Mafia Enslaved

2

"You know, you're beautiful," Monique said while pulling my jacket. I glared at her and adjusted my glasses.

I don't know what's up with her. Maybe she's not intimidated by my presence.

"You know? You're irritating," I hissed as I slapped her hand away from my jacket.

"Oh come on! Since I got here, I need friends, and I have given you the privilege to be one!" She winked and pulled my clothes again.

She's wearing a sleeveless blouse and a skater skirt, paired with pumps. Meanwhile, I'm in a jacket, pants, and rubber shoes.

I'm not a fan of Converse, Keds, or Vans. I prefer Nike, Puma, and Adidas. You won't find any other shoe brands in my collection.

And still, I tower over her. I'm a proud 5'8 teenager, while she's just 5'2, even with her heels.

"Come on, Maxene! Let's go to the cafeteria!" She hugged my arm and pulled me. "Those jerks, I transferred here for them, but it turns out they haven't been coming to school for two months!" She snorted.

I've been patiently ignoring her tantrums because she generously bought food for both of us, even if I didn't ask for it.

"You eat. Actually, I came all the way from Madrid, and I transferred here immediately to look for my boyfriend! It's frustrating! I thought I could see him today!"

Again, I ignored her, wondering why she was sharing all this with a total stranger. She seems so comfortable with me.

"I swear I'll strangle Raven for this! They're hiding Christian from me!" She said angrily, poking her salad with her fork.

I remained silent, calmly eating my food.

"Don't you even have a reaction to what I'm going through?"

I looked at her and shrugged. She pouted at me and drank her pineapple juice.

"But that's okay. At least, I have your support. You heard my side, so you should be on my side." She said, catching her breath.

"We're not friends--"

"I have already given you the privilege of being my friend. Just be thankful, and you can't even say no." She rolled her eyes at me, now picking on the carrots.

"We have a class at 1:30," I said. She had been talking non-stop, and it was already 1 pm, and she hadn't even finished ordering yet.

"What the heck?! Let's just cut class. I need to look for them."

"Go alone," I said coldly, and grabbed my bag. I didn't even thank her for treating me. As I said, she did it on her own.

"Come on, Maureen! Have some pity on me!" I heard her say. I turned to look at her and stared coldly.

"The first step to that is to stop being desperate."

Her jaw dropped. I enjoy telling the truth, especially when it hurts. It's satisfying to see people speechless when confronted with reality, especially when you slap it on their faces.

"You have an attitude problem," she blurted.

I just grinned and left her alone to finish her food. As I walked down the hallway, every noisy group fell silent.

I put my hood on and listened to music through my headphones. It's hot here in the Philippines, but I'm used to wearing a jacket.

"Wait up!" Someone almost made me stumble as they pulled on my jacket. If I hadn't controlled myself, I might have hit them.

"Can I come with you? I don't want to be alone. It's creepy," she said, and hugged my arm again.

I could hear murmurs, but I didn't care. I'm here to study, not to argue with people and their pointless views on life.

The day ended peacefully, but that's nothing new. What's annoying is this girl who has been clinging to me since earlier.

"I'll take you home, Maxene." She didn't even give me a chance to say no. She pushed me into her car and locked it.

"But before that, let's pick up my sibling at St. Peter." She winked. I was taken aback by what she said. My brother goes to St. Peter too.

"And of course, I need to drop by the coffee shop. Maybe you want a part-time job, Maxene? I need someone to accompany me, and I'm not close to the employees there." She sighed.

The manager is giving me a hard time finding a fight, so I need extra income.

"It's okay, but I can only work after school and on weekends," I said.

"That's totally great! I heard you're a scholar, that's what they call you, right? Like, 'Hey, there's the scholar again... Beware, you might catch their poverty... etcetera. Does it affect you at all?"

"I don't care at all," I replied.

"Well, that's better." She grinned. She never ran out of topics and questions. She kept talking non-stop.

We arrived at St. Peter. She had a gate pass, so we got in right away. I saw Paeng sitting on a bench, organizing his things in his bag.

I called him, and he quickly looked at me, obviously startled.

"Ate!! How did you get in?" He asked, looking at my companion. I took his bag and slung it over my other shoulder.

"Uh, who's this?" Monique asked.

"My sibling," I replied curtly.

"Huh?! But I thought you guys were poor? This school is for the rich only," she said insensitively. I just shook my head as I placed Paeng's bag in the car trunk.

"I can be a scholar because I'm smart. Not all scholars are poor," I said. She was taken aback, and just then, a little girl approached her, pulling her trolley bag.

"She's my sister, Queenie," she said. I smiled at the little girl.

"Hi, Rafael!" The girl waved at Rafael, and I felt him clutching my jacket.

"She's my classmate," Queenie said. Monique took Queenie's bag and placed it in the trunk.

"Great! Shall we go?" Rafael and Queenie both got into the backseat, chatting with each other. I kept an eye on my brother.

He rarely talks to others, so people mistake him for an introvert. I'm not sure if he's just shy or if there's something else.

We arrived at the coffee shop owned by Monique. We left the kids in her office and went to the employee quarters.

