Play Dead: The Gangster's Glory

Chapter 1: The Unknowns

Dugo.

Patuloy ang pagtulo ng dugo sa aking skirt mula sa aking braso. Tss. Binuhusan ko ito ng alcohol 'tsaka ito binalutan ng bandage nang matuyo na ito.

Ramdam ko ang hapding pumipitik sa natamong sugat ngunit hindi ko na ito ininda pa. Napabuntong hininga ako at tumingin sa kawalan.

I am just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. A nobody—no, I was a nobody.

I used to walk freely and read books peacefully. I used to do whatever the fuck I wanted to. I was invisible, like how it actually should be.

But it all changed when a spawn of evil crawled into my life and decided to bug the hell out of me, driving the devil's disciples to antagonize me, too.

Suddenly, I became 'the girl who acts all nice to make him fall in love with her.' I became 'the pick-me girl.' I became 'the Hale's pleaser.'

People started calling me such names to the extent that I became someone I don't even know.

Their eyes follow my every move. Their lips curse my existence. Their presence desires my absence.

Ganoon ang nagawang pagbaligtad ng demonyong 'yon sa buhay ko, at dahil saan? Dahil sa araw-araw niyang panggugulo sa akin, at bakit? Dahil wala siyang magawa.

"Thinking of me?"

Nawala ang aking paningin sa kawalan at nalipat sa lalaking nagsalita. Here comes the spawn of evil, Dwight Damon Hale. Minsan gwapo, madalas gago.

"Burned alive, yeah," sarkastiko kong sabi gamit ang malamig kong boses.

Hindi siya umalis sa kanyang pwesto kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Dwight sighed and walked a bit closer towards me. His eyes lowered to my arm, kung saan nakabalot ang aking mga sugat.

"Does it hurt?" tanong ni Dwight sa isang seryosong tono.

Halos matawa ako nang sarkastiko. Of all the things he could say, that's the one thing he shouldn't. He's the reason why I get wounded in the first place.

"What do you care?" I hissed.

I looked at him with disgust before grabbing my books and walking away from him.

Pissing me off has become his favorite hobby the moment he met me, but I know his type. They like girls with strong personality just because they're more challenging. Unfortunately for him, I could never see myself fancying him kaya kahit anong gawin niyang pagpapa-impress sa akin ay walang mangyayari.

Nalipat ang mga mata ko sa mga babaeng nakatingin sa akin habang nagbubulungan. Hindi ko sila pinansin at nagpatuloy lamang sa paglalakad.

There goes the devil's disciples. Dwight's fangirls made it a habit to make fun of me for who knows how long. Ganito na rin ang nakasanayan ko.

"Guess what," bulong ng bagong sulpot na si Nya sa aking tainga.

Nya Vernice Geronimo, one of the two friends I have in my life.

"Guess what?" I asked, emotionlessly.

"I said, guess!" aniya.

"Your food got cold?" bored kong panghuhula.

"Oh, come on, you can guess better than that," ani Nya.

"Your cat died?"

"Xyla!" saway niya at pinanlakihan ako ng mga mata. "Napakasama mo. Kumatok ka nga sa kahoy! 3 times!"

I scoffed and looked at her. "Just say it," sabi ko.

Nya pouted before giving up. "I lost my watch," aniya.