Twisted Hearts Book 1: The Beauty Tames The Beast

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The moment I stepped into the familiar hallway of our highschool, I knew something was wrong.

Mabigat ang titig sa akin ng mga estyudante. Ramdam kong sinusundan nila ako ng tingin at pinagmamasdan ang aking bawat galaw. Leon and I have talked last Saturday. He needed a lot of answers but I could only give him few.

"It's okay, Belle. You don't need to tell me everything. Just know that I'm going to be here to protect you, no matter what, okay? You're like a little sister to me," he said gently.

Laking pasasalamat ko sa pagiging maunawain ni Leon. He's too good for me. Even for just a friend. He doesn't deserve a broken family that my insane mother is trying to cause them.

"—siya yun diba?"

"Anak ng mistress ni governor?"

"Talagang sa school paper pa?"

Rinig na rinig ko ang kanilang mga usapan. I ignored them all and pretended that everything is normal. Pagpasok ko sa aming classroom ay halos lahat ng aking mga classmates ay napatingin sa akin. I swallowed hard. Mapanghusga ang kanilang mga mata. Leon is staring at the floor. A worried look appeared on Isla's face.

Mabilis akong lumapit sa kaniya.

"B-Belle . . . kasi ano—"

"Give me that." I demanded when I saw her holding a schoolpaper on her hands. Dahan-dahan niya itong iniabot sa akin. Humigpit ang aking hawak sa papel nang makita ko ang nasa front page ng Sulat-Kamay Volume #11.

Governor Armendanez caught cheating with a mystery woman

By Isabelle Avanzado

My eyes hungrily scanned the content of the article.

"It seems like the good-hearted governor of the town is hiding a dark secret from everyone. Governor Raul Armendanez had been caught getting steamy with the town's businesswoman and owner of Avanzado Fisheries, Margaret Avanzado at the town hall . . ."

Labis akong nagulat sa nabasa.

"Belle, did you . . ." Isla trailed off.

Umiling-iling ako. "No. I didn't write this article."

May sinasabi pa si Isla ngunit kaagad na akong lumabas ng classroom. I ran as fast as I could to the school's publication office. Ibinalibag kong pagbukas ang pintuan at nadatnan ang nagkakagulong staff sa loob.

"Belle!" sigaw ni Kristoff sa akin. Lumapit siya at niyugyog ang aking balikat. "What the hell is this?"

Marahan kong inalis ang kaniyang mga kamay. "I didn't write that article, Kristoff. Hindi ako nag nag-publish ng volume na ito."

"This volume is everywhere!" galit nitong turan sa akin. "Minutes from now, it will reach the principal. Baka ipatawag ako dahil sa eskandalong ito . . . or worse, they could close down the school publication."

Sumikip ang aking dibdib sa narinig. Kristoff is always calm and composed. Kahit marami kaming deadlines na hinahabol ay ni minsan, hindi ko pa siya nakitang ganito ka-galit. Kaya naman sobra ang panglulumo ko sa nangyaring ito sa aming school paper.

"Toff," our news editor, Charmaine appeared inside, grabbing a girl by her arms. Lumipat ang aking tingin sa babae. Siya ang palaging kasama nila Cara at Camelia simula nang mag-away kami. My eyes widened. "Apparently, our new recruit did this."

"What?" hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan ni Kristoff ang babae. "Laurel, ikaw ang may gawa nito?"

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Laurel at tumingin sa sahig. Mas lalong sumidhi ang galit ko. with heavy footsteps, I approached her and grabbed her shoulders.