01: A BEGINNING

COLE

If someone needs your help— let's say a girl was being hostage by a bank robber with a gun, what would you do? Would you go and help the lady? Would you sacrifice your own safety just to save someone? Would you use your strength to defeat the robber or would you do the talk so the robber would calm down. Maybe you would think to run, walk away like you haven't seen anything, hide and act like no one is in danger, let the other people help the girl.

In between of being a legend or a nothing, what would you choose? Being known as 'LEGEND' is a something you really can be proud of but…

All legends are dead.

"You never learned!"

I immediately opened my eyes as soon as I heard someone's voice yelled. The sunlight hit my eyes that I closed them again. I can still hear the same man yelling even with my earphones on, having the highest volume it can give.

I took a deep sigh then I slowly sat down from the ground. My eyes finally adjusted with the light and as soon as I opened them, I saw the big building. I am at the rooftop of my current school but I am still lower than that building; the building that everyone looks up to… except for me.

"You freak! Who do you think you are to do something like that?"

I stood up from the ground. I brushed the dust off the back of my PE uniform then I put my hands inside the pocket of my jacket. I put my earphone around my neck then I wore my hoodie before I could turn to the door so I could go to my class.

As soon as I opened the door, a man fell into the ground at the same time. An eyeglass with cracked lenses landed beside my feet. I gave the man a side eye, trying to study his look. His shirt was almost ripped up; I could see some stomp marks on it. His pants are full of dirt and his white shoes are almost brown. I looked up to his face again where I saw blood on his lower lips and the side of an eye.

Group of voices started to laugh out loud from the other side of the door while I can't even crack a laugh. I just looked at the man directly, I didn't know how he fell but I knew it wasn't my fault. I didn't know he was there.

I simply rolled my eyes. I chose not to intervene with their mess, it is their problem then they are the one who should fix it.

I was about to walk away when the man on the ground started to crawl and use his hands to look for his eyeglasses. He was near the eyeglasses when a foot stomped on his eyeglasses, it causes a breaking sound and I am pretty sure the man knew what just happened with his eyeglasses.

"Martin!" the man growled.

I heard Martin chuckled slyly. He is the one who keeps on yelling earlier and now it entertains him to see this man having a hard time. What exactly did this man do for him to act like this?

I finally had the power to turn my back against them. I walked as if they are not there. I don't want to be associated with them, as long as I can; I don't want to be associated with HIM. Bullies are like common in my school and Martin is one of the worst, if I'll put myself into the situation then I won't have my own peace for sure.

"What, Simon? You can do so much with talking yet you're such a crybaby!" Martin yelled and after that, I heard a sound of a kick into something that made the man groan. "You even had guts to expose me in social media, how could you?"

I was in the middle of the stair when I heard a strange laugh, this time the laugh is not from the bullies, it is from the man earlier. I looked at him, he looks like he wasn't affected by his wounds, he even stood up weakly while holding his belly.

"Between us, who's the crybaby Martin?" the man smirked, "I am handsomely sure that you're going to run to your father later at home, crying and spouting about how you are being humiliated in the internet."

I closed my eyes tightly. He looks so weak and yet he has guts to answer Martin that way. Doesn't he pitying his self? Are his wounds not enough for him to stop?

I took out a coin from my pocket and looked at it for a moment; heads means I'll help and tails means I'll just walk away. I placed it on my thumb, I pushed the coin into the air and when it came down, I caught it with one hand and then covered it with my other hand.

"You—."

My world crashed when I opened my hand and saw the result of the tossed coin. Heads. Destiny is always against my will, isn't it?

"Martin!" I called him. I stepped towards them again; I stood in front of the guy to cover him from Martin, "Stop acting like a grumpy kid."

"He embarrassed me, Cole!" Martin reasoned.

"He did nothing out of what you deserve," I hissed. I stepped forward then I hit the side of his head with my hand, causing hs head to turn slightly. "Why did you cheat instead of studying, Martin Edwards?"

He may be the worst but I know he have nothing against me, as his sister. Days ago, photos and videos of him cheating in the final exams got leaked. No one discovered who it was and maybe now, Martin just suspected someone.

"But Cole…"

"And what are you doing here, anyways?" I narrowed my eyes, "Aren't you kicked out?"

