Games of the Heart

Two Different Masks

Being the first day of the first semester of a new school year, it wasn’t a surprise that classes ended earlier than usual. The teachers only talked about the requirements for their respective lessons, the rules and what was expected of them, and the schedule of their major examinations. Eliza was quick to jot down all the important details, which meant she practically wrote down everything the teachers instructed because she didn’t really know which of them were truly important. She was really trying her best to focus on class, especially now that she was sitting in the front row.

When the bell rang, it was only then that Eliza stopped writing. The teacher dismissed them with a smile then left the classroom. She gathered her things slowly, making sure they were in their proper slots in her bag. A lot of her classmates were already rushing out of the room to get to their friends from the other classrooms or return home.

Rising from her chair, her gaze wandered to the back of the class. Anthony was blinking rapidly behind his desk to get rid of the sleep that clung to his senses. Did he sleep the whole afternoon away? She frowned in disapproval. He should be like her and actually try to listen to class.

Then her eyes landed on her desk neighbor. Marco was once again surrounded by people and again being plied by questions.

“Do you want to hang out with us, Marco?” Sheila asked him, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. “We can go to Burger Hop. It’s just the best burger joint in town.”

“And it's where all the cool and popular kids meet,” Jennifer inserted with a wink.

It was decided then. Marco matched the requirements of St. Anne’s upper stratum hence the invitation.

Eliza smiled to herself.

Good for him.

She shouldered her backpack and went for the door. Alex was already waiting for her outside. He too was surrounded by their schoolmates, chatting with them and at the same time, smiling and waving at the people passing by. Eliza smiled affectionately at him as she approached, exchanging greetings with the people around him.

“Ready to go?” Alex asked, adjusting the strap of his backpack over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” she answered. Yeah, she definitely was ready to go home and just sleep. Today hadn’t been that bad but it hadn’t been very good to her either. She was already stressing out the thought of having to sit in the front row for the rest of the semester and being the class president again. She especially was stressing out the fact that the newest school idol was sitting next to her.

Her gaze landed on Anthony, who seemed to be trying to pass by them unnoticed. “Want to walk home with us, Tony?”

Anthony stopped walking to scowl at her. “No. And don't call me that.”

“Only if you stop calling me nutty or loopy loo.”

“Not a chance, wacko.”

Eliza closed her eyes, said a quick prayer for patience, then turned to him. “You know it’s not nice to call people names.”

“Who said I was nice?”

“You are so frustrating.”

“Excuse me.”

The deep baritone voice made Eliza drop the hand she was about to use to pinch Anthony’s cheek. Marco Dy was standing behind them. And his piercing gaze was on her.

She was suddenly embarrassed and didn’t know why. Her cheeks grew warm and she knew she’d started blushing. Alex was watching her. A slow grin formed on his face and his eyes sparkled with mischief. She didn’t like the look of it.

Alex returned his gaze to Marco and still grinning, he asked, “What’s up, man?”

Marco tipped his head towards Eliza. “The teacher said she’ll be giving me a tour of the school.”

Eliza's jaw dropped. “S-she said that?”

“Yes. You’re the class president right?”

“Yeah.” She stared at him for a moment then shook her head to regain her senses. She couldn’t seem to hold a thought for longer than a second whenever he stared at her. “D-do you want to have the tour right now?”

“If it's not a bother,” he replied.

“Of course not,” she assured him. “But… um...” Unsure, she glanced at Alex.

“I’ll wait for you in the gym,” Alex instantly told her. “Coach had the court repainted over the summer. I’ll go check it out in the meantime.”

Her shoulders almost slumped over but she stopped herself from doing so. She had been hoping Alex would come with them. This was going to be so awkward.

“Have fun, you two,” Anthony deadpanned. “And don’t do anything I wouldn't do.”

“Like being nice?” Alex chuckled. His eyes went to Marco and he proffered his hand, “By the way, I’m Alex Fernandez, Eliza's best friend.”

Marco took his hand. “I’m Marco Dy.”

As she watching them shake hands, Eliza couldn’t help but marvel at the two of them. The two of them were the same height and stood eye to eye, though Alex was broader and tanner than him. Both of them were good-looking. And both of them were sure to make every St. Anne’s girls hearts a-flutter.

Anthony was about to leave but Alex put an arm around his shoulder, reeling him back to them again. “The wisecrack beside me is your classmate, Anthony Maxino. I heard he's been talking s**t in your class. Don’t take him seriously. He’s actually a good guy.”

“Language, Alex,” Eliza chided.

“And f**k off,” Anthony snapped, trying to get the taller boy’s arm off him.

“See?” Alex chuckled. “He likes you already.”

“We should go,” Eliza whispered to Marco when she saw the murder in Anthony's eyes. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Alex and Anthony didn’t even seem to notice them leave. They were still arguing with each other.

“Stop saying to people that I’m nice,” Anthony said, his tone biting.

“But you're such a teddy bear,” Alex replied. “I’d hate for people to miss out.”

“I’ll f*****g kill you, you—“

Eliza heaved a great sigh as she led Marco the stairwell. “This way, please.”

The sooner they were gone, the sooner Alex could stop antagonizing Anthony. And the sooner the tour was done, the better for Eliza’s peace of mind.

**********

Eliza didn't know what Marco was thinking but she was sure he wasn't impressed by St. Anne's statue in the middle of the school courtyard. It was where they ended their short tour, the school being small. It was the place she had saved for last, hoping he’d gain a sense of school spirit.

