The Rule Breakers

Chapter 1

I am extremely antisocial. I was born a loner and I prefer to stay that way. Aside sa mga magulang ko, pinsan ko, classmates ko at mga childhood friends, wala na akong ibang taong nilalapitan o kinakausap na hindi ako nahihiya o naiilang.

I do not and am not good at socializing with other people.

Palagi na lang akong tongue-tied. Naiiyak nga ako na lumapit lang sa isang tao para magtanong ng mga simpleng bagay. Unang una kasi, ayokong mapahiya. Baka pilosopo 'yung nilapitan ko tapos magmukuha pa akong tanga. Hindi pa naman ako marunong sumagot ng magaspang.

Pangawala, nagba-blangko ang utak ko bigla kapag kaharap ko ang isang tao at nakakalimutan ko yung mga dapat kong sabihin. Madali akong ma-intimidate at kapag nangyayari yun, hindi ako nakakatingin ng maayos sa kausap ko. Katulad ng una, magmumukha lang akong tanga.

Pangatlo, hindi ako madaldal. I find comfort reading in a corner than talking in a circle of friends. Kung kinakausap man ako, mas komportable ako na nakikinig lamang. Hindi talaga kasi ako madaldal at ayoko naman na kinakausap ako tapos magiging awkward lang dahil wala na akong maisip sabihin. I am hopeless like that.

Kaya isang malaking achievement na sa akin na nagkaroon ako ng dalawang close friends sa high school. Sila lang ang kinakausap ko na walang hiya, walang takot at walang pag-aalinlangan. Sila ang unang lumapit sa akin noon at nagpakilala. I was so thankful that they stayed. Sila ang nagbigay kulay sa high school life ko.

They were my best friends. It was a mystery why we clicked kasi magkaiba ang mga personalities namin. Liza is an only child kaya para siyang social butterfly. Kampante siya sa isang crowd, people were drawn to her at masarap siyang kasama. Si Mariel naman ay katulad ko na antisocial pero wala siyang phobia sa tao. Kung iko-compare kami, mas normal siya.

It was a Friday and the weather was unexpectedly cool and cloudy. It was my kind of weather kasi gusto ko talaga ng malamig. I was in a good mood kasi nasa kamay ko na ang pinakahihintay kong libro. May classmate akong book lover. Only child siya kaya binibilhan siya ng mga magulang niya ng mga libro para sa bisyo niya. And the good thing is she doesn't mind sharing it to people with the same interest. I feel really grateful to her kasi pinapahiram niya ako, but since hindi ako madaldal, I have a hard time expressing it.

Lumabas ako ng classroom para bumili sana ng pagkain sa canteen. Kasama ko si Mariel and we were busy talking. We stopped in our tracks when we noticed a group of our classmates huddling in a circle not far from where we're standing. There seems to be a commotion kasi may sumisigaw at umiiyak pa. Si Mariel ang humila sa akin palapit. She managed to clear a way for us para makakita kami ng maayos.

My eyes widened when I saw my classmate Angel crying.

Katulad ng pangalan niya, para siyang isang anghel. She has the face and the personality of an angel. Minsan nga ay natutulala ako kapag nandyan siya kasi napapahanga talaga ako sa kagandahan niya. Normally ay mahinhin siya, but she was crying and screaming at someone in front of her.

Napahawak ako sa braso ni Mariel ng wala sa oras. I am not used to seeing Angel like this. No, I've never seen her like this until now.

The man in front of her had his back facing to us. Matangkad ito, college student at sa outfit pa lang, masasabi kong bad news ang lalaking 'to. His uniform was unkept and unbuttoned. He was also wearing jeans instead of slacks, which is forbidden in our school during weekdays. It made me wonder kung paano siya pinapasok ng guard na ganyan ang damit niya.

May red and blue highlights ang lampas balikat nitong buhok. It was blonde and formed into waves with a gel. Hindi ako mahilig sa lalaki, but what I really like about them is their hair.

