It was raining heavily that day. The gray sky hung low over the school, almost as if it agreed with Aira’s feelings. She walked slowly down the hallway, her head bowed as she hugged her books tightly to her chest. The sound of her footsteps was drowned out by the bustling crowd of students passing by. But, as usual, no one truly noticed her.
Aira was used to this. She was the kind of girl who was almost always overlooked. No one really cared who she was, except for one thing: making her the target of jokes.
"Aira, why are you walking like a snail? Hurry up, it’s making me annoyed!" Luna’s sharp voice rang out from behind.
Aira stopped in her tracks, her body stiffening. She slowly turned around, and sure enough, there stood Luna with a smug smile. Her little gang was behind her, laughing softly while eyeing Aira from head to toe. Luna, with her neatly pressed uniform that looked freshly ironed, appeared perfect in everyone’s eyes. Perfect, at least physically.
"I... I'm sorry," Aira’s voice barely escaped. She tried to step aside to give way, but Luna snatched the book from her hands first.
"Look at this, what’s this book? Oh, pictures of flowers? Hahaha, you still draw stuff like a little kid?" Luna flipped through Aira’s book, showing the pages full of simple flower doodles. Her gang laughed louder.
"Luna, please don't," Aira whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Don’t?" Luna mimicked Aira's tone mockingly. "You’re so funny, Aira. I actually feel sorry for you sometimes, you know."
But there was no pity in Luna’s eyes. She just wanted to dominate the situation, as usual.
From a distance, a tall young man with messy hair walked closer. Raka, Aira’s childhood friend, recognized that voice from afar. He quickened his pace and stood between Aira and Luna.
"What are you doing, Luna?" Raka asked flatly, but his eyes were sharp as he stared at her. "I thought you were mature enough to stop meddling in other people's lives."
Luna scoffed, but didn’t back down. "This is none of your business, Raka. I was just messing around with her. Aira’s my friend too," she said in a sickly sweet voice.
"Messing around? You call this messing around?" Raka glanced at the book still in Luna's hands. "Give it back right now, or I’ll report it to the teacher."
Luna raised an eyebrow, displeased by the threat. But after a few seconds, she handed the book back to Aira. "Relax, Raka. You’re always so serious," she said, turning to her gang. "Let’s go. Enough playing with this little snail."
Aira lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. She knew Raka meant well, but attention like that only made her more visible to others. And Aira hated being the center of attention.
"Are you okay?" Raka asked after Luna and her gang walked off. He looked at Aira with concern.
Aira nodded slowly. "I’m fine. Thank you, Raka."
"You have to stand up to them, Ra. You can’t just stay quiet all the time."
"I don’t know what to do," Aira answered honestly. Her voice sounded faint, almost like she was talking to herself.
"I know you can do it, Ra. You just need to believe in yourself," Raka smiled, trying to encourage her. But for Aira, those words felt like a distant dream beyond reach.
That night, the rain continued as Aira walked home. Her small house was at the end of a narrow alley, with walls that had started to look worn with age. Yet, this was where she felt safest, even though at times, that "alien" feeling still haunted her.
"Mom's cooking, dear," Bu Santi’s soft voice came from the kitchen. She was Aira’s foster mother, the one who had raised her since she was little. Although their life was simple, Bu Santi’s love never lacked.
Aira placed her bag on the small table in the living room and walked into the kitchen. "What’s for dinner, Mom?"
"Vegetable soup and fried tempeh. You’ll like it," Bu Santi smiled warmly, but her eyes quickly noticed something on Aira’s face. "What’s wrong, Ra? Did something happen at school?"
Aira shook her head quickly. "I’m fine, Mom."
But Bu Santi was not someone who could be easily deceived. She walked over and gently patted Aira’s head. "Dear, if anything’s wrong, you can always talk to me, okay? Don’t keep it to yourself."
Aira just nodded slowly, but said nothing. She didn’t want Bu Santi to worry. The woman worked so hard every day to provide for them. Aira didn’t want to add to her worries.
After dinner, Aira returned to her room. She sat at her small desk and opened her sketchbook. Drawing was the only escape she had. But that night, even drawing couldn’t shake the unease that clung to her heart.
The night grew late. The rain outside began to lessen, leaving only the sound of water dripping from the roof. Aira lay in her bed, staring at the dark ceiling. Her eyes slowly closed, and soon, she drifted off to sleep.
But her sleep was not peaceful.
In her dream, Aira stood in the middle of a dark forest. Tall trees towered around her, and a cold wind blew fiercely, making her shiver. She didn’t know how she had ended up there. All she knew was that she felt like she was being watched.
"Aira…" A deep voice echoed through the trees.
Aira looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. "Who’s there?" she asked, her voice trembling.
From the darkness, a pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared. A large black wolf with sleek fur stepped out of the shadows. Its steps were calm, but full of authority. Aira felt her body freeze in place.
"Wh... who are you?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.
"I am Fenrir," the wolf answered in a deep, firm voice. "I am your protector, Aira. And I have been waiting for you."
Aira shook her head, confused. "Protector? I don’t understand. Why me? I’m just... I’m just an ordinary girl."
"There is nothing ordinary about you, Princess," Fenrir replied. "You are the heir to the Kaela lineage. And your time is near. You must be ready."
Aira wanted to ask more, but before she could speak, a loud rumbling sound came from afar. The ground beneath her feet began to tremble, and the wolf leapt toward Aira, as if to protect her. But everything went dark before Aira could understand what was happening.
Aira woke up with a gasp. Her room was dark, only lit by the moonlight streaming through the window. She sat up in bed, trying to calm herself. The dream had felt so real, she could still feel the cold wind from the forest.
"Fenrir..." she muttered softly. The name echoed in her mind, making her even more confused.
She looked out the window, toward the starry night sky. What did that dream mean? And who was she really?
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