Predestined

Chapter 1 - Blown Away

    I woke up late today.

      I rummaged to my closet to find a match than can hide the fact that I overslept. 

    It's been months but still, I cannot adjust fully in this town. I half ran through the school ground in hope that I won't be late for my first period as the professor always pop surprise quizzes and I badly need the extra points since I wasn't good at math. Turning left to go to the hallways, I heard laughter from the soccer field. 

    I saw how the soccer team called me with disgust in their eyes as I passed through them. Some even whistled at me.        "Hey, girly-face!" A guy laughed.      I bit my lip and tried not to react as it will give them more interest to bug me. 

    I'm getting used to it. It had been months since I transferred and it was the same everyday. 

     As I was on the end of the hallway, I got wide-eyed as a player kicked the soccer ball with so much precision to hit me. I was too shocked and cannot move by the fast speed of the ball coming at me. 

         "Oh, no." I closed my eyes and anticipated to black out again. 

     But seconds later... It never happened. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a broad shoulder on my side. He was the one who got hit by the ball. Jackson cleared his throat and removed the hood of his jacket. 

    He looked at the soccer team and removed his headphone. He was sporting a do-not-disturb-me-or-else face that can make anyone pee in their pants. 

    The guy who kicked the ball looked scared. He held his hands in the air and waved it. 

         "S-Sorry man!" He shouted and ran so fast to get the ball. 

     Jackson did not speak nor react. He just stood there, not taking his eyes off the guy. I stood there, frozen. I thought that when he realised that I was the supposed target, he might put his anger on me. 

         "I'm really sorry, Jackson. I will be careful next time." The guy smiled and ran back to the field. 

     He said something to his friends and they all looked at our direction. I grabbed my bag straps tightly as I looked again at Jackson Vera. 

         "A-Are you okay?" I stuttered. 

         "Oh, It's you again, girl-faced." He just said. 

         "Will you please stop calling me that?" I said. 

     He just shrugged and put his headphones back.

         "Nah. You'll always girl-face to me. See you on physics class." He just walked again. 

     I watched his back disappeared to the now busy corridor. Seemed like everyone was watching what happened. Especially the girls that are obviously drooling at his face.

                                                                                       ***********

     I sat on my economics class after lunch. I sat on the the front far away from the bullies of the soccer team. I had three guys that were in the same class. 

    I always tried to focus but cannot focus since I can feel their eyes on me the whole period. 

     The professor made us pass a paper with our names. He said that he will discuss the groupings for the final requirement for this semester.

         "You will be grouped to five and have immersion on a rural town. There, I want you to stay for three days with our volunteer families and manage to answer these question sets after." He showed three papers that were full of questions. 

         "I want everyone of you to be observant. I will call five names and please seat beside each other to talk about the question sets."

     I almost choked on my own saliva after hearing that. 

    I don't felt good after knowing about this three-day immersion. I was too afraid to be grouped with one of my bullies. If I do, for sure those three days would be hell and I don't wanna even bother Aunt Karina as she was having too much problems at work. Mr. Florencio started calling names. I felt that my palms were sweating. I got chills anticipating to call my name. But as fate got me played. I ended up being grouped with two out of my three bullies. 

         Can this day get any worse? I swallowed as they scooped their belongings and transferred beside my seat. The other one even draped his arms on my shoulders and gave my arm a squeeze. 

         "Hey, girly." He whispered sensually on my ears. 

     I removed his hand on my shoulder because I was feeling uncomfortable to be held like that. Two girls also sat on our area as they were my other groupmates.

         "What's up. I am Tessa and this is Rei." The girl with a pixie cut said.

     I looked at her and was mesmerized about her small face and fair complexion. She looked like a mixed of Asian-American. The girl named Rei smiled as she offered her hand to shake everyone's. 

     I silently thank them as the attention of my two bullies diverted to them. I smiled uneasy while listening to their conversations. 

    Tessa looked at me that made me held my breath. 

         "You're Gael, right?" She asked. 

     I nodded and felt that my cheeks reddened because of her sweet voice. 

         "I heard so much about you. You're a transferee right?" She smiled.

     I nodded and tried to smile even though my bullies were looking at me with a smirk. 

         "I hope that we can get along this immersion. You look like a reserved guy, though." Rei said. 

     I just nodded and bit my lower lip. I just wanna be lowkey. We set reminders and divided the questions so we'll have to participate. I wrote my scope on a piece of paper and slid it to my pocket. I inhaled deeply. 

How could this day get any worse? 

                                                                 ***************

          "Make sure you packed your underwears, Gael." Aunt Karina shouted while she's in the toilet. 

     I checked all the necessities for this immersion. I made sure I have my medicines, charges and flashlight. Aunt Karina will drive me to the drop off point for the immersion.

         "Where's the drop off point again?" She asked and went inside the walk-in closet. 

     Then, she went to the toilet again to blow-dry her hair. 

         "Front of the Nature Park." I answered while zipping my suitcase. 

     Aunt Karina stopped brushing her hair. She was in deep thinking so I asked what's wrong. 

         "Hey, you okay?" I asked again.         

     She blinked and nodded at me. 

             "Ah, of course. Well, you text me everyday, okay?" She looked at me worriedly.

         I crumpled my forehead and looked at her. 

                 "What's wrong with you, Aunt Karina? Are you okay these past few days? Is someone or something bothering you?" I said.

         I always think that there's something bothering her. She seemed bothered everywhere I go. I don't know if she's being protective or she was being scared by something.

         I showed my phone to her.

                 "I can report them to the polic—" Aunt Karina laughed nervously as she held my hand to stop me from dialing 911. 

        I bit my lower lip and looked straight to her eyes. She was really uneasy and it made me freak out inside. 

