very sorry about her behavior, Alva. She’s just like that, but I assure you, she’s a kind girl deep inside. She’s just not in the mood right now.” Maren said. “Where did you see her?”

“Inside the garden. I think she’s headed to a Latebrae.” Alva answered. Maren nodded and tapped Alva’s shoulder before leaving.

Alva embraced the books in her arms and watched the best student in the academy go to the garden.

“You… didn’t get what I said,” She muttered to thin air, “did you?” She shook her head, disappointed, before spinning around to leave the place.

▪️

Maren stepped a foot in the garden and the gigantic Latebraes welcomed her. The Latebrae is a plant that was as big as a cabin. Sometimes, students of this school go to the garden just to rest and relax inside it. There were Latebraes outside the school, too, of course. The plant was rare, though, and only the wealthy people had it. Unlike the other plants, this one was not one of those things magic can control.

All Latebraes were opened and were empty except for the farthest one. Maren stepped on the stairs that was formed from the plant’s roots. She knocked on the gigantic petal in front of her.

“Reighll, you’re there, aren’t you?” Maren said.

“Yes.”

Maren let out a sigh of relief, “Can you please open this up? I have to tell you something.”

“You can tell me about it without the plant opened,” Reighll said, “unless that thing is private.”

“It’s not, but please.” Maren insisted.

“Step back.” Maren smiled and stepped back.

A few seconds later, the petal fell and Maren stepped on it to enter the plant.

“What is it?” That was the first thing Reighll said to her. Maren nodded her head once and walked closer. “First, can I sit in front of you?” Reighll nodded.

Maren sat down on the chair just in front of Reighll. “Second,” she said, “I want to say sorry about earlier.” Reighll shook her head, “I’m used to it, it is okay.”

Maren grabbed her friend’s hand. “Reighll, you may be used to it already, but that won’t mean it is okay.” Maren close her eyes, “I really am sorry about it. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure that such thing won’t ever happen again.” Maren’s eyes opened again and her eyes caught Reighll nodding her head, “Thank you.”

Maren smiled.

“By the way, you really should say sorry to Alva.”

Reighll’s forehead creased like she didn’t know anything about what her friend was telling her. “Why? Have I done anything wrong to her?” Reighll asked. “What do you mean? Of course, you did! You ignored her, Reighll, and that was so rude of you!” Maren eyed her best friend while scolding her.

“What do you mean, Maren? When did I do that?”

“Just earlier, Reighll! On your way here. She told you something, but you ignored her like she was not there at all!” Maren said. Reighll just wanted to laugh in her friend’s face, but she couldn’t! She was so confused to do so! She had no idea about everything Maren was telling her.

“Wait, Maren. First of all, I don’t remember seeing her here earlier. Second, what the hell would she tell me?” Reighll watched Maren’s facial expression change into a confused girl. “But I saw her earlier. I asked her if she saw you and she said she did. She said she was telling you already what I have to tell you, but you just passed by her, you ignored her!”

Reighll rolled her eyes, “I really don’t know if you’re just making all this up, or she’s the one who made up a story.” Maren shrugged, “Well, I am certainly not. But she was right! You’re here!”

“Third, Maren Suetreia, what was that you just said earlier? What did you have to tell me?” Maren’s eyes widened in realization, “Do you still have to tell me about it?”

“The king called for you.”

Reighll raised an eyebrow, “Why would the old man do that?”

Maren frowned whe she heard what her best friend just called the King. “Reighll Vervendilla, you do know you’re being disrespectful, right?”

“Whatever. Just answer my question.” Reighll rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“I don’t know either.”

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