Chapter 1 - First Day High

One year ago...

"HERO Gaston!"

Hero, the red-haired leader of Morsons National High School turned his head when he heard his name called by a familiar rough voice. He was not surprised to see a group of uniformed guys standing behind Liam.

"Dixon Memorial Academy," whispered Lance, one of his two best friends who were walking with him to school that day.

It was the first day of their last year in Senior High. At last, they would be leaving their school! However, their enemies would never give them smooth graduation.

"What do you want?" he asked Liam despite having a clue already of what he wanted.

"Where is your gang?"

"I don't know," he shrugged as he popped his cigarette. "What do you want?"

"I want a fight, but there's only three of you." Liam laughed, boasting the higher number of minions he had.

Hero looked at his friends before giving Liam a mocking smile. "Are you sure about that?"

His friends, Miggy and Lance, smirked.

"Yeah. And I'm gonna win this time! Finish them off!" Liam ordered his minions. All of them screamed altogether and attacked.

"Time for a bet. I will have more K.O.s than Hero today," Lance said excitedly.

"I will have the most," Miggy answered, not wanting to lose.

"Well, let's see about that," Hero said, throwing the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it. "Let's go!"

They threw their bags somewhere and ran to meet the guys with their fists! Hero punched the first guy that got near him with his fist and knocked him to sleep. "One!" he shouted.

"Ahhh!" Lance yelled before kicking two guys—one on his front, the other on his right side. "I got two!"

"This is my fourth already," Miggy boasted while giving a headbutt to his opponent.

"You, a**ho**s! How dare you make fun of us!" Liam snarled as he grabbed Miggy's uniform and punched his face many times before kicking him in the abdomen.

"Miggy!!" Hero and Lance shouted in unison when they saw their friend getting knocked down on the muddy ground.

There was a sudden pause. The guys also looked at Hero's beaten friend.

"Damn you! I'll kill you!" Lance swore ferociously, hitting his opponents madly and making his way to Liam.

Hero also made his way to the man, getting rid of his opponents.

"Lance!" Miggy shouted.

There was another pause in the action.

Then they saw Miggy standing on his feet. "Don't you dare steal my opponent!" he said, hitting the guy near him.

The three of them smiled at each other...and back to action!

"We're late. Let's finish it already," Hero told his friends after seeing the time in his wristwatch. He let Miggy handle Liam. It was a bloody fight between the two of them as if they've been mortal enemies ever since.

"We're already late!" Lance shouted when they had already knocked down their opponents and was watching Miggy and Liam fight. "Miggy, come on!"

"Fine!" Miggy nodded before giving Liam his last punch that knocked the guy to sleep.

--

Present...

Krrrrriiiinnnngggg!

HERO instinctively slammed his alarm clock off before its disturbing noise could go on any further. It was already 5 AM. Time to get up and go to the market. After that, he would have to help with cooking. Before six, his aunt's eatery should open and be ready for breakfast.

It had been five months since he left home and decided to live with his Aunt Belen, who was an old maid and had no children of her own. He was her favorite nephew among his siblings and cousins so she was more than happy to take him in. She knew what happened to him, yet she still loved him just the same.

As a token of his gratitude, he helped her everyday with household chores and in the eatery. Being ordered around was hard for him at first as he was used to being the one who always gave the orders and being followed, respected, and served. He was the feared leader of Morsons National High School. Their school became a well-known gangster school because of him. Whoever messed with him went home injured and weeping--except for that one last bloody fight that costed his girlfriend's life and got him kicked out of school...

But that was history. He's in another place now, in a place named Casa de Oro, a small city in the south where people lived a peaceful and harmonious life. Far from Morsons. Far from his chaotic gangster life. He was now a good person, a hardworking nephew of the owner of a small eatery.

That school year, his aunt offered to pay for his tuition for him to finish his senior high school. She enrolled him in the senior high school department of Casa de Oro University, the biggest school in that province--and probably one of the biggest universities in the country.

"Leave it on the table. I'll take it from here. You've got school today," Belen told him when he got home.

"Auntie, you didn't have to spend that much money for me," he said in a sweet voice before hugging her from behind.

"I know, but I want to. And don't talk me out of this. I won't withdraw your enrollment," she warned him as if she could read through his mind.

It's not that he didn't want to go back to school. It's just that he was afraid that those dark memories from the past would come back and haunt him once he's inside the school again--not only about Dana but everything.

"And I don't ever want to see you hanging out or becoming one of those thugs," she added, staring straight into his eyes.

The thugs she was referring to were the regular customers of the eatery who belonged to the different gangs in Casa de Oro that got into fights almost everyday whenever and wherever they met. Among those groups, were three famous gangs in Casa de Oro-Red Eagles, Oro Street Riders, and Thunders.

The Red Eagles group was composed of Casa de Oro University students. The group was named such because of their maroon uniform and the eagle mascot of the university. The group comprised of different fraternities and clubs inside the campus.

Oro Street Riders, also known as Bikers, consisted of people mostly from uptown that lived in subdivisions and usually rode on big motorbikes when they came downtown. They were easily recognized by their signature sleeveless jacket with a big embroidered Bikers logo at the back.

The most-feared group among the three was the Thunders. Hero didn't know much about this group, but it was well-known to be very dangerous. The only way you could determine its member was to see a small tattoo on the wrist that looked like a cross at first glance but was actually a letter "T" which stood for "Thunders".

"I promised you, didn't I?" he said, holding her on both shoulders. "I am a good boy now."

"Good. Now, go!" She released herself from him and pushed him away with her two hands.

At seven-thirty A.M., he's already standing at the gate of Casa de Oro University. He had been there on that same spot several times already, but it never crossed his mind even once that he would be studying there or even entering that gate. But here he was!

"Excuse me, may I help you?" The woman in her forties approached him as soon as he entered the Admission's Office, which was located on the second floor of the Administration Building.

"Ah, yes. I mean, I am a transferee here. I was wondering whom I need to submit my papers to," he answered, showing the folding he'd been carrying around.

"Oh, you're Hercules Gaston?"

"Yes. And please...just call me 'Hero'."

"Okay, Hero. Come, follow me," she said, guiding him to her table and offered him a chair. "Have a seat."

He sat on the chair across her.

"By the way, I am Mrs. Analyn Barbera. I am a Math teacher. I am in-charge of senior high school transferees."

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am," he said politely.

"Nice to meet you, too," she answered with a bright smile on her face.

She scanned her computer and checked on his papers. Then she faced him again. "Well, our records show you have completed your requirements, and there's no problem with your papers. So, congrats and welcome to Casa de Oro University!" She enthusiastically extended her hand.

He accepted it. "Thank you, Ma'am!"

"I hope you like it here. And please..." She put her other hand on the back of his palm. "Please refrain from troubles. You know what I mean."

Yes, he knew exactly what she meant. "Don't worry, Ma'am. I won't cause trouble in this school."

"Good to hear that." She let go of his hand and turned her back on him to print something. Then she stood up and went to him. "Here's your class schedule. If you need anything, you are welcome to come back here. Alright?" she said, handing him the paper.

"Sure. Thanks."

"You're welcome."