Chasing the Vampire Prince

Chapter 1: The New School Year

Bahagyang tumabing sa kanyang maamong mukha ang kulay pula at maalon niyang buhok. Pero hindi ito sapat para matakpan ang kulay tsokolate naman niyang mga mata. Pareho rin kaming may maputla na balat at halos hindi nagkakalayo ang tangkad naming dalawa.

Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang pagiging energetic niya at inilibot ng tingin ang paligid. Mangilan-ngilan pa lang ang mga estudyante na nakikita ko rito.

The summer break has just ended. Unang araw pa lang ng pasukan kaya paniguradong marami pa rin ang hindi nakakabalik mula sa kani-kanilang mga bakasyon.

Natigilan naman kami pareho at sabay na napalingon sa tatlong kotse na magkakasunod na dumating at humilera sa ’min.

“What a nice day!”

Shin Parker, our cousin on the mother’s side, stretched his hand as he went out of his car. Magulo ang kulay blonde niyang buhok na tila hindi man lang nasuklayan. Lalo namang sumingkit ang kanyang mga mata sa pagkakangiti niya.

“Nice day, my ass! I will surely tell Mom and Dad what happened!”

Sherwood Parker, Shin’s twin sister, came out with two paper bags in her right hand. Hindi ko pa man nakikita ang laman nito ay alam ko ng candies ang nasa loob nito.

Hinawi naman ng kaliwang kamay niya ang mahaba at kulay blonde rin niyang buhok na tinatangay ng hangin. Pagkatapos ay ang kanyang bangs naman ang pinagtuunan niya ng pansin.

“Hey, Kuya Shin! What did you do again this time to make our princess here scrunch her face?”

Harry Collins, our second cousin on the father’s side, laughed as he draped his arm around Sherwood’s shoulder. The latter glared at him.

Agad naman niyang itinaas ang dalawang kamay tanda ng pagsuko. Pero kitang-kita pa rin sa kanyang kulay berdeng mga mata ang kapilyuhan.

“Woah! Chill!”

“Mga Ate at Kuya! Pupunta na po ako sa kuwarto ko!”

Candice Clarkson, our second cousin on the father’s side as well, interrupted and waved goodbye. She’s the youngest among the group.

“Wait up, Candice! I’ll go with you!” Flame called out to her. But before she could even run away, she turned her back and looked at Sherwood.

“Ate! Pahingi ako mamaya, ah!”

Tumango naman ito sa kanya at ngumiti. “Sure.”

“Hey! Dining hall at 7 am!” I shouted to the two of them while pointing at my watch. They both nodded before turning their backs and running away.

Doon ko lang napansin na dumarami na pala ang mga estudyante na nakapaligid sa ’min. Actually, most of them are looking in Shin and Harry’s direction, who are now both grinning from ear to ear while waving their hands like idiots. These two really love attention. Especially from girls.

“Playboys!” Sherwood rolled her eyes as she flipped her hair and started to walk away. Awtomatiko namang nahawi ang mga estudyante para makadaan siya.

“I’ll go ahead, too. See you later in the dining hall,” paalam ko kina Harry at Shin. Pero hindi na nila ako pinansin pa dahil may mga babaeng nakapalibot na sa kanila ngayon.

I grimaced. Sa kakasama ni Harry kay Shin ay nagiging babaero na rin tuloy ang isang ’to. Sabagay, sa pagkakaalam ko ay babaero rin si Uncle Hiro rati.

I started to walk away with my hands buried in my pocket. The crowd gave me a way as well. But I stopped in my tracks when I felt that someone was staring at me.

Well, most of them are actually looking at me. But I can feel that there is this certain someone who is looking intently in my direction.

I roamed my eyes around to find whoever it was.