CHAPTER 2: DOOMED

"Forsaken" I read it, with a lot of questions in my head. First, who is Alecia? Second, why is there a secret door inside my room? Third, why does it lead me here? Fourth, there's a lot of places, but why a desert? Why not a forest, or something a portal. Lastly, why is it forsaken? The desert is definitely not a place for people, aside from being so hot, there is no food to eat and you can only take a few sips of water from a fishhook barrel cactus, not just from a random cactuses. But there is probably a way out of here. Not the door from my room. I mean, there must be another way out. It seems like the door from my room is an entrance and there's something that needed to be solved so that we can find the way out if this desert and proceed to another place, maybe a hidden place.

When I was a kid, my father used to read me a story before I got to sleep. It's about a girl who found a secret door inside her house. When she opened the door, there's a portal. She went inside the portal and it lead her to an unknown place. She solved three riddles before she found a hidden place. That's it! There must be a riddle here somewhere. I jump out of excitement but ceased for a moment when I realized something.

"Wait-hold on. What time is it already?" I asked myself like a total idiot. I glance at my wristwatch, that I forgot that I didn't have it. "Oh no--" I stood up and hasten. I sprinted back to my room. I'm quite far away but I didn't give up. I ran fastly and finally made it back. I make haste to open the door, then I entered. Afterwards, I locked it. I placed back the key inside my drawer, then I eyed the clock and was stunned when I saw what time it is already.

"8:10?!" I said in shocked. "Oh my gosh, my mom's gonna kill me." I uttered under my breath.

"Elina!! Where have you been?!" Mom shouted angrily at me when she entered my room. "I've been calling you, but you're not answering! You even left your phone in your room!" She roared.

"Sorry mom, I was just--" Mom didn't let me finish, instead she scolded me even more.

"I told you that after you get ready, come downstairs to eat breakfast! Yet you didn't listen!" She said in an enraged tone. "So tell me, where did you go?!" She asked me again, still mad.

"I was--" I attempt to tell her the truth, but she wont believe me. So, I lied. "I was in the garden, mom. I was looking for flowers for my vase." I answered directly as I am pointing towards the vase at the top of my desk.

"You're already late and you're still lurking around for some flowers?" She asked as her eyebrows furrowed. She sigh in disapproval. "Never mind, El. You're making my head hurt." She added, finally calm.

"I'm sorry, mom. I'll just eat breakfast in the cafeteria." I said. "Gotta go. Bye!" I kissed her cheeks, then I went outside of my room. I rushed downstairs and quickly ran towards outside.

When I'm about to open our gate, I heard mom's voice.

"El! Your bag!" I turned back and I saw her holding my backpack. "Oh gosh!" I ran again to get my bag and finally bid goodbye. It would be a total bummer if I have totally forgotten to bring it. My important stuffs are in here. My notebooks, my books, my wallet and my phone. I'm so clumsy. What would I do without mom? I close ones eye and exhale. Then I hurried to the bus stop. The bus stop is not far away from here, I can still manage to get there on time.

As I've arrived, the bus had started to drove away. I tried to catch up, I ran and shouted. "Hey! wait!" I call out while I was running. Then there's this old man who saw me. "Wait! Stop!" I shouted, luckily the bus finally ceased and I manage to get in. I search for a seat when the old man offered me to sit beside him. I nodded and sat down. Then I mouthed "Thank you, sir." He just nod his head and smile genuinely.

"Are you going to school, young lady?" The old man suddenly asked in his feeble voice.

"Yes, sir. But I'm already late." I shortly responded with an awkward smile.

"It's better to be late than never." He laughed after he said that. "When I was about your age, I also arrived late. But I still get a high grades and managed to graduate." He shared and he was smiling. He probably missed his teenage days. "I was a total slacker." He chuckled.

"That's amazing, sir. Do you missed being a teenager?" I asked without thinking.

"Well, yes. But I don't want to be a slacker anymore." He just keep on sharing his stories until minutes later, I arrived at my destination.

"I gotta go, sir. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story with me. It will be a good inspiration." I cheerfully said.

"Anytime!" The old man respond. I smiled and turned around, then I hurriedly get off the bus. As the bus drove off, I entered the University.

As I was walking the hallway, I hear the school welcoming broadcast.

"Summertime is finally over. Students, welcome to another school year. Welcome to Hyorisan University."

"Summertime is finally over. Students, welcome to another school year. Welcome to Hyorisan University."

My eyebrows creased when there's a lot of students in the hallway. I took a glimpse at my wristwatch and it's already 9:00 a. m.. The class was supposed to be starting already. I shook my head and searched for the bulletin board. I am wandering at the moment when I instantaneously bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry!" I immediately said.

