When Everything Fails (De Chavez #2)

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

IT WAS amazing to think that life was filled with music. It has harmony which determines our mode; rhythm which determines the beat of our hearts; tempo which determines how fast or slow our hearts might be; dynamics which determines how loud and soft the sound it makes.

Like, on a daily basis, on a mundane day, the sun was brightly pouring its golden glow throughout the vicinity, the soft thuds of our heart mean it was in pianissimo. Like when you see your crush in the hallway, your heartbeats go to mezzo forte- which is medium loud. And lastly, like when you are waiting for the result of the exam, your heart goes like a crescendo.

Gaya ngayon, hinihintay ko ang result ng exam na nangyari kahapon. Hindi ako mapakali sa aking upoan. I need to ace this exam- no, I need to surpass this certain someone who hampering my way to the spotlight- to be on top of the class.

As I waited for the result, I absently tapped my table and watched the clock move. Waiting for the result was completely making me antsy. Sana naman ay mas mataas na ang nakuha kong score. I spent my whole evening reviewing for Science and I won't let it to make me on top two again.

Again.

Fuck.

"Chill, you look tensed." I clenched my jaw when I heard his voice.

It irked me to the core. His voice. His presence. All about him irritates me. His pearly white teeth and I swear to God he has the whitest teeth amongst all the people I had known. Napatingin ako sa lalaking nagsalita sa tabi ko. He was again sporting his annoying grin- which they say as the sexiest grin in Clark Academy. Anong sexy doon eh wala nga akong makita? Hindi ko talaga makita ang sinasabi nilang guwapo sa kaniya.

"Who are you talking with?" I rolled my eyes.

He plopped to the chair beside me. Feeling close siya kahit hindi naman kami close. Hindi ko alam kung ginagawa niya lang 'to para makapag-espiya sa mga studies ko. Maybe he was copying my techniques of studying? A bulb flicked atop my head as I looked at him with an accusing glint. He shot up his brow while his lips twitched, forcing both sides to not smile.

"You're ugly," I uttered directly to him.

He playfully grunted while holding his chest as if someone stabbed him on that part. Again, I rolled my eyes when his acting skills failed big time. I hated every bit of this man, I swear.

Kei Alexander de Chavez, the man I wanted to surpass in my entire life. He's the top 1 of our batch and I was just in the 2nd spot. Nakakainis! No matter how I strived to surpass him, I could not succeed even in one subject. Kahit anong subject, palagi akong talo sa kaniya. What irritates me the most? The fact that he's acting as if he were so full of himself. The way he looks at me, the glimmer his eyes were casting was an absolute brickbat to what I just survived to get.

"Are you ready to be on the second spot?" Kei wiggled his brow. I clenched my jaw.

Isa nalang at susuntokin ko na itong pagmumukha nitong asungot na 'to. Ay h'wag na pala at baka magalit pa ang mga fangirls niya pag may nakita silang pasa sa mukha niya. I gritted my teeth as I realized one thing, Kei de Chavez was being patronized in this school; worshipped by the many and praised by his almost perfect profile- okay fine, perfect profile. Walang almost. Really, this guy irritates me to the core.

"Let's see, Kei." I rolled my eyes. Hindi na ako tumingin sa kaniya kasi pakiramdam ko ay masusuntok ko na talaga 'tong preskong mukha niya.

Mas lalo akong nagdasal na mas mataas ang makuha kong marka kasya sa kaniya. I need to cut off some of his confidence. When our adviser entered the room with our test papers, scores are probably indicated in the papers, my palm went sloppy due to its sweat. Crescendo- that is the dynamic of my heart right now. So loud and its tempo is totally fast. The beats ricocheted inside my chest.