24th of December; Morning.
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It was a busy day that day. The girls of St. Claire Academy gather outside of the Wish upon A Star Orphanage. Angel, being the Officer-in-Charge for that day's event, was busy organizing everything. Good thing she was able to ask for help from her fellow youth ministry group to help her out. Though she has been busy for a whole week for today's event, not a single panic can be seen in her face.
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Hayley, Yuri and Raeven, among the other girls, attended the event. Though not many participated in this kind of event, most of the students were already on their vacation out of the country. 20 or fewer students were able to attend, but Angel was ever grateful for any available help.
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"Gel, I've brought some pre-loved toys from the house. Where should I put them?" Raeven asked, while a couple of maids were behind her, each holding a box of toys.
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Angel looked at some of the toys. She was a little surprised to discover that most of the toys were unpacked with their tags on. She was not sure if it was still considered as pre-loved...
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"I was never fond of toys, most of them gifts from way back when my brother and I were young. It just stuck already collecting dust up in the attic." Raeven explained when she saw Angel's confused face.
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"Thank you so much, children will be very happy. A lot of gifts came by. Thank you for your help." Angel said. She also thanked those maids behind Raeven.
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"Me too. I've bought some clothes and toys. Mom was so excited when she learned of this. I think we've bought a lot. I think this is my first charity event ever." Yuri said; the girl with a lot of energy.
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Hayley instructed her maids to place everything inside the building.
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This event was organized by Angel's parents. One week before the vacation. With the headmaster's approval. Angel took the responsibility for making this happen. Her parents know how much she loves this orphanage. Helping others has been Angel's happiness since she was a little girl. She wants to see everyone happy.
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The event commenced with some introductions; little children behaved quietly. Most of their ages range from 1-year-old to 14 years old. Most of the girls held compassion in their eyes, 'while saying poor children'.
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Some adults, mostly parents of the students, attend as well. This kind of event must not be ignored as this can be considered as a way of socializing, especially since the four girls of elite families were present.
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It took a while before the children warmed up to the visitors. It's not like everyone present likes to play with them, and most children can feel if the visitors were sincere enough to be there or not. Yuri, although a little put off by the children's smell, can't deny that all of them were cute. There were games and food available for all.
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She pity the small child. He looked so alone. She was taken aback when the next thing she knew she was already in front of the child, and he was now looking up at her; eyes big with curiosity. The noise didn't hinder Hayley from noticing a little skinny child sitting in the corner. He looks about seven years old. He was holding a little soldier toy and fiddling nervously with it. Her eyes can't help but be attracted to the sight. Not that kind of attraction, but the feeling of pity.48Please respect copyright.PENANA2i6hA4gdgt
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"Hey." Hayley said.
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The boy was just looking at her, straight and without hesitation.48Please respect copyright.PENANAaoEaGL15in
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"Don't you know how to greet people? Are you mute?" She asked.
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"Hey! Lei-Lei, don't scare him! You meanie!" said a girl behind Hayley.
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"Stupid bunny, get lost!" Hayley said, without looking behind her.
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At that moment, Yuri wore a costume. She loves wearing one, and she thinks that it will make the children warm up to them faster.
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Yuri pouted. She's a little offended at how this wench disregarded her effort while she was harassing a small child on the side. She turned around, determined to ignore Hayley for the rest of the day.
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"Hey, do you prefer to be on your own, or you were just ignored by them?" Hayley asked.
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The kid was still quiet. He looked at her for a while, then looked down and resumed playing the little soldier toy in his hands.
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"He's just quiet, likes to be on his own." Angel said.
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"Oh, I thought he was mute..." Hayley said.
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Angel giggled, "you'll be surprised. He's much like you." She said, then kneeled down beside the boy. "Hey, buddy, why don't you introduce yourself to her?" She said,
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The little boy looked up at Hayley again. She thought he would look the same way at her but, this time, his eyes looked like a lost puppy. So adorable.
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"My name is Jonathan."
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Hayley looked at him. This time, she felt something more than pity. She thought all the orphaned children were pitiful and unfortunate and there's nothing to be done with it. Looking at him right now, it feels different; he looked like a soldier, a tough one.
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"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Hayley." She said, then offered her hands to him. The first time in a long time she held a kid's hand. It was such a long time, it felt like a thousand years ago. To feel a little hand so warm, and her protective instinct felt like awakening again deep inside.
