Take Me

One

I was fixing my make up as I saw herd of girls enter the comfort room. I rolled my eyes at their reflections.

They formed a small circle with me at its center cornering me with my back hitting the whole body mirror.

"Problem?" I uttered as I raised an eyebrow. I was hurrying for my next class but instead I'm being stalled like this.

"If you have none, please excuse me. I have a class at five." I attempted to shoo them all away when I felt a thousand needle prickled my scalp. Napamura ako ng mahina. A girl with braided long hair stood in the middle as her friends continue to pull my hair.

I elbowed my captor and successfully freed myself from anybody else's grasp.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I said through gritted teeth. I tried to control myself. I hate violence as much as I hate almost everyone in my life.

"Ikaw ang problema namin, malandi ka!" One attempted to slap me but I swatted her hand away like a damn fly. Bitch, don't touch me.

The girl in the middle stared at me with reddened puffy eyes, obvious enough to tell that she had been crying before confronting me in the comfort room. I eyed her from head to toe. I let go of a mocking laugh. She's clearly not used to these kind of things that's why she needed people's help to avenge her fallen ego. Please.

"Puñeta, I don't have all day. Again, what's your damage?" I demanded. Hindi naman sana naka duct tape iyong bibig, masyadong pabebe. Susugod-sugod, takot naman pala.

And she cried harder.

"Holy shit?" I mouthed with disgust. I loath damsels in distress, specially the ones that shows their vulnerability like it's an asset. People will take advantage of you because of that. So pathetic.

But the girl squad seems to be aggravated by her sudden outbust. Hello? I didn't even touch her yet they all stare at me like I did something so horrible. Ano ba. So dramatic.

"Don't pretend like you don't know. Inagaw mo lang naman ang boyfriend nya. Higad ka!" I was digging in the farthest part of my mind kung sinong lalaki ba ang tinutukoy nila. Mark? Esteban? Flinton? Tyler??!? Before my mind could think deeper I felt paws claw unto me. I was fast enough to dodge it from directly hitting my face but a part of my chin had been damaged because of it. The straight line extended down my neck to my collar bone. I regret wearing off shoulder today.

It took me seconds to feel the pain. My visioned darkened. It's like my efforts of ignoring this whole incident has been put into trash. First, they pulled my hair. Second, they accuse me of something I wasn't even aware of. Di ko nga maalala kung sino ang boyfriend nitong gagang to. Lastly, they clawed me with fake nails. I felt my cheeks burn. I am seething with anger and I couldn't hold it anymore.

I slammed my bag on the face of the first girl that I come in contact with. Mind you, I slammed it real hard that she fell on her knees as I saw droplets of blood flow from her bursted lip. Then I pulled the hair of the last person that I saw clawing me and dragged her to the faucet.

"How would you like me to destroy your face?" They all stiffened. Kahit iyong babae ay napatigil sa pag iyak. Their vengeful faces are now replaced with terror. I raised an eyebrow as I pull her hair harder making her wince in pain. She looked at me with sorry eyes, like she didn't mean what she just did.

"Should I slam it at the mirror?" I said nonchalantly.

"We will tell on this!" I laughed real hard.

"You attacked me first and now kayo pa iyong mag susumbong? I'm covered in scratch for fuck's sake. Baka gusto niyo makasuhan ng physical injury? Ah.... Should I include libel for your false accusation?" I continued to grip her hair. Napaiyak nalang siya sa sakit. Sorry not sorry, girl. Third rate bitches.

"Tama na, please." The girl they are avenging pleaded for truce. Since I'm a nice person, I let go of the girl I am holding as she scram into her friends while glancing at me horrifyingly. Madali naman ako kausap 'e.

I came closer but they all stepped backward. I glared at them as I pick up my bag. Goodness, my prada is now stained with blood.

"Sino nga pala iyong boyfriend mo?" I asked. Kasi curious din ako, I got into this much problem, might as well know if the reason behind is worth it.

"T-tristan." She replied.

I tried my hardest to remember. "Ah! Varsity ng table tennis, right?"

She nodded.

"Pft," I tried to surpress my laugh. "I talked to him and we exchanged numbers but I didn't flirt with him. He's not my type." She looked at me as if she's debating if she'll believe me or not. "But I know girls he's flirting with. There's Sofia from Tourism, Avah from engineering and... wait... let me think," They were staring at me intently. What? She didn't expect there'd be this much girls? "I remember! Rayen, last year's face of the university. You know you should... leave him." And I left them with their mouths hanging.

I wanted to say more, gusto ko pa sana ijustify ang sarili ko at sabihin ang mga pangalan ng lalaking inagaw ko talaga sa mga nobya nila. Hindi mahaba ang lista kaya sigurado akong walang Tristan doon. Gusto ko pa sana gumanti sa totoo lang. It's not my first time but, being clawed by that much girls is just too much for me. For a moment I wanted them all to lose a tooth. That's the meanest thought for this month. The second meanest would be my step mom running out of cash on a no card day. That'll be epic.

"You look like you got into trouble." Raille mentioned as she saw my scratch marks.

"I am the trouble." I say as I wink.

She rolled her eyes, "Buti di sa mukha."

"Almost."

"Take care of your face, dear. That's the only pretty thing about you." I didn't respond. I don't like how best friends can be brutally honest sometimes. I need more compliments in my life.

"If you don't stop doing that, I expect you to be bald one of these days."

"Stop doing what?" I asked as I lay on her bed. Ang sarap talaga ng buhay pag ikaw lang mag isa sa apartment. Applicable kay Raille kasi malayo iyong bahay nila, but for someone who only travels fifteen minutes to school, it's a waste of money.

"That." She deadpanned.

"I don't read minds. Extrapolate mo nga."

She sighed.

"Stop it. I know you're pretty, rich and smart but stop playing with people's feelings. They're not your toys you know." She started. I hate how she nags sometimes, but no matter how annoying she gets, she would still be the best woman for me. My 2nd mom. My best friend.

"I know you only want the chase. Once you get them, you drop them easily. Like you didn't work hard to seduce them for days," She laid a cup of coffee on the cupboard. "and when they leave their girlfriends to be with you, swear, I want to wipe out that triumphant smile on your face."

"Ang kj mo naman."

"Hindi ka ba natatakot sa karma?!" At pinandilatan nya ako.

"You know who among your siblings took after your father?"

I gave her a quizzical look.

"No." I replied short.

"Ang laki ng salamin, try mo tingnan."

I regret doing what she suggested. I see no one. No one but myself.