Gangster High

The Only Rule

Chapter 2

THE ONLY RULE

I should have not felt this, but I was too curious kung ano ang gagawin nila sa intruder na 'yon. Usually, the School Administration would not allow this. Bullying was something every school should not tolerate. However, the intruder's situation was not just a bullying case. He was... tortured, and Mr. Dominic Hontraver did not even bother to punish the assailants.

Still thinking about what might happen to him, I headed to the girl's dormitory. Well, yeah. At least ay may isang tama na umiiral sa eskwelahang ito. The girl's dormitory was separated from the boy's dorm. Nasa right side ng school building ang four floors dormitory ng mga babae at nasa left side naman ang sa mga lalaki.

I heaved a sigh habang pinagmamasdan ko ang dorm. All the facilities here were absolutely amazing. Ang lawak ng buong compound, ang magandang design ng school building, ang dorms, ang gym, ang oval o field, ang shower rooms, ang cafeteria. Lahat ay nasa ayos at masasabi kong ginastusan talaga ng malaking halaga.

Sino'ng mag-aakala na may hindi kaaya-ayang nangyayari sa loob nito? I heard the conversation, and I was curious to know what they were talking about. I want to know what Mr. Hontraver said. Next fight. What was he talking about? Fight of what?

Napabuntong-hininga ulit ako. Saka ko lang napansin na nakapasok na pala ako sa loob ng dorm. Sa sulok ng mga mata ko ay napasin ko ang dorm's canteen. Yes. May bukod na cafeteria ang mga dorm dito. Makikita 'yon sa left side ng first floor, katabi ng isang may kalakihang kwarto na parang bar. Hell yes! May bar sa loob nito kung saan ay malayang uminom at magsaya ang mga babaeng nakatira sa dorm na ito. Sa right side naman ng entrance ng dorm ay makikita ang elegante at paikot na hagdan paakyat sa ibang palapag. Hindi rin nawala ang elevator doon.

Kahit hindi ako lumingon, alam kong nakasunod ang tingin sa akin ng mga estudyanteng nasa canteen. Even those who were inside the bar were staring at me, I knew. I felt their stares. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit nila ako tinitingnan nang ganoon. But for now, I didn't care.

Walang pakialam na humakbang ako patungo sa elevator. Hindi ko na sila nilingon o sinulyapan man lang. Ayokong makita ang mga kakaibang titig nila. Naiirita ako. So glad na walang ibang laman ang elevator kaya malaya akong nakaakyat na hindi naiistorbo.

Nasa third floor ang kwarto ko. Maganda rin 'yon, but there was only one thing na hindi ko nagustuhan doon. I had to share the room. Obviously ay ayoko na may kasama. Well, ganito talaga yata sa mga dorm. Hindi ka pwedeng bigyan ng special room.

Sa kwarto ko ay may kasama akong tatlo pang estudyante base sa mga single beds na nakita ko roon. Hindi ko sila nakita nang araw na dinala ko ang mga gamit ko rito. Besides, I was not interested as long as they were putting themselves in their places.

Tahimik kong hinawakan ang doorknob ng pinto saka binuksan sa normal na paraan. I saw those two familiar faces and one unfamiliar face. The three were looking at me as if I was a ghost. Nakamaang silang lahat.

Any problem I was here?

"Temple..." It took a long couple of seconds bago nakabawi sa pagkamaang si Fashia at nakangiting lumapit sa akin. "So, you are our new roommate. Isn't it great?"

"Yeah." Medyo nakahinga rin ako nang maluwag na sila ang kasama ko sa kwartong ito. It was quite good na rin. Besides, they were the first students here na lumapit at nakipagkaibigan sa akin kanina.

Wait. Who was this girl na kanina pa nakatitig sa akin? She was cute. Parang bata na nakatali pataas ang buhok sa magkabilang gilid ng ulo n'ya. Sa pagkakatitig n'ya sa akin, parang amaze na amaze s'ya. Wala sa loob na lumapit ako sa kanya at bahagyang yumuko para magkapantay ang mga mukha namin.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"N-No. Nothing. It's just that, the rumor was true all this time. You're such a beauty." I saw the amusement sparked in her green eyes. "They said you could be a fighter."

"What?"