"Sinungaling ka! Nakita ko kayo na naghahalikan!" Angel screamed. "Tapos sasabihin mo na walang nangyari?! Anong akala mo sa 'kin Chase? Tanga?!"

The guy she called Chase said nothing. Mas lalong nagwala si Angel. She kept on shoving him.

"Sumagot ka! Ano bang nagawa ko para gawin mo sa 'kin 'to?! I don't deserve this! I don't deserve you!"

Chase caught her hands and shoved her. It was a relief that she gained her balance dahil baka natumba ito.

"Why, you-"

"Let's break up."

Agad natahimik si Angel. No one moved nor made a sound. It was a few moments before Angel whispered, "C-Chase? W-w-what do you mean?"

She approached him slowly, disbelief written all over her face. "You couldn't possibly mean that, do you? Mahal kita..."

"It won't work, Angel," he said coldly. "Let's end this."

"No!" she screamed and hugged him tightly. "Hindi ako papayag! Fine, wala nang nangyari sa inyo. Paniniwalaan ko na ang sinabi mo. I won't make a fuss about it. Alam ko naman na mahal mo ako. So please Chase... ayoko na maghiwalay tayo..."

Agad sumama ang timpla ng mukha ko. Para lang akong nanunood ng isang soap opera sa TV. Hindi ko akalaing masagwa pala 'to sa totoong buhay. Ewan ko lang kung ano ang tumatakbo sa utak ng dalawang taong 'to, but didn't they realize that they were creating a scene? Parami ng parami na ang mga taong nakiki-tsismis. It won't be long before our teachers notice and interfere.

I was also disappointed. Hindi ko masikmura na ganito pala kadesperada ang classmate na hinahangaan ko. Patatawarin ba naman ang nobyo kahit nakita na nga na may kahalikan? Just for love? Just so they don't break up? Ano yan, katangahan in action?

Nagsalita ulit si Angel pero hindi na ako nakinig. I tap Mariel and cock my head towards the canteen to let her know that I'm leaving. Pero hindi pa lang ako nakakalampas sa unang layer ng audience, napatigil ako agad when he spoke.

"Get off me, Angel," he said icily. "What we have was fun while it lasted. Mahal? Hindi ko natatandaang may ganyan tayong usapan. I said I like you and you like me back. We had something in common, we're compatible in bed and we get along very well."

I turn gaping at them nang malaman kong nag-aano sila. What the-? Fourteen lang si Angel at magka-edad kami. I can't believe I was hearing this from him. Kung magsalita ito ay parang wala lang. He didn't even notice Angel's face going red in embarrassment at hindi man lang ito tumigil sa pagsasalita.

"When you sought me out, alam kong alam mo kung anong klaseng tao ako. I don't do love and I don't like dramas. You're doing them both and it pisses me off." He held his head high arrogantly. "So let's break up. Now."

"But Chase please..." Angel sunk to her knees in front of him. "Mahal na mahal kita. Hindi ko kakayanin na wala ka..."

Chase didn't say a word. Nilampasan niya lamang ito.

It was heartbreaking to watch. Akala ko sa TV ko lang napapanood ang mga ganitong eksena. Love couldn't be this intense, could it? Na sa ngalan ng pag-ibig ay kakalimutan mo ang dignidad mo at magmakaawa. Na luluhod ka sa harap niya at willing kang mapahiya just so they would stay. I always dreamed about love because they were described so beautifully in books. Hindi ko lang inakalang ganito pala ka-tragic ang reyalidad.

I actually felt sorry for Angel. She had two beautiful eyes, but they were blinded with love. Can't she see the merciless jerk that he is?

She didn't give up. She ran and hugged him from behind. "Chase please. Gagawin ko ang lahat. Magbabago na ako. Just don't leave me please..."

Chase laughed without humor. "Magbabago ka? Don't make me laugh. Women will always be women. Nothing can make me change my mind."

Chase untangled her hands from his body and turned to her with merciless eyes. "Goodbye, Angel," he said, shoved her lightly and walked away.