Remember me, Alice (Tough Ladies Series 1)

Kabanata 11

"He's waking up."

I heard several voices around me that I can't seem to fully grasp. My vision started to get functional as I slowly opened my eyes and blurry images flashed before me. Unti-unti ay lumilinaw ang paningin ko hangang sa maging klaro sa akin kung nasaan ako ngayon. I was in a dim abandoned room which is really deteriorated and can be a suitable setting for kidnapping scenes in movies. The only differences are, I was not tied up anywhere in my body and has no duct tape to keep my mouth shut.

Pumitik ang ulo ko.

That's when I remembered the last thing that happened before I lost consciousness. I was in the garage to help Cassie fix her car then she was gone all of the sudden and the next thing I know, I was hit on my head by someone.

Wait. I did hear voices, right?

I turned my head to my left side and there I saw about 10 unfamiliar persons who are casually sitting in disaray wooden chairs with some of them even wearing our school uniform.

Who the hell are these asshats? Are they the same people who sent me the black papers?

Napapiksi ako nang maramdaman ang pagkirot ng isang bahagi ng aking ulo.

Shit. My head hurts. I was sure that what hit it is a fucking glass or something.

"Mabuti naman gumising ka na, Sebastian. Thought we need to wait for the sun to come down before you wake the hell up."

Hinanap agad ng mga mata ko kung saan nagmumula ang boses na iyon.

Why does it seems familiar?

At hindi naman ako nahirapan nang ito na mismo ang tumayo at humakbang nang bahagya mula sa mga kasamahan.

There I saw the familiar face of a tall man in front of me. Nakangisi ito at nakalagay ang magkabilang kamay sa bulsa ng pantalon.

I swear I saw this guy before. Pucha, saan ko nga nakita tong tarantadong to?

"Fancy seeing you here, Xenon Caliber Sebastian."

Mula sa pagkakaupo ay mabilis akong sumulong sa kinaroroonan nito at walang pag-aalinlangang nilamukos ang kwelyong suot.

"What the fuck do you need?!"

Nakita ko sa gilid ng aking mga mata ang akmang pagsugod saakin ng kanyang mga kasamahan at ang pagpigil niya sa mga ito gamit ang isang kamay.

"Whoa, easy there man. We are not a foe." Nakangisi at kalmado parin niyang saad.

"Answer my fucking question dumbass. Anong kailangan mo sakin? Are you the one who keeps on sending this black fucking paper with this fucking greek symbols?"
I said through gritted teeth and showed to his face the thing I'm talking about with evidences of it being crumpled.

"I'll tell you of course but get your hands off me first."

Bumuntong hininga ako ng isang beses at padabog na binitawan ang kwelyo nito.

Nakita ko pa itong pinagpagan ang damit na suot bago muling humarap sa akin.

"So for starter, let me introduce myself to you first, shall I? I'm Royce Buendia, the only son of CU's director/principal."

Pagbanggit palang nito sa kanyang pangalan ay napagtanto ko na kung bakit ito pamilyar.

Buendia...That was the surname that Alice mentioned on the day I first saw her again after 4 months. Ang unang araw ko sa CU kung saan una ko ring nakita ang grupo nitong si Buendia na may pinagdidiskitahang studyante at ang senaryo sa likod ng abandunadong building kung saan iniligtas ni Alice mula sa pangingipit ng mga ito ang kawawang studyante.

Ito pala yung gagong yon?

"Not just that. I am also the leader of the Sigmma Zeta Psi fraternity which is the strongest and biggest fraternity in Clarkson University and these guys here are just some of my people."

He smugly and proudly stated like he is so damn invincible.

So that's it ha? The greek symbols in the paper entails the symbol of their frat. Well its not so surprising. I, myself is not new to this. Muntik na rin akong mapasali sa frat noon.

"So you mean to say is?" I asked though at the back of my head, I already have a hint of what is this really all about.

He stepped a little to my direction. Ngayon ay magkaharap na naman kaming dalawa ng mata sa mata, dagdagan pa na halos magkapantay lang kami ng tangkad.

"I mean to say is I want you, Xenon Caliber Sebastian, the only son of Thomas Sebastian who is the owner or the multibillion-profit chain of hotels around asia to be part of Sigmma Zeta Psi. Why? Because SZP only wants the richiest and most powerful ones. And what would you get in return? More and stable power. Extended connections. Strong protection. And ofcourse the most wonderful of them all? Money, more and more money."

He said those words as if that's the only thing that matters. I can already see the overflowing greediness in his eyes.

Napangisi ako ng pagak. I knew it.

"Really? That's it? Gago, required bang basagan ako ng fucking bote sa ulo?"

Mas mapapatay yata ako ng ginawa nila.

He let out a chuckle. Pucha mababangasan ko na talaga to. Walang nakakatawa sa ginawa nila sakin.

"Oh that? Sorry dude. We just needed you to be unconscious. Ah, I should really thank that bitch, Cassie, later. Because of her, we succeeded in getting you here without effort."

Napantig agad ang tenga ko nang maranig iyon.

Cassie, so she's really a part of this stupid shit. I never thought that a girl like him would have a connection to this asshole let alone  do that kind of stupid trick. I wonder if Alice knows about her friend's "activities".

"You see, that Cassie is a slave to her stupid fucking feelings for me. The bitch is so easy to fool. Isang sabi ko lang, magkukumahog agad yong sundin ako." He smirked and boastfully shook his head.

So that's why. The fucker is taking advantage of her feelings. Puchang walangya ang gago.

"So, Xenon. What about agreeing to join our frat?"

I closely examined the place we're in again. My hunch is right. Nasa isang room kami ng abandonadong building ng CU kung saan ko sila nakita noong unang araw ko rito.

I turned my head to him again and then slowly run my stare to everyone in this room. The relaxed look in there faces tells me that they are confident that this madness will end in their favor.

Binalik ko ang tingin kay Buendia. Isinukbit ang natanggal na bag sa aking balikat at nagpakawala ng maliit na ngisi.

"What about I won't."

Kita ko ang pagkawala ng mayabang na ngisi sa mukha nito at rinig ang mga mahihinang reaksyon ng kanyang mga kasamahan.

I immediately turn my back at them and started to take my leave. I was confident that they will not harm me. They needed me so I know. Pero pasensyahan nalang at wala akong balak sa inaalok nila. I was not the same Caliber from before.

"Hey, Sebastian."

Bago paman ako makalabas ng pinto ay napahinto ako sa tawag nito.

"Don't worry, sooner or later you will find yourself coming back to us. Wala pang nakakatanggi sa akin."

Napalingon ako at nakitang nagbalik na ulit ang mayabang nitong ngisi.

I leveled his boastful smirk.

"Oh, ako pala ang una? My pleasure pare."

Then I resumed my leave with a knowing and winning smirk on my face.

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AN:
Hi! If you're reading this, can you hit the star button and drop this chapter some comment? I just really need some motivation to continue this story. Online classes already started and I need some reasons to updateeeee. Thank you!