CHLORIS POV

I WANT to say something to you, Chloris. Flame was dead serious. His voice was full of conviction. I don't understand where the seriousness is coming from. I mean, he was always serious, but this time, he is different. His sounds like he was up to something. Something like, was he going to say he likes me? Oh my!

"What is it?" I asked with full of anticipation.

We are heading out of the café and about to go to the parking area. Our routine has become that way. After class, we snacked before taking me home. He'll pass through our subdivision on our way home. There has even a chance that he would pick me home and we go to school together. That's when I told him mom won't be able to drive me to school.

It's been three months that our routine goes that way. Well, we go out together. We eat together. We shared secrets and personal things with each other. And because of those things we do together, I felt like my feeling for him was moving up. I think it was not just a simple crush at all.

But then... How about him? Did he felt something different towards me, also?

I hope so...

About the book.

My anticipation went dead upon hearing his answer. I even felt like my wide smile suddenly disappeared.

What book? I forced myself to talk casually.

THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE REVERSE WORLD.

I knotted my forehead. What is it all about?

He rode his motorbike and motioned me to ride also.

I think it was a chant or a spellbook. An ancient one.

Huh? I was puzzled. What does he say?

Come with me to our house. I'll show you.

We reached his house in no time. I just waited for Flame in the receiving area as he climbed upstairs to take the book.

I felt really disappointed. Why was he like that? Flame has nothing else to worry about but the books he reads.

Well, we used to talk about our personal lives. I know he was sad and looking for attention.

That for a very long time that he was always alone, he learned to get used to it. He finds a comfort zone in reading. And upon reading fantasy stories, he felt like he found his own world.

He felt like he had joined the adventures inside the books he had read. He never felt alone while reading. He once told me that if there are such things as what he had read, he would gladly join them. But of course, it is impossible.

And it upsets me. Because here I am, I choose to be with him always. I even disregarded my friends because I want him to feel that he wasn't alone in this world. I want him to see that life outside his comfort zone is a lot nicer. And that having real friends is better than having them from his imagination.

But my existence seems to be useless because he does not notice what I am doing for him.

Here it is! He loudly announced as he climbed down the stairs. Let's go to the garden. He guided me upon reaching me.

I'd been to his house so many times, and the house help knew me already. I can even come inside comfortably.

I pulled one of the steel chairs and sit down. Flame does the same. He showed me the book right away. The cover was black, the first time I saw it, and I thought it was gray. Maybe because of the dust.

Open it.

I did what he told me to do so. I knotted my forehead. I do not understand what is written in it. Latin words and symbols I am not familiar with.

W-What is this? I am curious about what did he saw in it.

Open it in the middle. Flame commanded me as he points out the bookmark.

On that page, there was a big drawing of a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle. Some letters were engraved in the loop and I don't understand it. While in every part of the five-pointed star were symbols. At the top, there's a circle divided into two colors, white and black. Both sections had dots opposite to its color. Just like the Yin-Yang Chinese symbol. They say it's the balance of life and death. But since I am not interested in those kinds of stuff, I didn't bother to search for anything about it.

At the right-wing of the star, there's a blue color inverted triangle. In the left-wing is a yellow triangle with a horizontal line in the middle. Under the left-wing is a green inverted triangle with a horizontal line in the middle. While under the right-wing is a red triangle.

W-What is this? An amulet? I closed the book and inspect the whole thing. It was when one of the house help came and serves juice drinks. She leaves us immediately. This book looks so old. Maybe it's somewhat a book of the ritual of those ancient people? But why is it in the old library?

Flame took the book from him and re-read it on the bookmarked page. This thing. He pointed out the drawing. I already saw this from some of the fantasy books I have read.

And I went speechless.

Yes. This is the same thing called pentacle in the fantasy books I have read." He added. This is the same amulet or badge of protections of the characters in the books.

I snatched the book from Flame and look at the pentacle he was talking about.

Those Latin chants and spells in there; I remember it was being used from one of the books I had read. He said while I am scanning the whole page.

I do not know, but I have a bad feeling about the book. I closed it again.

Let's bring it back to the library. There's no good in reading this kind of book.

Flame swiftly snatched the book away from me. This is a book of chants. It can be useful.

What the heck, Flame? We're in a computer generation. Spells and chants are out of date. Things are not working right now. The magic believed in ancient times can be explained by science today.

Flame went silent and just stared at the book.

Flame, just bring that back. We never know what really that is. What if it's black magic, and you end up having a stroke of bad luck?

That's when Flame looked up at me. And I supposed you didn't believe in magic?

I just said that because I rolled my eyes. You seemed too absorbed with that book. I would like to think that you are planning to try it out.

A smile flashed across Flame's thin lips. Why not?

What? Are you crazy?! I got up all of a sudden.

His eyebrow rose in my reaction and handed me a paper. I once again knotted my forehead.

I had translated one of the chants using the resident genius. And I know what he is referring to. The internet itself. What else cannot be explained in this modern age?

Something was written on the paper:

Air and Fire, Water and Earth

Aid in my quest I call you forth

In this place and in this hour

By the guardians of the secret world

Bring me to quiet, Bring me to peace

Take the keys to my heart

And shut close the door of my mind.

See? I don't see anything wrong with the chant. It's only for cleansing and purification of mind. he added.

I handed him back the paper.

Still, you should bring that book back to the old library. You will never get anything from there.

I really do have a bad feeling about the book.

And I think it wouldnt harm me, though. He opposed me.

Flame! I rebuke him.

Okay. Fine, I'll bring this back to the library.

What if you bring that back now?

Tomorrow?

Why does it tomorrow if you can bring it back now?

I wanted to scan it a little bit more. I'll bring it back tomorrow before I go to school.

I hesitated for a moment. I can see that Flame really liked the book. What if he already had any plans about it?

Dont worry. I'll bring it back tomorrow, I promised. If you want, you can go with me.

When Flame smiled, I calmed down. He never promised anything that he will never do.