Scorn'd

Chapter 1

Manila, Philippines

ALL BETS ARE OFF.
THIS TIME THE GAMBLE IS SURVIVAL.

Emika Chen barely made it out of the  Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

...Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?...

I was reading the synopsis of the book that I'm planning to buy. It's Wildcard by Marie Lu. I've read Warcross at gusto kong mabasa ang kasunod kaya bibilhin ko na 'yung sequel.

Lately ko lang natapos ang Warcross for about a couple of minutes ago sa isang coffee shop dito sa mall na hindi masyadong dinadayo ng customers. Wala kasing ibang place na peaceful kaya nag-order nalang ako ng isang Espresso since walang Frappé, umupo at tumambay ng ilang oras doon hanggang sa matapos ko ang binabasa.

Hindi ko na nagalaw ang kape ko.

Hindi naman kasi ako nagkakape. Well, except for Cappuccino, Latte, Frappés and the likes depending on my mood. I just bought it para may maorder lang. Nakakahiya namang makiupo ng hindi umoorder.

Binili ko 'yung libro and I put it in my mini bagpack. I got the copy in paperback even though I know na madali lang magkaroon ng creases ang cover, 'yun kasi mas mura.

I take extra good care of my books naman. I just open them in a specific angle. An acute one to be exact.

I was fetching my phone habang naglalakad palabas ng bookstore papuntang Starbucks para kitain ang mga kaibigan kong nagtatae ng Gucci.

"Where are you?" I asked Ara when she answered the call.

"I'm on my way na Eliii. You should learn how to wait you know."

I sighed. Hindi ko na siya sinagot at binabaan ko nga ng phone.

Sinunod ko namang tawagan si Ishi. "Saan ka na?"

"Nandiyan naa!" sagot niya na may kasamang beeps sa background noise. Psh. Natraffic pa nga eh.

God, those girls!

1800H ang usapan. Nagpalate na nga ako ng dating, resulta ako pa rin pala mauuna. Great.

When I arrived at Starbucks, pinili ko 'yung seat sa side, malapit sa glass wall para madali lang nila akong makita. Tinukod ko yung siko ko sa lamesa as I held my chin at the back of my hand.

Tumitig ako sa labas. How many bookstores do I have to fake aimlessly wander until I bump into my soulmate and we both drop the same book? Natawa ako sa sariling iniisip. I shook my head at sinalpak nalang ang aking wired earphones na kulay white, nag-play ng instrumental music saka kinuha at sinimulan ng basahin ang bagong bili kong libro.

As I was getting affixed in my imagination by the book I'm reading, I feel odd. Napalingon ako sa mga tao sa may gitna at tinanggal muna ang isang earphone. Hmm... Group of spoiled high school brats. Repellent lovers. A girl and her dad— or her sugar daddy. Whate—

"Hi!"

Muntik ko ng mapunit yung libro ko. Oh, the horror!

Napatingin ako sa katapat kong upuan. Hindi ko man lang napansin na may nakaupo doon.

The man in front of me looks like a freaking celebrity. He's wearing a white casual v-neck shirt that has a small embossed polo player in the right chest part. Fair skin. His eyes were tantalizing liquid brown and slightly chinky. He has thick brows. His hair was upstroke jet black. He has a pointed nose and his lips were thin. He has this sweet smile and a cute dimple on his left cheek that can captivate every woman.

Sadly, I'm not one of those.

He snapped his fingers at me and chuckled lightly. Napatitig na pala ako. Hay, okay huli pero 'di kulong.

I restrained from staring at him at hindi ko nalang siya pinansin. Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa binabasa at sinalpak ulit ang earphone ko dahil alam kong hindi rin naman siya magiging akin. Advance thinking x Prediction skills 101.

In my peripheral vision, I saw him mumble something. I ignored it still, slightly wondering now why he's in front of me. I looked around. Hindi naman puno. Though all the tables are occupied, may available seats pa naman. Then I remembered my friends. Saan na nga ba ang mga 'yun?

"Hi!" he said again sa boses na mas malakas pa sa volume ko pero tama lang para marinig ko.

I stopped what I'm doing and removed my earphones.

Kinunotan ko siya ng noo as a sign for him to speak pero hindi niya ata nagets dahil nagmukha siguro akong naiirita na sa kaniya.

"Spill," kaya nag effort nalang akong magbuka ng bibig.

"Sungit," he mumbled something but I cannot hear it clearly.

"Pardon?"

He chuckled. "Nothing. By the way, may I have your name?"

Tinaasan ko siya ng isang kilay. "You don't have yours?"

He was taken aback at nanlaki ng bahagya ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ko like he was not expecting a girl to ask him like that. But a few seconds passed and his face held amusement na unti-unti ring naging halakhak.

"Silly me. It's gratifying to meet you, pretty. I'm Ron Silva, and you are?" He said, still stifling a laugh.

"The name's El without an O."

Nagtataka niya akong tinitigan.

"But there's no O in El."

I looked at him blankly. "Yeah, that's what I said."

"What?" Napakurap-kurap siya sa'kin. Nag lag ata buong Nervous System niya. Pity him.

"Nevermind," sabi ko at bumalik na sa ginagawa.

"Oh, then hope you don't mind this too," sabi niya.

Tatanungin ko na sana siya kung anong ibig niyang sabihin nang bigla siyang dumukwang at hinalikan ako.

Hinalikan ako.

He kissed me!

Oh God, my first kiss.

My poor first kiss.

Hinalikan niya ako.

Sa ilong.