05 SEEING HER AGAIN

MATTHEW

I groaned in annoyance when someone peeled a comforter off my body. I ignored it and pretended that I was still sound asleep. I still felt sleepy because I slept late last night thinking about that girl who stole a picture of me. What is her purpose for doing it? Is she connected to a kidnapper or some syndicate?

I quickly bolted up from my bed when a pillow hit my head. "Andrew!!!! I hissed in annoyance.

"Hurry and drag your lazy ass to the bathroom. Do you know what time it is now? We need to leave after thirty minutes. Go if you don't want me to kick your lazy ass toward the bathroom."

I threw a deathly glare at him but stomped to the bathroom. I took fifteen minutes inside and sighed in relief when Andrew was not in my room anymore when I stepped out of the bathroom.

I quickly dressed up with my black skinny jeans, plain fitted white shirt and top it with my black leather jacket paired with my black boots. It is our first day in our new school, Dream High University. I don't like Dream High University, but I don't have any other choice after what happened at Hope Seeker University. Our School Principal threatened that if I didn't leave the university, they'd report me to my parents. I know they can't kick me out of the school even if they want to because I will be back no matter what happens to get back to that damn school, or worst, I will burn it.

"I have a girlfriend, Kyla. I love her so much, but I caught her cheating with Carlo, our classmate, after I gave everything she asked me. I love her. That's why I always give in to her whim, but that woman only dated me for money, for the thing she could get from me, but all this time, she's dating someone behind my back.

We've dated for more than a year, but I didn't notice that she's been cheating on me. I caught them making out in the janitor's closet. I beat Carlo, and he was sent to the hospital while I ripped Kayla's clothes, leaving her with her underwear, took the bag I bought for her, and burnt it in front of everyone. I know what I did is mean, but she deserves it. No wonder Carlo's friends always snicker when I pass by them because maybe they saw me as stupid and dumb for not knowing what my girlfriend was doing behind my back." I grit my teeth. It always makes me furious every time I remember it.

"I'm not afraid of my parents, who had never been parents to me. They are always away to gain money, money, money. Money is their life, and I'm just a decoration in their damn huge mansion.

I'm not afraid of them. I'm scared to lose my allowance. Where do I get money if they don't give me? Damn all of them. I don't care if they all leave me behind. My friends are enough for me, my friends who are always there for me for better or for worse, my friends who know the real Matthew, Not the Matthew who is a brat, jerk, rude, and heartless that everyone knows, but the lonely Matthew and miss the care and love of his parents.

I found a girl that I love, but she played with me, and that is the reason why I beat that bastard Carlo to a pulp. Tsk! Is it his fault to get under my nerves who he thinks he is? He's a good actor, pretending to be a good and very gentleman, but I know the kind of him, he's the same with Kyla. Maybe they are meant to be.

"Matthew!!!!

"Coming!!! I need to change my passcode so they can't enter my place anytime they want. Sometimes my friends are annoying.

When I left my room, Darren, Leo, James, and Andrew were already at the front door waiting, throwing me a glare. I just rolled my eyes and stepped out of the door, then locked it.

We went straight to the parking lot where our motorcycles were parked and quickly sped off to our new school.

***

We arrived at school after twenty minutes of driving. All the students were looking at us when we arrived. Of course, they will look at us because we are not wearing our school uniform, and we are new students. And I'm sure not only because of that but because we usually get a lot of attention from girls at the same time, from guys because of our looks. Not to brag, but it was true.

"Ewww!!! Leo cringed while looking at some female students wearing short skirts, and there was a lot of makeup on their faces, like a clown. I just chuckled and ignored him. I'm used to that kind of look. There's a lot more that kind at our previous school.

We headed straight to the admin's office to get our schedule, but the staff scolded us on our first day for not wearing a proper uniform, and she warned us that the guard wouldn't let us in tomorrow at the gate if we were still in our civilian attire.

We promised we would wear our uniform tomorrow. Of course, Andrew threw me a warning glare to agree at him, and I just shut my mouth up because I knew it was my fault why all of us were here at Dream University right now.

