An hour later, I was sitting awkwardly with my new classmates in this special class.

I was seriously freaking out inside me because I knew all of them have special abilities. On the other hand, I was still on the process of discovering it. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung mayroon ba talaga akong ability o wala.

"Maxine! Are you listening?" Madame Lud asked, interrupting my thoughts. She was our teacher for that day, who was an expert in internal abilities, such as healing, necromancy, sorcery and basically anything, which can be controlled by the mind.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered, stutteringly, facing front. I straightened my back on the seat. It didn't feel comfortable at all, but I tried to remind myself that I had to endure. This was a punishment after all.

"Obviously, she's not," I heard one of the three girls mutter, glancing at me.

I ignored her remark as Madame Lud continued her discussion with the anatomy of the brain. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang significance ng anatomy class na ito sa paggamit ng abilities, pero sino ba naman ako para kuwestiyunin sila?

Matapos pa ang ilang minuto, pinatayo kaming lahat ni Madame Lud. She made us all stand up in two lines. "Now, face each other!" she ordered.

Napatingin ako sa kaharap ko. I got paired up with the girl who just commented about me earlier. "You have five minutes to think of a strategy to beat your partner using your abilities without touching him or her... meaning no physical contact. The rule here is simple. The first one who steps out of the circle will lose."

I got confused. Circle? Ano'ng circle?

And in an instant, a surge of light came from somewhere drawing a circle in the middle of the floor. "Now first pair: Sharilee and Veronicka, step inside the circle!" utos ni Madame Lud.

The two girls proceeded in the circle. Apparently, Sharilee was the short girl and Veronicka was the red-haired girl. They both stared at each other, gauging their actions as they prepared to fight.

I glanced at my opponent. Mukhang relaxed na relaxed siya. Baka may naisip na siyang strategy para patayin - I mean - paalisin ako sa circle. Ano naman ang gagawin ko? Sumuko nalang kaya ako?

I was still on the verge of thinking, when Madame Lud already announced that Veronicka won. I looked at them and saw Sharilee already out of the circle with branches of roots pulling her feet from the ground. Saan naman galing 'yong mga halaman na 'yon?

Just then, Veronicka snapped her fingers, releasing Sharilee from being held captive. Mukhang may ability si Veronicka na kontrolin ang mga halaman.

"Next pair: Seth and Kyle!" Madame Lud announced.

I watched as the two stepped inside the circle. Nanatiling walang emosiyon ang mukha ni Seth habang panay naman ang ngiti sa mukha ni Kyle. Polar opposites talaga ang dalawang magkaibigan.

When the signal started, Seth released a strong gush of wind from his hands towards the direction of Kyle. But as soon as he did this, Kyle was no longer on his post. He was already standing behind Seth, waving at him in mockery. But, Seth ignored this and continued to release wind, this time in a circular motion.

Napayuko ako sabay pikit ng aking mga mata dahil sa lakas ng hangin. I could feel myself being blown away from that room any minute. Ganito pala kalakas si Seth?

"Kyle, you're out!" Madame Lud cued them to stop.

Agad na tumigil ang malakas na hangin sa loob ng Oasis. Nagulat ako nang makita na wala na sa loob ng circle si Kyle. Mukhang nagulat rin si Kyle na natalo siya dahil sa pagbilog ng mga mata nitong nakatingin kay Seth. Eventually, umalis na rin ang dalawa sa circle habang tinatapik ni Kyle ang likod ni Seth.

"Xenon and Toby, you're up next!"

As soon as they stepped inside the circle, Toby immediately got covered in ice, causing him to freeze. I looked at Xenon who was smiling. Ah, ganito pala ang spectra ni Xenon. Ang cool naman. Literal na cool.

Seconds later, the ice covering Toby slowly cracked and smashed into pieces. Toby used his samurai to free himself from the ice. Kaya pala Lethal Slayer ang tawag sa kanya.

It eventually ended with Toby winning against Xenon, after using his samurai to threaten his opponent causing the latter to step backward and out of the circle.

And then, the moment I was dreading came. "Maxine and Jodielyn, please step in!" Madame Lud said.

Panay ang dasal ko habang papalapit na ako sa loob ng circle. Jodielyn confidently stepped inside the circle, while I almost tripped going in because of her daunting gaze.

This is it, Max. I can do this. I tried convincing myself, but it wasn't working at all.

"You can do it, Maxine," I heard a voice in my head. Recognizing it was Luther's, I turned to him and saw him giving me a thumbs up.

Seconds later, a hand covered in blood gripped my arm, startling me. When I looked beside me, I saw this headless ghost holding my arm.

Nakita ko si Jodielyn na tumatawa sa harap ko. Hindi naman ako takot sa multo. If this was her ability, I guess I could manage. Pero, hindi ko pa rin alam kung paano ko siya mapapaalis sa loob ng circle na ito.

I was still thinking of something, when suddenly, a slight twinge of current hit my head. "Aahh!" I winced in pain, touching my forehead to steady myself. Bigla akong nahilo at parang may mga nakikita akong images sa isip ko na medyo malabo.

This gave my opponent a chance to attack again. In a split second, there were about five girls, who looked exactly the same as her, like her doppelgängers already marching their way towards me.

Hindi ko tuloy alam kung saan ako pupunta. Tapos nahihilo pa rin ako. Napahakbang ako paatras nang hindi ko namamalayan.

Nakita ko ang pagtaas ni Madame Lud ng kanyang kamay, signalling Jodielyn to stop, so her doppelgängers disappeared at once.

