Chapter 1

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12, KJV

Chapter 1

Her alarm clock truck four and rang thereafter. She woke up, tidy her bed, walked into her walk-in closet, and changed her night gown into sexy outfit for jogging.

She placed a mat on the floor and did a yoga to meditate in nothingness. She's not a religious person so she won't pray. She liked meditation kuno para at peace raw siya. Though she hadn't been in peace that surpasses human understanding, she still kept on meditating in nothingness, more or less.

Minutes later, she went to the opposite direction of her walk-in closet, and opened the fridge. She took numbers of spinach and put into a blender. She drank the liquid and off she went. She ran three laps around their subdivision.

She had dark bugs under her eyes, she noticed. She applied a natural makeup that complemented her complexion. She put on concealer to hid the dark circles under her eyes.

Maganda si Maine dahil iyon ang tingin niya sa kanyang sarili. Bilog ang kanyang mukha at mataas ang mamumula-mulang cheekbones niya. Matangos ang kanyang ilong. Mapusok ang kanyang natural na mga mapupulang labi dahil sa kapal ng mga iyon. Wavy ang makapal niyang buhok which was hang on the crown of her head, it's a touch like an artist. Kahit brown ang kulay ng kanyang mga mata, gusto niyang maging hazel ang mga iyon. Maputi ang balat niya na kapag naiinitan ay namumula. Mataas si Maine na hanggang five foot nine ang tangkad niya kaysa sa mga Filipinong pandak na hanggang four foot ten lamang. She's sexy and she knew it.

Gayunpaman, hindi pa rin gusto ni Maine ang narating niya dahil gusto pa niyang maging mas maganda talaga.

She inclined her hand to get her phone from the vanity. She made a pout, showing off her lips like those ducks and winked, then snapped a picture of her body in her school uniform from the mirror. Though unsatisfied, she posted her picture to her social media sites. Her picture didn't give her joy. She didn't feel any fulfillment. It was empty, void. But she did it anyway to see how many human loved her, or was it netizens? Ah, computers!

It had been minutes when her seatmate broke the solitude by entering the room. She stared at her face and she almost gag. She stood up and went to the comfort room.

Habang naglalakad siya sa pasilyo patungong palikuran ay naririnig niya ang usap-usapan ng mga naunang dumating sa mga section ang tungkol sa ginawa niyang nagpasuspende sa kanya sa klase. Hindi niya akalaing hindi pa rin matapos-tapos ang paksang tungkol sa kanya. Alam niyang siya ang paksa sa mga usap-usapan sa school nila dahil sa school website. Alam niyang naiinggit ang iba dahil hindi magawa-gawa ng mga ito ang ginawa niya sa takot na masuspende't hindi makapasa o 'di kaya'y ma-kick out ng tuluyan. Hindi niya tuloy maiwasang mapangiti at magsaya. Naisahan niya rin sila. Sulit ang pagkasuspende niya kung ang mga 'to ay naririnig niya ngayon.

Pumasok siya sa palikuran at tiningnan ang sarili sa malaking salamin na nakikita ang ulo niya patungo sa baywang. Inayos niya ang kanyang make up, buhok, at damit.

"I'm sexy and I knew it." She flipped her hair and blinked.

She took a picture of herself on the mirror and posted it on her social media accounts. She was leaning on the counter as she was swiping on the likes and compliments she received. She smirked. "I knew right."

She walked through the same hallway and into her classroom with confidence, chin was up and breasts were out. Hindi pa rin pala namamatay ang usap-usapan tungkol sa kanya, nadagdagan nga dahil marami-rami nang mga mag-aaral sa hallway at pinag-uusapan ang buhay niya na naiingit sa kagandahang taglay niya.

Nang tatalikod na sana siya para umupo sa kanyang upuan ay nakita niya ang lalaking may kakaibang kulay ng buhok. Lumapit siya rito. "Hey!" Hindi siya pinansin nito sapagka't nagbabasa ito ng itim na librong makapal na parang absorbed na absorbed ito sa kuwentong binabasa. If he's a girl, he would most likely to squeak in awe. It's a good thing he's a guy for his smile was a killer smile.

Nakaharap siyang umupong nagdikuwarto sa armrest ng upuan ng lalaki and touched the crook of his face with her right hand, that made him fidget upon contact and looked up to her who was touching down the contours of his smile as he was smitten to his reading that turned into frown. "What's your name, handsome?"

"J-jim," he muttered, stuttering.

She ran her forefinger down to his chin and lifted it so she can have a full access of his face whenever she want. "You shouldn't be afraid, I don't bite." She chuckled, remembering how silly it was how she bit his lips when she kissed him last week.

"That's harrassment, Maine."

Nabitawan ni Maine ang baba ng lalaki dahil parang nagitla siya sa biglang nagsalita, at nang lingunin niya ay tumambad ang makapal na koloreteng mukha ng babae at napakapula nitong mga labi na halos tatlong pulgada lang ang layo sa kanyang mukha. Nakasandal ang isang braso nito sa backrest ng upuan sa harapan na nakatingin sa kanya.