Ilang saglit na natigilan ang babae at nanatiling nakatitig sa mga mata ko. Parang nagdalawang isip sya na sagutin ang tanong ko. Tapos ay naramdaman ko na lang ang paghila ni Fashia sa braso ko para ilayo sa bata.

"Leave her alone, Temple. Bata pa yan. Nasa first year pa lang 'yan and obviously, she is the youngest among us here. Huwag mo s'yang takutin. By the way, her name is Naami Stones. Naami, meet Temple Strawford," sabi ni Fashia na nakangiti.

"I know her. Nice meeting you Ate Temple—er, can I call you ate? Like Ate Fashia and Ate Heina?" ngumiti rin si Naami.

Tumango na lang ako at tumalikod para tumungo sa kama ko. Binalewala ko na lang ang sinabi ni Naami at padapang ibinagsak ang sarili kong katawan sa malambot na higaan.

I closed my eyes. Kasabay naman noon ay bigla kong naalala ang mga narinig at nasaksihan ko kanina.

Sinundan ko kung saan dinala ang intruder. Sa school clinic. Kakaunti na ang mga estudyanteng nakikitsismis kaya malaya akong nakapasok.

Walang kasama sa kuwarto ang kawawang lalaki maliban sa isang nurse or doctor or whatever. Parang hindi nagkakalayo ang edad nito kay Miss Meira. Ang kaibahan lang, may ngiti sa mga labi nito nang tumingin sa akin.

Sinenyasan n'ya akong pumasok kaya walang pag-aatubiling sumunod ako kahit ang totoo ay nakakaramdam ako ng kakaibang takot kapag pumapasok ako sa ganitong klase ng lugar. Bumabalik ang lahat ng takot at masasakit na alaala sa pagkatao ko.

At first, hindi ko alam kung ano'ng gagawin ko sa loob, but after a few minutes, nagdesisyon na lang akong panoorin ang ginagawa n'ya sa kawawa at ngayon ay wala nang malay na intruder. It felt like I was the one who was feeling the pain sa tuwing dinadampian n'ya ng gamot ang mga sugat ng lalaki. For God's sake. Hindi ko pa nararanasang magkasugat ng ganito karami kapag napapalaban ako.

"Kawawa naman ang isang ito. Mabuti na lang at hindi si Creed ang gumawa nito sa kanya. Kung nagkataon, baka ngayon ay hindi na s'ya umabot pa rito sa akin," parang walang ano mang sabi ng doctor.

So, this was a normal thing here.

"You are Temple Strawford, right?" He gave me that friendly smile, so I nodded. "Great. I'm Dr. Chris Levesque. As you can see, I'm the school doctor here and yes, this kind of situation is very very normal for me."

"Normal? You mean, this is not the first time na gumawa sila ng ganyan?"

"Yes. And to tell you the truth, this is nothing compared to the past patients here. I think, may kailangan pa silang malaman sa lalaking ito."

"And what are you gonna do to him? Are you not going to return him to his school?"

Tumayo si Dr. Levesque at nagsimulang ayusin ang mga ginamit n'ya. "He will stay here until Mr. Hontraver lets him leave. Besides, this intruder was sent here, you know. Well, hindi naman maglalakas loob ang isang ito na pumasok dito ng walang paalam kung wala s'yang mahalagang pakay. Everyone in this game knows how territorial Rapsodhee High is."

"Game?" halos magdikit ang mga kilay ko sa pagkakasalubong. "What game."

"Oh." Dr. Levesque clasped his own forehead. "I almost forgot, may gagawin pa nga pala ako. Come on, Miss Strawford, I'll walk you out."

"Wait. I need to know—"

"Not now, Miss Strawford. Not from me," huli n'yang sinabi bago ako marahang itinulak palabas at pinagsarhan ng pinto.

Napapailing na tumalikod ako at humakbang palabas ng clinic. Napaisip ako. I thought, there were only spoiled brat teenagers here calling themselves a gangster, but I guessed I was wrong. There was something unusual here.

"Where the hell is Creed?!"

My feet automatically stopped when I heard that shout. Napalingon sa isang kuwarto sa kaliwa ng pasilyo. Nakaawang ang pinto kaya malaya kong nakita ang nasa loob. Hindi ako nagkamali, si Mr. Hontraver ang nagsalita. Kasama n'ya ang tatlong ugok na Student Council.

