The Mistaken Bad Boy

Prologue

EVERYTHING happens for a reason. That is what my Mom used to tell me.

But does everything really have a reason? Even the death of our loved ones?

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"DARLING, are you already done? We're leaving in a few minutes!" I heard my Mom calling me, downstairs.

Hindi ko akalain na matagal ko na palang tinititigan ang singsing na bigay sa akin ni Dad noong 17th birthday ko. It is a gold ring, with a dragon sign made of blue gems. I sighed.

I don't want to leave this house. It means a lot to me. It has lots of good and bad memories of my family. Hindi ko kayang iwan to basta-basta nalang. But I can't do anything.

When my Dad died, everything became hard for us. Nagtinda si mama ng kung anu-ano. But it's not enough. We can't pay the house. That's why we have to leave it, even though it's hard.

I looked at the other side of my room. Something caught my attention, it's a paper that slipped from the drawer. What's this?

To: Elise Dela Cruz

Para sa'kin? But I don't remember someone gave me this. Nang tingnan ko iyon ng maigi, I realized something. It's Dad's penmanship!

Dali-dali ko iyong binuksan.

Dear darling,

Probably, when you're reading this I'm already dead. I have something to tell you. Someone is after our family. And by the time that you are reading this, I know that they already killed me.

Don't trust anyone, okay? Protect your Mom.

Always remember that I love you both.

-Dad

Nanghihinang napaupo ako sa sofa na malapit sa akin. Buti nalang at nakahawak ako dun. Tila nanghina ang mga tuhod ko dahil sa nalaman. All this time, I thought Dad died because of car crash. Tapos biglang ganito? Who are those people that is after my family? At anong atraso namin para patayin nila kami?

Suddenly, I heard loud bangs coming from below. Then the cries of my mom. Knowing that my Mom is in danger, dagli akong bumaba.

Paglabas ko pa lamang ng kwarto, magulong bahay namin ang bumungad sa akin. What the hell happened here?

I heard faint cries in the sala. Nang marating ko iyon, isang babaeng nakahandusay at naliligo sa sarili nitong dugo ang aking nakita. It was my mom. Nang lingunin ko ang pinto, isang lalaki ang kalalabas lamang. Naka-itim ito at maraming tatoo sa mga braso nito. At sa gawing batok nito, naka-ukit ang tila isang simbolo.

A Snake.