#ConcealEvilInAltruism
"Wait. You paid Jill Sanchez to do the stalking act and the fucking truck driver to hit us? What if we got killed!"
"Nyahahaha! But we didn't!"
"Why did you do that for?!"
"Wait lang tangina, ang pinoproblema ko talaga, hindi mo pala alam na Zeke ang pangalan ko kaya pinalitan mo ng Zen?!"
"Putspa ang cool ng nanay mo Rin-senpai! Tatlong lalaki kinakalantari. Goals 'yon!"
"That wasn't cool! We almost got killed!"
"Keep your cool Ken. You haven't heard the rest of it."
"That's not what happened in my part."
"Well, what happened?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Sus, kunwari ka pa, gusto mo rin namang magkwento. 'Ge na, magsalita ka na po, Mr. Novicio."
Ken.
Novicio Residence.
"Eat your food, Honey." I stared at this woman I call Mom.
"I am eating. Mom." I sighed.
"'Wag mo ngang pilitin 'yang anak mo. Kung ayaw kumain, edi 'wag. Siya na nga itong pinapakain siya pa may ganang mag-inarte." That wretched man I call 'Father' spitefully said.
"Sorry, I'm done eating. If you'll excuse me." I stood up, kissed my Mom on the forehead and left the house.
I entered the car at the backseat and told the driver that I'm going to school.
It was yesterday that I met Rindelle Louis Lazaro. And I think I actually made some friends.
Remembering what I did I'm still stunned, thinking I saved a life. Why would I freaking risk my life for someone I just met that day?! I mean, I don't even know him. Why the fuck would I do that? It's like my body moved on its own.
And I'm not the one to curse a lot but after that incident I've been cursing more than I have to.
This is bad. I need to stop hanging out with that shrimp.
That's what I said, but I'm eating lunch with him. I sighed. What are you doing with your life, Kurt?
"Ken, are you okay?" He asked in between chewing.
"My name is not Ken." I monotonously answered. Kahapon niya pa ako tinatawag na Ken, hindi naman Ken ang pangalan ko. Tsaka seriously? Sa dinami-rami ng pangalan sa mundo bakit napili niya pa yung pangalan ng partner ni Barbie? Bakit.
"I told you, it suits you. And your name is Kurt Ethan Novicio." He grinned.
"I'm in between I don't know and I don't care." I deadpanned and he just laughed at me.
His laugh is really cu—unique. I saw him smirk at me, or am I seeing things? I shrugged the thought away. Then the guy with the long hair came. What's his name again?
"Zen. His name's Zen." Rin said. How is he reading my thoughts?!
"Ako?" Zen sat and put his tray down the table. "Zeke ang pangalan ko. Zeke Ocampo."
I stared at Rin and he grinned at me.
"You forgot the Norton, anyway, from now on your nickname's Zen, so deal with it." He patted Zeke on the shoulder.
"Okay? Maangas naman." Zen shrugged and ate his lunch.
Wow, am I the only person who doesn't like his given nickname?
"Yep."
"How are you doing that?"
"Doing what?" Wow, ang galing niya mag maang-maangan.
"Reading my thoughts."
"I'm not." He blinked.
I let it drop and sighed. This is not going anywhere.
"It's called psychology. The study of body language." He suddenly stated without looking at me.
"I know what psychology is, I just don't know how you're applying it."
He grinned. "The mind controls the body and the one who controls the mind, controls the body."
I stayed silent. I don't have enough care to ask what he meant.
"Whoo! Noseblood!" A feisty voice said.
"Jane Irish, ano nanamang kailangan mo?" Inis na sabi ni Zen.
The girl who calls herself Shin puts her tray down on the table and sat next to me, in front of Zen.
"Kay cute-senpai meron. Sa'yo, wala. So shut up ka nalang." Irap niya kay Zen.
"Shin, I don't know what to tell you." Rin sighed.
Shin grinned. "Nakakatuwa pag alam mo nasa isip ko. Ulit nga, anong iniisip ko?"
Rin looked at her then his face became smug. "Zen will be hurt hearing that."
"Ha? Bakit? Ano nanamang iniisip ng gorilyang 'to?!" Zen pointed at Shin with a hateful look on his face.
I am also curious as to what she is thinking.
Rin shook his head and diverted the subject before it gets awry. "Anyways, do you guys see that dude over there?" Rin grinned while pointing to a direction at my back. I turned around and saw Dante Miguel, a son of a politician, and one of the student council members. A treasurer, because why not and funds. The guy looks authoritative with his round glasses, robotic stance, straight face, and brushed up hair. He looks like your typical chess club type.
