Chasing For Life

Chasing For Life (1)

I flew up and give him my famous upper cut that made him slouched down on floor and double bleed his nose.

Ngumisi ako nang makitang hinang-hina siyang nakahandusay sa sahig at magang-maga ang buong kaliwang pisngi. The chant of audience growl more when he held the stick of white flag and wave it sideward: a sign of surrending.

Oh yeah! Don't underestimate woman kind you stupid!

Humarap ako sa audience at tinignan silang lahat mula sa ikatlong balkonahe hanggang sa ibaba ng boxing ring. Some faces are snorting while majority are cheering me up by chanting my codename. I grin widely.

I raised up my two hands and made a rock 'n roll sign, I even pull out my tongue and shout, “Yeah!”

After an hour, pawis na pawis ako sa private room ko, oh yes, I have a private room in this Ruico Fighting Ground because they consider me as a very important person, I'm an asset to their clan. I just beat fifty-six male fighter since I was sixteen up to now and I have still no lose. That’s rock.

Hinubad ko ang white hoodie ko at lumitaw agad ang tattoo sa baywang ko. It was a lame fading white rose.

Walang nakapapasok dito sa room na ito dahil iyon ang bilin ko at mahigpit nilang sinusunod.

Tumaas ang kilay ko nang bumukas ang pinto ng room at lumitaw ang hingal na hingal na si Juaquin, my only trusted male friend, o dahil makapal na talaga ang mukha niya para bastang pumasok sa kwartong ito. Yumuko siya at humawak sa tuhod niya habang mabilis na tumataas-baba ang balikat; humahagilap ng hangin. He's on his usual black pants, white shirt, a hoddie that's covering his head, but something's off in him.

“Did you just race with horse, Quin?”

Umiling siya at tumayo ng maayos, napansin ko agad ang hawak niyang dyaryo na nalamukos dahil sa higpit ng hawak niya. I scanned his face and only a worried look painted on it. I know there’s something wrong.

“Bakit?” I snapped.

“Huwag kang mabibigla!”

“Idiot. I can’t promise unless I see what it is!”

Pasensyosa akong babae pero dahil sa reaksyon niya'y naubos ang pisi ko. I grabbed the paper he was holding and my eyes immediately went on front headline. I creased my eyebrow for a bullshit written on it.

HEADLINE NEWS:

Ikawalo ng Abril, isang henyo ang natagpuang patay sa loob ng selda eksaktong tatlong araw ang nakalipas matapos nitong makulong dahil umano sa pagnakaw nito ng mahalagang simbolo ng institusyong kinabibilangan nito...

Nilamukos ko ang dyaryong binabasa ko ‘saka pabalyang binato sa dingding. I clenched my fist to control my uneven breathing pattern. The anger flowing all over my veins can’t stop immediately after I read that piece of shit headline news.

Tumayo ako at malakas na sinipa ang monoblock, causing it to flew away and crack after it touch the thick wall.

Hinablot ko ang kwelyo ni Juaquin at galit na nagtanong. “Saan mo nakuha ‘yan?”

He raised his both hands and grimaced. “Woah, hold up your horse there. Hindi ako ang kalaban. I’m not the journalist nor a Mesre unlike your brother.”

Binitiwan ko siya at nahimasmasan. Right, he doesn't know anything. Like me.

Dahil nakatira kami sa South, Gresia City. O mas kilala bilang lower class. Mga mahihirap. Mga dukha. Mga walang alam. Mga mangmang. It’s impossible for us to keep in touch with Northians, mga nakatira sa North, Gresia City. Ito ang salungat namin, this is the upper class people. Mayayaman, maimplwensya, pasarap lang sa buhay, henyo, magagaling, tanyag. The dominance are males. What a greed creature.

