Chapter 4. The God of Destiny

Daniella came in early the next day since she didn’t want to be late, so she started walking before six a.m. Daniella was close to the school gate when she noticed William entering the gate at the same time.

She greeted him with a smile and said, “Good morning, William!” William just gave her a lazy look before entering the gate.

William did not return her greetings, and her smile faded. “It’s early, Daniella,” she thought. “So maybe he’s not in the mood yet.” She went inside and to her classroom.

Because it was still early, her other classmates were already outside once she sat down in her chair. Only a few students were inside with her and William; Bree seemed to not be in the school yet, and she saw that Bree wasn’t in her chair. She rested her head on her arm on the desk while they waited for their teacher, looking at William, who was reading a book.

William felt that someone was looking at him, so he turned around and caught her looking at him. She didn’t even look away and smiled at William. “Do you need anything?” William asked lazily.

She just shook her head. William would have been ready to go back to reading again, but he remembered something to say. “By the way, I will start tutoring you after class during break time. We go there in the school garden. There were tables and chairs.” And then he went back to reading again.

The school bell rang. It means that all students should enter their classrooms immediately.

She seemed to remember the male teacher from the way she looked now because her eyes widened as he walked into the room, and the book she was holding lay on the desk, pretending to be read.

He greeted everyone with, “Good morning, class!” And he rolled his eyes at all of his students now, but it stopped with one student whose face was hidden by the book cover.

“Excuse me! Could you please put down the book you’re holding before the lesson starts because I haven’t yet told all of you to use a book?” the teacher asked seriously.

She tried to keep her gaze away from what their teacher just said. “Why did Sir Salvador become our teacher on the second day of class?” She had no choice but to slowly lower the book.

Mr. Salvador’s eyes narrowed at her because he appeared to be aware of the situation immediately. “Miss Daniella Sanchez, I had no idea that you’d be my student again this year.” He smiled. “I thought you forgot about me, like last year. But next week, this section will have a quiz. I’ll see if all of you still remember the formulas that were taught last year. For now, pass the index card with your written name and section.” He sat on the chair in front of the table. The students murmured, but they couldn’t do anything because that was the behavior of Mr. Salvador.

William turned to Daniella, who was now staring at her index card while writing her name on it.

An hour passed on the subject of Mr. Salvador, and the students were introducing themselves one by one, even Mr. Salvador. “Okay, class, wait for your next teacher. I’m leaving. Don’t forget the quiz next week, especially you, Daniella.” He looks at Daniella once before he leaves.

Bree approached her. “It looks like you are Sir Salvador’s favorite student, Dan. You’ll believe you’ve escaped his subject, but he followed you until your final year here.”

“That’s why there’s a quiz next week. I know I am a little below average in math. How can I pass the math subject again this year?” She seemed frustrated.

Bree came close to her ear again. “Crazy, don’t you know that you have a tutor now? It’s William. Thanks to him, because he pulled out your name; otherwise you wouldn’t be on stage on graduation day.”

When she realized what Bree had said, she smiled. “Glad you still remember.”

Bree looked at her, confused by what she said. “Everything happened yesterday, Dan. You forget that easily?” And she was back in her seat again.

“Is it my fault that I forgot? I thought it was just a dream yesterday,” she whispered.

A few teachers passed by, and it was time for their break time, so William went first to their meet-up place, and then she followed.

She just sat quietly opposite William because he was already reading the book, so she waited for a while and didn’t disturb him first.

William put down the book, which surprised her as there was too much force and a serious stare at her. “Why?” I asked, looking nervous.

“What were your grades for Sir Salvador in math then?”

She forced a laugh. “Why do you need to know it?”

“Because I’m your tutor, and based on what Sir Salvador said earlier, you just seem too lucky to pass for his subject.”

Her eyes widened. “Hey! From the way you speak, what are your grades in math subjects? Go ahead, tell me!”

William folded his arms and looked her in the eye. “I had 99 in math back then.”

“What!” she shouted. “The grades are almost 100.”

“Now, what are your grades in math then.”

She didn’t answer right away and played with the fingers on her hand first. “75,” she said softly, and William didn’t hear.

“Make your voice louder; I can’t hear it.”

In her mind, “What kind of person is he?” She sighed before raising her voice. “I said I had 75 grades back then!”

William shook his head. “It’s a good thing the school has a program for tutoring, and you’re one of the chosen ones because otherwise, it’s a pity you won’t be able to graduate next year.”

“Sometimes it hurts the way he talks,” she whispered.

“Are you saying something?”

“Nothing!” She smiled at the same time. Of all the subjects, math is the one that causes the most difficult for her, but in other subjects, her grades are okay, so it cannot be said that her grades are too high in all subjects.

