CHAPTER ONE
FLORENCE's POV
10 YEARS AGO
"HINDI MO AKO NAIINTINDIHAN!"
"NO! It's YOU who doesn't understand me! Ako ang padre de pamilya dito! Kaya AKO! ang masusunod!"
"HINDI! Hindi ako makakapayag Florencio, mas lalo lang sya mapapahamak kung gagawin mo yan!"
"Ginagawa ko lang ang makakabuti para sa anak ko"
"Anak NATIN! anak ko din siya!"
Gulong gulo ako sa mga nangyayari, hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ang pinag aawayan nina mama at papa, ako ba? Ako ba ang dahilan ng pag aaway nila?
Nasa ilalim ako ng kama nila at rinig na rinig ko ang sigawan at sagutan nila.
Natatakot ako, i never saw them fight like this, it's too much.
Umiiyak si mama at marahan siyang napa upo sa kama, rinig na rinig ko ang malalakas niyang mga hikbi, gusto ko sanang lumabas at yakapin ang mama ko pero natatakot ako na baka pagalitan ako ni papa dahil nakikinig ako sa away nila.
Besides i'm only 8 years old, what can i do?
"Lalo lang siyang m-maguguluhan Florencio, lalo lang m-mahihirapan ang a-anak natin"
Iyak lang ng iyak si mama halos hindi na niya mabigkas ng maayos ang mga sinasabi niya.
"Mas makakabuti ito sakanya, hindi ko din gusto ito, pero wala na akong ibang pagpipilian pa, Carmina"
Tinabihan ni papa si mama sa pag upoh at pinatahan ito...
Anong nangyayari? Bakit umiiyak ang mama ko?
Hawak hawak ko parin ang plastic doll ko na pinulot ko kanina dito sa ilalim ng kama na siyang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito sa pwesto ko ngayon.
Anong nangyayari? Akala ko ba ayos na ang lahat, pero bakit nagkakaganito sina mama at papa?
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng matinding panlalamig, naninigas ang boung katawan ko para ba akong nilagay sa loob ng freezer ng tatlong araw, hindi nagtagal nakaramdam ako ng pagka hilo, unti-unting nanlabo ang paningin ko, and the next thing i knew tinangay na ako ng dilim,
Present
"Ma'am nandito na po tayo"
Naudlot ang pag iisip ko ng magsalita si manong Berto
I remove the air pod on my right ear.
I look through the window of the back seat to get a glimpse of my so called NEW school.
Yes, you read it right NEW school, kaka-transfer ko lang this year, and yes again, you're right i'm a newbie.
Wait let me rephrase that... I'm a Smoking Hot Newbie...*Smirk*
Oh shoot, i'm running late, i'd rather get off the car than day dream of how smoky hot i am...
I step out of my blood red Ferrari car, yes it's a Ferrari, capital F-A-R-R-A-R-I... I don't ride on a cheap cars.. Ford? Toyota? Duh... Just by thinking of those cheap cars disgust me, sumakay pa kaya?
And why would i ride on those? I'm the only daughter of a well known billionaire... I guess that should explain my attitude....
I know what you're thinking...
SPOILED BRAT
Oh well... I won't deny it, cause i am.
Anyway, back to reality, i step out of the car and let my blood red stilleto touch the rough surface of the ground...
God ang init ng pinas, walang pag babago, i can even feel the pollution touching my flawless skin... Ugh ang mahal pa naman ng mga cosmetics na gamit ko, tsk.
I get my gold chain channel bag and close the backseat door.
Nagpalinga linga muna ako sa paligid,may kalakihan din ito kumpara sa ibang private schools and universities dito sa pinas, if i'm not mistaken this is the largest and definitely most expensive school sa Philippines. Hmm... not bad.
Meron itong tatlong malalaking buildings and as i count it to the very top floor it contains of at least 8 floors kasama na dun ang rooftop, two huge gym para yata sa mga basketball players and volleyball, and a wide green field for the soccer players of course.... Napapalibutan ito ng pabilog na daan which i think para sa mga runner... Meron din itong grand stand sa dalawang side....
Ugh... Why does the sun have to so hot?... At least not as hot as i am, hmmp.
I took out my brown gucci sunglasses and use it to protect my dearest seductive eyes from the sun...
By the way i'm not full of myself... Just being honest sweetie...
Now keep reading and stop judging me.
