༻✦༺

╔═══════════════╗

▪ ALEXIA ▪

"W-what are you doing here?" Adrian shockingly asked me as if I was a ghost in front of him.

He is currently standing at his door as if lalabas sana ito pero nauna ko nang binuksan ang pinto niya.

He had to appear at the worst time possible, huh? What a small fucking world, indeed!

I broke the awkward silence between us. "Do I look like I know? What're you doing here?" I asked him back.

With a still confused expression, naglakad ito palapit saakin kaya umatras ako. Pero sinara niya lang ang pinto sa likod niya habang nalingon ito sa kaliwa't kanan. "Where's your room? You shouldn't go outside. It's already curfew time for recruits like you."

"My room's right beside yours, Adrian. And don't call me that 'cause I'm getting out of here." I answered him straight.

Binalik niya ang tingin saakin. "You're joking, right?" He said it as if the possibility of me escaping here is like dogs finally getting to fly.

I scoffed. "Does it look like?" I asked him with common sense. This is not the worst time to meet him, after all, I can use this guy to get out of here.

Naglakad ulit ako palapit sa kaniya, not breaking our eye contact. "You know what? Let's have a deal."

It was Adrian's time to scoff. "I already gave you my number, what else do you want this time?"

I glared at him. He's talking about history huh? Does he think I forgot about that?!

"Oh, right! That number you gave which was picked up by a complete stranger resulted in me suddenly being an 'intruder' at a bar then a blonde bastard punching my head!" I raged in one breath. "You damned bastard!"

He bowed his head to laugh in a mischievous manner, clearly making fun of me. Seeing his reaction just sent electric shocks in my hands to hit him hard in his arm. His upper body moved to the side because of my slap. The latter immediately stopped laughing. "Ah! Who told you to hit me like that?"

"It all started on that wrong number you gave that's why I'm here right now, and you had the guts to laugh?!"

If it was not Axe Rushton's number he gave, the two breadsticks wouldn't notice that I'm not a Dark Dragons member and that blonde guy wouldn't hit me either, then Lily wouldn't have revealed such thing that she's a part of them, then I wouldn't have to call Molly and go on that damned amusement park. If we think about it, Adrian giving me the wrong number indirectly started this. Or if I just didn't ask for it in the first place.

Argh!

"Listen, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," Adrian spoke with a hint of weakness in his voice. "There's too much going on and I still can't process what happened earlier. So please, not now."

Tumalikod ang lalaki at binuksan niya na ulit ang pinto sa likod, senyales na papasok na ito sa kaniyang kuwarto.

Sa tingin niya ba hindi 'rin ako naguguluhan sa nangyayari ngayon? Call me attention seeker or exaggerated I don't care! Ikaw kaya ma-kidnap, then boom, all of a sudden I'm now a recruit!

"Ah so ganon nalang 'yon, Adrian? You tricked me several times and I won't let you slide again!" Hinila ko ang braso niya pero tinabig niya lang ang kamay ko.

I continued to shout at his back. "You definitely owe me so face the hell outta your consequences and deal with me!"

"Please, Alexia! Shit."

Sigaw nito pabalik saakin at binalingan ako.

"HOY! BAKIT NA SA LABAS PA KAYO HA?!"

Agad kaming lumingon sa kaliwa nang may sumigaw na servant mula sa malayo. Mabilis itong naglakad papunta sa direksyon namin.

We both panicked.

Tuluyan nang binuksan ni Adrian ang pintuan ng kuwarto niya at tumakbo ito papasok. Because of the sudden situation, I didn't think anything but to get inside his room too.

Nang makita ni Adrian na papasok din ako sa kuwarto niya ay agad niyang inagapan ang pinto at sinarahan ako. But my palms managed to push it.

"Stop being a brat and go to your own room!" Adrian whispered at me in a shouting way.

"Let me in tangina ka!" I whispered in a shouting way also, as I desperately pushed the door against him.

He then pushed his door hard causing him to win against my strength, and he successfully shut his door leaving me in the hallway.

