Chapter 1

Jade's Point of View

Habang nakatingin sa kanya sa malayo, malakas na kagad ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Nagda-dalawang isip talaga ako kung gagawin ko talaga 'tong pinagdesisyunan namin ni Ruben. Jusko, di lang yung puso ko nagwawala! Pati kamay at tuhod ko nanginginig sa kaba.

"Ano na Jade? Gusto mo ba ako na lang umamin para sayo?" Sabi ni Ruben na naiirita na.

Siguro may kalahating oras na kaming nakatayo dito habang pinagmamasdan si Caiden na nakikipagkwentuhan sa barkada nya. Napakapit ako sa braso ni Ruben at hinila sya palayo sa lugar na 'to. Napadpad naman kami sa music room dahil wala namang tao dito.

"Jade!? What the-- akala ko ba aamin ka na kay Caiden ngayon!?" His eyebrows furrowed.

"I change my mind! Ayoko umamin kay Caiden sa harap ng maraming tao, sa susunod na lang siguro."

Napasimangot si Ruben. "I knew it, magba-back out ka. You really don't have the balls to talk to Caiden!"

"B-Balls!? Ruben, babae ako! Wala ako 'non!" Umiiral nanaman ang attitude ni Ruben. Ako lang ang babaeng nakakausap nya ng ganito, pero sanay na 'ko dahil mga bata pa lang kami ganito na talaga sya sa akin.

"I know, gusto mo hiramin yung sa akin?"

"Ew! Ano ba Ruben, masasapak kita eh! Ako na nga 'tong nahihirapang umamin kay Caiden tapos ginaganito mo pa 'ko."

Umikot ang kanyang mata at sinumbatan ako. "Parang kagabi lang pinagsasabi mo sa akin na aamin ka na bukas kay Caiden, pinagyabang mo pa confidence mo para bukas tapos titiklop ka lang naman din! Alam mo, ako na lang talaga aamin kay Caiden para agawin ko sya sayo."

"Ugh, Rubeeeeen!" Niyugyog ko naman sya out of my frustration.

Then unexpectedly, Ruben stopped me and grabbed my wrist tightly. "Pag ako nahilo at nasuka, I swear! Ikaw susukahan ko."

"Ruben naman kasiii!!" Napasalampak na ko sa sahig. "Gusto ko talaga umamin kay Caiden, I just don't know how! Rubeeeen! Diba best friends tayo, tulungan mo naman ako!!!"

"Anong bespren? Babysitter kamo!!" Napatingin sya sa relo nya at napabuntong hininga. "Hays, tapos na homeroom. Sinayang mo lang oras mo kakadrama dyan."

"Halaaaa!!!" Tinignan ko din ang orasan sa cellphone ko. Tapos na talaga ang homeroom kaya parang bigla ako nanlumo. I had this one chance, and I wasted it... "Waaaah! Rubeeeen! Ang pathetic ko! Waaaaaah!"

"Sinabi mo pa." Amp! Masasapak ko talaga 'tong walking attitude na 'to, bwiset!

Pagkaalis namin sa music room, umakbay sa'kin si Ruben at pinag-aasar ako. "Hayaan mo, kahit di ka umamin kay Caiden hindi ka naman nya gusto. Pfft, HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Gago ka Ruben!" Kinurot ko sya sa tagiliran kaya namilipit sya sa sakit.

"Aray ko! Sumbong kita kay tito Felix eh, nang aabuso ka na talaga."

"Sumbong din kita sa dad ko, nang aabuso ka ng feelings ko!" Sinamaan lang ako ng tingin ni Ruben, at ng inirapan nya ko bigla syang napatigil na parang may nakita syang something. "Uy, last chance mo na talaga 'to..." hinawakan nya ko sa magkabilang balikat.

"Wag na wag mo na rin aaksayahin ah?" Aniya.

"H-Ha?" Iniharap nya ko sa ibang direksyon at biglang itinulak. Saktong may tao din sa harapan ko at nabagsakan ko sya. Agad kong inayos ang sarili ko at inaway si Ruben. "What the hell Ruben!?" Tinignan ko sya na tila mapapatay ko talaga sya.

He just giggled there and helped me to stand up. "Sorry, sorry! I think I have somewhere to go, ikaw na tumulong sa nakabangga mo." At biglang tumakbo ang nyeta!

"WHAT THE HELL RUBEN!!!?"

