Chapter 1: Highland Academy

After a couple of days of moving into their new home; finally, she can go to school. It's been a month since school started . It's already 9: 00 in the morning. After getting everything ready she goes downstairs and straight to the sofa. 

"Eileen, aren't you going to eat?" Her mom asked while setting the table.

"No mom, I'm late,"She replied as she continued to wear her socks.

"It's not gonna be the same, " Her dad went down the stairs to the kitchen. He sat and took the newspaper. "I mean it's not the same as your school."Her father continued to read his newspaper.

'Confused from what she heard.'

"I'll be fine, I have to go. I'll just take the bus to go there." she said. "Make sure to take care of yourself," her mom stated. 

"Mom. It's not like I'm going to stay there for the rest of my life." she took her bag and when she's about to leave she looked at them."You'll never know," Her father took a sip in his coffee.

After some time finally, the bus arrives. The city is huge and has plenty of choices but her parents wanted her to go to that school because her grandfather and great grandfather studied there.

HIGHLAND ACADEMY

That's the name of the school. Strangely, this place doesn't have many people in it. She went straight to the dean's office; as soon as the door opened she saw a woman standing beside the table. 

"You're here! Welcome to our school! I'm the one who's taking care of these beautiful places. So? Do you know anything about this place or do you just move here?" The woman walks towards her.

"I don't have information about this school but my parents said my great grandfather and my grandfather studied here." 

"Strange. Did your parents enter this academy?" The woman asked while she rubs her chin.

The woman asks her questions about her grandparents but she doesn't answer and keeps on avoiding them.

"I don't need that information though. So before you start your class we have to know something first." Started looking at her with a serious face. "What do you have?" she asked.

"sorry? What do you mean? "

"What's your name?" The woman asked.

"I'm Eileen, just call me Leen,"

The woman started asking her about promises; she don't understand her questions, for example: 'Can you make promises?', 'Don't you have a promise?' or 'What kind of promise do you have?'

"You know nothing don't you?" Looking at Eileen with astonishment

"If I know, do you think I'm here?" Eileen smirked.

After talking with the woman she was sent to a room where she’s going to stay for the whole school year. You heard it right. Her parents planned everything and after knowing that she planned to finish her first year and don’t come back to that place.

Because her parents planned everything; she doesn't have enough clothes but thankfully the school has clothes for students and it's free. A weird-looking suit: It's a long sleeve that looks like the ones that are used in swimming lessons. And an ordinary uniform. She thought that she would attend swimming lessons. After resting for hours someone knocks on her door; she opened it and a girl was looking at her with a smile on her face and it's a little bit creepy.

"Who are you?" Eileen peeks from behind the door."I'm Tracey Weaver you can just call me Trace," then the girl suddenly enters her room. "I'm Eileen. Call me Leen" Looking at her from behind the door. "I'm sorry to disturb you but I'm here because Ms. Cortez wants me to do so." 

"I'm going to tour you in this school," Tracey sat in Eileen’s bed. "Get ready to wear the ordinary uniform," Eileen just stood there looking at Tracey as she went outside.

She locked the door to make sure that no one would suddenly burst through her room while she’s getting dressed. She went out after getting ready; she saw Tracey leaning on the wall.

"ready?" Eileen answered with a nod. "ok ! so let's go." she leads the way while eileenfollows her.

She followed her not knowing that they’re at a garden where there’s tables and chairs. She looked around and found no one.

“Oh I forgot to tell you but we’re the only ones here because they have classes.” Tracey sat on one of the chairs. “I see. So why did you bring me here?” She followed Tracey and sat too. “Oh we’re here to rest because you have to get ready for your class later.” 

“Why can’t I go now?” 

“We can’t” 

“Why? “ 

“It’s still too early” 

“What? Aren’t we supposed to take classes early in the morning? I knew this school was really strange.” 

“In this school you can’t wake up that early.'' Tracey smirked and continued looking around.

“Did you take your first class in the evening?”

“No, of course not!” 

“It’s already 4 in the afternoon. Tell me the truth.” Tracey was stunned.

“Ok  fine! You caught me! You can’t. Ok. Not today. They’re still here.”

“And?” 

“Ms. Cortez didn’t ask me to do this.” 

“Then why are you here and talking to me?” Eileen started to feel pissed.

“I’m sorry but if you take your first class today it’s not gonna be good for you.” 