"You mean Dante Miguel?" I asked. Rin nodded and took a bite from his meal. I raised a delicate brow and turned to Dante's direction again. The poor guy's always alone.
Well, who am I to judge when these past two years I was the same loner as he is?
"Ako lang ba, o para siyang robot?" Natatawang sabi ni Shin habang kumakain.
"Nope." I agreed and took a sip of my coke.
"Apir!" Shin said excitedly and raised her right hand which I accepted. I'm liking this high-spirited 1st year kid.
"Bad kayo." Zen pouted. "Pagalitan kayo ng nag invent sa kaniya sige kayo."
Natawa naman kaming tatlo.
"Well, I'm gonna need that robot." Rin said and held his tray up and walked over the dishwasher.
What is he planning? Really. I want to have a peek in his mind sometimes. I just want to know what he's thinking.
"You wouldn't want that." He smiled at me. Reading my thoughts again when he just got back. "Because If I were you, I wouldn't."
"It's unfair. You trespass in our minds but we can't inside yours?"
"There's a difference." He grinned. I looked confusedly at him. "You aren't me." He smirked and walked away.
Wow. Just wow.
A few seconds later Zen shot up his seat, looking alarmed.
"Sige guys, una na ako. Nakalimutan ko ng panandalian na magkaklase nga pala kami no'ng boss ko." Zen scratched the nape of his neck, picked up his tray, put it in the dishwasher and ran up to follow Rin.
Rindelle Lazaro, who left us here in a daze. Rindelle Lazaro, an enigma.
"Grabe, iwanan daw ba tayo." Tumatawang sabi ni Shin. "Sige kuya gwapo, una na rin ako. Mamaya nalang pag uwian na." She winked and stood up with her tray.
I sighed and did the same. I gave one last glance at Dante Miguel's direction and got on my way.
When I entered the room Zen and Rin beat me there. What are they doing here? They're class is in the other room.
"Heyo!" Rin beamed at me while waving. He's standing in front of the teacher's table while Ms. Lougie is sitting on top of it. Her body angled towards Rin.
"We're here to bust you out." Zen mouthed and patted my shoulder as he walk past me while shaking his head.
"For what?" I asked confusedly.
"Kurt, dear, you're free to go. Rindelle said you have a meeting with the student council, so he asked to excuse you." Ms. Lougie said and smiled at me seductively—if that's what she's trying to do. I smiled back at her awkwardly and nodded.
Rin grinned maniacally and whispered something to Ms. Lougie that made the Lady giggle like she's being tickled. I almost cringed at where I'm standing.
I heard Zen let out a low laugh and I felt him shiver behind me. I also feel like laughing so I turned around and saw Zen's trying-not-to-laugh-face. Which didn't make it any better so the most embarrassing thing just happened: I burst out of laughing.
Everyone looked at me while I clutch my stomach with tears on my eyes and Zen just stood there, still trying to contain his laughter, his cheek puffed and his eyes almost red and teary so now he looks like someone who just crapped his pants and can't do anything about it. The situation just worsen.
Ms. Lougie thinks I'm laughing because of Zen so she just smiled at us. Rindelle Lazaro thinks otherwise so he chuckled, along with the students who knew what I'm laughing at.
Gods. I've never laughed so much in my life. Not until this.
"I see I got you entertained, lad." Rindelle Lazaro said with a British accent, which caught me off guard because, damn, he's got me convinced. Then he laughed with his unique laugh.
I chuckled, getting reminded by the thought is more hilarious the second time around. "What did you even say to her?"
"Some, lusty things the horny woman wanted to hear." He rolled his eyes. So I laughed again, this time Zen laughed with me.
"Tulad ng?" Zen asked in between laughs.
"I have a new batch of lollipops. . .want to try?" Rin laughed at his stupidity and so we all did.
What the hell. That's so disgusting and funny.
"Why did you do that for?" I asked, catching a tear in my eye.
"Lesson number seven; flirt with anyone, everyone." He smirked.
"What lesson are those?" Lesson for what? The shrimp just grinned at me.
"Lesson number five; act mysteriously." He laughed and winked at me. I gave him a deadpanned stare.
I'm busy not caring about what he's up to so I'm not going to ask any further, it just annoys us both.
