Chapter 2

Disturbing Eyes

I SECRETLY glanced at my watch habang hinihintay ang tamang oras na makaalis ng classroom. Cheska's been with me kaya mahirap makatyempo na makaalis nang patago. I need a better excuse.

Napatingin kami sa isang lalaking nakauniporme ng lower section. Tahimik na pumasok ito sa loob ng classroom. Lahat napatingin sa kanya, judging him eventually. From a distant, kita ko kung paano manginig ang mga kamay nito.

Pinapasok siya ng professor namin. May sinabi ito sa professor bago ang dalawang pares ng mga mata ay pumukol sa direksyon ko. What?

Tumango ang prof bago nagsalita. "Miss Ferrer, you are called in the Guidance Office, "

I saw everyone's gazes turn to me. Maging si Cheska ay napatingin sa akin, eyeing me, asking what did I do this time. Umiwas ako ng tingin at saka tumayo. Dumiretso ako sa labas kung saan nag-aantay ang estudyanteng iyon without taking any glance at them.

Pagkalabas ko ay nakita ko anv estudyante. May peklat siya sa noo. Nagtagpo ang aming paningin. Agad naman itong nag-iwas ng tingin, surprising me right after with his smirk. My forehead creased.

"The Second, he's in the Art Room. " then he made his way back and left.

Tiningnan ko ang lalaki. Now that he mentioned his name, napagtanto kong isang escape plan pala yung Guidance-kuno. He may have heard me when I prayed for an excuse or he's impatient already, waiting for me. Napailing ako.

A sigh escaped from my mouth before taking my steps to the Art Room which is nasa fifth floor. Nasa fifth floor lahat ng club rooms gaya ng Art Room, Music Room, Literature and Journalism Room, pati Library and Dance Studio. Both the two sections use the rooms for different purposes.

I used the stairs which clearly means dinaanan ko na naman ang Lower Section Area. Tahimik dahil sa may klase lahat. Ang naramdaman ko lang ay ang ilang mga mukhang lumingon pagkaraan ko.

Pagkarating ko sa fifth floor, dumiretso agad ako sa Art Room. Pinihit ko ang doorknob at saka pumasok. Sumalubong sa akin ang iba't ibang paintings, relics and statues of different known artists and painters in Renaissance Period. Frescoes are embedded on the ceilings gaya nung nasa chapels na nababasa ko sa libro. Malaki ang Art Room. It is more like a hall. Ang mga paintings ay nakadikit sa mga pader. They are all copies of Da Vinci and Michael Angelo's works. Now that I saw the room, alam ko na agad bakit dito niya naisipang mag-usap kami imbes na sa Guidance Office.

I scanned the whole room and my eyes landed on the man standing at the far left corner of the room, hands inside his pockets and eyes darted on the replica of Da Vinci's Monalisa. He loves paintings since we were children.

Nang marinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto ay unti-unti siyang lumingon sa akin. His cool demeanor stood infront of me, almost boasting his oozing charisma. Bata palang ito, kinahuhumalingan na ito ng ilang mga babae.

Pero hindi ako.

"What is it? " agarang tanong ko as I stared back at his jet black ayes. I failed to maintain eye contact dahil sa kakaibang tinging binibigay nito sa akin. Tinuon ko nalang ang atensyon ko sa paintings na nasa gilid niya.

"Haizel, " That name. "Lead our gang Haizel, "

My forehead creased at ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya. "Yan lang bang pag-uusapan natin?" My brows flicker. Parati na niyang inaalok sa akin ang posisyon bilang lider ng gang na gawa niya pero parati rin naman akong humihindi. "I told you I dont want to lead any of your organization. "

"Then just be part us. That will assure us of your safety. " Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata. Pero bago ko pa siya masigawan, nagsalita na ulit ito. "I know Lowie too is very persistent on asking you to be part of his gang. But Haizel, you know him. Hindi siya tumitigil hangga't hindi niya nakukuha ang gusto niya. "

I know that. Lowie, the current The Third ay totoong ginugulo ako, asking me to be on his gang. I've rejected him as well. Nitong mga nakaraang araw hindi na ako nito ginugulo. Maybe he's upto something to get back on me dahil sa ginagawa kong pagtanggi sa alok niya. And I'm right. "Now, they either force you to do their initiation or drag you from the list by exposing your identity."