"O-Ouch..." Napatingin ako sa nagsalita at nanlaki ang mata ko ng makita ko si--

"Oh my gosh! Caiden!! Okay ka lang!?" Tinulungan ko sya tumayo. So is this what Ruben meant by 'last chance'?

Bwisit talaga yung lalaki na yon!

"Ugh... yeah, I think so. Wait, ansakit ng pwet ko." Ahh! My poor baby! Napakapit sya sa braso ko nang i-try nyang tumayo.

"Sorry talaga Caiden ah? Tinulak kasi ako ng kaibigan ko, lakas kasi mantrip non ngayon."

Ngumiti lang si Caiden at halos matunaw ako sa sobrang hot nya. "It's okay. Just don't let it happen again."

Then after that, we had this long awkward silence. Napagpasyahan na din ni Caiden na umalis na. "Well uhh... I'll be going back to my class."

Pagkatalikod ni Caiden, napakagat ako sa labi ko at muli nanamang bumalik yung kaba. Like Ruben said, this is my last chance to tell Caiden my feelings... it's now or never!!

"Wait, Caiden!" Napalingon sa akin si Caiden. Nang magsasalita pa lang ako may iba ding babae na tumawag sa kaniya.

"Caiden! Andiyan ka lang pala!" Napatingin ako dun sa babae. Maganda sya, matangkad, maputi... parang model. Di ko alam kung bakit pero bigla akong nakaramdam ng hiya.

"Hinahanap na pala ako ng girlfriend ko. Uhm, is there something you're gonna tell me?" Nanlaki mata ko sa narinig ko.

Girlfriend... may girlfriend na pala si Caiden.

Parang gumamit si Caiden ng mortar and pestle para durugin ang puso ko. I just smiled at him on impulse and shook my head. "W-Wala, nevermind." At tumakbo ako papalayo sa kanya. Habang natakbo ako sa hallway, my vision started to blur from the tears that wanted to escape my eyes.

I never knew he had a girlfriend... I should've known. Someone as perfect as him will definitely have a girlfriend! Nakakainis lang dahil hindi ko alam! Di kasi sya nagpopost sa facebook or twitter na may gf pala sya! Kainis!

Nadapa naman ako ng malapit na ko sa restrooms. Taena pinahiya ko pa sarili ko sa mga taong nakatambay sa lugar na 'to. Takte, ba't ba kasi sila nakatambay dito!?

Pagkatayo ko, narinig ko yung pagtawag ni Ruben sa pangalan ko. "Jade!! Uy, okay ka lang!?" Nang makalapit sya sa akin, napayakap na lang ako sa kanya.

"J-Jade?... ba't ka umiiyak?" Nag-aalalang tanong nya, and I think he already knows about this damn tears.

"Tsk! Shut up ka na lang!" I told him kahit humihikbi ako.

"...you know I can't shut the hell up when my best friend is hurting right?... so fucking stop with the crying. If Caiden rejected you, then I'm here to pick you up. Hayaan mong ako na lang sumalo sayo."

"R-Ruben..." napasinghot pa ako. Grabe, minsan napakabait ni Ruben sa'kin. I'm so thankful that I have him as my best friend.

"Sasaluhin kita tas babato din kita."

Panira ng mood amp. Pero napangiti na lang ako at hinigpitan ang yakap sa kanya. "Bwisit ka talaga Ruben!!" Still, Ruben is the best of friend I ever have.

Ruben's Point of View

Lavaughn Academy is a school for kids that comes from wealthy families that owns large businesses or companies. Every student in this school is a heir to their own family companies, and everyone studying in this school is bound to be competent with their intelligence, talent, and other stuff any people can think of.

Although I'm one of the student's in this school, I don't really 'compete' at all. In fact, I can quit school because school isn't for smart people. Why bother go to school when you're already a fucking genius like me?

I can literally handle my father's own company anytime on my own because I'm a goddamn prodigy child, but I have this one reason to go to school... "Sobrang maga mata mo ah. Ilang timba ng luha ang naiyak mo?" Napangisi ako ng makaupo ako sa tabi ni Jade sa school bus na 'to.

"Tse, tigilan mo ko Ruben. Please lang." Inirapan nya pa ko.

"Hayaan mo lang Jade, bukas wala naman na si Caiden sa school. I-crush mo na lang yung pinsan nya na si Leroi." I told her.