I enter the building wearing my black leather pencil skirt and red blouse which i tracked in... It's called fashion baby. *Wink*
Oh.. thank god... Air condition ang hallway... At least hindi ako pagpapawisan kahit tagalan ako sa paghahanap ng assigned room ko...
My first class is Applied Social Science room 59 STEM Athena, 3rd floor.
Great, so i have to go all the way up to the third floor for my first class.
Hmm.. let's see... Nagpalinga linga ako sa paligid looking for an elevator, nong matanaw ko ang elevator i immediately step my way in, good thing walang ibang species sa loob.
Wait.. i take it back...
May dalawang chismosa ang biglang lumutang sa harap ng elevator.
"Yeah, i know right? I was actually expecting or more like hoping na lalapitan niya ako, but then i was wrong nilagpasan niya lang ako! god... I didn't-- "
Naudlot ang sasabihin ng bungangerang palaka nong makita niya ako sa loob ng elevator.
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
I said habang nakataas ang isa kong kilay, kunot noo nila akong tinitigan, well who wouldn't?
"Are you just gonna stand their looking at my pretty face? Cause if you are, i'm gonna close the elevator in front of your faces and leave the both of you, or you can just get your ass on ang start the freakin' elevator... What?"
Naka awang ang mga bibig nito at hindi makapaniwalang naka tingin sa'kin.
I'm not being rude here, that's actually the kindest side of me, they should be thankful.
They step back, so i close the elevator, it's their choice, not mine.
Agad akong lumabas pagka bukas ng elevator, for god sake i'm already 45 minutes late, ano nalang ang maaabutan ko? Uwian? Tss.
I found the room 59 STEM Athena and immediately took my way in, with no hesitation and no excuses, i'm not like those stupid newbies na nahihiyang pumasok ng classroom, i'm a strong and Independent woman, i can carry myself very well.
Mukhang wala namang teacher, tss, ano bang klasing school to? First day na first day wala man lang teacher?
I may look like those type of spoiled brat who celebrates for the absence of their teacher, but hell no, i am not that, i'd rather study and learn than sit and do nothing like a useless bitch.
As i step my way in, all eyes on me, as always.
Well, who wouldn't look? Ikaw ba naman makakita ng goddess hindi mo pa ba tititigan? Once in a lifetime opportunity kaya yan.
I look for a vacant seat.
Luckily I found three sa bandang likuran, i took the one on the center of the other two unoccupied seats.
Hindi naman naglalapit ang mga upuan, there are only five raws and each raw are two step away from the other.
If i estimate it right i guess we are only 35 in this class.
I remove my gucci sunglasses, and guess what? They're still looking! Well mostly boys.
"What?"
I gave them a what-the-fuck-are-looking-at-bitches look.
Nag iwas na ng tingin ang mga babae, at napa tikhim naman ang mga boys.
Tss... Nagmumukha na silang mga tarsier kakatitig...
I was scrolling through my phone when suddenly a woman step in the room, she's not that old and not so young either, mga nasa early 30s pa lang ata sya.
"Sorry medyo natagalan ako, anyway class as i was saying--"
Napa tigil ito sa pagsasalita at napatingin sa dereksyon ko, what? Pari pa ba naman teacher namamangha sa kagandahan ko?
"Excuse me, that lady at the back, are you late? I didn't saw you earlier"
Sabi ng guro sabay turo sa dereksyon ko.
"If it's that obvious, why bother asking?"
Taas noo kong sagot.
Napa singhap ang lahat sa inasal ko, what did i do wrong? Totoo naman ha? Obvious na nga tinatanong pa.
"Excuse me miss?--"
"Ganados"
"Right, miss Ganados, mukhang hindi yata maganda ang araw mo? And so is your behavior"
Naka smirk na sabi ni ma'am with matching taas kilay pa.
"My behavior? I don't see any problem about my BEHAVIOR, baka utak mo ang may problema miss, don't blame others for your mistake i was just stating the FACT"
Taas noo at matapang akong sumagot sakanya,
"Ano ba yan, masyadong pa bida kabago bago gumagawa agad ng eksena"
rinig kong bulong ng mga babae sa harap ko.
"Excuse me, if you're gonna say something, say it directly to my face, hindi yung para kayong mga langaw na bumubulong dyan, what a scary bitches"
Binigyan ko sila ng nakakamatay na tingin.
