One

I squealed in glee upon gazing on one envelope in my hand. The opening was originally brown but I seared the seal open, resulting it be torn white due to the peel. But I had not regretted it. I was only filled with absolute excitement on my desired university, whether I had entered successfully or refused into doom. For days and weeks had I been manifesting, praying to all supernatural entities that they could grant my wish. In result to my worry was my hair continuously falling down. I rarely brushed my hair because of that reason, yet even from a touch of my hand would strands of hair went along.

I was terrified to be bald.

Although, I had already imagine what must it felt like to have no hair. Would it be fresh for the head? Would it be airy, creating a freedom effect? Or would it be dangerous to go around and burn the head from the heat of the sun or rather have birds plucked their beaks against the shine? I squashed that thought away. It made me shudder in horror just having its remembrance.

I managed to slide out the letter carefully. I drew a hard breath, then sighed. I wanted to calm my nerves and seemed that breathing exercises was effective enough. When I discern the fact that I was ready, I unraveled the folds and read the content.

Hello Seraphiel,

This is Neinhart University and we are pleased to tell you that you had passed to the course you desired. Congratulations! To confirm your slot, please comply all of the requirements listed below and submit all of this before xx-xx-xxxx. Failed to pass the requirements, the university will erase your name from the enrollees list.

(1) Birth Certificate

(2) Original Copy of the Grades

(3) Good moral.

All of the documents shall be passed in a white folder, sheathed with brown envelope.

Thank you for pursuing Neinhart University.

Yours truly,

Dr. Democrito

I squealed once more. And my heart was pounding so fast, creating a reverberating sound. How did I become so lucky? It was rumoured that among all of the applicants, tens of thousands I heard, the university would only accept a thousand. Which meant that those people who had been selected in the said school would be extremely intelligent and immense luck that sided within.

Exuberant, I strode away from the mail box and reached my mother who was bewildered of my sudden jocundity. My mother was a businesswoman. Upon puncturing my eyes on her, there I figured she was working on countless of documents that she brought from work.

"What happened to you? Why are you shouting in a broad daylight? Had you not—"

Before she could go on in her no ending sentiments and long minutes of lecture, I intervened quickly. "Ma! I got in!"

"You got in what?" Eva asked in perfunctory, raising her eyebrows.

"Neinhart University!"

Her suspicious gaze were long gone and on those sockets morphed widened in surprise. She looked at me, owl-eyed.

"Really?!" She exclaimed. "You must be so proud."

We were both smiling. "Of course! Around a hundred thousand wanted to apply and I was one of the lucky ones that passed the one-thousand cut off!"

She clasped both her hands then applauded in awe. Her eyes now gaped on me with astonishment. "Wow. My daughter is so smart. By the way, is that through letter? How about Carmela, your friends?" she pondered.

I returned a hum. My eyes gazed involuntarily upwards, thinking. "I don't know." I looked back at her. "I should call them and tell you the results later."

I sprung up my feet and lumbered down to my room. Had I heard my mother calling her husband on my way. Her voice was too loud that I doubt our neighbors could not hear. Guess the high volume of her voice was needed as my father was working on the fields. He was a househusband and went around doing all chores inside the house. He had also been keen of the gardens, my mother was also was. With both decisions they built fields, different vegetables planted in each column of the grounds. Celeste had fancied the products.

The more I was close to my room, the loud excited voices were getting weaker. Taking no further notice, I swung the door knob and pushed the door, enough to permit my entry. I entered without making too much noise and then shut it behind my body.

I dimly recalled where had I placed my phone. My eyes skirted around the walls that kissed each other in the corners, and eventually found my device. It was laying on the pile of books I put on the side of the table. The light that streamed through the unshuttered windows passed on the screen, creating rainbow hues on my ceiling. I stared at its direction and quickly wide-eyed when I realized the reflection slowly burnt the wood, making the terra cotta colour faded into black. I creased my eyebrows and ran towards my phone. I snatched it back.

Upon examining the entirety of the item, I saw no damage, making me grateful that I placed protective plastic on the screen. Although, I was not entirely wary that the plastic could effectively help to avoid any damages.

Heaving a sigh, I scrolled on my contacts and called Carmela first. I was planning to call Carol at the beginning, but my best friend's name was on the top. Nevertheless, I could still manage to contact them one by one.

"Hey, Carms!" I greeted after three rings.

Carmela had lived nearby. She was my neighbor for consecutive years in this lifetime and, although, there were times we fought on most simple things, we still made up in the end. We both figured that when we were in a bad blood, all we needed was space. And only space.

Was it?

There were moments that I wonder, on what extent would we stay like this. Nonsense fights then made up. And then, for another simpler things, fights of no notable basis sprung.

"Yow." She simply replied with a tone of placidity.

Was she playing games? I playfully thought on my mind.

"I got in, Carms." I told, surprisingly calmer yet expectant with an excited response. But my aim was failed when she hummed in a familiar questioning tone. "I passed in Neinhart University!" I clarified, now in much higher voice.

