Valley of Remembrance...

When King flipped his hands, he sent Selene's spirit into the chaotic hallway of a typical high school. Since Selene and Edith had recently walked through the institution, it was not difficult for her to realize where she was. The only difference was that school was in session so there were many students present.

Even when Selene had walked through the deserted hallway earlier, she could tell it was an exclusive academy. From the building's exquisite design, the grand classrooms, and the faint aristocratic scent that seemed to cling to the very walls, it was evident such a distinguished educational environment could only belong to those from the upper class.

There were carvings and runes on every locker which on closer inspection was unique like it had been designed by the owner. At the center of the hall, there was a shimmering golden bust of an extraordinarily beautiful woman who had a gigantic crown on her head. Underneath the bust, a name was carved prettily:

Our Goddess Xenan, Guardian of the Province of Rodia.

The elegant students, neatly dressed in grey blazers and plaid skirts or trousers glided past her, ignoring the fancy decor in the hallway as it was an integral part of the world they came from. From the accessories they wore and the proud way they tossed their heads, Selene further confirmed her theory that they were all wealthy.

"I've always wondered why Aunt Tiana was super fancy and polished even though we weren't rolling in dough. My grandparents must have been wealthy." Selene said to herself.

However, it wasn't the intimidating display of wealth that made Selene's heart race. It was the chaotic buzz of the atmosphere.

There were floating red and white hearts all over the school. When one passed her, Selene could swear that the heart vibrated. She glanced at the poster on the wall which had a huge picture of a cheeky, handsome boy blowing kisses at every girl that passed.

"Hey, there! I'll be at the Sweethearts' ball tonight! Be sure to turn up!"  The boy said.

Selene jumped back in shock. She'd never seen anything like that poster on earth. No one seemed to be bothered by the poster as they all seemingly had bigger fish to fry.

Although she hadn't been born in Rodia, neither had she alive when the scene in front of her had taken place, Selene instantly knew what day it was. Judging by the ages of the students Selene could see, she knew they had finally reached the stage where dating and love had become important.

Valentine's Day.

When Selene had been around that age, she'd been hopelessly in love with Benjamin. She remembered how significant Valentine's Day had been. Every year, she would vow she'd talk to Benjamin but become tongue-tied when she stood in front of her crush.

Although Selene had done her best to be ignored, a couple of guys had hit on her. She never returned their affection until she met Larry.

Since Benjamin had been slightly older than her and his stepfather had more money than Tianna, Selene and Benjamin hadn't attended the same school and weren't even in the same grade. Selene had never really looked forward to Valentine's Day back then since the boy she liked attended another school and didn't pay much attention to her.

Usually, Selene would spend the day looking out of her classroom window, wondering how many girls had offered gifts to Benjamin. Since he was extremely handsome, sweet, and smart, she was sure many girls would be into him.

She didn't date anyone else before Larry but had always accepted whatever gift she received on Valentine's Day. Besides, it wasn't like she had ever been extremely popular with boys.

Selene could tell first period was about to start judging by the nervous energy she could sense. She saw a couple of boys hand out roses to their crushes who beamed at them. Selene even noticed a pretty girl who got over five roses.

Valentine's Day was usually an opportunity to flaunt how much others loved and desired you. Selene scanned the hall searching for her mother. There had to be a reason King had brought her here.

Just then, a tall guy closed his locker revealing a girl behind him.

"Mom!" Selene gasped. It seemed weird calling the young girl in front of her 'mom' when Selene was older than the girl was. Selene hadn't really seen pictures of her mom when Tabitha been younger.

Tabitha's beautiful brown eyes had a faraway expression Selene had often seen in her own eyes. Her fluffy hair surrounded her round face prettily with sleek baby hairs gelled prettily. Like Selene, Tabitha's beauty was rare and hidden like a precious gem.

While Tabitha might not have been as drop-dead gorgeous as the girl who had received 5 roses, she had an aura of genuine kindness that was both refreshing and captivating. Her large chocolate brown eyes(though not as enormous as Selene's) was enough to put anyone at ease.

Selene watched her mother bring out a black book from her locker, chew the end of her pen before she began scribbling in the black book. It reminded Selene so much of herself that she was sure she had copied it from her mother. Tabitha had a beautiful absentminded smile on her face as she wrote in her diary.