Jodielyn was smiling widely as ever, knowing that she defeated me.

Just then, Madame Lud spoke, "I clearly said no physical contact, haven't I?" She looked at my opponent, who was just as confused as I was.

"Madame Lud, hindi ko naman siya hinawakan," Jodielyn defended herself.

"The bloody hand?" Madame Lud pointed out.

"But... that was just a part of the illusion. Hindi naman 'yon totoong kamay," Jodielyn continued to protest, while I just remained silent. I was too preoccupied with my own problem right now. I couldn't even care less that I lost again.

Madame Lud raised her hand again, stopping her from speaking. "I made the rules quite clear, Jodielyn. You lost."

Jodielyn gave up, stepping out of the circle and throwing me a death glare.

I sighed, avoiding her gaze. Gusto ko nalang makaalis dito. I wanted to excuse myself from the class and get some fresh air, but I was too scared of Madame Lud, so I just endured until the class was over.

Nang matapos na rin ang klase, binilisan kong maglakad palabas ng Oasis. I was about to go out of the room, when I heard someone calling out my name.

"Maxine." Madame Lud gestured me with her hand to come over.

"Uh... yes ma'am?"

"Maxine, I know you're wondering why Professor O assigned you in this class. But, there's a reason for it. May special ability ka, which you still don't know and that's what Professor wants you to discover," she explained.

"Hindi ko po alam kung paano ko ito malalaman, Madame Lud."

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Magtiwala ka lang sa sarili mo. Trust your instincts. It all just comes naturally within, Maxine. Remember that."

****

I tried so hard not to think about what Madame Lud told me. No matter what I did, I just couldn't seem to know what ability I possessed, or if I even had one.

Sighing, I walked past the park where I usually see Seth hanging out. He was nowhere in sight, which gave me the cue that I could go there and think.

I sat on the ground and closed my eyes. Paano ba ako napunta sa lugar na ito? I wondered what mom was doing, and what she's thinking after I ran away. She's probably so mad at me right now. But, I needed to do this because of dad. I wanted to find out the truth about that day.

Unti-unti kong binuksan ang aking mga mata. To my surprise, nakita ko ang mukha ni Seth sa aking harapan. Our faces were only a few inches apart. Biglang nag-malfunction ang utak ko at agad akong napaurong dahil sa lapit ng mukha niya. "S-Seth, ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?" I asked him, my hands shaking behind me.

"Ikaw..." he paused, taking a seat across mine. "Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?"

"Gusto ko lang mag-isip at mapag-isa," I simply answered back.

He leaned his head on the trunk of the tree. "Same."

"Papaalisin mo ba ulit ako dito? Kasi kung oo-"

"Hindi kita pinapaalis, Max," Seth mentioned my name again. It was strange hearing him say it because he actually never called me that often.

Bumuga ako ng hangin. "Thanks."

We were both silent for a while after that. I wondered what he was thinking after attending our special class that day. I bet he was laughing at me after my duel with Jodielyn. I looked pathetic in front of everyone, even though technically, I won because she violated the rule. I wanted to fit in, but I didn't know how since I wasn't special like them.

"Kung gusto mong manatili dito, kailangan mong alamin ang spectra mo," I suddenly heard Seth speak.

I looked at him. He was staring back at me. I swallowed hard at his honey-colored gaze. "Sa tingin mo ba hindi ko ginagawa ang makakaya ko para alamin kung ano'ng meron ako? Siguro nga wala akong specialty. Bakit ba kasi ako napunta dito? Sana hindi nalang ako sumama. Sana hindi nalang kita nakita." I messed my hair up in frustration.

"Max, hindi aksidente na napunta ka dito. You're meant to be here, just like what Professor said. The map led you here," Seth stated.

Bakit ba naniniwala siya sa lahat ng sinasabi ni Professor?

"Paano kung mali siya? Paano kung hindi naman talaga ako dapat nandito?" I argued.

Seth looked away and positioned his hands behind his head. "Instead na makipag-argue ka sa akin, bakit hindi mo nalang hayaang lumabas ang spectra mo?"

"Hindi ako nakikipag-argue sa'yo, Seth. Wala nga akong spectra! Hindi ako katulad ninyo!" I said, almost yelling.

"May naramdaman ka, hindi ba?" Seth suddenly asked, confusing me. He turned to me again, his eyes speaking to me, but I couldn't point it out. "When we were at the Cosmos... alam kong may kakaibang nangyayari sa'yo."

"A-Ano?" I asked back, still confused.

Seth shook his head. "Nothing. Huwag mo nang pilitin kung hindi mo maalala."

I fell silent, trying to remember what happened back then. When we were at the Cosmos, I was weak and in pain. My head was dizzy and then there were times I could hear and see people inside my head. But, I thought that was just an aftershock of my sudden exposure to the field. Other than that, I felt fine and normal.

And then, it hit me. "May narinig akong boses noon."

Seth turned to me. "Boses?"

"Noong nasa Cosmos tayo, may mga boses akong naririnig sa utak ko."

"Kaya mo bang kontrolin ang mga bagay gamit ang isip mo? Sinubukan mo na ba?"

"Paano ko naman susubukan? Hindi ko nga alam kung totoo ba 'yong mga narinig ko."

"We need to confirm it as soon as possible," Seth stated.

"Paano natin makukumpirma? Tsaka, bakit mo gustong malaman?"

"Don't think I'm helping you because I want to," usal pa niya.

"Salamat nalang. Hindi ko kailangan ng tulong mo," I answered, mimicking his exact words to me before.