Chapter 4 - The Good and The Bad

Even before the sun rises, Zea was already up and packed her bags. She ran her fingers through her hair and moved its strands behind her ears. She put on a dainty earring in place and twisted its tip until a soft blue light blinked for three seconds.

"Where are you?"

Her brows suddenly furrowed when she heard the strong sound of revved-up engines humming against their listening device.

"Hey? Are you on a street race? You know you need to be at the school right now."

"I'm at the school right now." Ethan drawled with a wicked smirk, as he eyes the group of students lounging on their lavish sports cars, all lined up in the school quadrangle for a street race.

"Don't cause too much trouble. It's your entrance exam today."

"This my entrance exam." His gaze intensified as well as the thunderous sound of his blue Maserati GranCabrio's. "If you want to get into SIBS. The first thing to do, is be the motherfucking trouble."

Zea smiled and shook her head as she turned off her listening device. She can't imagine what will happen to those kids now that Ethan is messing around their territory.

For sure those kids will be pissed off big time...

Just like the way she was pissed off the first time they met.

She remembered how Ethan swiftly held the knife and hurled it towards her chest. She quickly backed away. She underestimated Ethan's reach and his blade still managed to cut her shirt out.

He playfully smiled as he expertly twirls his karambit knife between his fingers.

 

"Nice..." His grin got even wider. His devilish eyes looking intently at her rosy white chest. "You better get your act together or else you'll walk out of this training room naked."

How could she ever forget him? When he was the one who trained her in combat knife fighting and made her stood in the training room half-naked.

She tried to dig up information about him but it seems like Ethan is on a high-level tier and anything about him is classified. At least she's glad that they were on the same side and most of all, he's a friend, an annoying one.

Zea immediately left the hotel and went straight to a nearby village close to their campus.

"Apartment 803." She smiled as she stared at the two-story apartment where she is about to stay.

She keyed in the passcode and the door automatically opened. A simple yet spacious house welcomed her. This will be her home, Astrid's home.

She glanced around the place and noticed a few CCTV cameras. She headed towards the living room but her attention quickly shifted to the large family photo hanging on the wall.

Now that's some mad photoshop skills you got on there... She couldn't help but chuckle while looking at how her photo was seamlessly edited together with her fake parents. There are more family pictures set up around the room, on the shelves and coffee table— everything in the house seemed well-kept, like a normal home where a highschooler belong.

She went up to her bedroom, only to be greeted by the bright yellow walls papered with tacky cartoon posters.

The hell with this shit? I'm supposed to be a high school student, not a fifth grader.

She opened her closet. All school uniforms, clothes, dresses, shoes, and accessories are neatly organized. She then proceeded to the study room where a tall bookshelf welcomed her. Her eyes squinted when she noticed a vintage cassette player in the left corner of the shelf. Zea walked towards it and lightly ran her fingers over its buttons before pushing the eject button.

A loud clicking sound initiated and the vast bookshelf parted in half. The shelves moved sideward and revealed a straight hallway towards a highly secured titanium door.

 

Zea smirked. Now we're talking...

Just as she was about to walk through the secret hallway, the doorbell suddenly rang. She hurried towards the cassette player, slumped it shut, and the concealed door shifted back in place along with the shelves.

Zea scurried down the stairs and pressed the button on the video intercom. On the screen, two young women were standing in front of her doorstep. But what caught her eyes was the SIBS emblem on their white university jackets.

If it ain't my lucky day...

"Hi!" greeted one of the girls as soon as she opened the door. "We're students from AIC University. If you don't have anything to do, maybe you can drop by and visit our event?" said the other girl who excitedly handed her a flyer.

Zea's eyes narrowed towards the leaflet. "SIBS Bazaar?"

"Yes, we're having a bazaar right across the street. In front of the commercial area. It's actually for a charity cause. All proceeds will go to SIBS' sponsored students who are currently studying at AIC University. By the way are your parents here?" 

"No. I'm all alone"

"I hope you can stop by our bazaar. There are lots of good stuff there. All the products, arts, and crafts are made by highly talented students of the SIBS Foundation."

She smirked. Just the thought of their organization makes her blood boil.

Zea let out her fakest smile. "Alright."

Wearing a red shirt, black jeggings, and a pair of white sneakers. Zea went to the said event and was amazed at the number of people who are actually supporting this bazaar. The whole strip was packed.

Let's help unprivileged kids have a bright future.

Her lips twisted in dismay as she read the tagline on their event poster. Bright future my ass!