The three of us are walking through the halls, laughing as we make our way to the student council office in just another door now—which reminds me; "why are we going at the student council exactly?"
"I told you before, I need that robot." He lightly punched my chest using the back of his fist while smirking at me. "Just suck wind, Mr. President." Then he knocked three times and opened the door.
I never did mention that I'm the student council president right? Well I thought it's obvious. Perks of being the chairman's son.
The three of us entered the room and the familiar uncomfortable gaze of the four other members bore on our whole being as we walk towards the end of the table. Because I have my own seat and I rule.
Rin sat excitedly, jumping like a child on MY chair, beating me to it. What. How dare this shrimp and his uniqueness.
Zen sat on a vacant seat near Rin so I did the same. At least there's too many chairs in here to sit on. I don't want to stand all the time.
"Anong nangyayari, President?" Tanong ni Loraine. A petite girl with long, black, straight hair and fair skin. A lady that looks so delicate. The secretary.
I turned hesitantly at Rin and saw him eating a tomato—where in the world did he get that—on his right hand, his legs crossed while solving a rubiks cube on his left hand.
"Ano ba'ng kalokohan 'to? Kung wala kang sasabihin, Novicio, mauuna na ako." Inis na sabi Renz. A hot-blooded shrimp with freckles on his face, and braces on his teeth, his messy hair is bothering me. The Auditor.
Dante Miguel stayed silent while staring fiercely at Renz' messy hair. I bet he's bothered about it too.
Elizabeth, or Elly, as she liked being called like that, an elegant lady, with brown curls dangling just above her shoulders, sitting beside Loraine, not uttering a word and just staring at me with penetrating brown eyes that I feel is judging my whole awesome being. That's why I try to avoid her stares as much as possible, because it's making me uncomfortable and unable to work. I hate being watched. She's the Vice President, unfortunately.
"Done." Rin said, getting everyone's attention while grinning and feeling accomplished, holding out the solved rubiks cube victoriously.
"Ilang seconds?" Zen asked, eating some chips I failed to see earlier. These guys have guts.
"15." He pouted frustratedly and dropped the cube on top of the table. Making an obnoxiously loud noise. "Still not fast enough."
"You used your left hand, how many seconds on your dominant?" I asked. Yeah, I'm sucking wind. Means, go with the flow. See, hindi kasi ako gano'n ka KJ at isa pa, it's funny seeing my colleagues' reactions. Priceless.
Rin beamed at me like a kid. "Seven." Then he looked at it frustratedly. "The world's fastest rubiks solver is Feliks Zemdegs with 4.73 seconds." He puffed his cheek and took a bite from his tomato.
"That's not fast enough for you?" Loraine asked, part fascinated and part frustrated. I know lady, I know.
"If there's someone faster, then you're not fast enough." He grinned crookedly and Loraine blinked twice, astonished.
"That's a messed up thinking. You know you can't always be the best." She scoffed. I like how she's not backing down against this shrimp beside me.
Rin stared at her intently before his smile got wider and it ended in a lopsided one. "But wanting to beat someone is a motivation. You can be the best if you try hard enough—is what I'd like to say, but that's hypocritical thinking because I wasn't the best in this field. They're fast enough to beat the world record and I wasn't. I'm not the best, but I'm better than most of you." He grinned maniacally and sat back, laying his back on the chair's spindle and resting his left arm on the support. "Besides, who isn't messed up?" He finished his tomato.
His speech got everyone quiet and gaping at him while Loraine stared at him in disbelief.
"Why are we here? Really?" Hindi na napigilan ni Loraine na magtanong while biting the inside of her lower lip, restraining anger.
Napatingin naman silang lahat sa'kin. I shrugged at them and fished my hand on Zen's chips. Rin chuckled and cleared his throat a bit.
"Hindi ako nagmamayabang, Loraine. I just said what I feel and what I know. And I thought this is a free country, What, I can't have my own opinions and speak up freely? That's messed up thinking, don't you think?" Based on what Rin said, I bet he's reading Loraine's mind. Zen and I snickered.
Loraine looked shocked and pissed at the same time. "What the—"
"Ba't 'di pa patulan ang pagsuyong nagkulang." Pagkanta ni Rin sa isang pamilyar na kanta na lagi kong naririnig sa loob ng sasakyan namin.
Loraine looked at him confusedly. Like, what the fuck is this guy saying? I sniggled at the thought.
