"Thank you for enrolling in Celeste Academy."

♣

CHAPTER THIRTEEN ♣ BACK HOME

The morning rolled in and Lily did not realize she fell asleep on the sofa, waiting for Valeriana to come back. She didn't come home last night and the woman was worried sick. She had spent the whole night moping around the living room, fiddling with her fingers while anxiously waiting for her daughter to open the door. She was gone the next morning after she found her lying asleep on her bed without her pajamas and she hadn't come back ever since.

Once or twice she tried calling the police, but they told her that she should wait for twenty-four hours before reporting a missing person. She remembered throwing the phone down and deciding to go out and look for Valeriana herself, but did not know where to start.

Jareth came trudging downstairs while rubbing off the sleepiness in his eyes. "I'm hungry. Mom? Aren't you going to work?" He sauntered to the sofa his mother was sleeping on and shook her awake. "Mom . . . mom! You'll be late!"

The woman jumped out of her seat in fright and looked at Jareth with a questioning look on her face. A dried trail of her drool marked the edges of her mouth.

She held the remote control in her hands and glanced towards the direction of their plasma television pinned against the wall. The screen blared with the morning news report. The television must've been running since last night.

"Did Valeriana come home last night? What time is it already?" she asked, brushing back the locks of her brown hair that resembled a bird's nest.

"Seven-thirty and I don't think so," Jareth muttered sleepily. "I checked her room to ask her to cook something for me. She's not home yet."

The evident worry for her daughter could be seen through the lines that creased her face. "I think I'll take a day off today, Jareth. I can't go to work worrying for Valery the entire day. I need to find her."

Jareth sank on the sofa and trained his eyes to the television. "She'll come back."

"How can you say that so easily? Don't you care for your sister?"

"No, it's just that Val is really too stubborn to let herself be abducted that easily without fighting. I mean, if ever they try, I'm sure they'll get a bruise or two."

"Still! I'm going to call the police and drop by the station after that. I'm really worried for Valeriana. What if those who kidnapped her were in a syndicate of some sort? Oh, good lords," she said and fumbled with the receiver resting on the drawer against the wall. Not a split second afterwards, while the dial tone was ringing, she glared at Jareth pointedly and spoke. "Get the newspaper. Check if we also have mail."

Jareth obeyed her mother and walked out of their front door. He saw the newspaper on their front porch and bent down to pick it up. His eyes shot to the mailbox by their gate and he noticed that the flag was raised. He approached it, the newspaper clipped between his fingers. Jareth pulled on the small knob he personally hammered into it during his antics as a child and saw a letter inside. He carefully took it out and stared at the golden seal stamped on it.

A winged sword with a shower of feathers on the background.

"Weird."

It wasn't addressed to anyone in particular—which was strange. He entered his house, examining the letter on both sides.

As he closed the door behind him, his mother was already in front of their clothing rack throwing in her coat. Lily approached him while buttoning up. "What's that?" She nodded towards the letter in Jareth's hands.

"A letter, obviously," he answered sarcastically.

"Let me see that." Lily snatched the envelope from Jareth's hands and flipped it to the other side. "No name? How did they send it, then?"

She ripped it open and found two letters inside. She unfolded the first and started reading. After going over the contents written on it, she beckoned her son to come forward, keeping her eyes trained on the piece of paper.

"Tell me this isn't true!" After reading it over two times, tears sprung from her eyes and she broke down. She began sobbing and shoved the piece of paper to Jareth's chest, covering her face with her hands. "That's got to be some scam!"

"What does it say?" he asked, taking a look for himself. He started reading it aloud.

Dear mom,

I'm sorry. I want you to know that I found a great school that I can study in without having to pay for anything. There was this guy named Airon La-something who said that he would be willing to pay for everything I'll need. I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you goodbye, but things happened this way and I sort of just went along.

If you're worrying if this is fake, then don't. That is NOT the problem right now.

I barely had time to prepare myself too. It isn't easy for me after being suddenly dragged away, but if you're going to ask why now when it's summer vacation, I think it's because this school demands a lot from its students. I'm even wondering if these guys ever rest—but soon, I'll probably be one of them.

But that's the problem. PROBABLY. I mean, I have to (figh) find a way that I can pass the entrance exam. It's far harder than I thought it was. And everyone here is so mean! They're so mean towards me! Just because I'm from another (world) country from theirs—because I'm a foreigner and they're not used to foreigners. But this academy has very high standards and stuff. Its name is Celeste Academy, in case you're wondering.

I have a LOT of things to tell you, mom! But for now, let's end it here.

With lots of love and kisses,

Valeriana

P.S. I'll try sending you a postcard!

"No. I don't believe it." She shook her head furiously. "I do not believe that!"

"It's sis' handwriting. What about the other one?" Jareth asked, pointing to the other piece of paper.

Lily hastily began to read.

To Mr., and Mrs. Kerrigan.

We want to happily inform you that your daughter has been accepted into Celeste Academy, and will now serve as one of our beloved students for the next four years. We want you to be aware that the school requires students to reside within our dormitories. You've no need to worry about paying any of her school fees and other miscellaneous, for she would study under scholarship until she graduates.

We want to congratulate you in having an excellent daughter.

This by my hand,

Aeron LaVallene

with the consent of

Kylon Cadalyn

School Headmaster

"Does Valery hate me so much she didn't even say goodbye before she left for an elite academy?" She sobbed, carefully folding both of the letters. "I will not allow it! All so suddenly—without even saying goodbye! How could she? She just . . . just left! She didn't even tell me! Where is her respect to me as a mother? Where!"

Lily began to pace around restlessly. Seeing this, her son sighed. "Mom!"

"Where is that school? How can I contact them? I need to talk to Valery immediately! I will not be able to rest easy until I know what kind of school it is!"

While Jareth watched his mother cry her eyes out, he casually folded the paper back and shrugged his shoulders. "Calm yourself, mom." Jareth patted her back soothingly.

She began chewing on her nails. "I told her to fix her enrollment but I did not say to leave so soon!"

"Mom, Valeriana's already seventeen years old. She's old enough to take care of herself."

"B-but . . ." She sobbed.

"Where is it anyway? There is no address written on the envelope."

Lily's brows creased into a frown as she stared at the letter Jareth was holding. She pulled out a tissue from its box and blew on it violently. She patted her tears dry with another ply before hiccupping. "Celeste Academy, was it?"

"Is there anything wrong, mom?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just worried for your sister and all." She guided herself and headed for the stairs, her heavy, seemingly dragged footsteps echoing within the room. "I'll go upstairs," She carefully told his son. "I pulled off a simple ham sandwich at the moment, go help yourself."

She traveled through the hall and entered the bedroom which she and her husband shared before he passed away. She sauntered into the room and stopped just beside their bed. She took a deep breath and bent down, slipping her hands under the furniture. She grasped a small, antique box and pulled it out. Calmly kneeling on the floor as she stared at the small container sitting on her palms, she blew away the dust and closed her eyes.

"Damn this! Jareth!Grab that letter! We'll get in touch with that headmaster or die trying!"