Tumayo ang isa sa kanila at mukhang susugurin na sana ako ng palakang to, pero inawat sya ng isa niyang kaibigan
"Wag jessy, wag mo nalang sya patulan"
Aba, anong akala nila? Di ko kayang lumaban? FYI bitches i study self defence ang karate, so don't mess with me.
"Tama na yan! Jessy umupo kana, and as for you miss Ganados, meet me in my office after your last class, this is the very first time i'm gonna punish someone in DAY 1! Unbelievable"
Hindi maka paniwalang tumingin sakin ang teacher namin i still don't know het name, yet i already get a punishment from her.
"CLASS DISMISSED!"
Padabog nitong inayos ang mga gamit niya tsaka lumabas ng classroom sumulyap muna ito sakin bago tuluyang umalis.
...... FEW HOURS LATER......
I've been standing in front of her office for ages, and still not knowing kung papasok ba ako o hindi.
When i said HER i meant yung teacher namin na sinagot sagot ko kanina.
Tapos na kasi ang last subject ko kaya dumiretso na ako sa office ng bruhang to.
I was about to knock when the door suddenly open.
"Oh? Nandito kana pala, i thought you'll gonna ditch me on our date"
"Cut the shit and just give me my punishment"
I put an obvious sarcasm on the last word.
Nakakainis ang baho na nga ng perfume na gamit niya ang tagal niya pang magsalita.
Ugh... Nangangati ang ilong ko sa cheap nyang perfume, can't she afford an expensive perfume? Tss, halatang di aabot ng kahit 100 pesos ang gamit niya, what a trash.
"Fine, here are the list of the books na kukunin mo sa stuck room, dalhin mo yan dito, IMMEDIATELY"
I raised an eyebrow after i heard the word immediately
How dare she? Inutusan na nga ako, minamadali pa. This was the very first time in my whole entire existence na may nag lakas loob na utusan ako.
May inabot sya saking papel na listahan ng mga title ng books at authors nito, i thought it was easy.
Pero nong buksan ko ito halos malaglag ang panga ko, mga 5 foot lang naman ang haba ng listahan, halos kasing tangkad ko, for god sake! how will i even carry those books?!
"Brainy bitch"
Bulong ko....
I can actually disobey her and get away with this easily like a peace of cake, pasalamat nalang sya at gusto kong mag ikot-ikot sa building, or else baka natadyakan ko na siya right on her not-so-pretty-face
I don't give her the satisfaction of seeing me struggle and frustrated... I just fold the list and head to the nearest elevator... Nasa 7th floor daw kasi ang stack room, yes you read it right... Sa stack room niya ako pinapapunta at hindi sa library, nasa stack room daw kasi ang mga libro.
She sure knows how to punish...
"By the way, i just wanna inform you that this will be the first and and definitely the last time that you will punish me, dahil sisiguraduhin ko na wala kana dito bukas"
I said before i turn my back on her... Hindi lumagpas sa paningin ko ang pamumutla niya the moment she heard it, that's right, matakot ka, dahil ang katulad ko ay dapat lang kinakatakutan.
As i was walking down the hallway, unti-unting dumilim ang paligid
Pinatay na kasi ang ibang mga ilaw, kunti nalang ang naka-on kaya medyo dumilim, it's almost 8:00 pm na kasi.
Natagalan kasi kami sa PE class, ang daldal ba naman ng Gym teacher. Tsk.
I press the up button of the elevator, mabilis din itong nagbukas, wala na kasing gumagamit, kaunti nalang ang mga species sa school.
I press the 7th floor and waited.
*Ting*
Bumungad sakin ang madilim na hallway ng 7th floor, what the hell? Hindi ba uso ang electricity sa 7th floor? Bat walang ilaw? Buti pa yung elevator meron.
Hindi naman brown out cause obviously gumagana ang elevator at bukas ang air con sa 7th floor, but god! Ang dilim lang.
I step out from the elevator, i look at the entire hallway, and fudge! Walang ilaw ni isa!
I heard the closing sound of the elevator, i wanted to leave and just forget about the stupid books, but no, don't be such a scary cat florence dilim lang yan, it won't shallow you to death.
I turn on the flashlight of my iphone 11 pro, and search for the stack room.
Where the fuck is that room?
Ang tanging ilaw lang na nakakatulong sakin ay ang flashlight sa phone ko at ang liwanag galing sa buwan sa lumampas sa bintana ng 7th floor.