"Ilang araw na ba simula nang umalis ang lalaking 'yon?" I heard Brusky Holand asked.

"Three weeks. Wala akong alam kung nasaan s'ya o kung ano ang ginagawa n'ya. Basta na lang s'ya umalis nang walang paalam," Draven Adkins answered. I noticed the confusing look on his face.

"That devil! Hindi n'ya ba naisip na kailangang narito s'ya bago dumating ang araw ng laban natin sa Mary Kane College?" iritadong asik ni Mr. Hontraver. Nagpabalik-balik s'ya sa harapan ng tatlo habang nakalagay ang mga kamay sa sariling bewang.

"Relax, Mr. Hontraver. Creed is responsible enough. We all know that. I'm sure, he'll be here by tomorrow," Kamko Xiao said in his playful voice. "Marahil ay apektado pa rin s'ya sa pagkawala ni Mikki at kailangan n'ya ng mga araw para magpalamig. He'll be back, I'm sure."

"Dapat lang. We need him for the next fight. Without him, we could not defeat Mary Kane College. You all know that," sabi ng School Administrator.

"We could. You're underestimating us, Mr. Hontraver. All officials are capable of taking down anyone. We can take MKC down, you know. Piece of cake." Draven smirked.

"Hayaan na natin sila. Maganda na rin na sila mismo ang pumili kay Creed para maging kalaban nila. I'm sure, after that, mapapasailalim na natin sila," sagot ni Brusky.

Kumunot ang noon ko. Fight? What fight were they talking about? It didn't sound like a normal sport. I could feel it. What the hell was that?

Ilang segundo pa at napapitlag ako nang mapansin kong nakatitig ang apat na lalaki sa akin. May narinig din akong pamilyar na caller ringtone galing sa isang cellphone. It took a few seconds before I realized what was happening.

Sa sobrang pag-iisip ko yata ay hindi ko napansin na tumutunog na pala ang cellphone ko at naagaw noon ang atensyon ng apat na lalaking nag-uusap. Ngayon nga ay nakatingin silang lahat sa akin. Nakaramdam ako ng bahagyang kaba lalo na nang humakbang patungo sa direksyon ko si Mr. Hontraver. Binuksan n'ya nang maluwag ang pinto saka ako hinarap.

"What are you doing here, Miss Strawford?" he asked in a very dangerous voice.

"Uhm." I have to clear my throat bago ako nagpatuloy sa pagsagot. "I just want to see what you are gonna do to that intruder."

"Why?" seryoso n'yang tanong.

"Because as I can see, wala kayong pakialam sa kanya." Gusto kong sapakin ang sarili ko nang marealize ko kung ano ang pinagsasabi ko. Ano ba'ng dapat na maging pakialam ko roon?

"Go back to your class now, Miss Strawford." 'Yon ang tanging isinagot sa akin ni Mr. Hontraver.

"Why are you even concern?" Draven asked even before I could speak.

I looked at him. "I am not concerned. I am just curious."

"You didn't look you're a person who gives a damn a while ago. Why are you suddenly curious? Do you know that guy?"

"No,"

"Then don't ask. It's too early for you to ask that much, you know."

I ignored him. Binalingan ko si Mr. Hontraver. "So, pwedeng magpatayan ang mga estudyante rito? Pwedeng pumatay ng intruder? Oh, I just realized. You didn't tell me the Rules and Regulations of this school when I enrolled here."

It was not really my concern. I didn't really care about the rules. I was just embarrassed for being caught red-handed and I had to act or say something that might divert me from the shame.

"Miss Strawford, let me tell you something," halos bulong na sabi ni Mr. Hontraver. "Rapsodhee High has no other rule except one. Touch move, place move. You have to remember that. Always," he said seriously.

Natigilan ako. Touch move, place move? What the—that was a chess game rule.

"What was that even mean?" I asked.

"As Mr. Adkins said, it's too early for you to ask questions. You can go back to your class now. Good day, Miss Strawford," he replied. "Don't worry. The intruder will be just fine. I just don't know how long it will be."

Then he closed the door and left me jaw-drop outside.

What the hell did he just say?