The 23rd Tournament
Before the accident on the falls, I told myself that I won’t let anyone enter my life again. I built a wall that would block people from entering my life. But I feel Cath, Lydia, Kurt, Kristian, and Isaac are slowly breaking down the wall that I have been building for a long time. But I won’t allow them.
“Althea, are you even listening?” Isaac asked me. I gasped and nodded. “As I was saying, we all have a role to play in this group.” Isaac wrote the positions on the blackboard. I drank the water from the glass I was holding.
They brought me a room they called the Training Room. This room is huge and has a lot of electronic materials and holograms, looks like a science lab but is much more spacious than I imagined. I looked at the board and read what Isaac wrote.
1. The Group Leader – The chance of winning depends on the leadership of the Leader. The leader is the most important part of the group.
2. The Warriors – this position consists of two people. Warriors will be the strength of the group.
3. The Shooter – the one who holds the armor.
4. The Healer – this position is essential. The healer will help their co-members to be healed and be able to fight.
5. The Hoaxer – this position will help to deceive enemies.
“To tell the truth, this tournament could harm us. Physically,” Isaac said. I accidentally dropped the glass on the floor, and it shattered. They all looked at me. My hand trembled when I read what was on the blackboard. What the fuck is all of that? This tournament is deadly? You got to be kidding me.
“Is there something you want to say, Ms. Genovie?” Mr. Hawkins asked me. He is our adviser on the Tournament that will soon be held, according to Isaac.
I just want to ask one thing, can we still come back? “N-Nothing.” I can’t ask that. Why should I even worry whether we will return or not? I have no one anymore.
“You can back out if you want,” Isaac said. I shook my head. Back out? For what reason? There’s no reason to back out. I have no value in this world. So, I better not go back. Besides, he told me he’ll break me once I back out, which was so annoying. I don’t even have a choice in the first place.
I shook my head and just bowed. They discussed a lot more, but I could feel a hot liquid dripping from my eyes. I wiped it away. Why am I crying?
“Next Monday, training will begin. Make yourself comfortable in the fighting. Have no mercy in killing those monsters,” said Isaac. I just looked at them while they were talking and laughing. I envy them. How do they show their true selves to each other without holding back? While here I am, struggling. If only I didn’t suffer from a lot of trauma, maybe I’m not like this now.
“Althea.” I raised my head when I heard my name from Isaac. “On Monday, fix your hair. I don’t want to see any hair blocking your eyes. Understand?”
“I-I can’t.” I stuttered. I do not want to hurt anyone. Maybe like before, I will lose control of my power. I can’t let that happen.
“That’s an order. You choose.
Either you break it. Or I’ll break you.” I sighed and stood up to go out, but Isaac stopped me. “Where are you going, Althea?”
“Anywhere as long as you’re not there,” I said with sarcasm and I violently closed the door. He wants to control people all the time and it’s annoying.
“I won’t be surprised if you don’t know how to listen to anyone. I looked in the direction on the right side of the hallway and saw a girl with long black hair, she looked scary, her round eyes were black, and her lips were pale.
“Pardon me, but who are you?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter who I am.” She looked into my eyes. I was swallowed up by the kind of stare she had on me. “But you, what are you?” When she asked me that, I was irritated. It was as if she was treating me as a thing, not a person. “Let me see your face,” she said with a serious tone.
I let her look at my palm, but she suddenly stopped and looked at me, sharply. “You…” I violently pulled my palm on her when I saw her reaction. What is she? A palm reader? That’d be absurd.
“What are you saying?!” I turned my back on her and walked away, but she said something that made me stop.
“You will fall. You will fall hard until you can’t even stand without him. He will as well. He will fall.” I turned to her, but she was no longer there.
I will fall. Who is she referring to? My palm suddenly warmed up which made me flinch. I walked over to my dorm and lay down on the bed. This place is getting weirder every single day.
As I thought about what the woman had said earlier, Isaac’s serious face suddenly flashed through my mind. His authoritative voice, penetrating gaze, intense forest green eyes, messy hair, and pointed nose. He’s not even that tall but he dominates all the students here.
“And why am I thinking of him?!” I feel my cheeks red when remembered I was thinking about Isaac. Which is wrong. I decided to go to bed first and not go to the assigned classes I will attend today. This is annoying.
“Hi, Althea!” I winced when I heard Cath’s shrill voice inside my dorm again. I could not sleep. Although I closed my eyes, my mind was awake. A few hours later Cath entered my dorm without even asking. Why did I forget to lock the door?
“What?” I hissed. Privacy, people! Privacy! I wanted to tell them that, but it seems that they don’t know that word.
“Let’s train!” she said. I gasped and turned around to see her sitting on the sofa. She’s still wearing her uniform. I heaved a deep sigh. I’ll see him there.
So, no.
“Pass. I’m tired.” It’s obvious just from the tone of my voice that I don’t want to train.
“We must.” I frowned when she said that. “Isaac will be angry again.” Cath pouted as if she doesn’t have a choice.
“I don’t care. Your president is a jerk.” I said then I shrugged. She sighed and approached me. She sat down next to me, her blue eyes were fixed on mine and I could feel she was serious now.
“You know what, Althea? He may
look strict, badass, and a douchebag. But if you get to know him, you will know that he is more than you think. He’s a man full of determination.” She smiled as if remembering something. “He keeps on showing us his perfect side, yet he thinks he messes things up. He thinks that everything he does is still not enough.”
“Why are you telling me that?”
“Althea, I want you to understand him. Even though Isaac is strict, understand him as long as you can. And when you get to know him well, you will understand why we choose him as our friend and President of this school.” I couldn’t speak. Cath stood up and walked towards the door, but before she could get out, she turned to me. “He’s afraid to lose us, Althea. Because he treats us as his own family. So, do we. We treat each other as family. Now that you’re one of us, we will value you as our own family as well. And we hope you do the same, too.” She finally left and I just gasped. Easy for them to say.
I don’t know the feeling of having a family. And honestly, I want to try. But I don’t know how to start. I also want to understand the man I was thinking about. I don’t even know why he has been haunting my mind for a while.
Isaac, help me to understand you.
Alexandria Academy