text: They live among us without being noticed. They blend with mortals as if they are not from different worlds. We talk and laugh with them. We smile at them as friends do. And some even work for them, like I do. Unfortunately . Today is my first online session with the son of a wealthy single parent--at least that’s how I knew it when I accidentally applied as a tutor. And by accidentally, I mean I walked on a street one day, then a turbulent rainbow tornado stopped in front of me just to leave not havoc but a piece of paper which said, “ Congratulations! You have been chosen. Don’t even try to disregard this invite or you’ll suffer the worst! ” Yes, that tornado passed the streets without being seen by anyone there--except me. Curse this ESP! Because of this, I am not given the chance to live a normal human life. Seeing dead people every single time of your life is something you’ll hate your existence for. Being able to talk to fairies and gnomes is fun, but it makes me a weirdo amidst the bunch of an ordinary crowd. And now, being a tutor for the Ice Queen’s son is a little bit too much. Random thoughts ransacked my head as I wait for him on Zoom. Is he as cold as an ice cube? Does he look like an iceberg? Does he melt when he gets mad? Will he freeze me forever if he doesn’t like me? He’s the Ice Queen’s son, after all, things could happen. “Psst! Lally.” A small voice pulls me out of my head. “Lally, let’s play.” It’s Jester’s tiny yet manly voice calling. He’s a gnome from our garden who I have played with since I was a child. His pointed ears flap as he jumps in front of me. His skin glistens under the subtle glint of light coming from the window. “I can’t. I have work to do.” “You work?” Then, he bursts with laughter. “Seriously? A human employed a creep like you?” He rolls his slender six inches long body on my keyboard. Various letter combinations are printed on the open Microsoft Office Word on screen as he stomps and hits the keys. I pout and let him have his good laugh. I wouldn’t dare see his cute face turn red and hideous when he’s mad. He hates being answered back. Fangs protrude out of his pearl white teeth when he gets mad. He curses, and I get itchy red spots for several days for that. Those spots only disappear when he’s no longer angry. “Jest, please. I’m serious. I can endure your tantrums, but I will surely freeze to death if I mess up today.” “Uhm, okay.” He stopped teasing me and sits on my lap. “Who do you work for?” “The Ice Queen.” He chokes, almost about to laugh again, but stops. He knows I’m not kidding. “Can I stay here? Well, just in case you need help.” “Sure. Just don’t mess around.” Jester and I wait for my student with varied emotions. Jester seems to look forward to seeing a new face; I am a little shaky, butterflies in my stomach fly erratically. Connecting... I freeze when I see the word. I took the deepest breath I could take to calm myself. “Oh, it’s you! I can’t believe it’s really you!” Stunned by his exuberance, I look at him with do you know me in my head. “Of course, I do! I requested you to be my personal tutor.” “You know me?” I pointed to myself, “how?” “I have been stalking--I mean following--you since the first time I saw by the bridge.” “Bridge? What bridge? When?” “I will never forget that day.” *** I was having my regular walk in the park near an old bridge by the river. I was a fish out of the water. I look human, but I know that I’m not. My mother is the Ice Queen after all. She was not literally the queen from Narnia, but she was a witch. She was so mad at me for leaving our house without her knowing it, so she made it rain cats and dogs with roaring thunder and lightning flashing angrily--just how my mom growled when she was mad. I knew I had to go home as fast as I could, but a human stopped me from doing so. My eyes were glued on her. She was just standing by the bridge but she caused my heart to falter that I almost stopped breathing. “Do you plan to go home or not?” My mom appeared from nowhere. She was a beautiful disaster. Her icy blue eyes turned fiery red as she gave me a threatening look. “Mom, she poked my heart.” I pointed at the girl amidst the somber sea of lost souls. “I haven’t felt this in my 125 years of existence. Can I have her?” “Silly boy. You can’t just own a person only because you want to. In the world of humans, they have this thing called love that can make you own someone.” “Is this love I’m feeling? Because I want her to be mine.” “My son, such emotion is dangerous. I don’t want you to suffer what I have experienced.” “I want to give it a try. Please, mom.” “Be grateful you’re my son.” “They call you Ice Queen for a reason, but your heart always melts for me.” “Only for you. Okay, I’ll do my best to make her yours. And since we only fall in love once in a lifetime, I'll give this to you.” *** “Uh, hello? Did you hear me? I was asking how did you know me.” “S- sorry. I just realized how beautiful you are. I was only able to see you from afar.” Jester makes himself known. He butts in our conversation. “Excuse me? Stop staring at Lally, you might melt her.” He crosses his arms on his chest while stomping on the computer desk. “Oww, you have a pet. How cute.” “I’m not her pet! I’m her friend.” He replied grumpily. “Shhh... Jester. I told you not to meddle, right?” I stared at my student’s blue eyes, but instead of feeling cold by his gaze, it feels like a warm embrace. His smile melts my bones. “Lally.” Jester tugs my shirt. “You’re spacing out. You’re blushing. Your heart is in your eyes.” “W-what? Stop messing with me.” I felt my cheeks burn. “I’m sorry. By the way, I forgot to ask your name.” “I’m Genesis.” “Hi, Gen. Okay, so, what do you want to learn?” “I want to learn how to be more human. I want to learn more about the human emotion called love.” Cat got my tongue. Someone wants to be tutored about love. I haven’t even had an experience of it. I’m doomed. “I’m sorry, Gen. But I don’t think I’m the right person to teach you that. Love is not really something that is taught. It is an involuntary feeling. You just know it when you feel it.” Blood escapes his face and the light of excitement leaves his