「 Ryann Edward Feztin's POV」
“Welcome to GIA!”
“Welcome, Highers!”
Those are just few of the greetings we can hear. Napapangiwi na lang ako dahil para bang sobrang taas ng katungkulan ng school na'to sa iba pang schools. What's the difference? Anong pinagkaiba nila sa ibang schools?
“Feeling ko pumasok ako sa kampo ng kalaban sa gyera,” ani Dexter na kanina pa napapangiwi dahil sa nakikita. Kahit naman ako.
“Hindi ba? I mean, isa 'to sa mga rival schools natin, diba?” Jhun answered.
He was right though. Isa ang GIA sa mga school na maituturing na kaaway ng St. Sebastian. However, nakakapagtaka lang na ni minsan hindi namin sila nakalaban sa kahit na anong festivals. That's something we really are confused.
“I can't remember having a basketball match with their team,” Reigh muttered. Exactly.
“They don't do sports' match. But I heard walang nakakatalo sa kanila Academically,” ani Renzell.
“I heard too. Tangina, lahat ata ng academic category sila iyong nakakakuha ng gold,” Dexter seconded.
I heard that from our Instructors too.
“It's been so long our dear Highers! Another year has opened for all of us. May your stay in Goldsmiths-Ioannou Academy be wonderful. All students, please proceed to OSH Gymnasium for the opening ceremony of the school year! We would also like to call the attention of our Royal Students, especially our Queens to celebrate with us. Hail to us, Highers!”
We all stops from walking to hear the announcement in full context. Highers? Is that how they call their students? And what about those Royal Students they're talking? The announcement ended after five times in repeat.
“Royal Students? Ampucha, ano 'to kaharian?” Jhun snickered.
“Should we follow what was told?” I asked them. Parang nakakatamad naman pumunta. Saka saan ba iyong OSH Gymnasium na sinasabi? Tsk.
“I guess, but not now. Ate Rhi just texted me that we need to meet her first,” ani Lyle habang nakatingin sa phone niya.
Oo nga pala. Ate Rhi—or Ate Rhianne, is also one of the officials here. I don't know what's her position here though, but Mister Valiente—our former school's President—informed us that there's someone named Rhianne Allegre who will be monitoring us in our first day here. That's a good thing though, at least may kilala kaming mataas ang posisyon sa school na'to.
“Aren't they the Panthers from the other school?”
My brows raised. Oh, so some of them really know us, e?
“Yep, that's us, baby,” Renzell said teasingly then winked at the group of girls who noticed us. The girls blush profusely before looking away saka umalis na para bang nahihiya.
“Tsk. Flirt,” Draike muttered that made Renzell laugh.
“Brad, that's how you should use your face. Kung gwapo ka, gamitin mo para makapang-akit,” natatawang balik ni Renzell kaya napailing na lang ako. Mga babae nga naman.
“Where are we going to meet Ate Rhi?” I asked.
Tinignan ko sila at halos sabay-sabay naman silang nagkibit ng balikat, even Lyle. What the hell? He was the one that Ate texted tapos hindi niya alam kung saan kikitain si Ate? Hindi niya ba tinanong?
“You didn't even ask?”
“I forgot?” he asked back. I facepalmed. Madalas talaga hindi ko maintindihan ugali ni Lyle. Fuck.
“Should we just—oh, she's calling,” ani Yohann saka sinagot iyong tawag. Thank God, she called.
“Yes..” paused. “Oh, we don't need to meet you anymore and just follow what was announced?” Yohann looked at us. “Oh, okay. Thanks Ate,” after that he put down his phone.
“So, no need for a boring meeting with Ate?” Dexter asked.
“Narinig mo diba? Unless bingi ka?” Jhun teased that earned a punch from Dexter. It wasn't a severe punch, so it's fine.
“Gago,” Dexter barked back.
“Ingay niyo,” Reigh muttered.
“Oy, tahimik na daw sabi ng Prinsipe,” natatawang saad ni Renzell.
Napapailing na lang ako. Sumasakit ang ulo ko talaga kapag kasama ko 'tong mga ungas na'to. Reigh just tsked while giving them three a glare na tinawanan lang din nilang tatlo. Mga siraulo.
“Remind me again why did I let myself be friends with them,” ani Draike kaya napailing ako.
“Do the same with me too,” I answered.
「Phariz Keith Brianttez's POV」
“Good morning Lady Phariz!” a group of sophomores greeted me.
“Good morning!” I greeted back while smiling.
“Naks, sikat na sikat a,” Quelli teased that made us all laugh. Mga baliw.
“Well, what can I say? I'm pretty and kind and sweet—”
“Hep, stop. You're nagbubuhat na naman ng chairs and tables e,” Halley butt in that made me pout.