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Moments later, the little boy named Jonathan was now playing along with Yuri and with the other kids, Raeven joined in, so the four girls were now surrounded with little girls and the only boy in the group is little Jonathan, but it looks like the kid doesn't mind.
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Here, Angel's friend, one of the church goers, approaches Angel while Angel is talking to her friends. Then the girl discussed the history of the academy, that the place where it was built in was a witch's village a long time ago. And that the old big tree at the back of the academy was where the four witches hanged to death. Yuri was scared. Hayley couldn't shake the thought that was why she was able to feel a negative energy around the school.48Please respect copyright.PENANAhGDKTzLu5g
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"Do you know why they still didn't try to uproot the tree?" The girl asked them, willing them to engage in the conversation.
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"Because it's cursed?" Yuri asked, a little scared. Well, it makes sense, she thought, since the four poor witches were hanged to death up there.
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"Well, they said the ancestor of the founder was the best friend of one of the witches, and that she set a curse that if someone tried to cut or even intentionally break a branch out of that tree, a calamity will happen in the city."
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The four girls were looking at her weirdly. Who's going to believe her?
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"It's true! There was a story long before all of you were born, there was a stubborn gardener that was hired by the academy, he broke a small branch to see what would happen, and a few days after that a big storm happened, a little portion of the city was flooded and few of the population died!"
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Hayley just looked at the girl talking. She knows that it was true. Her uncle, as a historian, is obsessed with the Lyncanara witches. Lyncanara was the old name for this city before it was changed to Lincor City.
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"I envy you girls, if only I was able to attend the academy." The girl said, a little upset.
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"I'm sorry, but not to be rude, but you have been talking for a while now, and we still don't know you..." Raeven said.
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"Oh, my, where's my manners?" The girl laughed. "I'm Crisanta Sta. Clara. You can call me Cris. Nice to meet you."
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"Hello, Cris, I'm Yuri. And any friend of Angel is a friend of mine."
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Then Raeven and Hayley introduced themselves in turn.
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"Then, why didn't you attend the academy, I'm sure you can be accepted, there's scholarship..." Yuri said, a little slowly, that she doesn't want to hurt the poor girls' feelings since it's well known that only the rich girls can afford the tuition of the academy.
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The girl laughed shyly. "If only I could, but my grades didn't make it. I'm only average, hehehe."
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"Oh." was all Yuri could say.
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"Honestly, going there will be exciting. It's a big building, and with its history.... The rooms were plenty. I'm sure there were some rooms that were enchanted. I remember there's a particular room that has a hidden circle. It's like a magical portal... Though the documents about it were a little vague. There were some historians that said that the hidden circle was not found in there. But I'm pretty sure that the ancestor that owns the land where the academy was built in wanted to hide the truth.
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"What kind of portal!!!!" Yuri asked. Her voice was rising with uncontained excitement.
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"Well, according to the old documents, it is said to be a portal to the otherworld. That is the reason why the witches were hanged to death, because they were accused of being the disciples of Satan.
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Yuri felt goosebumps.
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"Hey Cris, do you have a boyfriend?"
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The girls were taken aback. The conversation took a different route from a serious talk to something else.
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"I knew it, you swing that way..." Yuri said.
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Hayley rolled her eyes. "If you're still single, I have an uncle who is a historian and is up for grabs. He's quite handsome, nothing to lose."
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The girl named Cris, a 2nd year college student. Tall and beautiful, blushed and then stuttered. "Ah... I-can't. I'm still studying. My mother will kill me once she knew that I was dating while attending college."
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Before the event ended, the other girls were shocked to discover that Hayley's uncle did attend the event, though he looked annoyed with his niece dragging him to this kind of event.
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Then they knew the truth, the reason why Hayley's uncle was there. Hayley forced the uncle to adopt Jonathan since Hayley was still too young to adopt a child on her own.
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Author's Note:48Please respect copyright.PENANAnZQFfzhFKo
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Merry Christmas everyone! Hoping that everyone is safe and with their families. Wishing everyone a wonderful and prosperous New Year.48Please respect copyright.PENANABwFaaxF6yn
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P.S. By the way, do you see what I just did there? A hint? *wink*48Please respect copyright.PENANAQEM5Skig8g
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See you all next year. I will be back with regular chapters...48Please respect copyright.PENANAIaU1jGUyPD
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