"Nope, I just like him," she said na parang wala lang sa kanya.

Jim awkwardly cleared his throat, forced a cough, and stood up. "Excuse me," he whispered, and ran off the classroom with the book in his hand.

Para namang matumba si Maine sa inuupuang arm ng chair dahil tumayo si Jim na sanang nagbibigay suporta sa kanya. Mabuti na lang ay natukod niya ang paa.

"You're new toy?"

Narinig naman niya ang boses lalaki na galing sa tabi ng babaing makapal ang kolorete sa mukha. Ganoon din ang lalaki, nakasandal ang braso sa back rest ng upuan ngunit sa kaliwa naman at magkaharap ang lalaki at ang babae. Minsan binibigla siya ng dalawa, palagi siyang inaatake sa hindi lugar.

"Nope, I said I like him," pag-uulit niyang naiirita. Hindi niya gustong magpaulit-ulit.

"You like your toys," he insisted, at tumango naman ang babaing katabi nito.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes at him and flipped her hair. She marched to find her guy. Iniisip niyang hindi pa siguro nakakalayo ang binata.

She found him talking to other students with his book open as he kept on flipping the pages and touched his tongue there after. Taas-noo niyang nilapitan ang Kano and she aggressively grabbed the crook of his arm with her. "Hey, handsome, come with me."

"Um, excuse us," he said to the group of guys and gals as he was being dragged by her, clinging on his arm which made him uncomfortable. "Uh, may I ask where are we going?" he awkwardly, untimely asked.

She didn't answer him. They came to a halt in front of the girl's comfort room and she demanded that everyone should leave the place with a shout and a threat. The girls obediently left the place unfinished doing their make-ups and unfinished businesses they had with themself as an scape to being kicked out of the school.

Maine smirked and they got in. She pushed him on the wall beside the counter. She slammed her palm near the left side of his head, almost leveling his height 'cause she was wearing three-heel school shoes and she's originally tall. She smiled widely like a psycho, she's taller that those delusional Filipinos thinking they're tall which's not.

"Bésame (kiss me)," she demanded, pursing her lips. She got no response. She opened her eyes and innocently frown-pouted. "Look at me. Am I not beautiful enough?" She buttered her lashes which were long.

"You are beautiful in His eyes," he answered, looking at the bulb on the ceiling.

"Then look at me if I am beautiful!"

"I can't."

"Why don't you just kiss me already!" she whinned. She wanted to protest and that's what she was doing.

"I respect you; and I love my God more than anything."

"God?" she snorted, and laughed humorlessly. "My god, that's not true. He's not real. I can't believe a handsome guy like you is devoted to someone like that. He's selfish; deceiving you to divert your attention and money to him," mapakla niyang sagot with spattering and cursing.

"Call me a Christ freak, but do not disgrace the God whom I serve. You don't know Him. Selfish? Does dying for others' sins a selfish act? Tell me what kind of selfishness did this God whom I serve have done? He laid down His life for us humans. He had gone through many persecutions, harassment, punishment, and get afflicted. He died for your sins just to save you from the condemnation of hell. Does doing that kind of act a selfishness?" he corrected with firmness in his tone, nawala na ang pagkamatakutin sa mga mata ng lalaki and his eyes became serious as he stared at her right through her eyes, seeing hidden fragments she's trying to hide. She shivered. She didn't want him to see her. Napaatras si Maine, withdrew her arm, at wala sa sariling sumalimbay siya. She began to fear him for some unknown reason.

She gulped and composed herself by crossing her arms. "That sins again! ¡Esta odiar! (Hate this!)" she shouted, concealing her fear. She stumped her foot and marched away. "He's just a delusion."

Napatigil siya nang hawakan nito ang kanyang pulsuhan. "You need to read this." He handed her the now closed, thick, worn black book he was reading earlier. She couldn't see the words on the book's cover, it had been aged timely into sinility.

"What's with this?" she asked inattentively as she flipped the cover over and stared at the large letters written on the spine and she lost it. She gasped and unconsciously loosened her grip on the book. It resulted a thud and before too long, she ran. She ran for her life.

She came to a halt when the bell rang. She panted and glimpsed around seeing students racing to get to their respective classrooms. She turned her gaze up to her classroom. She wiped her tears that slipped away, betraying her. She walked back in at ease and went to her classroom.

"You're late," the teacher announced.

Maine looked up to the woman who was wearing their women teacher's pink school uniform. Nakatayo ito sa likod ng misang nasa gitna ng klase. May hawak itong listahan na seguradong listahan ng mga mag-aaral and she missed it.

"Yes."

"Stand there and wait for my class to end as your punishment," her class adviser said and closed the record book.

