“It doesn’t make sense.” I shake my head. “You hate me because I resemble someone you despise?” In fact, that’s the most immature thing I’ve ever heard.Well, we’re high schoolers. But still…even all of his reasons are nothing but childish. But then again, all of my bullies have been nothing but that.“But now you know,” he simpers, as he stands up.“You said that you forced students to quit this school, the academy w-wouldn’t surely just ignore this.”“Oh, right, of course, you don’t know,” he says as he hums. “Since you clearly have no idea about family names, I guess I’ll explain it to you.”“You know that times have changed and brick-and-mortars are slowly decreasing in popularity due to the great demand of digital marketing.”“But old traditions must continue. After all, it keeps the balance out. Once a problem arises, the beauty of innovation is to take advantage by being the solution.”Clarence seems to enjoy giving monologues, I assume that’s the case after having thr
Well, three weeks have passed and I have been successful with this little game that I’ve accidentally created. Since the academy is bigger than the whole area of Freedomville High and not to mention there are fewer students in here, it will be easier to stay in my favorite hiding spots. Yeap, apparently Clarence wasn’t lying when he said that students would do anything for him, they also tried to inform him about my whereabouts. Yet, not once have I been caught. I rarely give chase and the only time I have to run is when the bell rings or during PE class. After a week, my classmates finally gave up, thinking it’s a waste of time and energy. Somewhere along the way, they started ignoring me, sometimes girls intentionally gossip loud enough for me to hear and sometimes they make me trip. This really reminded me of the humble beginnings of my bullying phase. How nostalgic, I muse myself pitifully. And later on, when Clarence had the gall to install CCTVs in the hallways,
Sebastian Jacques.When I asked Yu about him one time after eating pizza with him, no surprise there that he is involved with the de Milano family. But he is not just any other butler, in fact, he is the head butler in the de Milano Estate. But what surprised me the most was Yu’s revelation.We were at the pizza place near the boulevard again. Right after we visited the doctor’s to check my eye, now I’m pirate-free and Yu finally stopped teasing it.“Jacques adopted me right after my father’s death. He died due to lung cancer,” Yu said as he removed the olives from the pizza, a habit I’ve noticed every time we ordered pepperoni.But that’s not the point, my attention was focused on him as I said my condolences, “I’m sorry for that.”“Well, that was a long time ago. I love my old man, in fact, both of my fathers are great,” he said, proudly then he grinned. “Just to let you know, all of my life I grew up in the de Milano Estate, my biological father was a gardener, and Sebasti
You could say, I am not a morning person. When I used to live in the de Milano Estate, maids tried to find ways to get me off my bed but failed, much to my parents’ frustration. After a lot of unsuccessful attempts, they had finally lost hope and requested me to be homeschooled instead.All of my childhood, minus the time before reaching university, I enjoyed my morning slumbers. And if anyone dared to wake me up, it would only have awakened my wrath. Yu had his first-hand experience and not once did he attempt to give it another try.I tried to change it, really. The secret to success has always been to start off a new day in the morning. But I could only wake up at 8 AM.But that changed in the arrival of my little nuisance.Today is no different. Three weeks have passed and I am now getting used to waking up at 6AM or sometimes before that.As I wake up, the first thing I see is an unfamiliar room. It registers to me that I decided to stay in Yu’s apartment, since Heather
The feeling I have… I couldn’t understand it myself. It feels so heavy, like a huge boulder, hard, unbreakable, that has been burdening on my shoulders.So right after he left, I decided to run.I run as fast as I can like I normally do. To reduce the indescribable pain. Could this be fear? No, this is completely different from what I normally experience.Sadness? But it’s a different kind. The kind that made me worry for Gene during his basement incident.Then, a thought strikes me and I slow down until a full stop. I lean down, hands on my knees as I pant. Something snaps in me as I snort a laugh. Then I start to laugh, like a madman in a pitiful state.It is still early dawn and people don’t usually go to this area in the early morning. And I’m thankful I left at this time because no one would like to see a teenager laughing all to herself in public.Wearing nothing but matching pajamas.But either way, I don’t really care. You see, I've been such an unfortunate case all o
If my morning wasn’t enough, it gets worse at school.No, it has nothing to do with Clarence, despite being project partners, we still resume our game. And no, the isolation and the snickering voices are nothing new to me, really.Despite my bad mood, I am still attentive to him, potentially striking me when I’m down. I won’t allow myself to consume this queasy feeling, akin to both anger and sadness.But what really puts me in a sour mood is the result of my Math pop quiz.My eyes widen, as my hands tremble while holding tightly on the piece of paper that was given to my Math teacher.How did I get a 0 out of 100?! Well, back in my previous school, I did get at least one correct answer but seriously?!I whimper as my face presses on my desk. I studied really hard. I tried but I just couldn’t understand a single word at all.Their Math is way too advanced for me!Yes, I am not really fitted to study in the number one most prestigious school in the United freaking States.“Mis
“You’re job-hunting? Why?” Gene questions, his voice a bit louder. I can’t blame him since I can hear the sound of rumbling washing machines in every direction. Gene told me that his shifts are both early in the morning and after school.“To distract myself from my own problems, that’s all,” I say as I am walking in the boulevard, my eyes are looking around if in any case Clarence or his followers are attacking me out of nowhere.“About Luca?” Gene adds without beating around the bush. “Or is it related to your school?”And at that question, I momentarily stop. “Who says that it has something to do with school?”I can already imagine Gene giving me a suspicious look. “Nina, I can sometimes hear you running during lunchtime. It seems like it’s an everyday occurrence. They’re not hurting you, right?”“Ah, no,” I say while I laugh, nervously. Gene is such a worry-wart. I guess that makes us even.“Our bullies grew up learning our own methods. The ones here can’t even catch me.”
Originally, when Gene called me, I had no intention of telling him about my rough day: Luca, Clarence, and of course my Math result. But in the end, I just kept complaining about Luca. It’s a terrible habit, really.But what surprises me the most is at the end of the conversation. Sure, he teased me a bit but he actually sounded panicky after an afterthought. I’m sure that's the case.Sigh, Gene won’t probably budge even if I probe him. It’s better to ask him that in person. Which is months away.But right now, I need to solve my problems one at a time. First to convince Clarence that Luca’s place is not an option. Second, is to wait for Yu to sign it for me. Lastly, to get a part-time job.Any decent job will do just so I can save up for my goals. Even if leaving Luca’s apartment is impossible.All this thinking is making me hungry. Well, since I’m not expecting to see Luca tonight for dinner, I might as well go out.To the Pizza place nearby the boulevard? It’s closer to th