Chapter 1

"Fhyra!" I stopped walking and looked back when I heard someone called out.

A smile instantly broke on my face when I saw Sassy running towards me, slightly panting.

"Why do you walk so fast?" She whined when she finally caught on my pace.

I laughed at her and just teased her about being too slow. Her face was crumbled cutely as I continued to tease her.

"You're such a bully!' She said and walk ahead of me.

I just stared at her back helplessly smiling before following her inside our classroom.

I took my seat at the last row beside Cool Santiago, my eerily quiet seatmate.

His head rose up from his desk to look at me. He just gave me a bored look before returning to his original position.

I just shrugged my shoulders at his actions and just silently took out my modules, and waited for our professor to arrive.

"Do you think I'll pass the test? Professor Lopez is so difficult to deal with!" Sassy exclaimed as soon as we got out of the classroom.

I'm just listening to her rants, when I suddenly stumbled on the ground. I looked up to see who I had bumped into.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to." The guy said and immediately helped me stand up and pick up my things that were completely scattered on the floor.

"It's okay—" I was cut-off when Cool walked between us.

I squinted my eyes when I saw the guy flinched as if on pain. He then followed Cool's figure that was already disappearing in the crowd.

For a minute, he looks like he was contemplating something. But then, he immediately focused his attention back to me and apologized once again.

"I'm Hailec, by the way." he introduced smiling.

I felt Sassy's subtle elbowing in the corners of my waist. I gave her a warning glance before facing Hailec once again.

"I'm Fhyra, and this is Sassy."

He gave Sassy a cold smile before glancing back at me. I started to feel uncomfortable with his consistent stares so I excused ourselves and parted ways with him.

Even though we already walked away, I can still feel him staring at me.

My parents had trained me to be vigilant and observant around me. Because of that, my senses are stronger than other people my age.

"I think the guy was hitting on you!" Sassy enthusiastically blurted out after making sure that we're far enough from where Hailec is standing.

"I don't think so." I quietly responded, quite unsure about this assumption of mine.

He really don't look like someone who flirts around.

And then his flinching face resurfaced on my mind.

I look back and was startled to realize that he was still staring at us.

He waves at me and smiled knowingly before turning his back and started to walk away.

What's with that guy?

Maybe I should just avoid having to meet him.

I really don't feel too good around him.

"How's school, dear?" Mommy asked sweetly as she relentlessly put more food on my plate.

"That's enough mom. I can't eat anymore." I whined after realizing that the food on my plate just keeps on piling up even though I'm starting to feel full already.

"Alright, alright." Mom said with a sigh and took out some portions on my plate and place it on her own.

"So going back, how's your day?" she said before taking a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

Dad let go of an exasperated sigh, took a tissue and gently wipe the sides of her mouth that has sauce smudges from the adobo sauce she was eating.

"You still eat like a kid," Dad said, an adoring smile was plastered on his face, contradicting his scolding voice.

Mom on the other hand just pouted a little with dad's scolding and came to face me again, waiting for my response to her questions.

"It's fine mom," I answered nonchalantly.

"Nothing weird happened?" I furrowed my brows with my mom's question.

"I mean, nothing new? Like meeting someone --- "

"Blare." I just got more confused when Dad butted in with a warning voice. He gave mom a sideways glance before turning to me. I just acted like I didn't see that.

"What do you mean mom?" I asked furrowing my brows even more.

"Your mom's asking if you have a boyfriend." My dad said straightforwardly that I almost choke on my own saliva.

"Dad!"

"Ice!"

My mom and I immediately scold him.

So this is all it is about.

Dad just gave out a hearty laugh and just continued busying himself with his food.

After eating dinner, I helped my mom wash the dishes so that we can finish early.

"Hey, are you two not yet done there?" Daddy inquired as he enters the kitchen and saw us tidying up.

"Almost. Is the basement ready?" Mom asked as she put away the dishes back to their rightful places.

"Yeah," Dad said and remained quiet as he waited for us to finish.

When we were done working in the kitchen, we proceeded to our basement for my daily training.

"Fhyra, control your emotions." Mom gently reminded me, when the fire in front of me started to get bigger.

"Very good. Keep going. You're doing good honey---"

We grunted altogether when the flame became bigger once again.

I stared at the flame with frustration and dad scolded me when the lights suddenly exploded.

Mom sighed and turns around to turn off the main switch of the electricity.

"Sorry," I said quietly, still trying to weigh down my frustrations.

Mom turned off the gas lamp before she gave dad a meaningful glance.

My dad lighted up the light sticks he brought and put it in the table in front of us.

"You don't need to be sorry. We know it's hard for you, too." Daddy told me as he lovingly caressed my head.

"It's already good that you haven't set your school on fire dear." My mom joked to ease my tension.

I closed my eyes for a moment and relaxed myself.

I counted one to three repeatedly.

I opened my eyes once again and stared back at the gas lamp.

A fire suddenly appeared on it.

"Why can I easily start a fire but can't extinguish it?" I frustratingly asked my parents.

Dad just comfortingly patted my shoulders, while mom gave me a weak but reassuring smile.

"Fhyra, don't get too agitated. You'll get there soon." Mom said, trying to console me.

"But I've been doing this for years already! I'm afraid that if I lost control I'll hurt someone." I blurted out.

"Shhh! Dear, calm down." Mom said as dad tries to set off the fire I made in the gas lamp.

"You won't hurt anyone, Fhyra. That's why we're doing this right?" Dad said as he returns to sit beside me.

"So calm down, okay? You're already making progress. Don't pressure yourself." Mom said as she pressed a loving kiss on my forehead.

A while later, I felt dad enveloped me and mom in his embrace.

And as usual, these little actions of them brought me so much comfort and assurance.