She roamed around. There were lots of shops and products to choose from. Every student are busy on their designated booths and all of them are enthusiastic in selling their stuff.

From lotions and perfumes at the Future Chemist Booth to paintings and personalized items at the Future Artist Booth, and even food, drinks, and gadgets from the Future Entrepreneurs. The Bazaar looks festive. If she didn't know about the SIBS' hidden issues. She would have thought that their intentions are pure and noble.

"I used to be homeless."

Zea quickly turned to the stage when she heard a girl's voice speaking from the audio-video presentation that was being played on the huge LED screen.

"I wanted to go to school but we dont have money for that. Having one meal a day is already a struggle for me and my siblings. And that we have to wait on the fast-food dumpster just to scavenge for some leftovers. I wanted to pick up some thrown canned goods and food packs. But I was afraid of giving it to my younger sisters because I dont know what it was. I can't read. None of us does. I want to read what was written in the packet. But I couldn't understand a thing. I'm poor and I'm illiterate. Is there anything worst than that?"

Zea's eyes suddenly swam in tears. Her heart, aching just hearing this poor girl's trembling voice.

"I have two little sisters depending on me. I don't wanna die stupid. As well as my sisters. Good thing that SIBS organization came into our lives."

A sharp pain stabbed Zea's heart.

"SIBS gave us the opportunity to learn. Not just education, they also provided us with a decent place to stay and proper meals to eat every day. Now, in my last year in college. Having been blessed by this organization, I want to give back to others. For all the things and opportunities that the SIBS Program gave us. I will gladly serve this organization until my last breath."

Tears burned Zea's eyes. She gritted her teeth. How can they play with other people's hearts... Using their difficult situation and weaknesses for their own good?

A gentle tap on her shoulder caught her attention. She wiped her tears away and looked up to see a man standing in front of her, offering her a smile as he handed her a handkerchief.

 

"Thanks," she muttered.

 

"You know, all the students here are sponsored by SIBS," he said.

 

Her eyes darted around, taking in the groups of people wearing white and blue university jackets.

 

"I'm curious - what's with the colored jackets?"

"Oh... that's the classification of the sponsored students. Those ones wearing the white jackets are the sponsored students of SIBS. And the other group wearing the blue jackets are the Elite SIBS Members."

"Elite?" Zea glared at the group of guys he was pointing at.

"Yes, they are the excellent students sponsored by SIBS. Not necessarily in academics. Some of them are athletes, computer geniuses, chemists, scientists and so much more."

She timidly nodded.

 

So, these are the students the organization has been honing... athletes for underground fights, computer geniuses for hacking high-security systems, chemists and scientists, for developing high-grade drugs and biological warfare. This organization is making me sick!

"But the Elites also includes the children of rich families who donate to this organization," he added.

"Are you also a member of the SIBS organization?"

He smilingly shook his head. "No. I'm actually the highschool guidance counselor. I'm just here to supervise the students. From what school are you from?"

"I just moved here. I'll start attending class tomorrow at AIC."

"Really?!" The young man's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, we might bump into each other on the school grounds."

"Mr. Imperial!" called out by one of the students running through the crowd. "The principal has been looking for you."

The young guidance counselor glanced at her once more. "See you around the campus!"

Zea walked around to see what the rest of the booths have to offer. But to her dismay, the road was blocked by a crowd of screaming young girls as if following some famous actor who happens to be in the area. 

"Did you get a clear shot?"

"Let me see it!"

 

"Oh my God, he's so handsome!"

"Wait! I have to take a video of him. For sure it'll be a hit on I*******m!"

The girls started push each other just to get a glimpse of this man and Zea tried her best to evade the crowd but was instantly caught in the middle of screaming fans.

God! These girls are crazy! Zea forced her way out until she finally reached the nearby shop. Damn... These bitches are fierce. She quickly fixed her crumpled shirt and smoothed out her messed-up hair. Until she noticed a young man, standing right on the other corner of the shop, wearing a blue SIBS Jacket.

But his jacket is quite different than the others. The color, a regal, almost royal blue, is darker and it's jet black leather sleeves gives it's entire look even more swag. Her eyes scanned his broad shoulders, as well as his well built lean physique. 

 

 

Okay, I get it. This boy has been working out.

 

Tousled black hair, slightly tanned skin, and about six feet tall. She may not have gotten the full glimpse of this guy's face. But his badass aura demands respect as if everyone needs to bow down before his presence. 

GAN... she whispered as she read what was written on the back of his university jacket.

 

And who might you be?