William arranged his things before he started. “You seem to be weak in math, so that’s what I’m going to focus on teaching you first, and tomorrow I’ll give you examples of solutions to previous lessons in the third year, so try to remember it because I’ll give you a short quiz.”

She looked at him in disbelief. “Quiz! Is that sure? Think about it carefully first. Maybe you’re just excited.” She was still making sure.

William turned his head toward her, looking disappointed. “You must learn to listen and do what I say if you want to pass all of the subjects. It’s not for me, and if there was a real chance, I wouldn’t have accepted tutoring if you weren’t serious about this. Don’t take everything too seriously.” He stood up and left her unable to speak because she was hit by what it said.

***

What should have happened next was ruined when Lexie appeared suddenly, so what happened next in William and Daniella’s conversation could not be written immediately.

“Hey! Alexa, do you still have any plans to eat? You’ve been locked in your room for a few days, and you’re just writing, and you’re always eating late,” Lexie scolded her while placing her hands on her waist.

She stretched, and she dropped the pen. “I’m sorry, but my scene with my characters is too exciting, so I can’t help but write and continue,” she explained while smiling at Lexie, who is now staring at the book.

“Why do you write in that book since you usually write in a notebook or on bond paper?” Lexie questioned. “Where did you get that and why is it so old?”

“I just found it outside the church. It looked like one person did know that the book had fallen, so I picked it up; it’s a pity because it’s still nice to write in this book.”

In the book, Lexie seemed to be feeling something bad, as if there were some magic thing she couldn’t explain. “Maybe the owner will return without you even waiting to come back.”

“I checked around before I went home. I didn’t see anyone, so maybe it won’t come back.”

Lexie simply nodded and looked at the book for the last time. “Let’s eat first, then just go back to writing,” Lexie said, and she nodded, so she could continue to write afterward.

***

Victor is facing a problem at home because the mystery book is still missing. “We’re going to be punished for what you did, Lucas. Just always look before you take something, understand?”

“I’m sorry, Grandpa; I was in a hurry and didn’t check to see if I got my book.”

Victor was about to say something when he felt something strange around him. “It looks like this is the day, Lucas because he’s already here.” Lucas hid behind a bookshelf because what his grandfather was talking about was too bright.

A human figure appeared in front of Victor as he stood near his table. Ordinary people can’t see its face; all they see is a shining light. Victor, on the other hand, can see its full body, including its face, because he is the guardian of the magical book, whose real owner is the one who is presently in front of him. “You have a problem now, Victor, don’t you?” the mysterious person said. This is the God of Destiny.

His eyes widened. “I’m sorry; I’m sure you already know what’s going on right now.”

“Do you know that there are people whose destiny will be delayed again as a result of this incident?” the God of Destiny said.

“I know, but I’m already thinking of a plan to find the book!”

As the God of Destiny turned his back, he looked around, and his eyes scanned the entire bookshelf. “But, I think it will take you some time to find it because the person who found it has already used the magical book.”

He was even more worried. Nobody else had the right to write in the book except him because everything in the book happened in real life. “Then I need to find the book as soon as possible, but if you know where it is, could you please let me know?”

Slowly, the God of Destiny shook his head. “It can’t be because that person already started writing a story; if you take it, you’ll ruin the fate of the people she made the protagonists of her creation; you’ll put the people in danger in her story.”

“But how come to the people I’m writing about in the book are the ones who are destined to meet each other?”

The God of Destiny turned his gaze back to him, this time looking into his eyes. “The people who should have met each other will be messed up because of the missing book, and the person who found it is already making other people destined, but this is not the right time; so, as quickly as possible before that person finishes her writing, find her and tell her how important that book is; if it doesn’t become a problem for us, maybe her character in the book will face a problem together and have a problem with their true destiny, and also become a problem for the people you started writing their story.”

He sighed in frustration because he had no idea where to start. “Even if I don’t know where to start, I’ll do everything just to find the book.”

The God of Destiny left him a warning. “I’m sure you won’t like what I’m about to say. You started writing in the magical book but didn’t finish it; the other word may have happened because you didn’t complete the words and the book could misread it.” He paused. “The woman in your book will be doomed as a result of your irresponsibility, and her destiny will be the cause.”

He quickly turned his gaze to the God of Destiny, a glimmer of fear appearing in his eyes as he heard what it said. “So, if you don’t want their story and the person she included in the book to be bad as a result, you need to find the magical book as soon as possible,” the God of Destiny said last before disappearing.

Victor was still stunned and seemed to be thinking about the last thing the God of Destiny told him that he was the only one who could see. He folded his arms and walked back and forth. He feels like he is going to faint because he is thinking about what he would do next.