Buwisit!

Sighing defeatedly, I gazed at the servant who was now thirty-nine inches away from my room in front of me.

RUN MOFOCKO!!

I managed to yeet my ass into my room due to the adrenaline rush. My whole body slammed to the door in the process and I entirely don't care.

As I entered my room, I immediately locked the door afterward at the speed of light.

I rested my back on the door as I sighed in relief, wiping the cold drops of sweat on my forehead. All of it happened in a split second but that was surely the most painful moment of my life.

I just can't, I can't accept the fact that Adrian just ditched me like that!

He's jacked DEAD tomorrow. Just wait until I give all of his nasty little tricks back from him with a cherry on top! I won't let that slide!

■ ■ ■ ■

Tomorrow...

I heard some anonymous shouts together with some banging sounds from afar. I tried my hardest to get myself out of sleep but my body is really tired at the moment. I continued to sleep as if it was a temporary pleasure.

Yeah, sleep is rare these days.

"RECRUIT 109! YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GET READY!"

Again, I heard the servant banging so hard on someone's door, but its loudness is just nothing. I continued to sleep.

"RECRUIT 109! I REPEAT, YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES!"

The noise keeps getting louder and louder and it now interrupted me big time. My comfortable sleep was no longer present as I opened my eyes. Was it supposed to be at my door...?

I was unfortunately right. The servant was banging on my door 'cause every bang it does, my door shakes. Not like it was already obvious when the shouts are directed here also. Tinakpan ko ang ulo ko nang nag-iisang unan.

Tch. Why can't they just let me be at peace for once?! I needed this sleep so badly!

"Heyya, Recruit 109!"

Napabalikwas ako ng tayo nang may tumawag saakin, sa likod ko...

Wait what?! That can't be! My door is locked!

Agad akong lumingon sa likod ko and there I saw no one, but a fucking human head peaking on my opened window.

Before I could even react.

"Hey! No worries, I just got here on your window," He spoke energetically as he smiled. "You must be Recruit 109, gising na po miss--"

"Get the hell out of my window you creep!"

Binato ko sa kaniya ang unan at kung ano pang makuha ng kamay ko. Tumayo ako para mas masapol ko siya sa ulo. "Alis! Alis! Gago ka kung sino ka man!"

"Aray! Gagi mahuhulog ako miss--"

Agad akong tumigil nang matauhan ako. He's at my window, right outside my window... and my floor is so damned high!

Nilapitan ko ang lalaki sa bintana. He was struggling to hold his rope to stand properly again.

"Grabe ka naman! Muntikan na kong ma-tegi 'don ah!" He reacted.

"Alis! 'Di ko kailangan ng batang gigising saakin mula sa bintana!" Sino ba kasi may sabi sa kaniyang gawin 'yan, siyempre magugulat ako doon!

Humalakhak na parang anghel ang lalaki sa bintana. "Eh kanina ka pa kasi ginigising. I'm Ezekiel Sanchez," Pagpapakilala nito sabay ngiti. Magulo ang buhok ng lalaki dahil na sa mataas na palapag ito, at may pulang safety goggles na nakasabit sa ulo. Nakasuot ng black leather jacket, black gloves at nakakapit sa lubid na nagmumula pa sa taas.

Mukhang ka-edad rin nito si Akio Oliveros.

"Sige na, malapit na tayong ma-late. See you in the training!" Masiglang bati saakin ni Ezekiel. Nag-salute pa ito saakin sabay kindat. Pinutol na niya ang tingin saakin at yumuko.

Nagda-usdos ito pababa kaya nawala na din siya sa bintana ko. Huh, the nerve!

Wala na siya sa paningin ko kaya naglakad ako papunta sa bintana upang makita kung paano siya bababa. Hinawakan ko ang gilid ng bintana para ilusot ang ulo ko palabas dahil sa sobrang lakas ng daloy ng hangin. Yumuko ako at saka ko nakita si Ezekiel na bumababa.

