ON HOLD

CHAPTER 1 - The Hunger Games

'Love is when you learn to take chances and make risks.'

Lara's P.O.V.

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"All high school students please report to building A's theater room for the opening of the 54th Annual Cupid's Champion."

CUPID'S CHAMPION. I cringe just hearing that.

Ito ay tradisyon na nilalaro sa aming paaralan for over 54 years. Sabi sa tabi-tabi, ang mga estudyante daw dati sa Carson International High School ay napakatalino at halos wala ng time for social life and for love. 

So 54 years ago they made a petty little game called Cupid's Champion to bring romance and friendship within the school. Simple lang ang objective, each year 12 girls and 12 boys will be selected and partnered up. They will complete tasks and challenges together. The team that wins gets a prize.

Years has passed at nilalaro pa'rin ito ng Carson High. It builds morale, ika nga nila. The rules remained the same but the student body had a different bet going on, and all I could say is that, it's the WORST game you could ever play. Siguro may mas malala pang mga laro, pero as a  teenage girl with no interest in love and romance, all I could say is, if ayaw mong masaktan, umiyak, mapag traydoran at makakuha ng C- sa exam, Cupid's Champion is not the game for you!

Ganto kasi yan, the student body of 1989 decided that instead of making it a couple versus couple, it should be a boys versus girls competition. Bakit nila ginawa iyon? Simple lang. They were bored. The deal was simple, every year the Student Body Association gets information about all the students at Carson. Oo maghahakot sila. These are rich bored intelligent students na maraming time. And whoever wins the games, the loser will have to obey EVERYTHING they command in school for a the rest of the year.

The only objective is.... Make the other person kiss you first. Whoever kisses their partner first loses, and it's been 9 years since huling nanalo ang mga babae sa larong ito. Tunay ngang palaban ang mga lalake sa eskwelahang ito.

It's a terrible game, pero hindi ko maiwasan maging excited, dahil taon-taon simula noong grade 8 kami ng tropa ko nagb'bet kami kung sinong mananalo at kung sinong unang malalaglag. Nakakaaliw panoorin ang laro, madrama, ngunit nakakaaliw.

A week ago kaya ko pag mag loko sa pag sali sa Cupid's Champion. After all, it was a petty and silly game for bored rich kids.

Since grade 11 na 'ko, isang taon na lang and I am overqualified to be chosen sa tradisyon na ito. But I didn't have to worry since the teachers are the one who's choosing. At madalas, pinipili nila yung mga estudyanteng magaganda o gwapo, popular, at loka sa pag-ibig.

Kami ng barkada ko yung tipong mga studyante na nanonood ng Cupid's Champion. Tinatawanan, pinag t'tripan, nilalait at pinag lolokohan ito.

Hindi kami yung tipo na sumasali at pinipili. So bakit ako nasa likod ng curtina sa stage at hindi sa bleachers kung 'san ako nararapat?

Well the answer is quite obvious. Napili ako. Ewan ko kung ano dapat maramdaman ko, galit, lungkot, nerbyos o inis. Probably all of it.

I looked at the side at nakita ko yung dalawa ko pang ka tropa na sina Chris at Ella. Oh no, not them too! Tumingin sila pabalik sa akin at halos parehas lang sila ng expression. Out of all the 357 high-school girls on Campus kami pa talaga yung 'swerte' na napili.

"Mic test, mic test." It's starting. "Good Afternoon students and welcome to the 44th Annual Cupid's Champion!"

Pinuno ng palakpak ang buong auditorium. Which means it's fully packed, lahat talaga ng studyante from the High School department ng Carson Academy ay nandito. Is it too late to wish na sana may asteroid na tumama sa school?