“What do you mean? I can’t understand.” She looks at Tracey with confusion.

“Wait, you really don’t know? They’re Here” 

“ If I know, do I have to ask you?” 

“I’m confused” 

“ I’m the one who has the right to say that you people are acting strange.” She stood up and started walking back.

“Wait, stop! You're not from around here aren’t you? Or you don’t have it? No, you must have it because no one that can’t make a promise will enter this school.” 

“What? What promise? Why do you always say that word? Promises are meant to be broken.” 

“Not the promise that you make inside this school.” It made her more confused.

“Promises are given by your parents. Promises are what you call magic.” 

“Can you please just say it to me in an easy way so I can understand.”

“Your parents brought you to this school right?” 

“Come with me.” Tracey leads the way.

They went to a room that kinda looks like Eileen’s.

“It’s my room” 

“Listen, You can’t be here.” While walking back and forth.

“What do you mean?” 

“You can’t stay in a place like this if you can’t make promises. I can’t tell what I knew” Tracey stopped and looked at her.

“I can’t understand what it is that I shouldn’t know?” 

“Everything. The lesser you know the better” 

“Tell me what it is?” Tracey stood there for a while.

“I can't,  '' Tracey insisted and continued to walk back and forth.

“I said tell me everything” She said looking straight into her eyes.

“If I tell you, You can’t go back.” Eileen doesn't know what to do but she wants to know what’s going on.

“Why? Are they going to hold me captive? Who? Is Ms.Cortez will?” She sat on Tracey’s bed.

“No, not them.” She looks like she's scared and worried.

“Then who?”  

“If you can’t make a promise--I mean magic you can’t survive this place and you look like you know nothing about magic.” 

“Why do you call them promises?” She doesn't know where that information comes from, she also just met Tracey but it’s like she knows everything  about her.

“Cause parents promise their children their magic.” 

“What? Why don't we just call it magic?”

“Because promises are meant to be broken right?”

“Yeah so what?”

“Magic is passed on by heredity but promises on the other hand are passed on by a promise. For example if your parents have magic you can have it even if you don’t like it. Promises are made by your parents so if your parents don’t want you to have them they don’t pass you their promises.” 

“But my parents don’t have promises and Do you get promises when you are born?” 

“Yeah.They promise you magic when you are born.” She smiled.

“ But it’s just the same you can have them unwanted” 

“But they can be broken, remember?” 

“Then how?” 

“Someone can break them.” 

“Someone? Who?” 

“ Someone that has the forbidden promise.” 

“Forbidden promise?”

“Her parents promised her a magic that she can break someone's promise.” s

“Stop it. I’m not gonna fall for that. You know what I’m just going back to my room, oh I forgot and you didn’t tell me that you’re next to mine? You know what, I still have class.” I said and stood up.

“No! It’s true I’m telling the truth if you don’t believe me just don’t go outside today ok? Please.” 

“And why do I have to do that?”

“Cause I don’t want to be responsible in case you went missing.” That made Eileen feel uncomfortable in that place.

She slammed the door behind her and went straight to her room. She needs to calm down. She’s too scared right now. As soon as she got into her room, she lay down on her bed and took her phone. She needed to talk to her parents.

‘She called them many times but no one answers’

She has to think of a way out of there. What that girl said made her feel sick so she decided not to attend her first class. She needs to rest, She’s too tired of thinking. 

‘She falls asleep’

"hello?"

"So? How was it?"  the ol man continued playing with a marble.

"..."  

"Why aren't you answering?"The old man asked.

"We failed sir"  He felt like someone thumped him in the back.

"I didn't expect you to fail. " The ol man threw the marble.

" We're not able to fight back sir, someone interrupted us."

"And you expect me to just accept that foolish excuse you have!? That someone must be powerful I assume." he stood up

"....."

"Answer me! Is he that good!?" 

"..."

"What!? Is it that hard to answer my question!? Why can't you just admit that you're not that good at doing your tasks!?" He hung up the phone.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. 

‘Someone knocks at the door’

"Come in!" He shouted.

"Boss, they said you're asking for me?" 

"Go to the city and find the person who interrupted them there." 

The man looked at him in the eyes that made him madder.

"They failed. Do I need to explain everything to you?" He looked at him directly in the eyes.

"No sir." The man said and left his office.