St. Anne’s Academy was one of the two schools in town, the other being the town’s public school. It only had three two-storey buildings for its classrooms, one for primary students, one for junior high students and the last for senior high students. Each building had a faculty room for the teachers on the first floor. Then there was the administrative building where the auditorium, the library, clinic and the admin hall were, and the small chapel where mass was held every first Friday of the month for all the students, faculty and staff. The school also had a small cafeteria, a covered court, a gym for sports-related activities.

But what it lacked in buildings and facilities, it made up for the beautiful scenery. The school property had a wide expanse of lawn and trees. And when one knew where to look, they would see the sparkling blue sea and the white hidden beaches of the town below and the rising and setting of the sun.

Marco had yet to say a word about the tour. He was quiet the whole time Eliza showed him around and didn’t ask questions. But she knew he paid attention to every word she said. She could see it by the way his gaze was so focused on everything around them. Unfortunately, it meant he also focused on her and that didn’t sit well with her heart, which erratically beat whenever their eyes met.

“So what do you think about our school?” she finally ventured quietly and nervously.

Marco didn't say anything for a long moment and kept his gaze on the statue. Then the tall boy bent his neck and looked at her.

“It’s a good school,” he told her.

She smiled in relief. “But it's not like the big schools in Manila.”

He didn't say anything and just stared at her. Eliza felt a blush creeping up and she slid her gaze away, hoping it would be enough to get rid of the traitorous blush on her cheeks.

“T-there’s this St. Anne's tradition that you must hear,” she started to say, coughing to cover up her embarrassment, thinking to start the conversation again. Perhaps, if he spoke to her, she wouldn’t feel awkward and he wouldn’t keep on staring at her. “They say that if you confess to the person you like here in front of her statue, it means your love will last forever. Silly right?”

“Have you ever been confessed to?” Marco asked.

“No way. I’m not popular with guys.”

“But you have Alex. And Anthony.”

“We’re just friends,” she explained. “Alex and I have been best friends since we were children. And Anthony has been a friend since junior high.”

Once again, Marco was silent. He was staring at her again and Eliza stared back, wondering what was really on his mind. His face seemed to be cut from stone because there was no emotion there, no feeling at all. Come to think of it, the only time she saw him change his expression was when they were talking in the classroom, when she thought he would smile.

She couldn’t keep staring at him. Coughing again, she turned her head around. A small group of girls were hovering by the main gate, looking at them. Eliza immediately pointed them out to Marco.

“Um... I think they're waiting for you,” she informed him. “Weren’t you supposed to go somewhere with them?”

Marco didn't even look to see what she was walking about. Putting his hands deep into his pockets, he turned and started walking away. Her eyebrows drew together. Where was he going?

“You go home with your best friend everyday?” Marco asked when she caught up to him.

She found this question vaguely surprising. Still, she answered, “Yes. Our houses are right next to each other. Why?”

Marco didn't answer. This strange behavior of his was slowly getting to her nerves. Didn’t he answer everyone’s questions about him inside the classroom?

He just kept walking so she just kept following him, unsure whether it was alright to leave him. Before she could make anything of this, Marco stopped. They were at the gym. It was then that she realized he had escorted her there. He remembered what Alex had told her. And she didn’t know what to think.

Eliza looked at Marco. He was already staring at her. She had to remind herself to breathe.

“Thank you for the tour,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Take care on your way home.”

When he left, Eliza sat on the steps and stared at his retreating back, relief mingling with confusion.

Because she still didn't know what he was thinking.

**********

He listened to her weep.

In the darkness of his room, he sat on the edge of his bed and listened to the sweetest girl in the world sobbing her heart out on the other line.

“She’s… happy? Smiling? And even laughing?”

He should have watched what he was saying more closely. But the words flew out of his mouth as soon as he picked up her call because he was too excited to hear from her. Damn it, he knew how sensitive and fragile she was yet he couldn’t watch his f*****g mouth. But he just couldn’t lie to her. He wouldn’t lie to her. No, never. Not ever.

“Mara—“ he started to speak but she cut him off.

“It’s unfair!” she shrieked. A crash sounded on the line and his head jerked back. “It’s unfair! She’s out there enjoying her life while I’m…” She groaned and whimpered, her breath catching on more tears, “While I’m locked up in here.”

“It won’t be long,” he assured her. He didn’t want her to hurt herself. The last time she was in rage she started tearing her beautiful hair out. He couldn’t allow that to happen again. “She’ll be suffering even worse than you are now. You’ll have your revenge, Mara. Didn’t I promise you?”

Her sobs quieted and she finally got a handle on herself.

“You’ll help me?” she asked meekly.

“I already told you. I will.”

“She hated me the moment I stepped into that town,” she sniffed. “Alex liked me. He might have even been in love with me. But she was eaten up with jealousy. She wasn’t… pretty the way I was and she believed she owned Alex. So she ruined me. Destroyed me.”

She dissolved into tears again. And he was starting to feel angry but he contained his emotions. Now was not the time to get worked up. He needed to be smart about this. He needed to keep his head clear. It was only then that his plans will work.

“How dare she? She ruined me. She ruined everything for me. And she’s doing well?”

“Mara,” he spoke her name and she fell silent. “Don’t you trust me?”

A few seconds more of silence.

Then she said, “I trust you.”

The phone went dead. He dropped his hand and stared at his cell phone, his fingers tightening around it. He opened the gallery app and let his thumb swipe on the screen until he found the picture what he was looking for.

Eliza Rosa.

He knifed up the bed and threw his phone to the wall, breaking it.

She destroyed his sweet Mara. And she will pay for it dearly.

He’ll break her.

Wreck her.

And make sure she'll never be the same again.

An eye for an eye.