VISION:Unraveling

- 8 -

Bumaba kami sa van ng makarating kami sa pupuntahan namin. Pumayag ako kahapon. Pumayag ako na sumama sa mga Whims nato. I don't know what's gotten into me.

FLASHBACK

"Lora can't come back" sabi ni Ruru.

"Lora who?" I asked.

"Your friend, Zalora" singit ni Lui.

Ah. They must be pretty close, Zaza and Ruru. Ruru has a nickname for her.

"What do you mean she can't come back?"

"Family matters" tipid na sagot ni Ruru.

So it really is true. Zaza's mother died. That means I won't be seeing her in quite some time and that means I'm prone to maltreatment again.

"You probably have thought the implication of Lora's absence." Nakakainis. Now I have a more enough reason to accept their offer. "Tomorrow, the top 5 needs to go to one of our places..." he means, one of Whims' places. "...that includes me, Harley, Lui, Shin, and Lora. We all know she can't come, that's why we are choosing you to replace her for a while."

So I'll be her decoy.

Tumahimik ako ng ilang segundo. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit ako ang pinili nila para pumalit kay Zaza. But I can't risk myself to oppression again. I don't want Seven to do something that'll destroy him again just for me.

"How can I trust you?"

"You just do it" replied Harley, rolling her eyes.

"I promise." I can see the sincerity through Ruru's eyes. "After tomorrow, you will never be harmed by any student here in the academy inside the school premise again."

"I don't take a promise for an agreement. A written one, a contract perhaps?" I suggested.

They were left silent.

I took 2 papers and a pen from their desk and wrote our terms of agreement, signed it then handed it to them. "You all sign."

It took them a few seconds before Ruru initiated the first signature, and then they all followed.

"Sana maintindihan niyo. A promise, legally, is not a source of obligation... Look for Article 1157 of the New Civil Code. I'm just practicing prudence. I should be cautious. And you must have read, you'll have to pay damages incase of breach. So... Anong kailangan kong gawin?"

I saw a view of Ruru's fleeting small smile massively opposite to Lui's wide grin.

Yeah. They got me.

"You'll know tomorrow."

END OF FLASHBACK

Nakasulat sa isang karatula ang pangalan ng lugar.

Alacastar, District 1

I have never been here. Buong buhay ko nasa Fuiaj lang ako, 6th District, ang lugar namin. Ang pinakamaliit na District.