             "No. I can handle myself. I was just being worried. You'll be away for three days." She smiled without humor. 

         I sighed, kind of defeated. 

        I knew that she wouldn't tell me what's wrong. I hoped that I won't be joining the immersion so I can stay home to keep an eye on her. 

         "Hey, Aunt Karina. I should ask the old lady beside us to check on you every day. Always call me." I said.

         Aunt Karina smiled softly at me and ruffled my hair. 

             "Sure. You do the same." She licked her lip while looking at the mirror.

                                                                                            ********

             When we got to the drop off point, I saw Rei getting out of a car. 

                She kissed a tall spanish guy on the lips and went for a tight hug. I swallowed when I saw how his boyfriend squeezed her butt before letting her go. 

             Rei eyes drifted on mine and waved. She flashed a smile as I neared her. 

                 "What up, pretty guy." She greeted. 

                 "Good morning, Rei." I said. 

                 "You've seen Tessa, Pete and Dean?" She asked. 

         I scanned my blockmates and looked for them.                 I saw Tessa laughing with my two bullies.

         They were talking about something. I slowly tailed Rei as she made her way to them. 

                 "Hey, Rei. Hey, girly." The guy who we called Pete greeted me. 

             I avoided looking at him as he flashed the familiar smirk that came whenever he's ready to pounce at me. 

             "Hey, Pete. Can you please not make Gael uncomfortable? You, too Dean." Tessa said as she blew her gum and popped it with her tongue.

                 "Oh, here's the coordinator." Rei said as she watched five elderly woman made a horizontal line formation at the front. 

         They smiled warmly at us. I stood there, in silence. 

                     "I am Criselda. One of the immersion master for this semester. Mr. Florencio told me about your groupings so I will designate you with your immersion guardians." She smiled at everyone of us before she read the names on a sheet of paper. 

                 "Dean, Peter, Rei, Tessa and Gael," she enumerated. 

         We all raised our hand. She nodded at the elderly woman on her side.

             "This is Margarita. You will stay on her house with her family." She said. 

         The old woman came to us and shook our hands. Her palm was rough and cold. Her hair was already white and she smelled of cigarettes. 

         After that, we dispersed to join our guardians. 

        They were living in a small town on the forest near the nature park. We walked past the rivers so we can reach her house.

         Tessa almost slipped on the mud but with my reflexes, I held her so I can support her. I saw how her eyes widened when I suddenly touched her butt. 

             "Oh, my god." She whispered and composed herself. 

     Dean and Pete looked at us while they were assisting Rei and Margarita to climb the muddy trail.

             "I-I am sorry." I slowly apologized. 

         I never held a woman before aside from Aunt Karina and also our neighbor's dog, Lucille. If the dog counts as a woman, I touched two women on my entire life. If not, pity me. 

             "No problem. I should be the one thanking you." Tessa softly smiled at me.

         I felt my cheeks blushed.

         Tessa looked really cute. She was like the girls I watched on anime. She's boyish but also soft. 

             We were cut by a loud coughing coming from Rei. She was smirking at us. 

             "I hate to break the moment but I think we should go." She winked at me. 

         Tessa nodded and smile at me again before she proceeded walking. Ten minutes had passed when we reached a small hut with bamboo fences. It was surrounded by wild flowers and tall trees that made it look like straight from the painting. 

                     "Wow," I whispered in awe. 

                          "Cool." Dean said while he's amazed by the view.        

     He tapped Pete as they were going inside. Margarita smiled at us while we try to fit on her wooden sofa. I was seating in the middle of the two girls. Margarita offered us juice. 

                 "My house have three rooms since I lived alone. The boys and girls will sleep in different rooms." She smiled.  "Please, wait as I look for the keys." she excused herself.

         Pete smirked at me. 

             "So... you'll stay with Tessa and Rei, then?" He laughed. 

    Dean offered a high-five. 

             "Boys, stop it." Rei interfered. 

         Dean rolled his eyes. 

        We went to the bedroom after dinner. On the floor,  there were three mattresses with a thin blanket. 

        I kneeled so I can organize my things when Dean and Pete entered the room. I slowly stiffened as I held two of my t-shirts, praying that they will never see me. 

        I was so tired from the hike to be their target. But as I was praying. I wasn't saved. 

        A loud impact of pillows welcomed the back of my head. 

        I crouched as the beat me with their pillows. 

             "Stop, please." I said but still, they continued. 

    It may be soft but the forces they exerted every time it hits me, made it hurt.

         "You think we'll let you sleep here huh?" Pete said as he drew bigger force. 

     I protected my head. As the pillows hit my head there's an annoying screeching sound that was making my head hurt. 

        I felt that the sweat is dripping of my face. 

                     "You gayshit!" Dean laughed. 

                 I closed my eyes tightly as I felt a force inside my body. I was getting on the edge. I was so tired of the bullying and everything was building within me. 

            The screeching sound became more louder and louder. It triggered something in me. I closed my eyes tightly as I was getting drowsy and drowsier... 

                 Closing my fist, I let out a hearty scream. 

          "I said f*****g stop!" I screamed.

        Seemed like a force was released by my scream, I watched them as they were flown to the other side of the room. 

         Their eyes were widened.

         I looked at them with shocked. What the hell happened?

             "Hey, what happened?" Tessa came knocking on our door.

         I looked at it and back to Pete and Dean. They aren't moving, their eyes were closed. It seemed like they passed out. 

         Do they just got blown because of my screams?  Or I was just plainly hallucinating?

     Did they hit me that much to get me like this?     

        The door opened. I saw Rei and Tessa entered. I tried to speak but my vision got blurry. That's the last thing I remembered as I passed out, too.