Rule #4: Live

Chapter 16

"Sino ka ba talaga?" seryoso nyang tanong nang makarating kami sa kwarto nya. Yes, hinila nya ako papasok sa Boys dorm at pinasok sa kwarto nya. Nanatili akong nakayuko. "Why he keeps on following you?" may halong galit sa kanyang boses na ikipinagtaka ko. Umiling ako. "Damn it Ramirez!"

"I seriously dont know him. But Im sure he wants to kill me" wala sa sarili kong sabi. "Not only that Ramirez! Do you think na gusto ka nyang patayin? Hindi iyon ang dahilan kung bakit sinusundan ka nya!" frustrated nyang litanya. Nagpakawala ako ng pagak na tawa. "At ano sa tingin mo ang dahilan maliban sa pagkuha ng buhay ko? Wala na! And afterall, why do you even care?" and there, I caught him off guard.

He smirked. "Yeah, why do I even care? I should have let that fucking knife stab you, kill you! But I cant!" Him whispering the last words that I couldnt hear. "He's dangerous. They are dangerous" At kilala ko ang pinatutungkulan nya.

Sapilitan nya akong hinatid sa kwarto ko. Oo, he trespassed. And ofcourse his fangirls gone crazy. "Dont leave her alone." utos nya sa dalawang babae na nagbukas ng pinto. Gulat naman ang nakita ko sa mukha nila. "You" he looked at me "you stay here, you wont go out unless you're with me or with them." referring to the two girls who are still in shock. Poprotesta sana ako nang "You stay here or you'll stay in my room" And there, I shut the door.

Nilagpasan ko ang dalawang babae at pabagsak na humiga sa kama. Ugh! I hate you Xenon Andrada!!! He aint my boss but I hate the fact that I did not managed to utter a word while he's giving me orders. Damn! I aint one of his dogs. Im a dela Merzed ... But he doesn't know. Lalo lang akong nainis sa naisip ko.

I ate dinner together with the two girls following Xenon's order. Well, the two actually love the idea of --me sticking with them-- but not me. "You guys can go first. Im going somewhere" I notified. "No, let's go together then" Ally contradicted. "Man! Im going to the locker room and 1 book aint big enough to have a two bodyguards with me" I retorted. "But Ra--" I glared at them and they both sighed. "Dont worry, I'll be back soon" and run away.

Tinungo ko agad ang locker ko at kinuha ang science textbook. Uhh. Hindi talaga yung libro kundi yung nakaipit dito. Kinuha ko ang sobreng nakaipit dito at binasa ang sulat.

"The gang and I are currently back in South Korea. I failed to notify you because it's urgent. I dont know kung hanggan kelan kami tatagal and damn it! I hate the fact that you're actually alone there. But I know you Railey, at alam kong you're strong and brave enough para ipagtanggol ang sarili mo. I promise I'll solve everything here so we can fly back there as soon as possible" I sighed at sumandal sa lockers. Damn! Iniiwanan na nila ako isa isa pero bakit ngayon pa?

Aiden, Im strong and brave but not enough. I smiled at that thought. I closed my locker at napagpasyahang dalhin ang science textbook ko pabalik ng dorm as proof. Papalabas na ako ng locker room ng humarang ang isang nilalang.

"Finally, nasolo din kita." Nakangiti nyang sabi. Nakangiti? Woah. Nakakangiti pa sya sa ginawa nyang pagpatay kanina. I snob him at nilagpasan sya ngunit mabilis nya akong naiikot at naipasok pabalik sa locker room. He locked the door. "W-what?" He pinned me to the wall and the kiss we shared flashback-ed. "E-excuse me, but malapit ng magc-curfew kelangan ko ng makab-balik." I can feel that he is looking at me. I looked down.

"You are intimidated." And he cupped my face at itinaas iyon. I looked away. "N-no im not" Sagot ko na ikinangisi nya. "But you are stuttering." I tried to push him away but I failed. "Ano bang gusto mo?" matapang kong tanong. "Nakita mo na ang kaya kong gawin?" Kunot noo akong tumingin sa kanya at alam kong ang tinutukoy nya ay ang pagkamatay ng estudyante.

Nagawa kong makawala sa kanya at inabot ko kaagad ang sliding door. "Lumayo ka kay Xenon" tumingin ako sa kanya "What if I dont want to?" Ngumisi sya "Buhay ang kapalit. Buhay ng kaibigan mo" At isa lang ang pangalang naisip ko. Beatrice Adams. "How dare you!" handa na akong bigyan sya ng suntok ng hulihin nya ang kamay ko at niyakap ako ng mahigpit.

