Once Upon a Lie

Chapter 1

"I thought you weren't coming?" Sheena asked her little stepbrother, who smiled at her even though she was raising her eyebrows at him early in the morning.

"Practice ends fast so I'm here," he said, and sat on the seat nearest to the head seat. The atmosphere got cold because of his sudden appearance and his stepmother scoffed off at the sight of him.

Sparkling chandeliers, silver ware and gem embellished chairs with servants waiting for them to be called. The extravagance of the dinner table is so grand that words are not enough to describe. They are waiting for their father.

"Oh, really? A volleyball player from that school suits you so well," and raised her left eyebrow. Aztech hates her for this behavior, as she was older than him and knew a lot about business and hated her words. It was the same as insulting him. In other words, she looked down on that school and thinks that it suited him so well.

"Thank you, sister Sheena, we are recruited for the national team though," and smiled. Her sister's jaw dropped.

"The national team?" she asked, because being in the national team is hard, and it was honorable! Suddenly, a man wearing a full coat and suit entered the dining area.

"Father!" Sheena called to him, trying to look good.

"Honey!" was said by the mother, and Aztech almost rolled his eyes at the scenario. They both want to look good at their father, as if they are the real family and not him. He clenched his fist.

"National Team, you say?" he asked, and Aztech nodded.

"Yes," he answered nonchalantly.

"That's good. But you know very well that volleyball is not for our family," and the situation turned serious. He bit his lips.

"I know, Dad," he said, and played with his hair. Sheena was listening intently to the conversation between the two of them. She knew that Aztech loved playing volleyball so much.

"If Aztech stopped playing volleyball, he would get company from me! I must not let that happen!" Sheena said inside her mind.

"Oh honey, let's start eating." the mother looked at Aztech, she just did not want all the attention focused on him. They served a steak and side dishes.

"How long are you going to study there?" he mocked him, hate his school so much, and his stepmother turned uneasy at the question thrown at her at which she had rolled her eyes in silence.

"I am graduating now, Dad," and wiped his mouth with the table napkin.

"Still, you are a Montreal, Son! You shouldn't study in a school like that!" he said and slumped on the table. That is always the topic on the table, how much his father disgusted that school of commoners. He thinks that he is better off in an elite school, like the Winston Academy and St. Ishiyama Academy.

Even though his school is a prestigious school of excellence, there are commoners and not everyone knows his real background. That's why he can study at ease. The main reason he was enrolled there was because of his stepmother, and she used to abuse him verbally. She used to cut his allowance and purposely did not let him have access to school during his first year of high school. Luckily, with the help of his nanny, he passed that prestigious school of commoners.

"Hah, what am I going to do with you," he said and put a facepalm, "You really are stubborn like your mother," and he clenched his fist.

"I am done eating," he said and stood up.

"Where are your manners!” his father. “This ungrateful child!”

“Just let him, Ariel,” said the mother, and he stopped his outburst.

That is the common scenario in houses in Montreal mansion. That’s why he really hated it to even come home. He misses his mother so much. He looked at her picture. She was very beautiful. Like a rose. Unfortunately, she withered like one.

*Krrrng…. Krrrng…*

“Hello, Azt!” he says loudly in the voice behind the call. He was very excited about calling his friend.

“What is it now, Kyle?” he asked and slumped on the bed while holding his phone in his ears. His whole body aches from the practice that he cannot even imagine what life holds tomorrow.

“We are going to the Roronin tonight! Are you gonna come?” he asked and giggled.

“This late?”

“Yes! Ah! No more questions, we hired a taxi and we are almost in front of your house! Come out now buddy!” he said, and he suddenly rose from lying on the bed.

“What? What are you doing there? No!” he said and rushed to wear his pants. The house that his classmates knew was his former nanny’s, and he used to visit her from time to time. They eat in that house but he needs to come home to the mansion every day or else his father will cut off his allowance.

“Wait, we are out of town! I am not there!” he said and got his wallet from the table and keys.

“Too much for excuses, Az, your grandmother is here! So, get out now buddy!” and they laughed in the background.

“Wait for me there, damn it!” and dropped the call. He opens his car, drives there. He parked in his usual spot but not near to the house. He always does this so no one will know. He ran towards the house, two streets away from it. That’s why when he arrived he was catching his breath.

“What are you doing here, idiots?!”

“We told you we registered for a nearby bet near the barangay! Come on, man!”