Nag-igting ang panga ko sa narinig ko. I didnt know they would go this far. They know na maraming gustong malaman ang identity ko. Once everyone in Campus Luis finds out my identity, magiging target ako ng iilang mga estudyante. This is the reason why I kept my identity in secrecy even to Cheska. Kasi mapapahamak ang mga tao sa paligid ko kapag malaman nila.

"I can handle myself," sabi ko. "I am The First. I can handle myself more than anyone can. Kaya nga nakuha ko ang posisyon na iyon. " I said gritting my teeth. I can fight. And I will fight for myself. Bakit ba pusang walang kalaban-laban ang tingin niya sa akin?

"Jufiel and I will protect you kahit na hindi ka sasali sa amin, " Tiim-bagang nitong sabi at saka nilapitan ako. His body zooms in on my view.

Nawala ang kunot sa noo ko. Ang galit na namumuo sa dibdib ko ay napalitan ng kaba. Umatras ako dahil sa kinikilos nito. He moves like a predator, ready to prey on whoever touches me. He's been very protective of me more than my cousin could. And I don't want to know the reason kung bakit siya ganito sa akin. I dont want to know the reason behind his gestures and behind those stares.

Before I could take my third step backward, nahigit na niya ang braso ko and in a gentle move, he pulled me closer, enough for me to have a good look on his face. He still wears the same contact lenses that I like. His mouth starts to move at lumabas roon ang mga katagang di ko lubos maunawaan. "You know I like you since then Haizel. Since when we were children."

I smirked. "That was a heck ofchildhood memories Lemuel. Wag mong gawan ng meaning ang noong pagsasama natin. " I blurted out.

"I'm your first love, " I could almost feel defeated. He's right about reminding me that he's my first love.

"But not my recent. " sabi ko nalang at saka hinigit ang braso ko but he never budges from his grip. Nagtagpo ang kilay ko at ganun rin siya.

"Bakit? May iba ka na bang gusto? "

I hissed at saka handa ng magsalita. But before I could answer him bumukas ang pinto ng Art Room and there, pumasok si Jufiel na may dala-dalang laptop. Natingin siya sa amin. I quickly get my arm off his hold at saka humakbang paatras, palayo sa kanya.

Jufiel eyed us suspiciously bago tuluyang nagsalita. "I have news," he started. News? Nang makita ni Jufiel ang pagkalito ko ay dinugtungan niya ito. "About the new guy."

NAKATINGIN kami sa screen ng laptop ni Jufiel habang pilit na pinoproseso ang mga impormasyong nakalatag roon. Nandito kami ngayon sa Computer Laboratory. Umalis kami sa Art Room dahil alam naming magsisidatingan ang mga lower section para sa kanilang History Class.

On the screen is the familiar face of a student wearing a pale blue uniform ng Campus Luis. If I'm not mistaken, he is...

"Giovanne Solitorio Aris, the current The Seventh sa Hierarchy. A student from the lower section. " si Jufiel.

Jufiel Herlao. The Fourth ng Hierachy. He's my cousin who was with me on my childhood years together with Lemuel. Kasabay ko silang magtraining, ako gamit ang karayom, si Jufiel gamit ang mga patalim and Lemuel for the guns. Together we made promise to be known for our skill and to build a gang sa papasukan naming High School. We made a promise na ako ang magiging leader ng gang na bubuuin namin. But I get back from the promise. Hindi ako sumali sa gang nila like we had planned. Bumuwag ako sa grupo nila and lumayo. I distance myself from them when we turned into high schoolers.

Hanggang sa nakuha ko ang unang pwesto sa hierarchy. My plan to live a normal life ang naiwan sa isip ko. Not the promises I made with them, but the promise I made for someone.

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa screen at tiningnan ang lalaking naroon. "How did he get into the list? "Tanong ko.

A cocky smile is plastered on his face. It's very distracting because conradicts the gentle and sincere look on his eyes.

"That's what were currently finding Haizel, " si Jufiel. Haizel. Silang dalawa lang ang tumatawag ng pangalan kong iyon. "And based on what I have, " he said before clicking on a file. Lumabas doon ang panibagong document tungkol sa lalaking iyon. "He's a former student of Campus Luis way back on seventh grade. He transferred in his 8th grade to Lua National Academy in Spain. "

Former student?

"He may have gotten his skill on those years, " si Lemuel sa mahina at seryosong boses.

"What skill? "

"Guns. Just like mine. " tugon ulit nito sa matigas na boses.

"He mastered not only handling guns but also Martial Arts and Judo, " pagpapatuloy ni Jufiel.

"What about his parents? " ako.

