How To Survive A Grumpy Gangster

PROLOGUE

"Ms. Dacera! Are you even listening to me? O baka kailangan ko pang i-drawing ko pa sa blackboard para lang makuha ko 'yung atensyon mo?"

I didn't blink. Nakasandal ako sa upuan ko, my baby blue high-tops resting on the edge of the teacher's desk. "Ma'am, I'm listening. Sabi niyo kanina, 'blah blah blah, discipline, blah blah, focus.' Correct me if I'm wrong, but that was a solid summary."

My terror of a teacher, Mrs. Santos, was vibrating with so much rage na akala mo magiging Super Saiyan na siya any minute. She even looked like she was about to have a stroke.

"Bagsak ka nanga sa basic quiz ko! Anak ka ng—" Hindi niya natuloy ang sasabihin niya dahil biglang bumukas ang pinto ng Faculty Office.

Pumasok ang isang teacher habang may kinakaladkad na estudyante, walang iba kundi ang kambal ko, si Isaac. He looked like he just crawled out of a mosh pit. He had a cut on his lip and his uniform was disheveled, but his face? Deadpan. 100% IDGAF energy.

"Mr. Dacera!" sigaw ng principal na sumunod sa kanya. "You sent three students to the infirmary today! Hindi ka ba magtitino?"

Isaac shrugged, his voice cold. "He was breathing too loudly. It was distracting."

"Pang-limang beses mo na itong linggong nakikipag-away! You are the top of your class, a consistent achiever, but your disciplinary record is longer than a CVS receipt! Bakit mo na naman sinapak 'yung mga officers ng Student Council?"

Isaac didn't say a word. He just stared at the floor, his chest heaving.

"See this?" Mrs. Santos turned back to me, frustrated. "Ang kambal mo, nananakit. Ikaw naman, walang ginawang matino! You two are the biggest headaches of this school! Kaya naman pala walang tumanggap sa inyong ibang school!"

"Kaka-transfer niyo lang last month dito, puro na problema ang binigay niyo!" hirit ulit ng teacher niya, halos tumalsik ang laway sa sobrang gigil. "Aanhin namin 'yang 99 percent mo sa Physics kung balang araw sa kulungan ang bagsak mo? You're a menace to society!"

"Moriah!" bulyaw ulit ni Mrs. Santos na ayaw magpatalo sa volume. "Aanhin mo 'yang ganda mo kung pati basic subtraction, kailangan mo pa ng calculator? You can't just aesthetic your way out of life!"

Grabe, para silang nagdu-duel sa The Voice, pero version ng mga galit na teachers. Palakasan ng boses at padamihan ng panunumbat. One side was screaming about broken noses, while the other was screaming about my broken brain cells. I just sat there while matching Isaac's 'I-will-end-you' aura. We're like a glitch in our new school, like the genius delinquent and the pretty failure.

Paglabas namin ng office, sinabayan ko si Isaac sa hallway.

"You're so annoying, Isaac! Bakit ba kailangan mong manapak? We're trying to lay low!" I hissed, checking my reflection in my phone.

"Lay low? Shut up!" Isaac retorted, not even looking at me. "Saka, they deserved it. They're talking trash about Dad."

Tumahimik ako. Ever since Dad died, Isaac lost his filter and everything went into chaos. Napabayaan na kami sa totoo lang. Even though we are protected by our Tito Lui.

"Then I'm coming with you," I said firmly.

"Saan?"

"Sa gang." I said. "I will ask tito Lui!"

He laughed. "You? You can't even follow school rules. The underworld will eat you alive."

"Watch me," I muttered.

Isaac was busy being the top 1 student, while I was busy being the twin sister who can't even pass a basic quiz.

Seriously, though? Hindi ko naman kasalanan na mas interesting ang plot ng binabasa kong webtoon kaysa sa Algebra. Statistics? More like Sad-tistics.

Sino ba kasi ang nag-imbento ng mga pakulo na 'yan?

"Tito, look! Bagay ba? Does it scream 'I am a dangerous gangsta who will eat your soul for breakfast'?"

I stood in Tito Lui's office, wearing a baby blue tactical vest over my oversized hoodie, matching my sneakers. I had my hair up in a messy ponytail, and a mischievous glint in my eyes. If I'm going into a room full of guys in black, I might as well stand out.

Tito Lui, the man who literally manages a fleet of hitmen and illegal shipments, choked on his espresso. Humawak siya sa sentido niya, looking like he was reconsidering every life choice that led him to this moment.

"Moriah, hija...you look like you're going to a paintball tournament, not a gang war. ," he groaned, wiping the coffee from his chin. "Anong 'eat your soul'? People will think you're a delivery girl."

I pouted, adjusting my belt. "It's called a distraction, Tito! They'll think I'm just a kid, then—bam!—I've already seize their recorda. Saka, nandoon si Isaac! If my twin brother can be a gangster, why can't I?"

Tito leaned back in his massive leather chair while looking at me with that I-can't-believe-this-is-my-best-friend's-daughter look.

"Moriah, your brother Isaac can handle a Glock. He has the rage for this. Ikaw? You're too impulsive. Ang huling hinawakan mo pa atang gun ay glue gun. Hindi ka marunong makipagbugbugan. Baka pag sinigawan ka lang ng 'Hoy!', umiyak ka na agad."

"I have survival skills!" I argued, lifting my chin. "I survived years of High School without a mental breakdown... okay, almost. Pero Tito, I want to be part of the team and I want to be tough."

"Tough? Maybe. But you're undisciplined," Tito Lui said, his eyes turning serious. "Pero sige, since mapilit ka... I'll let you join the field team."

My eyes lit up. "YES! O-M-G!"

"But," he raised a finger, his expression suddenly shifting to something mischievous. "You'll be handled by our most disciplined officer para naman bumagay sa pagiging walang disiplina mo. And I don't want to hear complaints. No I want to go home. Susunod ka sa kanya kahit sabihin niyang mag-squats ka buong magdamag."

"Easy peasy! Is he cool? Does he have a sense of humor?"

Tito gave a slow, pitying smile. "No, Moriah. Lux doesn't have a sense of humor. In fact, I don't think Lux likes breathing the same air as other people. Especially people like you."

I snorted, cracking my knuckles. "Kaya ko 'yan. I'll make him my best friend in five minutes! No one can resist a Dacera."

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