Tumingala ako at doon ko nakita ang pinaggalingan ng lubid ni Ezekiel, na sa rooftop ng building ito. Posible kayang makaalis ako sa pamamagitan niyon? Pero nakakalula naman kasi eh, tapos lubid lang gamit ko. Well wala na kong pakealam 'no! Basta makaalis lang dito!

"Alexia! Get your ass off there now!"

Napalingon ako sa pinto nang makarinig ng pamilyar na boses. It was Molly.

Agad akong lumapit at binuksan ang pinto ko. Bumungad si Molly na maayos nang nakapusod at naka-uniform. Nakakapanibagong makita siyang nakasuot ng gaya ng suot nila.

Tiningnan ako ni Molly pagtapos ko suotin ang kinuha niyang uniform sa cabinet ko.

"Look who had the best sleep ever, tsk." Napabalikwas ako nang ipasok niya ang kamay niya sa loob ng cardigan pants ko para i-tuck in ang white sando ko. Hinayaan ko na lang siyang bihisan ako nang parang nanay ko.

The thought of Mom suddenly popped into my head.

What would her reaction be now that I've been gone for days? Is she looking for me now? Since we're that rich she should've hired the best cops in the world to find me, and yet I'm still here, huh? Tch.

Inayos ayos pa ni Molly ang buhok ko at doon ko na tinabig ang kamay niya. "Okay na."

"Let's get our ass on that training," Sinarado ko ang pinto ng kuwarto ko at nauna nang maglakad. "I have several plans for us to get out of here."

"What?! Are you serious?" Hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Molly sa tabi ko habang naglalakad kami.

Na sa ground floor kami kung saan magaganap ang first subject, which is Martial Arts. Naglalakad kaming dalawa papunta doon sa pila ng recruits at mukhang papasimula na din ang discussion. May mga naglalaban sa gitna and there I saw Mateo Lowell in front of the two people fighting.

We were once again on the last row of the line like bad bitches should.

Nilingunan ko si Molly. "Isn't it such a marvelous plan?" I smirked.

She quickly shook her head. "Course not! I don't think you realize how dangerous they are, and you're planning to annoy them huh? That's your plan?" She unbelievably asked.

"Okay fine! But I have a plan B of course," I breathed. "I'm not really sure if he's going to help us but he definitely owes me so--"

"Shit."

Molly cussed me off when she gazed in front of us. Tumingin din ako sa harap kung bakit.

Suddenly, there was a four-line of people who are walking toward this area from afar. They all wear the same uniform that we wear but the difference is, they all looked, somehow not new. Like they're used to being here which reminded me of my 4th-year college schoolmates who think they're superior just because they're older. Most of them are chattering with each other, but I noticed some very familiar faces.

I gasped when I saw Lily in front of their line, then Adrian, Fawck, and Axe behind her. I also saw Eliana Montreal beside Lily trying to chat with her. Those three guys also have their own businesses.

Now I know why they all give off different energy, it's because they must be the official members of Dark Dragons.

"Unbelievable..." I slowly uttered without realizing it.

"Exactly..." Molly responded as she was also staring at them intently.

Binawi ko na ang tingin sa kanila at saka yumuko ng kaunti. "Don't look at them, Molly!" I whispered at her as I saw in my peripheral vision that they were all walking towards our line.

Binawi din ni Molly ang tingin sa kanila. "What was your plan B again?" Molly uttered.

I sighed. "Well, my plan B is to plead with Adrian to help us. He might be our only hope to get out of here," Tinigasan ko ang sikmura ko para sabihin iyon kay Molly.

"I don't think that's also possible, Alexia," Molly sounded disappointed. "Why the hell would he help you?"

"That's right, he will not help you with such thing."

We were stunned when the girl before us spoke about our conversation.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Molly. Then we returned the gaze from the girl a little bit smaller than us. Siya na mismo ang lumingon saaming dalawa and my jaw dropped.

It was Ayana.

Ayana looked at me. "But I'm his sister, so taking me along with your escape plan might be possible."

"Oh, so you're really siblings?"