At least that help me.
Ilang room na ang nalagpasan ko pero di ko parin nahahanap ang stack room, where could it be?
May napansin akong isang pinto na kakaiba ang kulay sa iba, color red ito at mukhang furniture. Baka ito na yun.
Pansin kong may naka sabit na maliit na plywood sa pinto. Binasa ko ang naka sulat dito, it says...
WARNING! DO NOT ENTER!
Great, hindi ba aware ang nag lagay ng sign na to na lalo lang papasukin ang room na ito kapag nilagyan ito ng warning?!
Stupid.
Well curiosity kills the cat, right?
I grab and turn the door knob, syempre dahan-dahan lang, baka may tao sa loob doing things that's unnecessary for my eyes.
Napansin kong parang may naka on na light sa bandang dulo ng room, it looks like a stage. Madaming mga upuan at may nakikita akong malaking curtain sa bandang may ilaw, para syang theater.
Tiningnan ko ang boung paligid, expecting someone might be here that can show me the way to the stack room. Pero wala, multo lang ata ni Aristotle ang nandito.
I was about to close the door when i heard a sound coming from the stage.
*Piano instrument*
Is someone playing?
Napansin kong may isang figure ng tao sa gitna ng stage, naka upo ito sa isang silya while playing a piano at the center of the stage, may show pala ngayon? Bat walang audience?
*Instrument sound*
Wait... I think i know that song..
Naka yuko lang yung lalaki, yes readers that person is a boy.
I couldn't take a clear look on his face kasi medyo madilim at sobrang layo niya.
And if you are thinking that that guy will be the leading man of my story and that i will fell in love with him like what you saw on the movies, then please cut your imagination, because that will never gonna happen, I don't fell in love with guys and definitely not with a stranger.
(Now Playing: someone you loved)
I'm going under and this time i fear there's no one to save me
Woah... He sure got a nice voice...
This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy
I need somebody to heal, somebody to know, somebody to have, somebody to hold...
It's easy to say, but it's never the same
I guess i kinda like the way you numbed all the pain...
Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa door knob, woah... I heard tons of professional singers sang in front of me, but this one is definitely a record breaking.
Now the bleeds
Into nightfall
And you're not here to get me through it all
I let my guard down
And then you pull the rug
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved...
"What are you doing?"
"Fuck..."
Tahimik akong napamura ng may biglang nag salita sa likuran ko.
Fuck, for a second i thought it was some kind of super natural thing. Thank god it's a person. A guy to be specific.
"Who are you?"
Tanong ko sa lalaking nasa likuran ko na may hawak na flashlight.
"I'm Kenneth, Ken for short, inutusan ako ni Ms. Hermosa na sundan ka, mag iisang oras na daw kasing hindi ka nakaka balik"
Now i know, Hermosa pala ang surname ng bruhang yun.
I turn on my flashlight at tinutok ito sa mukha ng lalaki, he's wearing a reading glasses mukhang nerdo, at halatang teacher's pet sya. Well at least he's a cute pet.
"I can't find the stack room"
Deretso kong sagot, hindi ko parin inaalis ang flashlight sa mukha niya.
"Follow me"
Nauna na siyang naglakad papunta ata ng stack room.
Naririnig ko paring kumakanta ang lalaki sa loob ng kwarto pero marahan ko nang sinarado ang pinto at sinundan si pet... Wait ano nga ba daw ulit ang pangalan niya?
Ugh... Forget it, i'll just call him pet.
Tiningnan ko ang naka sabit na maliit na plywood sa red door, kinuha ko ang red lipstick ko sa channel bag ko at sinulatan ito.
Ang swerte ng plywood ha, ang mahal kaya ng lipstick ko kakabili ko lang nito kanina.
Tinapon ko na ang lipstick matapos kong sulatan ang plywood.
Of course, alang naman gamitin ko pa yun? Eww... like duh?
My germs na yun.
Sumunod na ako kay pet with a smirk on my face, that stranger guy would sure think of, who the hell wrote on his warning board using a red lipstick?
WARNING! DO NOT ENTER!
Sorry jerk, i just did.
........... End of chapter 1........
Hi guys? Kamusta? Na enjoy niyo ba?
Abangan niyo po ang susunod kong update. Para sa chapter 2.
LaVuGuys♥️