Ashton's POV
"Besh!" I followed the voice that distracted me from tapping my pen on the table.
She cheerfully ran towards me and regrets it afterwards when she caught the attention of my classmates.
I chuckled. "Good morning din," I greeted. She enthusiastically sat beside me and showed me her ring.
My smile loosened. "Binigay sa'kin ni Voughn!" she squeaked.
I forced a sweet smile.
"That's pretty," I complimented.
"Inaya niya ako maging date sa prom," kinikilig na kuwento niya at bahagya pa akong hinampas.
Hindi pa ro'n natapos ang kuwento niya at marami pa siyang sinabi sa'kin. Kung paano raw siya sinurpresa ni Voughn kahapon at kung paano raw niya pinigilan ang sariling maihi sa kilig.
Voughn is her suitor. He's from the Senior Highschool Department and matagal na siyang crush ni Maria. Kaya nga kilig na kilig siya ngayon. Voughn is popular in our school. His father's actually one of the shareholders of this school.
You must be wondering why I don't feel so happy about her story.
Voughn was my suitor. He's complicated actually. He still gives me messages and ilang beses ko na rin siyang sinabihang tumigil na pero hindi siya nakikinig and then I found out na lang na bestfriend ko naman ang nililigawan niya.
I don't want to hurt Maria as much as I don't want her to fall for Voughn. He's nothing but a boy who's good for nothing. He's not even a man. I don't want him for my bestfriend as much I don't want him for myself.
But seeing her eyes glimmer because of him? It's not easy to be frank with her knowing how sensitive she is.
Her infatuation to Voughn distracts her from pessimism. Having him is a good and a bad thing for Maria. He can make her happy for a day or two and end up hurting her the next day. I can't afford to see her fall apart again.
Maria's from a well-to-do family. Her father is the current principal of the school. She never brag about it. Ang totoo nga niyan nobody knows it except me obviously. Hindi kasi siya totoong anak ng father niya.
Yes, she's adopted. And she finds it shameful. Lalo na sa ibang kaklase naming mga kinulang sa aruga ng magulang at binubully siya.
She's an introvert type and ako lang talaga ang kinakausap niya. Kung hindi pa nga kami naging mag seatmates baka hindi ko rin siya naging kaibigan. There's also a big possibility na maging loner din ako buong taon.
I'm not an introvert nor an extrovert. I guess you can call me an ambivert? I'm silent most of the time but I don't have any self-esteem issues. I just don't like to talk.
I also don't like mingling with others kaya isa lang ang kaibigan ko. Feeling ko naman kasi hindi ko sila makakasundo so why bother? Some call me maldito and maarte, but you know what? I don't care. I don't need a lot of friends besides mukhang hindi rin naman nila trip makipagkaibigan sa baklang kagaya ko. Maria is more than enough for me.
I can somehow relate to her life.
"Ang tagal naman ni Sir," Beatrice said while wearing her usual blue nail polish. She's sitting on her table while doing her nails. I looked away when she turned to look at me.
"Bitch," she murmured. Nagpanting ang tenga ko sa sinabi niya. Did this blue witch just call me a bitch?
Tatayo na sana ako para sagutin siya nang maramdaman ko ang paghawak sa'kin ni Maria. I frantically looked at her. She shook her head. I tried to calm myself at bumalik nang maayos sa pagkakaupo ko.
Pasalamat siyang smurf siya at nandito si Maria. Smurf dahil halos lahat ng gamit niya ay blue. Kulang na lang pati balat niya pintahan niya ng blue. Psh! Hindi ako magdadalawang isip ingudngod 'yang face niya sa sahig kapag sinagad niya 'ko.
Yes, I am silent. But I never mentioned that I've never been to trouble. Ilang beses na rin akong napunta sa guidance office dahil sa mga kagaya ng blue bitch na 'to at mga hinayupak na nangbu-bully kay Maria. Wala akong pakialam kung lalaki o babae ang hinaharap ko. Wala rin akong pakialam kahit mas marami pa sila sa strands ng buhok sa ulo ko.
Basta tama ako ilalaban ko talaga.
Napatingin ako kay Maria nang kuhanin niya ang pen kong malapit nang mabali sa sobrang higpit ng hawak ko. "Just ignore her, Besh."
"Good morning class."
Natahimik ang buong k'warto nang dumating ang first subject teacher namin. I glanced at my wrist watch. He's 36 minutes late. The fun thing is he was never late and he hates tardiness. It's his first time being late since June.
There must be something.
"How was your weekend?" he asked to the class. My classmates answered his question in chorus while I remain silent.
I glanced at the door and I noticed a black shoe peaking from behind. "I'd like all of you to meet your new classmate," he announced.
My two brows raised as the man from behind the door entered the room with his head bowed down. He closed the book he was reading and lifted his head.
Goodness gracious...
"Ang g'wapo!" rinig kong bulong ng kambal sa likod.
"Introduce yourself," Teacher said. He pushed his eyeglasses and scanned us for a few seconds before opening his mouth.
"I'm Fovi," he introduced shortly, still scanning my classmates like a xerox machine.
"Okay? So please find yourself a seat."
I winced when he looked at me. I started panicking when he started walking towards me. "May I take this seat?" he asked. Napatingin ako sa bakanteng upuang nasa tabi ko malapit sa bintana.
"Y-Yeah," I answered while trying to avoide his gaze.
"Nice to meet you, Ash," he murmured. My eyes grew big from what he just said. How did he know my name?
I looked at him and I was caught off guard when I met his eyes. Nice green eyes. I gave him a questioning look. Have we met before?
"Your identification card is facing me," he said. My face heated and turned my ID. I thought he knew me. What a dick head.
"You're an orphan."
My eyebrows met from what he just said. How did he know that? I just met him and he already knows my secret!
I tried to calm myself. Maybe he's just a guy who gets off on assuming people's lives. Even Maria doesn't know about that and we've been friends for years. There's no freaking way that this Fovi guy will know about my secret. I just met him like a minute ago.
"You know nothing," I growled.
"You're an orphan who lives on #78 Sampaguita Street," he said accurately and looked straight ahead like it was nothing. My lips parted. How did he fucking know those things?! Is he a stalker?
He pushed his eyeglasses and smiled at me. "Your Identification Card's back information is facing me."
Ilang beses akong napapikit bago ko naabsorb ang sinabi niya. Napatingin ako sa ID kong nakabalandara sa kanya. My address is plastered there.
Pero paano niya nalamang orphan ako? Hindi naman nakalagay sa ID ko 'yun, ah?
"You seemed to be very puzzled to a conspicuous fact, Mister Ashton Retorica Dieúr," he chuckled. Lalong kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. He looked in front.
"Your guardian's name is Melissa Hudson Santos. Your surname and middle name doesn't match with hers, you're technically strangers. You can ask your parents or other relatives to be your guardian but you have no idea who they are that's why you chose to ask for a stranger, who happens to be close to you which means..." He turned to look at me.
"...you are an orphan," he smirked. I closed my eyes multiple times from what he just said.
What the fuck?