I asked her curiously. I knew they both seem familiar at some point.

"That's right. Kumbinsihin mo yung kuya mo at tulungan kaming makatakas dito," Molly also spoke.

My eyes lit up. Right! Ayana can be a big help for Adrian to get us out of here since they're siblings. But I thought of one thing.

"Pero diba nag-usap usap na kayo kahapon? There was even that blonde bastard who came from God knows where just for you, right?" Dapat wala na dito ang babae kung nakumbinsi nila Adrian si Mateo Lowell.

"They failed to plead that man from afar," Tinuro ni Ayana si Mateo na kasalukuyang pinapanood pa din yung dalawang naglalaban. She sighed weakly. "I can't get over the fact na habang na sa school ako, ito ang pinagkaka-abalahan ng mga kuya ko."

"So that blonde bastard is also your brother?" I asked her.

Shoot. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla ko siyang natanong tungkol sa blondie na 'yon.

Ayana looked at me.

"Don't call him that, he's a good guy. Well, deep inside." I didn't hear her last words. Lumingon na ito sa harap at pinutol ang usapan namin.

The time Ayana turned around was also when the official members stopped beside our line. The fact that I didn't notice them coming on our way just made me more nervous than before.

For once, I hesitated to act spontaneously around these people, when all of the time I used to rule every place I go.

"Buenos dias! Today we have another batch of recruits on this side to join us on wonderful and fruitful years ahead," Mateo Lowell spoke as he pointed our line.

"I'm Preceptor Lowell, yours truly. Since our new members are still unfamiliar around here, I would like the 1st-Class and 2nd-Class members to train them for a 1v1 battle, no bloodshed for now of course, as I judge all of you one by one to see if you improved, and to know what do these recruits have to show. Our normal training will start tomorrow." He smiled. "Let me assign the partners myself, the first names I'm gonna be mentioning are the last ones to perform in front."

Preceptor Lowell suddenly pointed at us in the back. I'm gonna perform last? Pretty please bitch!

The latter paused for a second to probably read the names written above our pockets in the chest part of our uniform.

Lowell smirked. "Molly Oquindo against Lily Margaux."

My jaw dropped. So they're performing last. I immediately looked at Molly.

Molly returned my gaze as she whispered in my ears. "Should I be relieved?"

I would love to see a fight between Lily and Molly, they never did in the past after all.

I leaned towards her ears. "Get some information as much as you can, okay?" I ordered. She backed away and nodded at me.

"Dorothy Gomez against Adrian Cadeau."

Lumingon naman ako kay Dorothy Gomez which is just inches away from me. I may not have said this due to the fact that there was too much going on, but she looked like a total freak and whore. Not bringing down other women though, I see women when I see one but that's a bitch right there.

Dorothy giggled and then looked toward Adrian who is on the same line. Tch.

"Akio Oliveros against Axe Rushton."

Oh damn. You mean the serious nerdy kid against the funny Narra tree? I actually hoped I got partnered against Lily though, we still have a lot to talk about.

"Hanna Montecarlos against Fawck Gutenberg."

"Hmm, smexy." Fawck suddenly spoke as I caught him looking at the girl named Hanna.

The members near him just laughed it off as if they are already used to Fawck's flirtatious acts. While I'm out here cringing 'cause he reminded me exactly of Trenix Salvador.

"Ayana Cadeau against Eliana Montreal."

Weird moment but I felt relieved when Ayana got partnered up against a girl, the poor girl seems nervous all the time.

"Francis Santos against Avielle Kluger."

"Ezekiel Sanchez against Cyrus Mordecai."

"Logan Patteros against Laurene Dallas."

I glanced at the line of official members to see where Laurene Dallas is, but because of too many people, I couldn't tell who.

Preceptor Lowell still mentioned names and my nervousness slowly creeps all over my body as I feel like he would mention me last which means I will be performing first.

"Joan Garcia against Jacobi Roberto.

And the first to perform, Alexia Valdez against Asher Cadeau."

To be continued...

╚═══════════════╝

༻✧༺