She gave me a uniform. "You can start tomorrow, and I'll give you extra credit because you're my friend. You can bring Paeng along every time so Queenie has company," she said.

"Okay, what will I do?"

"Service crew. It looks like you won't make it as a cashier," she said, raising an eyebrow. I can pretend to be nice if needed, but I'm not really a nice person.

"Don't worry, the other crew will teach you," she smiled.

We returned to her office. Rafael and Queenie were playing with snakes and ladders.

"Why do you always win?!" Queenie pouted as they started another round.

"Luck is on my side," my brother grinned.

"Paeng, let's go home." I called him. He immediately stood up, and I took his bag.

"I'll take you home," Monique suggested, but I just shrugged.

"We're fine. Our apartment is nearby," I said.

"O-okay then. See you tomorrow, Maureen!" She grinned and hugged me tightly. I almost rolled my eyes at her again.

"Goodbye, Ate. Goodbye, Queenie," my brother waved at them. He held my hand as we went home.

I don't wear a jacket in the apartment. I'm in a tank top and sweatpants. My snake tattoo on my arm is clearly visible. It's a symbol of venom, similar to the one on Cleopatra's forehead if you can imagine it. I also have one on the back of my neck, the letter 'M', a symbol of the Marfori Mafia.

I was washing the dishes when Paeng came down, carrying his books. He's probably going to do his assignments.

"What do you want for dinner, Paeng?" I asked as I washed my hands

.

"Anything is fine, Ate. Your cooking is always delicious," he said. I smiled and opened the fridge.

"Did you see my pack of m*******a, Paeng?" I asked.

"Is it gone, Ate? And aren't you free from epilepsy now?" he asked.

I took out my cellphone and dialed my contact who sells drugs.

"Do you still have m*******a? And narcotics?" I asked.

Yes, I use drugs. I became dependent on them due to my lifestyle. I've had epilepsy since I was young, so I rely on m*******a. And because of my fights, I need narcotics to numb the pain.

"I have some. Let's meet at our usual spot around 4 am," he said before hanging up.

I looked at Paeng. He's studying again. Paeng knows about the Mafia's transactions; he's also an agent. He's just a kid, but he plays a significant role in the Mafia.

"Ate, did Ate Marshan call yet?" Paeng asked as we had our meal.

"Spencer called earlier. Don't worry; they can't find us," I assured him.

"But maybe Lolo is worried," he said. I know how much Rafael loves Grandpa, but he can't accept Paeng. I don't even know which family he's referring to, considering how many enemies we have.

"Just let them be for now," I said, and focused on serving his food.

If I don't take my medicine, I can't sleep. It's already 3 am, so I went out for a run. I wore my jacket, and again, my hood covered my head.

I might run into someone who recognizes me. I went into a convenience store and bought some water. As I was about to run again, someone blocked my way.

"Miss, are you from around here?" he asked, scratching his head, looking embarrassed. I pulled my hood back.

"Yeah, why?"

"Uh, where can I buy Lomi around here?" he asked.

"Lomi? You're looking for it this early? I know a place, but they won't open until 4 am," I said.

He sighed and rubbed his face. "Is that so? Thanks."

"Why don't you just cook it yourself?"

"My sister has cravings, and she wants to eat all kinds of stuff. Unfortunately, we don't have the ingredients for Lomi at home."

"Where's her husband?"

He didn't answer, and I understood. "Let's go; they're not open yet, but I know they're already cooking." I said.

His face immediately brightened, and he honked his car.

It was a 5-minute ride. I come here early in the morning often because they serve the best food. Even if it's a bit far, I still jog here.

"Good morning!" I greeted the woman who was arranging the tables and chairs.

"You're early, Maureen!" she said when she saw me.

"I had an emergency, and I really needed my companion to have some Lomi. Can he make a special order? I'll order as well," I smiled.

"Of course! You're a regular here! What do you want to order?"

"One special Lomi and two special Goto, please," I said.

"Please have a seat," she said, and then she quickly went into the kitchen.

"You just don't know how thankful I am that I ran into you!" he said, relieved.

"Of course, nothing is free," I smirked.

"W-what?"

"You have to pay for my order," I replied.

"Haha, is that all? Even if you hadn't said it, I would've done it!" he chuckled. I don't know why, but I feel comfortable with Christian.

I just got his name, but I prefer calling him Lomi, and he's started calling me Lomi too.

"What were you doing outside at that hour?" he asked.

"I went out for a run."

"So early? My sister disturbs me no matter the time," he hissed.

"Your sister is lucky to have you," I grinned. He smiled back at me.

"I know, with this handsome face of mine. It's only natural," we both laughed, and just in time, our orders arrived.

He dropped me off near the convenience store. I adjusted my hood again and walked to the waiting shed. I saw a black car parked nearby.

I saw Paul, one of the notorious drug dealers I know. I handed him an envelope, and he gave me a paper bag.

We checked the contents of our exchange. "1,500,000 cold cash. You're really something, Marfori," he smirked.

"Just go. I'll call you when I need you again," I said and walked away.