She puffed her cheeks and had her eyes teared up again. "Bwisit ka talaga, walang kaparehas si Caiden okay? Kahit yung pinsan nya di sya mapapantayan nun!"

"You sure?" Caiden may be an almost perfect top student but his cousin Leroi is rumored to be better than him. I don't really care though, and rumors might just be rumors.

Pagkarating namin sa school, di kami kagad pumunta sa class namin dahil homeroom ang first subject. Dumiretcho kami sa cafeteria para kumain ng breakfast, di na din kami nagbe-breakfast sa bahay kasi mas type namin pagkain dito.

"Ruben, ilibre mo naman yung broken hearted dito oh." Aniya. I rolled my eyes.

"Broken hearted? Nambuburaot ka lang, mas malaki nga allowance mo kesa sa'kin eh."

"Pero Ruben naman! Di ka ba naaawa sa best friend mo?"

"I can't see any reason to take pity on you." Nagdrama nanaman si Jade kasi di ko sya nilibre. I just ignored her because I'm trying to enjoy my ham sandwich.

Habang kumakain, nadinig ko ang mga pinagtsi-tsismisan nung ibang estudyante na nandito sa cafeteria. And my left eye started twitching when I heard the words 'Clandestine Club'. That damn club is the most famous talk of this school.

A lot of student says that the club doesn't exist and it's only a myth, because the club consists of the most perfect students in this academy. Wala naman talaga makikitang perfect student na makikita dito sa academy. Caiden may be the famous top student, but he lacks a lot of things to be called perfect.

"Sabi nila may nakadiskubre daw ng hideout ng club na 'yun. They say nagmi-meet ang mga member ng club na 'yun sa unused art room sa 2nd building."

"Oh my gahd! Puntahan natin mamaya!"

"Heck yeah! Dala ka rin ng camera just in case, we can sell any info to the Journalist club. Baka mabili ko na din sa wakas yung high heels na nagustuhan ko!"

Tsk, tsk. This is gonna be a mess.

"Oyy! Rubeeeen!"

"Ah h-huh?" Jade just stole my attention from those gossipers. She showed me her wrist watch, letting me know that we're going to be late for the first subject. "Tara na! Baka mapagalitan tayo neto!"

Sighing, I know what I had to do. "Mauna ka na, I think I'll skip the first sub."

"Eh!? Ano ba yan, di mo man lang sineseryoso pag-aaral mo. Sabi ni teacher ambaba ng mga grades mo!" She said looking worried. It's true that I'm failing a lot of subjects, but it doesn't matter.

I'm really trying to fail on purpose. Competing with these students will only make me pity their efforts and achievements. I just shrugged her off at pinauna na sya sa kanyang klase. I really need to do something first.

If people think that I'm studying here just because of Jade, they are so damn wrong. It may be cold of me to say this but it's the truth, I don't care one bit about that damn girl who only thinks of her unrequited love.

She's a good cover though, she keeps me under her shadows and lets me live my life peacefully in this academy.

As I saw the guy I'm looking for, I quickly ran to his side and talked. "I've heard the rumors, magkakaron ba ng meeting tungkol doon?" Tanong ko.

He smirked as if I ignited his interests. "Of course, we can't let the confidentiality of the clandestine club be exposed."

"Saan naman magmi-meet ang members? The art room was found out, and there's definitely students that are trying to get a peak on all of us."

"Don't worry about a thing October, I'll just email you the place later. Pumasok ka na sa klase mo, I heard puro bagsak ka na sa klase mo." Napasimangot na lang ako sa nabanggit nya.

"I don't care, I just wanna settle the matter as soon as possible."

"Heed my words, October. Don't be such a pain in the ass." Then he left me standing on the empty corridors.

I gritted my teeth thinking that he's really getting annoying and cocky.

And yes, the Clandestine Club does exist. I never denied its existence. It's true that it's filled with the perfect students from this academy, and the members of the club includes me. The very reason why I go to school is because of this club... all because I get to meet other people that are like me.

Members of the club hide their true potential and as well as their identities. It's very interesting and thrilling for me to join this club. It's also not that easy to get here after all.

A club that is full of secrets and manipulates the system of this academy... I swear, someday I'll get to control this club and do whatever I want with it. My reasons may be pathetic, but I can't help it. I'm just a guy who does whatever he wants with his life.

to be continued