"Don't fucking cause trouble again, Matthew, or I will beat you until you become cripple. This school is our last chance to graduate, or no school will accept us again. Also, I'm sure my brother will kick me out of our house." Andrew warned me.

"Okay! Okay! I get it. You sound like an old bi... Ouch!! I winced in pain when he smacked my head.

"Who's fault is this again? If you only stay away from that Miss Plastic and not stupid and blind for falling that bitch...

"Enough!! I seethed, glaring at him. I hate it every time someone reminds me of that bitch. How could she play with me? How could she play with me? Matthew didn't fall in love, but that bitch made me, but in the end, she only played me.

She's like an angel in my eyes. She couldn't even kill a fly. She's like a fragile thing that might break if you won't handle it with care, but all that is an act to lure me into her trap. And I let her play her game perfectly.

"We're here." James' voice snapped me out of my train of thought, and we now stand in front of our classroom door. Andrew knocked at the door before he pushed the door open.

"Good morning, sir. We are the new students." Andrew greeted the teacher, who is now bald and maybe in his forties, and gave us a disappointed look.

"Okay, come inside and introduce yourself to your classmate." He said, then gestured for us to stand in front of our classmates. Andrew stood before our classmate, and James and I followed. Leo and Darren had the same schedule because they were behind a year.

"I'm Andrew Lee, and I'm eighteen years old." He gives our new classmate a timid smile, and the girls give him a sweet smile in return.

"I'm James Revira, eighteen years old." He grinned and waved his hand to our new classmate. James is friendly to everyone. Many find him easy to be with, approachable, and kind.

"I'm Matthew Lim," I said in a bored tone. I hate introductions.

"Okay, you guys sit at the vacant seat at the back, but tomorrow, make sure to wear a proper uniform, or else I won't let any of you join our class."

"Sorry, sir. Promise tomorrow we will wear our uniform." Andrew apologized.

***

Class ended in a blur without me knowing anything. I'm looking at our teacher, but I'm not listening. Physically present but mentally absent, that's what my teacher always told me before. Why should I listen when I already know it? Many say that I'm a genius, and maybe they are right because even though I'm not listening in our daily discussion, during our exam, I'm always the highest.

We quickly boarded our motorcycles to head somewhere to have fun. That's our daily life since forever. The road was wet because it rained and only stopped ten minutes before the class ended.

Some students were walking on the sidewalk, and I didn't notice a puddle of water ahead of me. It splashed when I passed it, and a girl shrieked in surprise when the water splashed on her, drenching her uniform. I stop a few feet away from her and the other to say sorry.

"Fuckers are you blind." She seethed, standing almost five feet away from me.

I removed my helmet and looked at the girl, ready to apologize, but I gasped when I recognized her. I knew she recognized me also because her eyes widened, and the anger in her face vanished, replaced with fear. She quickly took a step backward and sprinted away.

I cursed and quickly started my motorcycle and chased after her. Andrew and the other followed. "Yah!!! I screamed, but she continued to run. I admired her for being a fast runner. She entered the small street to her right, and I followed her.

"Got you." I thought with a smile when I saw the dead end ahead. But I cursed once again when she climbed at the metal wall, ten feet or more high. "She wouldn't climbed that wall all the way, right?" I thought, but I was left speechless when she climbed up.

"Shit!!! Feisty!! Andrew said when I unmounted my motorcycle. I tried to reach her, but she climbed fast. I grit my teeth.

"Yah! You come down here." I called her.

"No, you'll beat me." She answered.

"You're not doing what I'm thinking, right?" James asked, but I ignored him and climbed to the wall, but she was already at the top. I climbed faster, but when I looked up at her, she wasn't at the top anymore. When I reached the top, I saw her running away, not bothering to look back.

"Damn this girl. How did she jump from up here? Maybe she was used to doing this kind of stuff. Hmm!!! So she's studying at DHU. I'm sure she's in there. I'm sure she doesn't know that I'm studying there too because I'm not wearing my uniform. Tomorrow, I can wait until tomorrow." I grinned.