May isang pinakakilalang institusyon ang Northians, ito ay nasa pagitan ng North at East, ang mga middle class, at kilala sa tawag na Monomentosori Institution; it’s a boarding institue for genius, for male genius to be exact. And they are called Mesre. Lahat ng nagtatapos doon ay nagkakamit ng masaganang buhay. Dahil naniniwala silang lalake lang dapat ang dominance ng mundo, lalake lang dapat ang may karapatan at may hawak ng batas.

Ab-fucking-surd.

That’s why my brother was there because he was chosen, a brilliant man! He was genius for creating something even a mad scientist didn’t think about. Si Kuya Van na rin siguro ang pinakamabait doon (si kuya lang naman ang kilala ko doon) pero alam kong mabait si kuya!

He will not do something so shocking that so out of his personality—stealing!

Anong mapapala niya sa Cresia? A Gresia's emblem. And now he was killed because of wrong and pointless accusation?

Mabilis akong lumabas sa room at naramdaman ko ang pagsunod saakin ni Juaquin. Sumakay ako kay Ginya, a white horse, at inangkas na rin ang lalakeng buntot ko. We went to a near computer shop and damn it for a high price. Ang hirap kumita ng pera.

I tried to scan the information my brother's death but there's none. It was private. I need to have an access before I can open it.

Hinampas ko ang mesang sa sobrang frustration. “Kainis!”

“Chill, Val.” Bulong ni Juaquin sa likuran ko. Tumalim ang tingin ko sakanya at agad siyang lumayo.

“Hoy, Valencia Guillermo, bakit ka nandito?”

Sinilip ko mula sa screen ng monitor ang paparating na si Melodia, ang kaibigan kong maingay. Anak din siya ng may ari ng shop na ito.

“Bakit, bawal ba?” Masungit na tanong ko.

“Hindi, pero kuripot ka kaya imposibleng nandito ka para maglustay ng pera sa internet. Bakit ka pala mukhang inis na inis dyan?” Naramdaman ko ang paglapit niya saakin at pagsilip sa ginagawa ko.

“What's the use of our friendship, then?” I smirk. Bumaling ako ulit sa monitor. “Paano ba magka-access sa site ng Montesto na ‘to!” Inis na atungal ko sa sarili.

I was trying to open but to no avail. Hindi rin ako magaling sa hacking dahil hindi ako si Kuya Van at wala akong time mag-aral ng hacking.

“Oh, ‘yan pala. You can only open it when you have an ID of Montesto.” Sagot ni Melodia. Tumingin ako sakanya at mukha siyang wala sa sariling nagpapaliwanag habang hawak ang baba.

“And to get an ID of Montesto, of course you need to be a Mesre there!”

For the first time after I was left alone, I stiffened. “How to?” I tried my very hard to sound my voice strong and undefeated.

“Mag-eenroll ka, syempre. Open sites ang online enrolling nila, then if you pass, punta ka sa institute mismo ‘saka ka kumuha ulit ng hard copy test. Why, don't tell me papasok ka r'on?” Natatawa niyang tanong.

Seryoso ko silang tinignan ni Juaquin (na mukhang bampirang namutla) at tumango. “Yes, and you need to help me in.”

She shrieked. “Uulitin ko lang ha, baka lumagpas sa pandinig mo ‘to, it is Monomentosori Institue Exlusive for Boys! Boys, Val. Boys! Gets mo? Para sa lalake lang ‘yon!”

I smirked. “Who said i’m going there in my woman form?”

Juaquin, my dearest stupid friend ask, “you have a male form?!”

Hanggang langit ang pagtaas ng eyeballs ko. I ignored his dumb question. “Now, where and how exactly to get in there?”

“You know what, ako nalang ang papasok d’on para sa ‘yo, you don’t need to do this,” sinserong hinawakan ni Quin ang kamay ko.

With his thinking capability?

I snorted. “Thanks, but no thanks. I'll fit there more.”

Natawa kaming pareho ni Melodia as Juaquin started puckering his lips.

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Author's note:

woah. *takip-mukha* comments! This is only teaser. Tatapusin ko muna 'yung isa kong novel. Haha.