"Up kalma down." Rin grinned. And everyone chuckled at the horrible yet perfectly delivered pun. Loraine looked so furious and red.
"'Wag mong pigilan, baka sa iba lumabas 'yan." Rin teased and laughed at the poor blushing lady.
"Nakakairita ka, Lazaro." She stated and puffed her cheeks, trying to calm herself.
"I know right?! Nyahaha!" He laughed maniacally then he stopped, he crossed his legs, leaned over the table, put both his arms on top of it and intertwined his hands, resting his chin on it. Emanating a frightening-authoritative aura. "Now, I know you guys are having trouble with bullying issues regarding students with destructive behaviors that affects school spirit, that makes them have youth issues and education issues. The achievement gap is overwhelming. Not to mention, the student-faculty relations. It's getting out of hand. Your president here can't handle everything at once, right?" He grinned crookedly, but his eyes isn't smiling, while pointing at me.
He pointed all the problems and put it all in three sentences.
Bullying, destructive behaviors, school spirit, youth issues, education issues, achievement gap and student-faculty relations.
The biggest example there is Ms. Lougie. Why isn't my Dad, firing her, really.
They fell silent and tensed. "What are you suggesting?" Elly asked.
"I'm suggesting my presence." He grinned.
"What will your presence change?" Dante asked, finally hearing his voice. And it's so deep I think I just drowned.
Rin smirked knowingly. "Everything."
"If you pull this off, you're really conceited. If you don't, it proves you're just a smart-ass trying to look cool." Loraine said hatefully.
"At least I tried something. How about you guys? Did you even do anything? You just relied on Ken's capabilities and Dan's money." He spat with so much disgust. He looked so serious I almost didn't recognize him.
Natahimik naman sila, Loraine even looked down. Rin smirked victoriously. Guess he was right. Well he really is.
"Paano ba'ng gagawin?" Renz asked after a considerable moment.
"It's actually simple. Where do bullies come from? From a kid with a destructive behavior. Where did that behavior came from? Sometimes inside they're own homes, sometimes they're just influenced by someone else, or under the influence of something else." He enumerated.
Loraine unwillingly took out a notebook from her bag and started writing down. Rin smiled at the sight.
"So, you want us to destroy bullies? Is that it?" Renz asked—idiotically. I'm sorry it's not you, it's just me. I don't really like you but I had to pretend I do because I have no energy arguing about idiotic and senseless things so I just ignore you most of the time but really, it's not your fault that I feel strongly for you Renz. I don't hate you. I just don't particularly like you.
Rin caught us off guard by laughing.
"Sorry, Renz, I'm not laughing at you. But yes, find the cause and finish it before it even occur." He smiled at him.
"Okay." He said and the four of them discussed things.
"See, I know a couple of bullies around campus. They're stronger and bigger than me, but why are they frightened of me? That's oddly compelling." Rin broke the silence between the three of us by having disappointedly said that British accent again.
"That's because you're a monster." I rolled my eyes.
He laughed with his unique laugh, like an innocent child that heard a really funny joke. "All monsters are human. Biology taught us that back second year, Ken."
"Being on top of the food chain rocks." Zen agreed and they both laughed. I've finally confirmed that there's something wrong with them.
"Besides, I don't blame your officers why they weren't doing that much." He commented. My forehead involuntarily creased at that. I manage everything clearly. What am I doing wrong?
"Exactly." He said, reading my thoughts again. "You want to manage everything by yourself. Don't know anything about a group? They said there's no 'I' in team. The way you're handling it really justifies you're a control freak but you can't even control anything." He pointed out and I froze.
"It's best to do it alone. No distractions." I monotonously said, ignoring the fact that he insulted my leadership and calling me a control freak.
"It's best to do it alone if you actually pull it off." He scoffed. "Even the highest position in this country has officers, you know why? Because he can't do it alone. Handling a school is hard enough as it is, how about a whole country?" He looked at me.
Why do I feel like he's teaching me a lot of things right now and I really need to listen even though I don't want to?
"Working alone is not bad. And I'm not saying you need to rely on people, because that's bullshit. No offense." He laughed and the four of them glared at him. "You need to manage people better. Managing is different from relying. You're only a leader if you have people to lead." He said. Should I take notes of these?
"Probably." He answered my unspoken thoughts.
"Bakit parang lumalamig na." Zen suddenly said. Pulling both his legs up the chair and hugging it. His chin on his knees. I felt it too.
Rin glanced out the window and murmured; "Winter is coming."