Chapter Four

He isn't?but my mom thought they will?

Nandoon siya para makipagdeal sa Papa ko.Probably for business.And...about my mom?That is still a question right?Why would she say something like that if they weren't in a relationship?They were..kasi halata namang malapit sila.My mom even arrange things for him.Don't tell me it was something she needs to do for an investor kasi wala akong naaalala na ginawa niya 'yon sa iba.They were in a relationship and maybe hindi muna sila magpapakasal.

Tapos hindi 'yon alam ni Maggie kahit sila?O hindi pa nila napag-uusapan 'yon tapos natanong ko na?I nodded an approval at my reflection in the mirror.You guess everything right this time Azazel.

I grab my cardigan before walking out of my room.It is thursday today at ngayon ay P.E namin kaya naman ang P.E uniform ang suot ko.

Ada is tying her necktie habang bumaba sa third floor.Magsasabay kami sa pagbaba.Umalis sa room ko ang isang ito kaninang ala-sais.She took a bath in my room and abuse my stuffs again before going in her own room.

"Why are you dress like that?"i ask her kasi ang alam ko pare-parehas kaming may P.E ngayon we just different hours of doing so.

"I need to report this morning"a mirror appeared and i notice her bag is in bulk.

"Did you bring your P.E?"she raise her brows at me bago binulatlat ang bag niya sa harap ko ng makababa kami.I stop to check it dahil minsan ng dinala ni Ada ang mga gagamitin niya pero ang pinakaimportante ang madalas na wala doon.I didn't say a word when i saw her P.E uniform.Kinuha niya ang malaki niyang suklay bago tuluyang isarado ang bag.

"I got it this time"she nodded proudly at me ,this time combing her hair.

"Though i forgot to include my curl still it is a job well done"i smiled at her.

"Though we still don't know if you're going to do a good job at your project "she rolled her eyes at me as o tease her while walking towards the main door .

Surprisingly the Head Mistress is at the door ,looking at us.Nang tumuon ang tingin niya sa'min , naghihintay nagsimula kaming lumapit.For years that we know the Head Mistress ,she wasn't really friendly.Hindi siya palasalita at naghihintay lang ng kung sinong magkamali.It is unusual for her to talk to any students unless of course you've done something wrong. Lumalapit na sa amin ang Head Mistress.I glance at the dining where she should be to monitor the students.Tumayo ako ng maayos gano'n din si Ada.She stop combing her hair and out the comb behind her.Sa sulok ng utak ko iniisip ko na kung sino ang may mas kasalanan sa'ming dalawa ni Ada.It was probably her,she stared at her way too long.

"Ms.Aldridge?"napamulagat ako.Ada's body turned a little bit at me before returning to its original form.Miss look at her with furrowed brows and return it at me with a little confusion.I glances at Ada trying to see the problem too.She just mention me,and now glancing at her?What could it be?I stared at her for a whole minute that i notice she can't maintain her poker face anymore.I glance at the Head Mistress who's still looking at her. Muntik na akong mapangiwi.Last night talk with her!Maybe she heard it!

"Uh?..What is it Miss?"a moment of silence kicks in as she waits for me to guess it but i won't say anything.Nakataas pa ang kilay niya habang tinitignan kami.Sandali pa bago niya ginawa ulit iyong pormal.

"Tell your ... fiancé ....that he isn't allowed to visit you at three in the morning.You still have to obey the protocols of the dormitory"she emphasis it directly at me before headed to the door not waiting for us to say something.

Nanatili ang taas ng dalawa kong kilay sa narinig.Who's fiancé it is?Ada gasp and stand infront of me as soon as she gets it while i tried to wired my system to get it myself.

"You have a fiancé?!"the other girls who were trying to go to the dining glances at us.I blink back.

"Sino?! He's here?!Kagabi!Bakit hindi mo ako ginising!"she stamp her foot and look at me accusingly.

"You didn't tell me about it?"Napipilitan akong umiling.There is only one person who visited me...Of course it's Ansel.

"I don't have Ada"inakay ko siya sa dining para makakain bago kami pumasok pero hindi yata paaawat si Ada kaya isang beses ko pa siyang hinarap bago pa kami makapasok sa dining.

"Listen, i'll tell you what you want to know kaya mamaya na 'yan.Besides, you're going to present something baka makalimutan mo ang ibang parte kapag nag-umpisa tayo ngayon"my mind is freezed actually. Bakit ko naman magiging fiancé si Ansel?He's my mom's boyfriend for God's sake!

"But i'll likely to forget about it dahil mas curious ako ngayon.You have to answer my question now!"i rolled my eyes.

"Ada.. you made a million question with my every answer last night.Do you still want to present?"

She gave me a look before grabbing my arms to where the food is.

"Promise me"she glared."I promise"hindi din naman ako makakawala.Kumain nga kami kasabay ng mga ibang estudyante.Kakaunti na lang ang mga bumababa dahil malapit na ang first subject at nagmamadali na kami pare-parehas.Nang matapos dumeretso kami sa campus.Pinalipat sila ng room kaya naman sa iba siya gumawi habang ako ay kinailangan pang huminto dahil pinatawag daw ako ng principal.So,instead of attending my first class ,nagpunta nga ako sa office.

"So you're not going to learn about the school today?"the principal ask me impatiently.Umiling ulit ako.