"Cole…"

"Go home!" I shouted.

Martin's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He gave the man a side-eye look. I knew that he was killing the man in his mind; it's just that he cannot do it right now. I watched my brother walk away, stomping his feet like a kid. His group of friends followed him as well. And as soon as they vanished in my sight, I breathed heavily. I have been trying to put myself out of my family's life but I just can't! I couldn't care less.

"Uhh, Cole, thank you."

For a moment, I forgot someone's with me rather than my brother and his friends. I stepped backwards before I faced the man again. I only had a chance to study his entire body now that he's standing already. He's thin; his polo shirt is way bigger than him but his pants look fit to him.

"Don't thank me." I went to him with my eyes narrowed, breathing heavily, "Now tell me; why is Martin blaming you about the leaked photos?"

I knew it wasn't him who exposed Martin on the internet because it was me who did it. I wanted to teach him a lesson without me talking to him; he wouldn't listen to our father so I thought he should learn the hard way. I just never thought he'd blame others for it.

Before he could answer, the bell rang. I did not wait for Simon to talk; I turned my back against him and left without notifying him. I put my hands inside the pockets of my PE uniform pants as I walked calmly.

"President!" Dylan called.

Dylan is one of my friends… others call our relationship as best friends since we are one of the closest in the school but I just can't see it that way. I believe that best friends are the ones that know you well, the one that you can feel safer around and the one that you can let your guard down; that's not just how we are. One more thing, my mother once told me that you can only have one best friend in your lifetime and for my case; my one and only best friend is me.

"What now?" I asked, tiredly.

"Have you seen how famous your brother now is?" Dylan smirked. He took his phone out from his pocket then opened it. He showed me his notification about how many likes and shares do the post about Martin had.

I just looked at it with my side eye. I didn't give it too much attention. Of course I know how many people it reached; I have been looking at it since last night. What I need to know is why Martin blaming that guy Simon about the posts.

"Good morning," the first teacher that entered our classroom, Mr. Benedicto, greeted. He pushed his sleeve up to his elbow, he sat on the corner of his table with his one feet is on the floor and the other is bended to touch his table's body. "As we all know, the final exams has ended; we are just waiting for your graduation in the next two weeks and you can finally apply for the dream university that you'll be entering in college…"

College…what really do I want to do after high school? I don't really have that much plan. All I want is to get my ass out of our house, to stay away from my family. I want a course that will help me to get a good job in the future so I can have my own normal life.

I almost jumped out of shock when the whole class suddenly screamed. Everyone was clapping, some even looks like a red tomatoes.

"What's happening?" I asked Dylan.

Nina looked at me, her reaction seems so happy; she even have some bullets of sweats as if something excites her so much, "You're so busy pacing out that you couldn't even hear Mr. Benedicto's news!"

I simply raised my one brow, "So what happened?"

Giggling, Dylan announced, "Mr. Benedicto planned a camping for us, to bond!"

I heard my classmates talking about the camping that they are talking about. While they are so excited, I started wondering why Mr. Benedicto suddenly planned a camp. He's not that close to us, he's not that even talkative unless it is about our lesson.

"I'll be bringing the tent for us three and Nina should cook, she cooks so great and then you Cole should..."

"I am not coming," I cut Dylan's daydream.

I put my earphones on and a loud music started again. Whatever my teacher's reason is, I am not planning to go with them. Socializing is not just my thing. I would rather stay inside my room and spend my whole day doing all the hobbies that I have. I really don't care about the bond that they are talking about, they'll forget each other soon if I know.

That's life and that's exactly the reason why I never treated anyone special more than myself. People tend to leave and what hurts the most is they leave in times that they are needed the most. I am not dumb to let people treat me that way... again.

I was listening to a music when it suddenly stopped. My brows furrowed as I looked at my phone. An unknown number called which obviously, I did not answer. The same number messaged me after with a link. I opened the message then enter the link that has been sent to me.

My phone slided from my hands when I read what's on the link. I could feel my hands trembling and I could hear my heart pounding in fear. My lips dried while my forehead sweats. Suddenly, all the memories flashed back...

'Villain Darkeyes strikes again after 8 long years, victimizing 7 girls with the age 17 to 18 in Baguio City.'

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