Selene had been too busy admiring how beautiful her mother was to notice at first. She turned her head, however, when the hall suddenly became noisier. The source of the noise seemed to be coming from a guy.

"Hey, Matthew! Looking good! Heard you've gotten back together with Felicia." The boy grinned.

"Yes. Thanks for your help! She'd never have forgiven me if you hadn't stepped in."

"Don't mention it! Hey Brenda! Looking beautiful as usual. You got five roses already? I bet you'll get ten more today!" The boy grinned at the pretty girl as he passed.

"As if! You'll get more gifts than me." The pretty girl smiled and sniffed her roses.

"I doubt that. Hey, Paul! Why do you look so sad? She rejected your rose? It's her loss. A little bird told me Olivia McIlroy has a crush on you. Why don't you ask her out instead?" The boy said.

As the boy approached, stopping to greet everyone on his way, Selene saw he was extremely handsome and that his uniform was well pressed. She instantly liked the boy not because of how handsome he was but because of the kindness she could see in his eyes.

Selene had come across several handsome boys in her lifetime and had even had the opportunity to date an eye candy like Laurence Pineal but she could confidently say she'd never seen any guy like the boy approaching her.

His smile was genuine and he never overlooked anyone. He even stopped to talk to the weird-looking guy in the corner whom everyone ignored.

People gravitated towards him like chicks surrounded their mother. He was the problem solver and the friend everyone wished they had. The only person in the hall who didn't pay attention to him was Tabitha as her eyes were focused on her little black book.

Tabitha was lost in one of the magical worlds in her mind where insignificant things like a cute popular guy didn't penetrate.

The boy reached his destination after a few minutes and stopped in front of Tabitha. Selene frowned, wondering who on earth the guy was. Tabitha, on the other hand, didn't notice the guy's shadow on her book until he spoke.

"Hello." He said shyly. He gently tapped Tabitha's book to get her attention.

Tabitha looked up. She widened her big brown eyes and peered over her shoulder to see if anyone was behind her.

"You're talking to me?" She asked as she raised one eyebrow.

"I don't see anyone else, do you?" The boy gifted her with a dazzling but nervous smile.

"Do you need something? Like directions to a class or an assignment? We don't even have classes together except General Magical Studies. Do you need my note from that class? I think I have it here somewhere" Tabitha reached into her locker for her book.

"No. I just want a few minutes of your time. I mean, I want to talk to you." The boy said.

"Uhm, ok. What can I help you with, Isaac?" Tabitha asked.

Selene gasped.

"So that's my dad! I've always wondered who managed to capture mom's heart. She never dated anyone after she had me and I never bothered about who my father was when she was alive." She said.

She had to admit that while her father was really handsome, she looked nothing like him. She was truly her mother's daughter.

"You know my name?" Isaac beamed. Though he was apparently very popular, it was obvious he hadn't expected to have been noticed by a girl like Tabitha.

"You're the most popular boy in school. People talk about you a lot. Sometimes I listen." Tabitha shrugged.

"I hope you've only heard good things," Isaac said.

"Mostly pleasant. I'm sorry. I still haven't figured out why you're talking to me." Tabitha gave him a polite but distracted smile. Isaac cleared her throat nervously and shoved a card her way.

Tabitha looked at the card, back at him and the card again. The confusion in her eyes was evident. She took the card from him.

"Why are you giving me this? It's addressed to me. Were you asked to deliver it?" She asked.

"Of course not. I'm giving it to you because I'd like you to be my Valentine, Tabitha." He said.

"What? Why?" She blinked.

Isaac licked his lips nervously.
"I've liked you for over a year but like you said we don't have a lot of classes together so I've never gotten the chance to talk to you. I think you're beautiful, sweet and kind. I'd love to get to know more about you...only if you'd like, of course." He said hurriedly.

Tabitha tilted her head to look up at him.
"I don't understand. Why would you like to know me? I can assure you that there's nothing particularly fascinating about me." She said.

"I find you very fascinating, Tabitha. Of course, I'd understand if you wouldn't agree to date me right now. That's why I want you to get to know me first." He said.

"I thought you already had a girlfriend." She said.

"Who said so?" Isaac frowned.

"Aren't you dating that girl? Debbie?" Tabitha asked.

