Prologue

KATE ROSE

"Kate Rose! Wake up! It's already six o'clock in the morning. You're gonna be late for your class today. I thought you would wake up early. Hey! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!" I heard the voice of my Auntie Rosa speaking outside my room. I'm still dreaming when I heard her voice calling me.

I was still lying on my comfy bed when I realized she was reminding me that I should prepare myself to go to our university because it was already six o'clock in the morning. I shouldn't be late.

"Auntie, I'm now wearing my clothes. I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't worry..." I told my auntie even though I'm still lying on my bed. I lied to her.

"Okay. I'll wait for you downstairs. Hurry up before our food gets colder," she said.

"Of course, auntie. I'll be there, don't worry..." I answered.

When she went downstairs, I immediately stood up and begins to arrange everything inside my room. Then after that I took a shower and put on my clothes. I'm a college student and we don't have a uniform to wear. We're free to wear anything we want and as long as our university allows it there will be no problem for us.

My cell phone rang inside my bag when I was about to leave the house of my auntie. I quickly picked it up to find out who was calling me. At first, I thought my parents were calling me in the province, but when I saw the screen of my cell phone, it wasn't. My friend Anna was calling me.

"Good morning, Anna. Why did you call me?" I greeted my friend Anna and asked her why she's calling me.

"Good morning too, Kate Rose. Where are you now? Are you coming in today's class?" she said, desperately.

I can't control myself not to feel nervous. I felt there was something wrong. "Yes, Anna. I was about to leave, but you suddenly called me, so I couldn't leave first. Why are you asking me? And why did you call me? Do you have a problem, huh?" I asked my friend Anna.

"I don't have a problem, okay? I called you be—" she stopped what she was telling me. She took her cell phone away from her, but I could still hear someone crying and I didn’t know who she was. I just waited for my friend Anna to speak again.

"Hey! Are you still there?" she asked me.

I continued walking outside the house of my auntie while talking to her.

''Yes, I'm still there. Why didn't you continue what you were saying, huh? What's happening there? I need to know, please," I asked her worriedly. Before she could answer me, she let out a deep sigh first.

"I decided to call you this morning because our friend Chloe is crying right now. We can't stop her from crying. Maybe she'll just listen to you, so you need to be there," Anna's voice trembled as she answered me and I felt she was worried for our friend Chloe.

"Oh, really? Why is she crying right now? Is there something wrong with her? Did something bad happen to our friend Chloe?" I asked her again. She gasped.

"She's heartbroken,'' she said.

"What?! Heartbroken?" Anna nodded immediately.

"Yes, Kate Rose. You need to come here, please. Our class will be at nine thirty this morning, right?" She reminded me.

"Yeah, I know. But where are you, huh?" I asked her.

"We're here in the cafeteria. We're here, the three of us," she said, begging me to go there immediately.

"Okay, fine. Wait me there. I'm on my way going to our university. Don't worry. I'll see you in a bit," I said.

''Okay. Thank you, Kate Rose."

"You're welcome. You don't have to worry. Bye." I immediately hung up my cell phone as we both ended our conversation.

I rode a jeepney going to our university where we're studying in college. I need to wait for a few minutes before I get there. When I was inside the jeepney, I couldn’t help myself not to think our friend Chloe who was crying. Anna told me that she was heartbroken. I'm not quite sure if she's telling us the truth, I know that she's single.

When I was in front of our university where we're studying in college, I stopped the driver of the jeepney and handed over my fare. I quickly got off and ran inside the university.

I just kept running until I didn't realize I was going to bump into someone because I wasn't looking at. The books I was carrying were thrown on the ground. The young man and I fell on the ground too. He gave me a disgruntled look as he sat on the ground. He can't stand up easily.

There were two men who approached and helped him while I slowly stood up without anyone helping me. I faced the young man with narrowed eyes. He's handsome and tall. I was only up to his shoulder. He's cursed.

"Don't you have an eye, huh?!" he asked me.

I let out a deep sigh before answering him.

''I have my two eyes, sir. I'm sorry I bumped into you. I didn't mean it, I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry because my friend needs me now. She's crying, she needs me to comfort her. I'm really sorry, sir," I apologized to him. He gasped.

"What did you say? Your friend needs you, huh?"

"Yes. My friend needs me and that's why I'm in a hurry. I'm sorry," I explained.

"Stupid! I really don't care! I don't even know your friend and I don't care if she's crying! And also, I don't care if she needs you there! In short, I don't care about you even if you're in a hurry. And one more thing, I don't care if you're asking for my forgiveness. You better eat your sorry and swallow it with your fucking stupidity!" he told me with his spicy words. I was insulted by his words.

I felt my two ears were deafened by what he said. My blood heated up with him. I raised my two eyebrows and spoke.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. Isn't that enough, huh?" I snarled at him.

"Silly! It would never be enough! Never! You better eat your sorry!"

"What do you want, huh? Do you want me to kneel in front of you?" I snarled at him again. He looked at the two men who stood up next to him. I don't know why they'd helped him. He's so rude. They laughed and insulted me.

"Absolutely yes! You have to kneel in front of me. You need my forgiveness, right? Do it, please," he said, laughing. I clenched my fists. I was in a rage.

I don’t want to kneel in front of him. It's a shame for me to do that, especially to all the students who might see me. I already apologized to him and it's enough. I glared at him.

"No way! Do you think I will follow what you want me to do, huh? Never! I won't do what you want! What are you, huh? Are you a saint, huh? And we should kneel down to you? Never! I already apologized. You're really different, aren't you? You're so shameless!" I answered him with annoyance. If I'm not controlling myself, I will punch him so hard on his face. I don't want to do it because I don't want to have a bad record at our university. I might get suspended. I don't want to make it happen.

"I'm totally a different man! Don't you know that, huh? Do you know me? Maybe you don't know who is your enemy," he said.

"I don't know who you are! I already apologized to you and then this is what you want? I think you're out of your mind! If you don't want to accept my apology, don't accept it. I'm not forcing you to accept my apology. You're just ruining my day! Get out of my sight now, please," I said, shouting.

"I won't accept your apology! I don't care about what you're saying! Just leave, won't you? Maybe next time be careful and don't be silly! If you want to run without bumping into someone, you better do it in the field. At least you'll be there all day running!" he said, insulting me.

''Yeah, of course! I'm gonna leave you. I don't want to see your face! You're shameless!" I said and I immediately turned to my back from him and picked up my books one by one that were still on the ground.

After picking up my books, I heard him speak. "Maybe next time you bump into me again, I'll kick you out of this university! I'll make sure it really happens! I'm warning you!" He threatened me.

I turned my back and looked at him so bad.

"I'm not afraid of you! Then do it if you want! You might be kicked out and I won't! You're not a high school student anymore! Please be matured with what you're saying! Stupid!" I said and left him without turning back.