Hindi naman kaya. I'm just telling the truth, duh? Mom told me that I am the prettiest, the kindness and the sweetest girl he ever met. Psh.
“Whatever,” I told them, rolling my eyes afterwards. They just laughed at me though in return. Amp!
“Maeg, where's Z?” napahinto kami sa paglalakad dahil doon.
Lumingon kami sa likod. Wala nga si Z. Where is that ice queen?
“Madame Clarissa called her earlier, she said it's business,” ani Maegan, tumingin naman siya sa gawi ko kaya binalingan ko ng tingin sila Mishia. Psh, nagtatampo pa rin ako.
She's always annoyed at me. Sanay naman na ako actually, kaya lang kasi minsan hindi ko na gets kung bakit lagi siyang inis sakin. It's not my fault that I am craving for foods even after eating breakfast with them? Saka duh? The breakfast we ate earlier wasn't even enough for me.
“Must be important,” Jasha—or JL as what we calls her—said. It must be. Ngayon lang naman liliban si Z sa first day ng school year if ever. She's always present naman since then kasi that's our responsibility as part of the Royal Students.
“Probably,” Mishia seconded.
“So, us lang mag-entertain sa new students from St. Sebastian?” Halley asked.
All of us shrugged and nodded afterwards. I guess that's it.
“I swear, I hope they're not annoying or whatsoever,” I told them after continuing our walk.
I mean, there's too much annoying people na kasi here sa GIA. So, if ever those transferees are annoying too, edi that will be chaos na? We don't have ideas pa naman who they are. Ate Rhi didn't give us a heads up about the transferees. All we know is that they eight people. I hope they're all girls, boys will be one pain in my ass. They're annoyingly bastards.
“I hope they're boys so I can play with them,” Dorrine muttered. I gasp. Noo! That will be horror for me!
“Ew! Not boys please!”
“I wish they're not boys!”
“Oh no, not boys, please!”
The three of us— me, Quelli and Halley— shouted in unison that gets everyone's attention but we didn't give a care at all. Bahala sila.
“What's wrong with that? Don't you think it will be fun? We can have a new utusan if they're boys,” Dorrine added.
Napangiwi naman ako dahil doon. Utusan talaga?
“We don't treat them like that,” ani Mishia.
“Ahm, that's actually how I treat them? Because they are all trash? So bagay lang na utusan sila?” ani Dorrine habang nakataas pa ang kilay.
Hay nako.
“Kung nandito si Zhoie ewan ko na lang mangyayari sa'yo,” I mumbled. Tinignan niya naman ako ng masama.
“What? There's nothing wrong from treating them that way. Hello? Sila lang ba may karapatang tratuhing basura ang iba? If they can treat girls like some kind of items that they can just use and throw immediately after they're done with them, then, I can do the same to them. That's equality, my dear,” she stated that made us sighed.
Only if Z is here. She won't like what was Dorrine even saying.
“Dorrine has a point. Besides, hindi ba kaya nga may rules tayo sa school?” Maegan added
“Exactly. Those rules are only applicable to those who disobeyed it,” JL retorted.
“I know that they're doing those awful things, but we are not in our position to treat them the same. Remember what was one of our rules? No harm shall be fall on the women inside and outside the school that has made by a man, or else punishments will be held to those who disobeyed just like what JL said, but that doesn't mean you are free to do that to them,” Halley explained.
Napabuga naman ako ng hangin. I actually don't know how to stop them from arguing or what.
Those rules that they told was true. It was made by Zhoie when we became part of the Royal Council—or Queens, as what people called us.
GIA is actually a not so normal school. Well, at least that's how I can see it. There are the Royal Council— which is us, the Queens, the highest position from all the government here. Our counterpart is the Kings—which happened na hindi na nag-eexist ngayon, sabihin na lang natin na walang worthy tumayo as part of that council. Besides, Z won't let a group of boys to be part of our Council. Second one is the Royal Students who are subsidiary of the Royal Council. Sila 'yong lower years with great potential na pumalit sa amin once we graduate.
Queens and Kings of GIA are somehow against to each other as they have different methods of leading the Highers—which are the students of GIA. Actually, ang alam ko, bago kami pumalit sa mga naunang Queens sa amin, mayroon ng gusot between Kings and Queens—technically, kabilang na din iyong girls and boys. Because, I heard, again, that some boys are treating girls with disrespect. They treated them like as if girls are their slaves and they are entitled to follow what was the Kings told them. And the first batch of Kings used their power to do the same thing like what normal boys do. I even heard one time that five out of eight members of Kings did something really horrible wayback years—a rape case to be exact.