"Elina?" The girl suddenly asked. How does she know my name? I just stare at her with a little bit of confusion.

"Uuhm--excuse me?" I confusedly asked.

"Sorry, don't you remember me?" She asked me back while smiling radiantly.

"You are?" I don't really recognize her. She has black hair and it was braided, tall, white skin, red lips, pinkish cheeks. I really don't remember.

"It's me, the pretty'ish Trixie!" She exclaimed cheerfully. On no..

"Trixie De Flores?!" I acted surprised.

"Bingo! Your bestie in highschool." She joyously said. She's really not my bestie. I don't like to be around her at all. She's so talkative, I cannot focus on studying if she's with me because she just likes talking, she hardly shuts her mouth. She annoys me all the time and worst, she cannot keep a secret. Tell her a little secret, and it will be disseminated in no time. I was running away from her ever since highschool. But guess what? She still finds me. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Why are you here?" I uncomfortably questioned her.

"To study, of course. What's wrong with your brain right now?" She responded as her eyebrows furrowed.

"Just wondering, you might be fol--" I stopped in the middle of my sentence.

"I might be what?" Trixie stares at me.

"Oh nothing. Where's the bulletin board here?" I asked again to stop her from questioning me.

"No need to look for your room. I already know where it is." She says and that made my forehead creased.

"How did you know?" I asked directly.

"Oh--uhmm.." She can't say it, huh? I looked at her and raised my eyebrows. "Uuh--While I was searching for my name I suddenly saw yours too." She responded. What a good alibi, I know that she intend to follow me all the way here to Port Oleás. I nodded and we continue to walk towards our classroom. And guess what? We're classmates.

As we are walking, Trixie keeps blabbing while I was just listening to her. She talks and talks until we arrived at the classroom. I don't want to sit beside her, so I looked for an empty seat. Unfortunately, there are only two vacant seats left at the back. In the end, I still have to sit next to her. I'm so unlucky. I choose to sit beside the window.

"So, what's your new address?" Trixie suddenly asked me while grinning.

"Do I have to tell you all about me?" I asked and rolled my eyes. Then I turn my gaze at the window.

"A friend has to visit a friend sometimes." She answered.

"A couple of blocks away from here." I responded then I took a glance at her. She was scribbling something on her notebook. I just shrugged my shoulders along with turning my gaze into the door. As the door swung open, a tall man, wearing eyeglasses and fiercely face steps inside the classroom.

"In a count of three, I want you all to take your seats. 1.." My classmates who's not on their proper places quickly return to their seats.

"2.." The professor continue to count. "3! I heard that there's a new student here?" He fiercely asked.

"Me, sir." I speaked while raising my hand.

"You! Stand up!" He demanded. I just followed what he says. "What's your name?" He query.

"Elina Quinn." I responded.

"Hmm--Elina." He nods. "A spanish name. That's nice-- it means bright one, shining light and intelligent." He conveys. "Okay sit down."

"What was that, just now?" Trixie whispered to me.

"I have no idea." I replied and focused. I listen to the professor while he starts on discussing, whoever he may be. He didn't introduce his self.

"You may be wondering who I am?" He suddenly remarked. He then started to write his name on the board.

Augustine Thompson

"That's my name. Call me professor Thompson or professor Augustine, your choice. And I am your new Math professor." He said. Nobody say a word but he found out what's on our mind. "Okay so, let's continue." He carry on with the lesson. I am listening to him but my mind is also wondering about what happened earlier. I am reminded about the forsaken land. I need to find the riddle, if there's any.

"Miss Quinn, you better listen to me, I am expecting high from you." He instantaneously said and I was like.. "What?!" He talked through until his time runs out. Then the other professor come inside and started to discuss.

The class just goes like discuss, dismissed and repeat.

After every subjects, our last professor dismissed us. Finally! I can go home. I put my notebook back to my bag. I took a glimpse at Trixie who's busy talking to our classmate. I slowly stood up and quickly left the classroom. I sigh in relief when she didn't catch up. I went directly to the bus stop and wait for the last bus. When the bus arrives, I immediately go inside and sit by the side of the window.

Just as soon as I got home, I walked inside and go straight upstairs to my room. I put my bag above my desk and throw myself on the bed.

What a first day. Trixie, the most annoying girl I ever met is my classmate. Then, I have this math professor who is strict and have high expectations from me.

I'm really doomed.

I kept on thinking about everything that happened this day until I fallen asleep without even changing.