Maine obliged. She stood at the doorway, listening to the teacher and raising her hands when she tried to participate like a normal obedient student. However, the teacher never gave her a glance. The class ended and she sat on her seat at last. Another teacher went to class and taught them. Maine participated, reciting the topic the class had last week which she shouldn't recited because she didn't attend for she's suspended, answering tricky questions about their current topic, debating and such. The class ended and they were permitted to have thirty minutes of break to make their businesses. Others went to the comfort room to tend for themselves, some went to the canteen and had their snacks or brunch, chatterers chat their crushes, geeks went to the library to have peaceful read, gangsters went to search for the assignments of their classmates' bag, morons went to play like running on the fourth floor which earned scoldings from some old sensitive teachers, and players did their thing, played on their mobile phone.

Maine had an argument with her teacher and she forgot to stay still. When she noticed the door of room for the teachers, she shut her mouth. She got caught up in their discussion that she never thought that as she argue with the teacher, they too stepped their feet all the way down to the office. The teacher dismissed their talk and went inside, leaving Maine standing there facing the door being closed.  She retreat and went to the stairs.

"Hindi ko akalaing buhay ka pa."

Maine looked up and frowned, seeing the four foot ten Filipina with her tan complexion "Stay away from me, Helena," pagbabanta niya, ngunit ang babae ay naglakad pa rin pababa na nakapagpakagat-panga sa kanya habang mariin niya itong tinitigan.

"Kawawa talaga ang lalaki dahil napagdiskitahan mo siya. Nahihiya tuloy."

"You have nothing to do with him. He's mine!" she grumbled.

"Hindi ako ganoong klaseng tao na kakainin ang isinuka ng iba."

"Bitch!"

"Hindi nga ako aso gaya ng iniisip mo. Ibahin mo ako, friend," sabi ni Helena at tumabi sa kanya.

"Don't call me that!" she snarled and moved to the opposite side of the stair level she was on, avoiding any contact she might get from the bitch.

"Oh, yeah, wala ka palang kaibigan. Kawawa ka naman, friend. Bye, die later!" natatawa nitong saad sa kanya habang dinaanan lang siya, kinukumpleto ang lahat ng baitang at naglalakad papalayo na parang wala lang rito ang nangyaring panghuhusga.

She wanted to kill the lady but she can't unless she's out of this government—makukulong siya 'pag nagkataon. She's sane enough to know what's right and what's wrong.

Maine spent all the remaining classes in the morning participating and ignoring the American dude completely since her fall. She's furious about the truth of him. He's a Christian and she hated it.

When she entered the canteen, she noticed Jim talking to the same students he was talking hours earlier. They were in deep discussion so she ignored it. She rolled her eyes. The guy didn't love her, she shouldn't push herself in him. She'll just appear desperate.

"Gutom lang 'yan, Maine."

She glared at Zia who appeared such sudden at her side.

"That toy's making you insane," komento ng lalaki.

I walked passed between them. They're too handful for her good. She ignored everything and sat on a corner of the canteen. She ate the fruits she bought for a few minutes and that short minutes, male students tried to have a conversation with her but she turned them down. She then spent the following classes with concentration and participation. The classes ended at ang mga studyante ay nag-uunahang makalabas sa silid-aralan pwera lang sa mga cleaners.

She saw Jim walking out of the class. Before she could control, "Jim!" she called him anyway. She never thought that there come a time for her to move for a guy.

But Jim didn't hear her. Maine gathered her things and went for him.

"¡Adios, mi corazón, mi amor! (Good bye, my heart, my love!)" flirty niyang sigaw, at nagmamadali niyang tinahak ang hallway na puno ng mga mag-aaral.

"Hindi ako makapaniwalang in love ka na, Maine."

"I'm not in love," she retorted, and walked down the stairs.

"Play toy niya nga ang lalaki, Zia."

"H'wag mo nga akong tawagin sa pangalan na 'yan, Crisostomo," sabi ni Zia, sinusundan si Maine.

"Sige, Maria."

"Will you two leave me alone?" She marched away, away from the both of them.

When Maine reached the oval, she saw him with a girl. She couldn't doubt if they're in relationship. Jim carried the girl's back pack on his left shoulder and the right of his own, and they talked and laughed as if they were in love with each other. Ang babaing kumausap ay nasa Junior High pa lang dahil sa uniform nito.

But Maine had to get into the bottom of this. Paghihiwalayin niya ang magkasintahan. Gusto niyang siya ang girlfriend ng Kano. She didn't want to be neglected by him again and again. She wanted him to love her.

Susundan na sana niya ang Kano ngunit humarang sa kanya ang isang lalaking naka-uniform ng itim na formal business attire bago pa niya matapak ang paa."Señorita Maine, pinapauwi na po kayo. Dahil po sa pagsuspende ng punong-guro, sinisigurado po ng iyong ama na sa bahay at paaralan lang po ang iyong pweding puntahan."

Sinamaan niya ng tingin ang lalaking sumusundo sa kanya. "I don't want this, Jess."

"Kahit tapos na po ang pagsuspende sa iyo ay sinususpende ka pa rin po ng iyong ama, Señorita Maine."

Nanggigil si Maine. Kagat-pangang sinagot niya ito, "If I can kill, I'll kill you all!"