I paced back and forth inside my room, trying to figure out what Seth just told me.

Those voices I heard back then... could it be that I've read their minds? But, if I could read minds, then I should've read the minds of every person I passed by. Hindi ko naman kilala 'yong mga taong humahabol sa amin noon kaya imposible na nabasa ko ang nasa isip nila. Ano ba ang specifics ng spectra na'to?

I shook my head in distress. This wasn't working at all.

Naisipan kong lumabas ulit ng kwarto ko. Mas makakapag-isip ako nang maayos sa labas kung saan tirik ang araw. Mas maliwanag at maaliwalas.

After stepping out of the elevator, I saw Jodielyn, Sharilee and Veronicka sitting and chatting at the lobby on the ground floor. Nang makita nila ako, nakita ko ang pag-irap ng mata ni Jodielyn sa akin. Hindi ko nalang ito pinansin. Bakit ba galit na galit siya sa akin? Siya naman itong na-disqualify sa laban.

Sighing, I proceeded outside the dorm. Ayon sa relo ko, alas-sais na ng hapon. Hindi pa kami nagha-hapunan.

On my way to the other building, someone suddenly called out my name. I turned around and saw Luther approaching. "Maxine! San ka pupunta?"

"Diyan lang," sagot ko.

"Gusto mo bang sumama sa akin?" he suddenly asked, causing me to frown at him.

"Saan?"

"You'll see." Luther grabbed my hand, leading the way.

After walking for what seemed like forever, we reached south of the Academy, which looked like a forest. Luther continued to pull my hand, so I just followed silently.

Hindi naman nakakatakot dito sa gubat dahil maliwanag pa rin. Mukha lang kaming nasa isang malaking maze dahil sa dami ng mataas na puno. Kapag nawala ako dito, baka hindi ko mahanap agad ang labasan.

"Dito na tayo." Luther stopped, releasing my hand from his grip.

Napatingin ako sa harap namin. Namangha ako sa nakita kong malawak na katubigan na nababalot ng yelo. Hindi ko alam kung ilog ba ito o lawa.

"Nasaan tayo?" tanong ko sa aking kasama.

Luther turned to me, smiling. "Lake Crystal. Dati itong lawa, pero naging yelo lahat ng ito ilang taon na ang nakalipas. Hindi namin alam kung sino ang may gawa."

"Wow!" I marvelled in awe, looking at the lake in front of me. Ang weird lang na nanatili itong yelo kahit na sobrang tirik ng araw dito.

"Lapit tayo?" Luther asked, offering his hand to me again.

I nodded, taking his hand. We both moved closer to the ice-covered lake. I got fascinated as I noticed that the ice was so clear that you could really see your reflection on it, like a mirror. "Wow!" I mumbled again.

Luther chuckled at me. "Walang masyadong nakakaalam ng lugar na 'to."

I looked at him beside me. "Ha? Bakit naman?"

"Dahil pinagbabawalan kaming pumasok sa gubat kung saan tayo dumaan."

Namilog ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Ibig sabihin bawal tayo dito?"

Luther chuckled. "Kaya secret lang 'to, okay?"

I sighed, taking a step forward on the icy lake.

"Mag-iingat ka," he reminded me, taking my hand.

I took slow steps as I finally reached the middle. I almost slipped, but luckily, Luther was there to catch me. We both sat down on the icy ground. Napansin kong hindi malamig ang sahig. Actually, parang nasa normal temperature lang ang buong paligid.

"So, alam mo na ba ang spectra mo?" Luther suddenly asked, facing me.

I shook my head at him. "Hindi pa."

"Okay lang yan. Ako nga rin noon hindi ko alam na may spectra ako," he confessed, looking far away.

I turned to him with a frown. "So, paano mo nalaman?"

He shrugged, looking away. "Isang araw, napansin ko nalang na kaya kong kontrolin ang mga bagay gamit ang isip ko."

"Talaga?" I asked in bewilderment. "Paano?"

He stared at me for awhile, and then suddenly, there was a rose floating in the air and coming towards my direction. My eyes were fixed on the floating white rose in front of me, which I realized was from the rose garden near the Academy. "A-Ano'ng-" I stutteringly mumbled, as the rose landed on my lap.

Luther smiled. "Para sa'yo."

"Thank you." I held the rose in my hand. "Ang galing ng spectra mo." Kaya rin ba niyang kontrolin ang isip ng mga tao?

"Hindi ko kaya kontrolin ang isip ng tao," sinagot niya ang tanong sa isip ko.

"Sana malaman ko na rin ang akin."

"Malalaman mo rin 'yan," he reassured, placing his hand on top of mine.

But, instead of feeling weird inside, I suddenly felt a pang of pain in my head. And then, a figure of someone came rushing into my mind. It was hazy and blurry, so I couldn't recognize the person.

All I knew was that someone was watching me and Luther right now.

****

Nang makabalik na ako sa dorm namin, nakita kong may nakatayo sa labas ng kwarto ko.

I looked at him in confusion, but he kept a straight face. His arms were crossed over his chest, as if ready to scold me.

When I reached my door, he finally looked at me. "Saan ka galing?"

"Diyan lang. Teka, bakit mo tinatanong?" I asked him with creased brows. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero sa tuwing tinitignan ko ang mga mata ni Seth, parang dumudoble ang bilis ng pulso ko. Agad kong binaba ang tingin ko sa kanya.

"Hindi mo ba naaalala ang sinabi ni Madame Lud? Kailangan mong alamin ang spectra mo. Hindi 'yong nakikipaglandian ka sa kung sino."

I looked up at him and frowned. Ano ba'ng pinagsasabi nito? Landi? Ako? Si Luther ba ang tinutukoy niya? "Teka, nandoon ka ba sa Lake Crystal kanina? Nakita mo kami ni Luther?" I confronted him, remembering that gut feeling I had earlier. Sabi ko na nga ba may nakatingin sa amin kanina.

"Oo, nandoon ako. Bakit? Sa inyo ba ang lugar na 'yon? Bawal ba ako doon?" Seth muttered with a hint of irritation in his voice. Parang ngayon ko lang narinig na ganito ang tono ng boses niya. Tsaka iba yung tingin niya sa akin. Hindi ko malaman kung galit siya o ano.

"May sinabi ba akong bawal ka doon? Ano ba'ng problema mo? Tsaka, ano naman kung kasama ko si Luther?"

"Nag-aalala lang ako na baka sa susunod na klase ni Madame Lud, ipatapon ka niyang mag-isa sa gubat at hindi ka na makalabas ng buhay. Alam mo bang maraming nagtatagong mahiwagang nilalang doon? Ni hindi mo pa alam kung ano ang kakayahan mo. Siguro gusto mong lagi kang nililigtas ng ibang tao. Nakalimutan mo na bang kailangan tayo ng mga nasa Cosmos? Kung hindi mo kayang ipagtanggol ang sarili mo, siguro mas mabuti pang umalis ka na dito," he finished, before walking away from me.

I was left there on my spot, words unable to come out of my mouth. I wasn't even able to defend myself. And even if I could've, I wouldn't dare do it because everything that he said was right.

Siguro nga selfish ako. O baka takot lang ako na mamatay ako dito nang hindi ko man lang nalalaman ang katotohanan tungkol kay dad... tungkol sa akin.

Tama si Seth. Mas mabuti pang umalis nalang ako dito. Hindi naman ako kailangan dito. Wala rin naman akong maitutulong sa kanila. Pabigat lang ako.

For the first time in my life, someone actually made me feel I was useless.