𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ

ᴘᴀᴍᴀᴍᴀᴀʟᴀᴍ

(ꜰᴀʀᴇᴡᴇʟʟ)

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The stench of smoke permeates your lungs, prompting you to cover your nose with a handkerchief. The feeling of the sun pounding down on your skin made you sigh and push a strand of hair over your shoulder. It didn't help that your uniform was thick, which made you sweat more. The heels you're wearing hurt your feet and you despise it. You despised this.

You sighed, irritated. You switch your foot to the other. You've already felt a dull soreness in the bottoms of your feet from standing in heels for too long.

But, sigh, today is exam day! You can't miss it! You've been waiting for this day, so you can't be late, but it's so difficult to wait for a van to take you to your school. You've been waiting here for 30 minutes and there is still no vehicle heading to that location.

How unlucky...

You let out another sigh and use your handkerchief to fan yourself. You couldn't help but be upset that you were already haggard and hadn't arrived at school! You swear there is something in the air in the Philippines that makes everyone unattractive.

You groaned at the sensation of sweat running down the side of your face. You resisted the temptation to wipe it with your handkerchief. You're going to ruin your makeup. Your nose wrinkled as you considered your cakey makeup.

When you get to school, you'll head straight to the restroom. You're not going to come to class with cakey makeup.

You looked at your phone, furrowing your brow as you read your friend's message. They have already arrived at school, according to the images they sent. You sighed as you looked up to see a Jeep with the words Ever-Ikot on it. It is the fifth Ever-Ikot vehicle you have seen. 

You shrug your backpack off your shoulder and raise your feet slightly so that the bottom of the bag rests on your thighs. You're wondering if you brought your makeup kit. You always keep a little make-up kit with gloss, perfume, sunscreen, and other necessities.

You recall being so unattractive at school when you were in junior high. You grimaced at the memories. In seventh grade, you were musty as heck. Even if your classroom has air conditioning, you still look haggard.

"Ah, shit," you murmur.

You were unable to respond when you unexpectedly flew. Your eyes widened as you hit the ground hard, your head pounding on the ground as you were pulled by the car's wheel, crushing your lower half. Your eyesight immediately darkened, as if you had been placed under something. You whimper as you realize you're under a car, a jeepney.

Your eyesight clouded as tears filled your eyes. Screams rang around you as you tilted your head to the side, revealing so many feet and heads. You notice that others are peering at you from below the jeep, worried and horrified.

You sob in agony from your waist to your toes. It hurts to move. Even the act of breathing is painful. You get that familiar choking sensation in your throat as if something is crushing your chest. Do you know when you have phlegm in your chest when you breathe? Yes. But this time, you know it's not phlegm because it feels so warm.

You coughed and turned your head to the side. As you spit, the familiar metallic taste of blood enters your tongue. You cringed inside as you felt the blood run down your cheek. Your chest felt instantly relieved. For almost three seconds, you were able to breathe, but then blood clogged your throat once more. It was becoming difficult to breathe.