Chapter 02
1065 Words
I spent the whole day contemplating whether to see him or not, totally falling our of focus during lectures. Pansin ko rin ang panay sulyap sa 'kin ni Gabrielle habang klase, dahil hindi raw siya naniniwalang walang may'ron sa 'min ng lalaking 'yun!
But, I am dead curious what he wants from me. I spent my whole school life blending in the normal students despite my hidden character. I tried to be the good girl, the kind girl my mother wanted. Walang nakakaalam ng persona ko!
And just now, I found out that that man was the somewhat "badboy" in this school. What a cringe nickname. It honestly suits him. But, whatever! If my mom finds out I'm doing business with that bad boy, my life is done for!
However, at the same time, I badly want to know what he wants. Ugh.. Paano kung may alam pala siya tungkol sa 'kin! I need to see him! I'm risking it!
Natapos na lang ang school hours nang hindi ko man lang naintindihan ang lectures during Physics at General Biology class dahil sa lalaking 'yun. At saka! Tuloy tuloy na ganito ang magiging araw ko hangga't hindi ko nalalaman kung anong pakay niya! Ayokong mayari na naman kay Mommy.
I headed straight to the parking lot noong nag gabi, and holy s**t! There are like twenty people standing by! Narinig siguro nila ang pagyayaya sa 'kin kanina. He wanted to talk in private, but his fans won't leave us be!
Hell! I knew, this wasn't worth my time!
Agad akong tumakbo patago papalabas ng campus. Wala nang masyadong tao sa labas dahil nga gabi na, pero ang ilan sa kanila nasa loob pa. I feel a lump on my throat because of my anxiousness on what he wants to say to me. At dahil din kay Mommy. If Dad is home tonight, she'll probably be even more furious, and she will take it out on me.
I need to relief this stress, I'm sorry!
Dumiretso ako sa convenience store sa liblib na likod ng campus. Wala masyadong studyante na tumatambay at dumadaan dito, kaya rito ako nagpupunta tuwing ganito ako kapraning.
Nagaalanganin akong pumasok ng store. I've been clean for almost a week now, and relapsing right now might not be the best idea. Yet, I cannot think of other ways to unwind. Alam kong madi-disappoint ulit ako sa sarili ko pag gising, pero hindi ko 'to kayang tiisin buong gabi!
"Nocturne red, please. Isang pack," sabi ko sa kahero habang matinding nakatitig sa mga sigarilyong nakadisplay sa pader.
"Bawal studyante."
What? How... Oh.
Napapikit ako saka kamot sa ulo nang mapagtantong naka school uniform pa ako. s**t. Dali dali akong lumabas ng store saka padabog na ibinagsak ang pinto. "f*****g hell," I wishpered underneath my breath.
"I don't think a model student should be allowed to smoke, yeah?"
My heart skipped a beat after hearing a familiar voice speak behind me. I clenched my palm into fists, wishing to the gods it isn't a student in our school. Marahan akong lumingon saka tuluyang nalaglag ang puso ko. "You!"
Pinanood ko siyang lumabas ng pinto na may hawak na kahon ng sigarilyo. "I did not expect that... Even a little bit," he adds.
"Ano bang kailangan mo sa 'kin, Aiden?!"
"Woah, Woah, there's no need to gather attention," he shushes me, grabbing my arm as he leads the way to the back of the store.
Eskinita iyon na madilim, madalas pinupuntahan ng mga tambay para gumawa ng mga bagay na ayoko nang alamin. "Ugh, why are we here?" I forced my arm out of his hand.
"Do you want one?" pag-aalok niya sa hawak na yosi.
"No, I don't!"
"Wow, you never fail to amuse me," he comments, looking at me with such amazed eyes.
Everyone explained to me who he was, earlier. He's nothing but a big bully, hiding his crimes through his athletic achievements and his keening mask. I can't believe how many boys get away from being a bully just because of the way they look. At kung ako man ang next target niya para gawing biktima, he will regret that decision badly!
"What the hell do you want?"
"Mhm, feisty. But I don't like girls like that."
I let out a fake chuckle. "Good! Because I would hate being your type!" Seryoso, ano bang nakikita ng mga babae sa lalaking 'to? He's nothing but a dirty rag!
The dark alleys were giving me a low-key sense of dread. It wasn’t him that frightened me. It wasn’t even the fact that I was alone with this man—I'm confident I could fight him if necessary. No, what really unsettles me is the darkness itself, and the stench that clung to the air made things worse. I just want to escape this place as soon as possible.
Tumawa siya at umatras ng pagkakatayo, bago maglabas ng makapal na envelope mula sa bag niya saka iyon ibinagsak sa bandang paanan ko.
"Do this for me," utos niya na agad kong kinagulat.
"Huh? Ano 'yan?"
"My school works. From prelims to finals. All my missing activities, everything I need to submit," sagot naman niya. What the hell?
The envelope was almost as thick as a dictionary, and it fell like a rock on the ground. How am I supposed to do... Wait! "Why should I?!"
"I'll pay you."
I sighed, "I can literally buy you, mister, giit ko. Kahit na ngayon ay wala akong pera dahil kay Mommy.
He tucked both his hands in his jeans' pockets before laughing. "Those are college stuff, but they're probably a piece of cake to you."
"And so? Bakit ko naman gagawin ang trabaho mo?" I crossed my arms.
What the hell? How can he just expect me to do all his schoolwork for him? I’m in my senior year of high school, and he’s in his first year of college. Sure, those assignments might be easy for me, but that’s beside the point! Who does he think he is, bossing me around like that?
"You're Mr. Laux's daughter, right?"
Napakagat ako sa ibabang bahagi ng labi ko nang marinig ang pangalan ni Daddy. He has a big name. A huge reputation, to be specific.
"So?"
"Does he know you smoke?"
My heart sank when I heard him ask that. Wow, so this is what being blackmailed feels like.
- Writer