"I need to catch up with the lessons mayro'n po kaming upcoming quiz the next day"tumango ang principal sa sinabi ko at ibinigay na lang ang isa pang schedule.

"You have to eventually face the board members"i stared at it.Listahan 'yon ng mga kailangan ko pang pag-aralan.My brain almost got melt.Hindi pa ako nakakahuma sa dinala sa'king problema ni Ansel.Ngayon naman naalala ko pa ang tungkol sa School na hindi ko pa rin nakakalaro sa kanya!

"Makukumpleto sila next week.You are a running valedictorian and a role model.Your good record is  a good start"

A good start for me ,really!

And a good opportunity...but i keep thinking about dodging it..Crazy.

I still focus on every class that i have.Maganda pa'rin ang naging performance ko sa laro kanina bago ang third class pero pagkayari no'n wala na..hindi ko napigil ang pag-iisip sa lahat.

Fiancé.—I've never had a boyfriend.Ilang beses pa lang kaming nagkita ni Ansel Millano.Yes...he's handsome with he's pointy eyes and s-shape eyebrows that always,somehow ,gives a different vibe defending on where i would see it.Sometimes it looks so nice ,sometimes it looks cruel.His jaw screams boldness and his nose is arrogant.It's a combination of good and bad and he brings just as it is.

It is good that i already have something i can call my own under my name but it feels very distant to me.Owning a School isn't something i planned to do and doing,so probably it is a bad thing?Hindi ko rin naman 'yon madadala kung sakaling umalis ako.However i know there will be a bigger chance to get away.The School will make me stable but i won't be completely free because they know where i am and they can still use me.

Lunch break when i met with Ada na nakaP.E uniform na.Pagkatapos naming manguha ng pagkain sa canteen ay walang pakundangan niya akong hinila sa field.

"He isn't?!"gulantang niyang sabi.Nakalapag sa bermuda ang pagkain namin at hindi pa nagagalaw.I have a feeling that it won't really be needed there.

"Yes"

"So?Ansel Millano is your mom's boyfriend?"nangunot nanaman ang noo niya.

"But then ,he gave you a gift?"we already discuss this last night.

"He wanted to please me ,to make me agree to their relationship then my mom called me and ,inshort ,told me about them getting married?"for a hundred times Ada ,get it in your head.

"Baka naman ikaw talaga ang ipinunta niya doon?"Ada get her first bite while i get my own.I look at her ridiculously.

"Bakit ka niya reregaluhan ng ganito kalaki then? Baka ipakakasal ka ng papa mo?"Nanlaki ang mata ko bago siya tinawanan kahit na hindi maipagkakaila ang biglaang kabog sa dibdib ko.

"That's not true"iling ko pa.That...will be ..the most craziest thing i will ever hear!

"Oh come on..."she giggled at me and for the first time i just want to smack her head.The head mistress gave her the actual idea Azazel.

Right! Let's smacked both of them!

Natatahimik tuloy ako kapag tapos ko ng ulitin ang mga sagot ko kagabi.Dagdagan ng ilang pangungusap at kung ano lang magtatawid sa akin sa usapan

"Oo nga pala i can't join you to the library mamaya"i glance at her sideways.She wants me to tutor her sa isang subject na binigyan siya ng mababang marka.We're graduating soon so she needs it.

"It's true!My mom wanted me to attend the family meeting"she pouted as if it wasn't a favor for me.It's kinda a favor because she gave me something to think about!

"Kaka-family meeting niyo lang ah"tanong ko habang tinatapos ang pagkain.

"Well,yes.Pero this is urgent.Hindi siguro nasabi noong last kaya ngayon gagawin.They told me it was important and i can't ditch it"

So that's what happened .Mag-isa akong nagpunta sa library at nahulog sa iba't-ibang tanong sa utak.Ansel—the business proposal that he maybe closed now.Ang School ownership at sa huli nahulog ako sa pag-iisip kung 'yon na nga ba ang ipinunta niya.Is giving me a School one of the props? Seriously?Kailangan niyang umabot sa gano'n para lang tanggapin ng tatay ko ang proposal niya?The Ansel Millano who made my father only the second most influential man?That .Is . Ridiculous!

The library is a little bit cold.Sa dami ng pages na inilipat ko ,hindi ko na matandaan ang mga nabasa ko.I got lazy doing that after a three more turn of page i pulled my phone and get into I*******m.

Alita Soledad sent me a message when i entered YouTube.As it is her , pinili kong buksan iyon kaagad.

*'It turns out that my Tito's Company is nearly going bankrupt'

I hit the reply getting curious. ' Your Tito Raul?'

*'Yes'

*'Guess what who's their savior'

I stared at her reply.I sighed.Okay let's try to guess.I hit the reply and think of something when she sent some images.I made the table squeak a little and have my eyes run on anyone who perhaps see it.Gigil na binuhay ko ulit ang cellphone ko.Ada will surely going to make me have a lot of bad tracks on our last year in highschool.Last year!

Napahinga ako ng malalim ng makita ng mas malaki ang larawan.

Dress in his black suit with his glasses on.Standing proudly while talking to her Uncle.Ansel looks magnificently handsome with his tall figure.Even if this is just a picture,i can see his broad shoulders and he gave off the same aura.A powerful businessman.

I don't know which it is...but i felt the sudden impact.