His Revenge

Chapter 1: Red

Back when I was kid, I had this stupid belief that all people in the world, no matter how evil they are, have a hidden kindness inside them; or that there is something that pushed an evil person to become evil. I do not blame people if they're evil. I try to understand them. That is the reason why my older brother calls me a red-haired angel.

Whenever I watch or read fairytales about witches cursing the princess to a thousand years of sleep, or poisoning an apple, or trapping the princess at the top of a doorless tower, I always try to look for a reason why they did those things.

Maybe she's alone. Maybe she wanted someone to love her. Maybe she just wanted to befriend the princess.

Whenever the villain gets killed in the ending, I always feel bad for them. They weren't even given a chance to explain their sides! Maybe they're not actually evil! I would say.

And my favorite film? Maleficent.

Yeah, stupid.

Like what I said earlier, I'm a hopeless little weirdo.

Lumaki ako na ganoon ang paniniwala. Wala ni sinuman ang umaaway sa 'kin, dahil mismong mga bully sa school namin ay hindi ako magawang awayin sa sobrang bait ko. Kapag pangit naman ang mood ng teacher namin, ipagtutulukan ako ng mga classmate ko para kausapin siya. Wala ni sinuman ang nagagalit sa 'kin sa sobrang bait ko.

It's all natural, for your info. Never kong pinipilit na maging mabait. Mabait ako, and that's it. No pretense. No disguise. This is me. I am Red, and I am who I am.

Unfortunately for me, that saint-like trait of mine was perhaps the biggest weakness I ever had.

"Red, bilis na. Late na tayo," tawag sa 'kin ni Kuya Grey mula sa labas ng bahay isang umaga.

Kahit na papasimula pa lang ako ng pagkain ko ay pumulot na lang ako ng isang tinapay bago ako sumunod kay kuya.

"Bye, 'ma. I love you po," paalam ko kay mama sabay halik sa pisngi niya.

"Hindi ka ba kakain?" tanong sa 'kin ni mama. "Aba'y tinapay lang ang dala mo."

"Hindi na po. Late na po kasi kami ni Kuya. Bye na po," sabi ko sabay lakad palayo.

"Sabihan mo ang Kuya mo na mag-ingat," tawag sakin ni Mama.

Well, hindi na ako kailangang sabihan pa ni Mama na mag-ingat dahil gulo na mismo ang umiiwas sakin.

Naabutan ko si Kuya na nakaabang na sakin sa gate ng bahay.

"Mag-iingat ka raw sabi ni Mama," bungad ko sa kanya.

"Whatever. Tara na. Ihahatid pa kita sa room mo," sabi niya sakin.

First day ko kasi ngayon sa high school. Its a good thing na walking distance lang ang bahay namin mula sa papasukan namin. Its a private school.

My father is an engineer and si Mama eh accountant. We live in a simple house. Hindi magara pero komportable. Even though I share a room with kuya pero okay lang yun sakin, malaki naman yung higaan at close kami ni kuya.

We can eat three meals a day with snacks. Our parents can send us to a good school. Kahit na may pera kami eh namumuhay kami nang simple. Gaya ng parating pangaral samin ni Mama, just because you have money, it doesn't mean that you're going to coat all of your possessions with gold. Why would we need a mansion if we're already comfortable with our simple house?

And I quite agree with her. Sabi nga ni Papa eh namana ko raw ang pag-uugali ni Mama.

"Section mo ulit?" tanong ni Kuya Grey.