Reincarnate System: Begin Again

Chapter 5

Lumapit ako kay Ares dahil siyempre dapat ay magka-grupo kami. It'll be weird if we're already acquainted with each other, yet we won't be in the same group, right?

"We only need two more. But seeing that all other groups already formed a group of four, we'll only have three members. Since the number of students in our class is odd, I saw this coming." paliwanag ko sa kanya.

He nodded. "I like it better this way. Fewer members, lesser stress. I can handle heavy tasks. You?"

You see, this is what I like about Ares. He's academically independent. Sure, he likes to play games and he has a weird hobby. But he does well in his studies.

"I'll do my best." I assured him. This is true. I want to do my best this time.

I feel really embarrassed that I didn't know a lot of things even though I should be able to handle those at that age.

"We need our last member." sambit niya. I looked around for a classmate who doesn't have a group yet. Then I saw a girl just sitting in the corner. She's not even bothering to approach other students. She's just.. there.

Does she not want to be a part of any group at all? Or she's just shy?

Tinuro ko ang babae kay Ares. Sinulyapan naman siya ni Ares. Kahit dalawa na kaming nakatingin sa kanya, ni hindi niya man lang napansin iyon. Wow, she doesn't really care about her surroundings.

"You want to approach her?" alok ni Ares.

I'm not really the type to approach first, since I'm easily misunderstood, but I'll shoot my shot.

Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko at lumapit sa babae. Inangat niya ang tingin niya sa akin nang makalapit ako sa kanya.

"You're the only one who doesn't have a group. Join us." oh God, I don't know if my approach was right. But that'll do for now.

Luminga-linga siya sa paligid at mukhang nag-aalangan pang sumama sa akin pero tumayo rin siya. I smiled when she finally stood up.

I think she's just shy to speak up.

I looked at her again and lead her to our seat.

Ares stood up and got a chair for her. We formed a circle so that we can talk to each other easily.

Pinagmasdan ko siya na ngayon ay nasa tapat ko. She looks familiar. I just don't know where I saw her.

"I'm Ares Gallahan. She's Kita Venicio." pagpapakilala ni Ares. The girl flinched when Ares spoke. Mukhang nagulat dahil sa biglaang pagsalita nito.

"I-I'm Nikki..." mahinang tugon niya. Hindi kami nagsalita ni Ares dahil hinihintay namin ang apelyido niya. We need her surname as well because we need to submit our names later to our professor.

I swear she feels really familiar. I know it's my fault for not remembering my classmates but I think I interacted with her a lot from before. But in my past life, I will never be friends with the likes of her. She's just not the kind of person I'll be friends with.

".. Aleandre."

Natigil ako sa pag-iisip nang magsalita siyang muli. It was just one more word. One word yet it sent shivers down to my spine.

I almost forgot that name. I tried so hard to.

"Nikki Aleandre?" Ares clarified.

It really is Aleandre. I didn't mishear.

"How are you related to the first born of the Aleandre's, Monika?" even though I was struggling to find the right words, I still tried to speak.

Please say you don't know her, Nikki. Please. I don't want to get involved with her again.

"First born?" I heard her laugh a bit. Tinignan ko siya dahil doon. She laughed yet I can see sadness in her face.

I'm not dumb. The fact that she reacted like that, means that they really are related. Maybe cousins or something.

"She's my sister." Nikki continued. Napalingon ako sa kanya.

What the hell?

As far as I know, Monika was an only child?

What am I supposed to do with this information.. Why didn't I know this before?

Bago ko pa tanungin si Nikki nang tungkol kay Monika, she gasped. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at tinakpan ang kanyang bibig.

Ares and I looked at each other. She wasn't intending to tell us that? Then that means, the Aleandre's are hiding the fact that Monika has a sister. Why?

"Please don't tell anyone.." she pleaded. Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Easy. We're not gonna tell anyone. Right, Kita?" nilingon ako ni Ares. I nodded immediately.

It's not like madaldal ako. And I don't have any close friends aside from Ares. Of course, Kai and I are close as siblings, and I can easily tell him if I want to. But I respect Nikki's request, so I won't.

Nikki heaved a sigh of relief. "I shouldn't have told you guys about this. I'm sorry. Nabigla lang ako sa tanong mo..." Nikki pertained to my question.

Looks like I'm not the only one who wants to stay away from Monika.

Just thinking about her makes me feel lots of regret.

She was my friend in the past. She was closer to me than Ares before. Until that happened.

I regret meeting her. I regret being friends with her. As much as possible, I don't even want to see her.

There were four of us. Me, Ares, Taki, and Monika. Taki...

Taki was like my other half. We were childhood bestfriends. He cared for me more than he cared about anyone else. Yet our friendship broke apart because Monika and I fought. I thought Taki will be on my side. But he chose to believe Monika, saying that he couldn't take my attitude anymore.

Ares was the only one who stayed. Despite of my flaws, Ares still believed in me.

Taki didn't do anything wrong. I just felt bad that after believing in me and defending me for so long, he stopped as if he got tired of me.

I used to be his number one priority. He would always choose me before anything else. But once Monika got into the picture, he started paying more attention to her. And even when I fell into the ocean, he looked at me before saving her. He didn't come to save me. I wasn't the reason why he dived into the thing he hates the most. He definitely saw me. But he saved her instead.

Out of all the people who rushed in to save Monika, he still left me. And that hurt me the most, instead of dying.