eyes. Needles prick my heart. My mood turns from okay to blue. Why am I feeling this? “Don’t be sad that you can’t teach me. Please don’t be gloomy. I can feel you from here.” I am lost for words for what he says. I look away not to see his somber face, but my heart feels empty without a glimpse of him. What’s wrong with me? “How dare you saddened my son!” A shrill voice reverberates in my room. I almost leap from my seat. There is the Ice Queen at the corner, and she’s striding towards me. The floor is now covered with shredded ice. The temperature drops to zero. I tug my hands in my pocket. I am only wearing shorts and a short-sleeved blouse. Jester hides behind me as a prickling breeze fills the atmosphere. Who would’ve thought of having winter inside a room? “S-sorry, ma’am.” My chin trembled as I speak. I clasp my knees to my chest for warmth. “I don’t want to disappoint your son even more if I let him hope he’ll learn love from me--” I breathe the icy air and choke, “--because I can’t fake love.” “Then, give it a try!” The room’s temperature drops even more. Every corner of my room starts to freeze. Icebergs sprout from the floor. Snow crystals pour. My computer has turned to ice. I can no longer feel my limbs. My lungs tighten as I keep on breathing cold air. I can feel the icy particles blocking my air passage. So, this is what they call slow, tormenting death . The tears clouding my eyes also start to harden. I can only utter a sorry to Jester in my head. As I’m starting to accept my cold death, a beautiful man appeared--warming the place. “Mom, please stop.” His eyes are somber. “You told me you can’t force love.” With those words, the Ice Queen’s facial features soften. She looks at me with an apologetic eye. “I’m sorry, Lally. Genesis is my life. His sadness breaks my heart literally.” She places her hand on her left chest and buries it deep. Then, she pulls her crystal heart with numerous crevices out. “These fractures are my pain and my son’s pain. My heart cracks whenever melancholy envelops our hearts.” She floats towards Genesis and touches his face with love. “I’m sorry, son. I could’ve known better. I just don’t want your heart to be like mine--fragile, almost broken.” “Hey, Lally--” Gen looks at me and smiles, “--your heart is in sync with mine. Why is that?” “I don’t know.” Jester peeks out from behind me. “You’re in love with each other.” “What? How did it happen? It’s the first time we met. That's too soon.” I choke on my words. “Lally,” he pouts. “Don’t you know about love at first sight? You’re ridiculous. Are you sure you’re human? Humans fall in love as fast as four seconds.” Gen and I look at each other with coy smiles because of Jester’s outburst. The Ice Queen approaches me and smiles brightly. “I’ll leave my son to your care. Here’s his heart.” She hands me a glass case. A crystal heart sits inside it. It shimmers under the light coming from outside the window. “Please handle it with care.” *** Soon, our wedding is arranged and we’re all excited. I have decided to invite my closest friends. We are to meet at the cottage by the bridge where Genesis first saw me. I entertain myself with the buses and trains that pass by while waiting. When I get bored, I have taken my book out to be occupied. I am just starting to get sucked in the fictional world of the book and have been ignoring the noise around me when someone yells. “Run for your life! Run for your life!” I look up from the page I’m reading and petrify when I come face to face with falling debris. The bridge has crumbled due to the impact of the buses that collide on the skyway. It’s too late for me. My body collapsed at the smash. Blood surges everywhere, oozing warmly all over my body. My vision blurs. My head spins as my surrounding becomes tumultuous. Only one name escapes my mouth to what seems to be my final word. Genesis , my love . My heartbeat becomes a faint lub dub-- it fades every second. Then, I hear the voice so dear to me--my Genesis’ voice. He’s in panic. “Lally! Please don’t leave, stay with me! Lally!” I struggle to open my eyes in an attempt to have a final glimpse of the face of my beloved. But I only see darkness. “Lally! Please stay. Don’t leave my son. If I need to give you the remaining heartbeat that I have, I will.” It’s the Ice Queen. With her words, I remember their hearts--Genesis and hers. I visualize her vital organ crumbling to pieces as she sees her son grieve over my almost lifeless body. I also imagine Genesis’ heart having more crevices. No! I can’t die now. Their hearts are at risk too. I must live--for them. “Lally!” It’s Jester’s voice. “Lally! Don’t die.” *** “Lally.” Another familiar voice calls out my name. But unlike the others’ voices, it’s calm and subtle. I even feel a gentle shake on my shoulder as the voice keeps on calling my name. I hear myself respond with a soft moan. “Lally--wake up.” It’s my mom’s voice. How come she’s here? “Lally, dear. Wake up. You’re dreaming. It’s late. You have class.” I jumped out of bed as if an ice bucket has been poured on me. “What?!” I grab my phone only to see twenty- six missed calls from our online manager. It’s 9: 10 in the morning. My class is supposed to be at 9:00. I dial the manager’s number and ask for an apology. Good thing she’s not in a hell mood, she doesn’t scold me. “Just make sure you have a good impression on your new student.” She reminds me of my new student. “His mother requested for the most capable tutor. She’s a valuable client. We can’t risk to disappoint her.” I ready myself and start Zoom. Connecting... My heart beats fast as the image of my vivid dream plays in my head. How does my student look like? Genesis’ face registered in my mind’s eye as I space out. Then there’s a hello from the other end of the connection. My jaw drops at the face I am staring at. Am I still dreaming? “I- it’s you.” “Yes, it’s me.” He smiles. My heart leaps with joy at the sight of that warm familiar face. Behind him is another recognizable figure. An elegant woman wearing her most amiable smile--the Ice Queen. Then, a tiny human silhouette waves at me too-- it's Jester. “It’s nice to see you in the real world, my love.”