And as a woman of course, we don't tolerate them. Especially Z. So, no'ng mapunta sa amin 'iyong position, gumawa kami ng batas na walang sinomang lalaki ang maaaring makalapit sa mga babae. Bawal din ang makipagrelasyon, it is forbidden to be in a relationship with someone in this school, or else, you will be punished.
Queens—are technically the law here. What we say, is what they should follow. You maybe questioning about Dorrine. Well, just like she said earlier, boys who gets to be punished will be her slave, her toy, her servant—well, hindi naman lahat ganoon ang kapalaran nila. Some are just being punished by doing some community service inside and outside the school. Or some, well, napapaalis lalo na kung masyadong severe 'yong damage na nagagawa nila—like, harassment, etc.
“You know what? Kaysa pagalitan niyo ako, why don't you all just move and walk again? We have some welcoming celebration to attend to, right?” Dorrine said sarcastically before rolling her eyes.
I bit my tongue to stop myself from speaking. Ayokong mabugahan ng apoy mula sa kanya. Para pa naman siyang dragon minsan dahil para siyang si Maegan, madaling mainis or mapikon lalo na kapag ang usapan ay tungkol sa paglalaro niya sa mga lalaki. Psh.
「Harold Dexter Cruz's POV」
“I hope everyone has the school's manual already so you can read there and remember what I have said earlier.”
Iyon agad iyong bumungad sa amin pagkapasok na pagkapasok ng gymnasium. Late ata kami. Tsk. It wasn't our fault. Kasalanan ba naming sobrang laki pala ng school na'to na halos naligaw na kami sa bawat nililikuan namin? Mabuti na lang may napagtanungan kaming mga dati na atang estudyante dito.
“I feel like I was in a maze or something,” Yohann tsked. I agreed.
“Late tuloy tayo,” bulong ko.
“As if namang di bago 'yon?” ani Draike kaya sinaman ko ng tingin. Bastos din e. May pag-atake. Tss.
“May I call on the Royal Students?” ani ng may edad ng babaeng nagsasalita sa harapan—sa stage.
Nasa pinakadulo kami kaya hindi ko gaanong maaninag iyong mga nasa harapan. Masyado naman kasing malaki itong gymnasium na'to.
“Let's move nearer. Ate Rhi said they will introduce us to everybody,” ani Lyle kaya naman napatango na lang ako.
Nagsimula naman kaming maglakad palapit. Nakikita ko pa ang ilang tinginan ng mga estudyante sa amin. 'yong iba nginingitian ko pero agad silang umiiwas ng tingin—lalo na ang mga babae. Fuck! That can't be?! Hindi gumagana ang charms ko sa kanila?! That's horrible!
The woman on the stage let those students to introduce themselves to everybody—na para bang ang laki at ang taas ng posisyon nila sa school na'to na kailangan talaga silang alalahanin.
“These students, like I said are part of the Royal Students. In case you have questions regarding to our school and such, you can go and talk to them. They will guide you in anyway they can,” aniya.
Napangiwi naman ako ng bigla na lang maghiyawan iyong mga tao sa bandang dulo kung saan kami galing. I cursed at myself because of that. Anong meron? May artista ba para sumigaw nila? Nandito ba ang presidente? Hari? Reyna? Fuck!
“Fuck this!” I heard Draike hissed at my side.
“Oh! I guess everyone's excited to see our Queens after a long time of vacation,huh.”
What? What Queens?
“Now, now, Highers. Please keep quiet and let our Queens come in front in peace,” dugtong nito. Natahimik naman kahit paano iyong crown kaya nagawa ko ng tumingin sa dahilan ng ingay.
But they were crowded with so many students. Tsk. Akala ko pa naman makikita ko sila. I wonder if they want to be my playmate.
“Are we in some joke?” Jhun asked. Hindi siguro makapaniwala sa nangyayari. Who wouldn't anyway? Queens? Highers? Royal Students? The fuck were those?
Napakunot ang noo ko ng may mapansin akong pamilyar na mukha. Huh? Is that the woman I saw from yesterday? That Never woman? She's here? And why the hell is she heading to the stage? Ano 'to?
“Woah, hold up. That's woman from yesterday,”
“The hell is she doing in there?”
Hindi ko na masundan kung ano iyong nangyayari. Ni hindi ko na magawang intindihin iyong mga sinasabi nila. Basta nakatutok lang ako sa harapan 'kung nasa iyong si Never na ngayon ay nakangiti sa lahat.
“Well, Highers? Hail to our Queens,” the woman announced.
The crowd then bows their head—for I don't know reason. Even the boys bowed their head! What the fuck is happening?
“Queens what?” I muttered, obviously shocked at what I'm witnessing right now.
—end of chapter—