My grin were as wide as the clown's. I had hope she would be extremely thrilled on my news, and her response obviously imbued with trepidation answered me.

"What? Really?" There were sounds of clacking, as if they were sounds coming from biting the nails. "Oh my, I still don't know if I got in."

"Go to your mail box, quick, quick! I wanna know the results!"

"Okay, fine. Wait." She said.

Sounds followed her foot steps and I was therefore assured that she was indeed going for her mails. I waited patiently. Although, I could scarcely hide my joy of this news. Just by thinking of it, my smile would creep out from my lips; it was as if they had minds on their own.

My phone vibrated. I wondered what it was. As I checked on the notifications, a message from Angelo was viewed. I shrieked.

"AHH~ CARMS, CARMS!" I called her repeatedly.

"What? Your voice is too loud!" moaned Carmela.

"Angelo also passed. My goodness, if you and Carol passed, we'll be going together!"

"Hopefully, Zara too. Just wait, I see a brown email. Is this it?" I confirmed, nodding even though I knew she wouldn't see it. "Wait, lemme open it . . . OMG! I GOT IN!"

My eyes flickered in happiness as I jumped around the ground. "Oh my, Oh my. I'm telling ya, we'll be together in the university. Congratulations!"

Our conversation went on and on and on. Several topics transpired within the call and it was really dreading that we could not see each other regardless of the near distance of our houses. We were too tired on going out, as if we had been stricken by the curse of sloth.

Though, in the midst of our girlish giggling was a message from Carol who passed as well and Zara who passed and been whining why couldn't we be contacted. Perhaps, I replied that Carmela and I had been calling and the phones automatically refused more incoming calls.

I was correct indeed in my assumption.

We both hung up from the call. I lightly threw my phone on the soft, white linens of my bed as I stared on the outside from my windows. My mind started wandering off into hundreds of thoughts, scurrying around and riding the train as I tackled my imaginations. The white, silky curtains flew back with the gushing wind, birds chirping in symphony of wondrous tunes.

I stared in the surroundings with nonchalance.

My family and I had been living in this small, peaceful village for years. My father bought this when he had been still working, but when I birthed from the womb of my mother, he had resigned to take care of me hands on. Both Eva and Celeste had not favoured to hire someone to babysit and detested on what could be the outcome. So, with careful thinking and considerations, my father quit his job. However, as time went by, he was happy in his decision. He had always wished to work on the fields as just a hobby and not work that filled with absolute vigor.

The lands were draped in green and brown; carabao grasses healthily growing around as the ground was as ember as the colour of the mud. Although, the surface rarely turned into a mire. Rain poured down, either heavy or light, and puddles would be its usual result. So, as the villagers and home owners, we could only care less.

However, as I resumed in my sightseeing, my mind rekindled a thought. The moment I entered the grounds of College would I miss this hometown view. Though, I had not completely understood why Carmela resented this town. Had she grown tired of the daily panoramic landscape of the lands? Or had she now bored of her routine-like life? Either way, it might had been both. Compared to Zara, she was a half-eccentric person. She liked to travel and settled on one country, then go another when grew bored.

I heaved a weary sigh as I placed my chin on my arm. I was worried. I grew with only parents around, not that I was worried to live alone but because I was about to leave my parents in another city few miles away. They were already in their late fifties, and I was an only child. Surely, they would miss their daughter and live in painfully quiet. Had I remembered they told me before, they felt like seemingly alone when I wasn't around. It was only a one-month vacation, in which Carmela greatly overjoyed.

A notebook caught my eye. It was the same notebook that I had written with all of my supernatural notes and beliefs. I had never shown this to anyone, not even to my parents or Carmela. Unlike my friends, Carmela was not entirely acute on the idea that unseen entities were real. Instead, she used to call them as products of Human's imaginations, transparent, and foolish illusory.

However, I did not believe her.

I had known in myself that they had exist. Angels existed, Devils as well. Spirit Guides, Soul Mates, Twin Flames, Archangels, Archdemons, Ghosts, Dwarves, Fairies, and more that I could no longer name. But there were times that I could not understand. Humans had so many beliefs: Gods that differ from names and power, Religions of different interpretations, and silent faiths of spiritual people. So many known individuals had formulated theories and imaginations. Though, even how much people tried to connect, still ended up with unexplored questions.

My father was included. Hence, I thought it might be from him that my indulgence against spiritual things did not cease.

There were also astrology, stars that gave meaning of one's birth. I had tried to connect them countlessly on my learnings, aliens included. But I was concluded with the same results. Therefore, I was ascertained that the capacity of Human's Intelligence was limited. Only those who thought they already knew everything were the ones who knew nothing.

I skimmed through the pages of my notebook. Its smell lingered through my nostrils, oblivious if it was purely from the leaves or the combination of the ink written on it.

A topic caught my eye.

Lucifer.

Everybody had known of his name. He was sometimes referred to as Satan. However, how was it that I felt familiarity of his name? It was as if I had met him.

I shook my head.