"His parents were Karoleone Sandoval Solitorio and Jeluvan Calisto Aris. Mother died at 41, while on his thirteenth year. Father is unknown," natigil sj Jufiel. "No current info from his father."

"Try searching again," si Lemuel.

Jufiel did what Lemuel said pero walang lumabas. Nakatatak sa screen ang sign na 'No Search Found,"

Maybe his father is dead too.

Hindi kalaunan ay lumabas na rin kami pagkatapos ng ilang minutong pamamalagi sa loob. Nagkatitigan kaming tatlo bago nagsitanguan, a sign of goodbyes. Tinitigan ako ni Lemuel pero hindi na nagsalita pa pagkatapos. And with that, we head different directions.

Sa oras ring iyon ay ang pagtunog ng bell at ang pagsilabasan ng iilang estudyante.

We fill in the crowd to avoid suspicion. They are doing this to preserve our identities. Not just their identity but also my identity as The First.

I glanced at my watch. 4:04. Tumakbo ako pasaka sa hagdan papunta sa 4th floor. Nakasulubong ko ang ilang estudyanteng suot na ang kanilang mga backpack. Classes are already over and Cheska will be on the guidance office by now para puntahan ako. If she finds out I'm not there, magdududa iyon. And when her curiousity kicks in her system, buong araw ka nito uusisain.

Nilagpasan ko ang iilang estudyante. Nang makita ko si Cheska kasama ang ibang classmate namin papunta sa guidance office ay nangamba ako kaya binilisan ko ang takbo. She's talking with her friends and that earns me time to run nang du niya namamalayan. Nang sa wakas ay mahawakan ko ang doorknob ay pinihit ko kaagad ito at saka pumaloob, shutting the guidance door in a loud thud.

Napatingin ako sa dalawang pigurang nasa gilid at nagulat ako sa nakita ko. There, I saw a guy and a girl, lips inches away from eachother. My eyebrows flicker at the idea that they are kissing—or they are about to kiss. Nakatukod ang lalaki sa may desk while the girl is leaning towards him. Nakatingin sila sa akin.

I was leaning on the door, palm on my chest while catching my own breath. My expression is mixed with both surprise and anger. Hindi ko aakalaing masisilayan ko ang kahalayan sa loob ng campus sa mismong guidance office. Walang ibang tao sa loob bukod sa amin. Kaya siguro rito nila napagdesisyunang gawin dahil sa walang tao.

Tahip ang dibdib, napatingin ako sa babae. Walang bahid ng pagkaguilty ang mukha nito. Her lips are pressed and her brows were raised at me. Mas nangunot ang noo ko. Then my gaze averted to the guy and the sight surprised me.

The new lister boy, Giovanne. Walang buhay itong natingin sa direksyon ko. My forehead creases even more. This guy is a student from lower section who made it to the Hierarchy. Kung paano niya nagawa iyon, I dont have any idea. Skills? No way. He's too slender and looks like a weakling.

"Who are you? " yung babae.

Sasagot sana ako pero naudlot iyon nang marinig ko ang boses ni Cheska sa labas. I heard her say goodbye, maybe to the girls she is with earlier. Agad akong lumayo sa pintuan at humarap rito, inaabangan ang pagbukas ni Cheska niyon. At hindi nga ako nagkamali nang bumukas nga ito at dumungaw roon ang mukha ng kaibigan ko.

"Jade, " aniya at humakbang papasok. Pipigilan ko sana siya nang bigla ay nagsalita iyong babae.

"Who are you?" Ulit nitong tanong sa akin. Nilihis ni Cheska ang tingin nito mula sa akin papunta sa babaeng ngayon ay nakatayo na. Isinara niya ang pinto.

"Oh, from Class A. " sabi ng babae pagkakita kay Cheska. Siguro ay kilala nito si Cheska kaya alam nito kung saang section kami.

Nakatingin lang ako sa babae nang mapunta ang tingin ko sa lalaki sa likod nito. He's looking at me. Why is he looking at me?

"Avy from Section B right? " tanong ni Cheska.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kanya. "Cheska," tawag ko rito kaya napatingin ito sa akin. "Tara na?"

I was relieved when she slowly nods. Umuna akong lumabas kay Cheska without paying anymore glance at the two. Kung bakit nagmamadali akong umalis doon, ewan ko. All I know is that I'm irritated at what I've witnessed and felt disturb by invisible presence inside the room.

Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad.

That boy. Tama ako. Something's wrong with his eyes.

His eyes are on different shades of color.