Don't Mess with Numero Trece (PDN Series #1)

DMWNT 31

DMWNT 31: Chaos

They came from the most powerful families with the most shady backgrounds.

They do not shy away from violence.

They were respected, or more aptly put, feared.

They were the queens, kings and the aces.

They were seen as the next leaders of the underground society. The moment they enrolled in St. Benedict, they were already thrusted to high positions, and each one of them live up to their reputations.

Then there's Maddilyn Longmeth. She is St. Benedict's unofficial muse. She is a breath of fresh air. She is adored by everyone and no one would dare touch her, not just because she is a sister to two kings, not just because she came from a powerful family, or because she has the title of a queen.

No one would dare lay a hand on Maddilyn Longmeth because she was simply, Maddilyn Longmeth. She may lack the necessary skills to become a feared underground personality, but she made up for it by being surrounded by people who would be more than willing to lay their lives for her sake.

She was simply a diamond.

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Normal ang umagang iyon sa St. Benedict. And by normal, it means, there's a fistfight here, chairs flying off there, and cussing everywhere. Sa silid ni Maddilyn ay wala pa ring malay si Cassidy.

Kagaya ng ibang araw, bakante ang upuan sa unahan sa classroom nina Trece. Naglelecture ang math teacher sa unahan at ang sampung estudyanteng nakikinig ay abala sa pagsusulat. Bihirang pumasok ang mga guro upang magturo kaya ang mga scholar na nais ipagpatuloy ang senior high school sa St. Benedict ay nagkukumahog sa pagtatake-notes at pag-alala sa diskusyon. St. Benedict in all its rotten system still have  periodical exams, after all. Those who were less fortunate have no choice but to stomach the system just until they graduated in senior high school. No other school would offer them full scholarship with only a maintaining average grade of 80%.

Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit marami pa ring nagpapatuloy na mga iskolar sa St. Benedict kahit na talamak ang pambubully at kaguluhan.

Muling humikab si Trece. Halata ang bahagyang pangigitim sa ilalim ng mga mata niya. Sa kan'yang gilid ay panay ang nakaw ni Markus ng tingin sa gawi niya. Halata sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala. Trece doesn't look well and it worried him.

Nang muling humikab si Trece ay hindi na napigilan ni Markus na tapikin ito sa balikat.

"Gusto mong ikuha kita ng maiinom?"

Umiling ito. "Maya na 'pag lunch break."

Tumango siya at nagpatuloy sa pakikinig sa guro. Sa kabilang banda ng isip niya ay inaalala kung ano ang pinakamabisang inumin para sa mga puyat. Tulog. Kailangan ni Trece matulog sa lunch break.

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At 11:45 AM, a guy with a nervous look about him was giving instructions to two male students near the lounge beside the canteen, the two were picked solely because they were scholars and would be too afraid to question him. Mukha man siyang nininirbyos na talunan ngayon pero isa siya sa mga pinaka-notorious na bully sa St. Benedict. That was, until he met Trece Cleverine and experienced having his own phone inside his mouth. Hindi siya takot mabugbog pero hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit ganoon nalang ang takot niya sa ginawa ng babaeng may kalmadong bughaw na mga mata sa kan'ya. Nerd ang tingin niya dito, nakita niya kung paano ito bugbugin ng mga kings at queens sa tournament. But somehow, he knew, he don't want to anger Trece Cleverine.

"Eksaktong alas-dose y medya, i-connect niyo ang mga cellphone niyo sa TV, tapos i-play niyo ang video. Maliwanag?" Aniya sa dalawa.

"A-Anong video ba 'to?"