I should not cater myself into the devil. Deeming it was the safest to conclude that Humans had no capacity to go against the demons, how much more its Leader? Lucifer was written in every books as someone who had infinite power. Archangel Michael was said as the only Angel who could bar him, in terms of both power and strength. It was once written that Celestial War had gone off long before Universe even existed and a lot of Angels that remained in God's side had been severed, smeared with their own blood fighting against him.

Later what happened was a mystery to Humans.

Some said that it was Michael who defeated him after long lengths of battle. Some told that God broke the war by banishing the rebel to the lowest realms. And some had spoken that it was Lucifer who surrendered and accepted his fate.

There were no truths that resided within. Interpretations were hazy, blurred of the natural ignorance of Humans. Even the factual sense of what could happen after death.

I strongly believed that there were several incarnations, its limit only known by prophecy. But some of my friends believed either dispersed in the void or turned to wandering phantoms.

If this went along to my assumptions, I had not feared death. After all, Judgement Day was the only thing waiting to occur.

"I wish more knowledge, Angels..." was the only thing I muttered as I gazed on the bluish skies.

∘₊✧۩۞۩۞۩✧₊∘

Two months had passed by from the announcement and we had been summoned from the university for freshmen orrientation. In haste, five of us packed our luggages and traveled from one city to another a week prior to the said date.

Zara's impressive connection had greatly helped us. She had known a kind family from the city we should be living for the rest of our four years and asked if they could find some huge apartment that would fit all of us. Cheap payment every month, filled with all necessities, and allowed Angelo to live with four women. They had found one. Its distance was not far from the university and actually near to convenient stores and supermart. The only thing we needed to concern ourselves with were the monetary budget that our parents give every week for allowance.

I was not used to budgeting.

That was the thing that bugged my mind. Once I get my hands on money, no matter how huge or small it was, I had liked to use it and buy a lot of food products. That resulted Carol to collect our money and act as the household's treasurer and auditor. She was the only one thrifty amongst the coven of shopaholic people. Though, if we had to ask for money, it was almost seemed as asking money from individual parents as she would fill us in with interrogating questions, even if it was our own money. It was helpful, somehow. It aided us to be mindful, but there were times we're dreading to get it.

My face was flat upon peering on the stage. The program was bound to soon begin and everyone was seated on vacant chairs. It was seven in the morning and the skies were already as bright as mid-morning. Although, wind brushed our skin, I was not really thrilled on this assembly, for my eyes could not adjust at the bright light.

My eyes were not even coloured. How did I become nocturnal?

A tap on the mic moped on every walls of the convention. Everyone's attention then perforated on a man seemingly be an emcee of the event.

I was not very excited as I was when I received my acceptance letter. I wanted to yawn, I was so bored and drowsy that we had to get up earlier than usual.

I flung my head against Carmela and Carol. They were much attentive, and saddening as it was, they were not relatively similar to me. Both women were used on waking up at the crack of dawn, either four or five in the morning. I was not certain of the reason that they slept so late and woke up extremely early. Was it body clock?

My gaze went onto another side and saw Zara yawning. I abruptly stopped her, slapping her arm.

"Zara!" I reprimanded in a whispering voice, careful not to draw attention. "Stop yawning. You're in a formal crowd. Did you see anyone yawning or doing any farcical acts?"

The opposite lass shook her head.

"See? So, stop that."

"But," she replied. "I did not get enough sleep last night. Come on, just this once, would 'ya?"

"What? No—"

A shush from Angelo, who was sitting reverently in front of us, interfered me. I eyed Zara with warn.

"Yawn when we're out. Not here." I finished before settling my eyes back in front.

My lips spread thinly straight as I listened on the shared sentences. I was also drowsy but unlike Zara, I had not permitted myself to open my mouth and let out a yawn, eventually eating what I told her. It would appear that my words had been potent that the woman had not did her act once more.

I tapped my thighs lightly, creating music in my brain to distract me from sloth. I figured that it would take more time for the speaker to finish his words. Had I not been familiar of the school rules, I would have been enthralled of what had the latter was speaking of.

A stretch from my arm then followed after it was announced that we would be toured around to avoid loss. I had been waiting for this to end. I let out a small yawn then groomed my white dress as I linked my arm across Zara's. She might had been seen as immature but she was a fine person. In front were Carmela and Carol who's posing for camera as they walked. Angelo was behind us, casually hid his hands on his pockets. He was seen complacent and gaping to people of what might he was already fascinated of.

As we scurried through the hallways, an obsidian silhouette caught the corners of my eyes. I ignored it, thinking I was only hallucinating it.

However, when we plodded in another turn, there was again the familiar silhouette that I saw before. I halted. Curioser and curioser, I wanted to find out behind the shadow.

"Is something the matter, Sera?" Carol asked.

I swung my head and poked my eyes on her. I laughed awkwardly. "Nothing. I thought I saw something."

"Really? Come on, we should get going. I want this to end already. My feet are swelling!" moaned Carmela in distress.

I nodded. "Sure, sure."

We began to walk. But my mind was already fugitive on the valet of nothingness.

"What was that?" I questioned.

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