"Sa tuwing may susuwayin ka sa kagustuhan ko, buhay ang kapalit. Buhay ng mga kaibigan mo" He whispered to my ears. "D-dont touch them." I pleaded. Mas lalo namang humigpit ang yakap nya. "I wont, if and only if, you'll follow what I want"

===

"Railey wake up!" Gising sa akin ni Ally. I pushed her away at nagtalukbong ng kumot. "1 more hour" I bid. "Rai---" "Shut up or I'll kill you. I swear, Im serious" I said with a sleepy voice. "Woah, I did not know that sleeping beauty is a murderer now." Napabalikwas naman ako sa pagkakahiga. "What the!" "Good morning sleeping beauty" nakangiting bati ni Johan. The whole gang is here this early morning.

I did not mind them at bumalik sa pagkakahiga. "Kusang kang babangon at kusang maliligo o sapilitan kitang papabangunin, sapilitan kitang huhubaran at sapilitan kitang papaliguin" Agad agad naman uli akong napabangon "Wooh. That sounds so hot" untal ni Christian. I rolled my eyes. "You can leave now." pagtataboy ko sa kanila.

Prente namang umupo si Xenon sa kama ko "We will leave together." seryoso nyang sabi. I sighed at dumiretso na sa banyo at nag ayos na.

The losers are everywhere gossiping about us. About me, Maggy and Ally being a slut, a whore, a bitch because we're with 4 shadows. Well, dream on fangirls. Nakarating kami sa 1st class namin at di pa rin kami nilulubayan ng mga tingin. Hinila at pinaupo uli ako ni Xenon sa tabi nya. "Dont assume Ramirez" He said. "Never and will never" I answered. My eyes wandered outside.

Tumahimik naman ang kaninang maingay na klase. Malamang ay dumating na ang teacher. Ngunit lumipas ang minuto ay tahimik pa rin kaya inilipat ko ang tingin ko sa klase. There, I saw him looking at me, grinning. "Shit!" I cussed at napatayo sa kinauupuan ko. Naramdaman ko naman ang paghawak ni Xenon sa kamay ko. Nakita ko ang pagbabago ng ekspresyon ng mukha nya nang makita nyang hawak ako ni Xenon.

Pilit kong tinanggal ang pagkakahawak ni Xenon sa kamay ko ngunit mas lalo nyang hinihigpitan. "Please!" Untal ko na tanging kaming dalawa lang ang nakarinig. Dininig nya naman ang pakiusap ko at binitiwan ang kamay ko. Damon motioned the chair next to him. I grab my bag. "No Railey. You wont go there" I looked at Xenon. How I wish I can. I smiled at him but the apologetic one. Ravi also tried to stop me. Sorry.

Umupo ako sa tabi ni Damon. "That's my girl" he whispered, he tried to pat my head pero umilag ako. "For sure, you dont wanna see me mad" he said. I looked down. Hyung! I need you. I really need your help. Hyung...

Nagsimula na ang klase. I have no choice but to listen to the lesson. I looked back to where the 4 shadows are and they are all looking at me, too. Damon? Damon is staring at me the whole time na nagkaklase. May mga oras pa nga na nilalapit nya ang mukha nya sa mukha ko at hinahawi ang buhok na humaharang sa mukha ko. May mga oras na naglelean on sya sa shoulder ko at aamuyin ang leeg ko. And I cant do anything about it. I cant protest, I cant reject him. All I can do is to accept dahil kung tatanggi ako, he'll kill someone.

Break na at mabilis naman nawala ang mga kaklase namin. Ang tanging natira na lang ay ang 2 babae, ako at si Damon at ang 4 shadows.

"Maggy, Ally, mauna na kayo sa cafeteria" utos ko sa kanila. Sumunod naman agad ang dalawa. Susunod sana ako nang bigla akong akbayan ni Damon. Nakita ko naman ang ekspresyon ng 4 shadows. "What do you wanna eat Railey?" malakas na tanong ni Damon. It's more like he's mocking 4 shadows. Humigpit naman ang pagkakakbay ni Damon. It looks like he is hugging me. Nagulat na lang ako ng biglang suntukin ni Xenon si Damon.

Xenon hid me behind his back. Nagpakawala naman ng nakakatakot na tawa si Damon. "What's your problem Xenon?" nakangisi nyang tanong. Naglakad sya papalapit sa amin. "Stop bothering Railey!" Angil ni Xenon. "Dont go near her. Dont touch her again. Cause I swear I'll kill you and I know you know that." Scary, deadly and dangerous. Those are the words that can describe Xenon right now.

Nagpakawala uli ng tawa si Damon. "Why dont you ask her first. Why dont you ask her kung kanino nya gustong sumama." And with that they looked at me. I saw 4 shadows waiting for me to answer and tell them that I'll choose them... But I cant. I saw how disappointed they are when I dreadfully walk towards Damon. Damon smirked. "See!"

"Fuck!" Xenon kicked the chair next to him. I looked at him and I can see how disappointed he is to me. I bit my lower lip. If you only knew Xenon. The 4 shadows left wordlessly. Damon patted my head "If you're always like this. I guess, I dont need to kill anyone"