"I'm not. You might not know me well, but I can swear I'm not that kind of guy. I wouldn't be standing here if I was with her. I don't have feelings for her." Isaac said.

"Does she know that? I'm a really quiet girl. I don't like drama. I'd rather not get on Debbie's bad side." Tabitha winced.

"This is ridiculous. There's nothing going on between Debbie and me. She's just my friend and nothing else. I've never seen her as anything but a friend. I like you." Isaac said.

Tabitha opened her mouth to speak when a loud shriek sounded behind them.

"You fucking bitch!" An angry female voice said.

Selene turned to see Debbie looking like an angry bull. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying but nothing annoyed her more than seeing her crush confess his love to another girl.

Tabitha backed away at once.

"You're trying to steal my boyfriend! You stupid bitch!" Deborah shouted.

"Debbie, stop this nonsense. We are not dating. I've never asked you out neither have I ever done anything to make you think we were more than friends. I just don't see you that way." Isaac tried to keep his voice low hoping Deborah would take the hint.

She didn't.

"You're breaking up with me because of this bitch! She won't love you the way I do. She's a Magi, isn't she? She probably bewitched you! You and I belong together." Debbie flung herself at Tabitha.

Isaac stepped forward before Debbie could claw out Tabitha's eyes. Tabitha used the opportunity to back away.

"I'll kill you! You fucking man-stealing bitch! Is this who you've been cheating on me with? I went to wait for you in the Eastern Tower and you're here with another girl?" Debbie shouted.

Isaac held her hands and shook her firmly.
"You need to stop this! Eric was right! I should've told you earlier! I don't see you that way and I never will. I'm sorry but I like Tabitha. I've liked her for a while and you're ruining any chance I  have with her right now. Please stop this." He said.

Everyone had stopped pretending they weren't looking. Selene could hear everyone whispering shamelessly.

"Isn't she a shameless bitch?"

"Poor Isaac! Who was that girl he was asking out?"

"Who knows? She's probably freaked out. I know I'd be! It's a pity too. Isaac is so cute."

"I can't believe she really thinks Isaac would like her. I wouldn't be attracted to her even if she gave me a love potion.  She's so creepy!"

Debbie clenched her jaw when she saw how Isaac looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"After this, I'm not sure I even want to be your friend." He said quietly. He let go of her hand for a split second, probably thinking Debbie had calmed down after he'd told her he didn't want to be her friend anymore. He was wrong.

"If I can't have you, then no one can!" Debbie shouted and turned around. She stretched her hands towards Tabitha who had managed to put some distance between them. Tabitha chose that moment to look back.

Selene watched her mother's eyes widen with horror. Like Selene, she avoided drama and trouble so she had never seen someone look at her with so much hatred. Selene heard Debbie shout some words in a language she couldn't understand, however, she knew it was a curse.

Black sparks left Debbie's hand and rushed forward to attack Tabitha Feather. Just when she thought it would hit Tabitha, she suddenly saw Isaac in front of her mother shouting out a spell:

"Hexes and curses
Fire and stone
I return them to you
Tenfold."

A large glass mirror appeared at once and reflected the hex to Debbie. At once, the girl fell to the ground screaming in pain. Her skin began to turn charcoal black, causing everyone around her to back away in horror.

"What is the meaning of this?" A loud authoritative voice said suddenly. Everyone turned towards the direction of the voice. It was a stern-looking woman with silver hair and eyes.

"She did this! she hurt me!" Debbie screamed.

"No! You did this! Tabitha would never attack anyone! You're the crazy one!" Isaac shouted.

Everyone began to murmur in agreement.

"Yeah, Tabby is sweet. She never disturbs anyone."

"Debbie attacked her for no reason. That's why you shouldn't allow paupers into our school."

"But why does her skin look so awful? It doesn't look like any hex I know."

"Do you think she was trying to kill Tabby? Oh, my Gawd! She is insane."

"Enough! I want everyone involved in my office right now! Get the nurse as well! Someone will be expelled for this hullabaloo!" The woman snapped.

Selene stretched her hands to her parents who were both looking at Deborah in shock when she was suddenly pulled back from the Valley of Remembrance by a voice that sounded like Edith's.

"Selene! Oh Selene, come back! We're under attack!"

#M.M