“Go, go, go!” and dragged him inside the taxi and they were all excited. “Start now, Sir, we are going to get late!”

“What are you thinking about doing this tonight huh?” he asked and his face, was dim, and are you are that is a legit tournament? What if it’s like what Kyle found a month ago, huh?!” he asked, mocking them.

“It’s real bro, I’m telling you!” he smiled and gave him the flyers, “The prize is 100 dollars, bro!” price that amount of money is big for the commoners. And they are still high school students. The driver is just listening to them.

“Yes, and there is only one elimination round!” said Dojin in front, who looked back to join the conversation.

“What game is it again?” Aztech asked, curious about what they were talking about.

“Basketball!”

And he put a facepalm on his face after realizing that. Here, there are courts in every village and subdivision. Aztech thought that there would be a few people, but to his surprise, many were there even though it was late already. He was bewildered.

“You are late!” says one of their friends, Harold. “Come on, change into this!”

“Argh!” says Dojin, who hates changing into uniforms.

“Where did you get these, Harold?”

“It was from donations,” he said and winked to them, “An unknown man donated for the benefit of our team.” He said, “So come on and put these on now!”

“What the hell…” and groaned. They looked at Aztech who was not changing into the jersey given to him.

“What is the problem, Az?” they asked in harmony and he sighed.

“We are volleyball players, not a basketball team!” he said and slumped on the floor, “I don’t even know how to play basketball.”

“Oh, so that’s the problem!” Kyle said and tapped his shoulders, “Don’t worry, because if you are a volleyball player, you do not have to worry about that! We volleyball players can do any sport! Just pass the ball to us like this!” he says and motioned how to.

“Ugh! Come on!” Aztech said, frustratingly.

He was not able to worry about anything because he was dragged to the court. The crown is cheering at them, and is calling his jersey number--- 8.

He was so nervous at first, but Aztech was not able to worry about anything because the game went smoothly. He knows the basics, but there is no real practice of playing basketball. This was his first time and those idiots had dragged him into this!

He was so agitated and was sweating profusely when he noticed at the side the players playing chess. He saw a familiar face.

‘It was her,’ but then Harold had dragged them down to the court. There are a lot of people. And because Aztech was naturally born handsome, many girls in the barangay are drawn to him.

He and the others had a fun time, and the way they were playing like idiots there… so much fun. Little did he know was that his sister, Sheena, was watching him play and taking pictures of him. She smirked.

“Playing basketball in the barangays, huh? So cheap!” and thinks that she can successfully become the next CEO if her little brother is not qualified. She drove away.

“That was fun, and…” Kyle paused, “I thought it was your first time playing basketball! But you are so good, man!” and tapped his shoulders.

“Yes, that dribble and three points really makes me nervous! But you did it bro!” and they had cheered them up.

“Pure luck,” he said and smirked. And so, the five of them laughed all night. He noticed the chess tournaments going on in a soundproof room. When his friends are taking their time to get some snacks, he sneaks inside. Everyone is waiting for the announcement. And a familiar face showed up before him.

“And the winner of this year's inter-barangay chess tournament is Katekyo!” and everyone cheered for him. She clenched her fist and bit her lips, getting everything of her things before going outside.

She is in the back. She was crying so hard.

“Damn it! I almost won! Dang!” and threw a stone while her tears kept flowing. He watched her, and did not dare to move when suddenly there was a can of coke and he had accidentally stepped on it.

“Who’s there?!” and turned back to see his shocked expression.

“I- I’m sorry I did not mean to---” he said and was puzzled when she suddenly brushed off her tears in her face and stood to confront him with that angry expression.

“You will never tell anyone about it,” she said and pointed at his chest, “If you do, I will really kill you.” He stopped and looked at her after she said that.

“I… I…!” her secret about being a legend in video games. She definitely did not want others to know, as she always wanted to live a normal life.

“You are sneaking there! What the hell are you doing in a place like here anyway!” she asked, and wanted to pull his hair.

“I’m sorry!” he pleaded, but instead she pouted and glared at him more.

“I will be watching you, Aztech Montreal,” she said, and walked out of the room. He was shocked to know that she knew him.

“Az! Where are you?” called by Israel, one of his friends. “There you are!” after opening one of the doors. “We are looking for you everywhere! What are you doing here?”

“Ahh, uhmn, I’m finding a comfortable room, thanks for looking for me,” he says and smiles at them.