Rose-Colored Metamorphoses

CHAPTER 1

Grade 12- 1st Semester

Xavier's POV

Teenage years suck. Being a teenager is a total B. S., like the hell you have to deal with your hormonal sh*ts and cravings like f*ck.

Well, let's cut all the whiny shits.

I study at Harold C. Bates University, an exclusive school for the rich and gifted. I am currently a Grade Twelve student in their Senior High School program. I've been studying here since junior high.

Being in an elite school is both overwhelming and total b*llsh*t, like seeing rich spoiled brats and assh*les who do nothing but flaunt their rich ass*s every f*cking day.

But that's not the reason why I always isolate myself.

I was, well, diagnosed with Schizoid Personality Disorder. I realized that I have this mental illness when I was in Grade Nine,after a very unfortunate event, but was not diagnosed until I was in Grade Ten. Because of this, I distanced myself from crowds and the shitty population of H.C.B.U.

Well Schizoid Personality Disorder is a type of personality disorder where the person suffering from this disorder tends to be dismissive and isolated from people. They usually avoid social activities and have a limited range of emotional expression. They don't enjoy romantic and s*xual relationships and might view relationships as hindrance to their freedom. They feel they can't experience pleasure and usually lack motivation and goals. They might appear as emotionally cold and don't react when praised or criticized by other people.

This really changed me. From the positive and happy Xavier, I changed into someone far different from that Xavier. I became pessimistic. I hated people. And worse, I ran out of reasons to live like before. It was like I was living in monochrome. A world where the only colors that I can see are black and white. And the faces of the people I meet everyday are all blurred.

I distanced myself from everything. And by that, I was known in my class as "Snob Xavier".

Well, not really impressive, but I kind of liked it whenever they called me snob. I think it's better to be left like that.

Well, today's another day of a sh*tty school day in Harold C. Bates University. I got up around 5:30 in the morning, took a bath for fifteen minutes, ate my meal, wore my uniform and brushed my teeth. At 6:30, I am already in my 8:00 AM class. I stood up and gathered my things, packing them all up inside my bag.

"Oi, Ma! I'm going!" I shouted as I glanced over the master's bedroom. The door opened slightly, my Mama's head popped out. She smiled when she saw me wearing that navy blue trousers with white polo and matching navy blue coat with checkered blue tie.

"Good morning, anak. Nakuha mo ba yung baon mo sa lamesa? Did you ate your meal?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Opo, Ma. I did."

My mother smiled awkwardly. "Well then, Come on—what to say— uhm, sige anak, have a nice day! Text mo ko kung may problema ka, ha?"

Mom has been like that ever since I was diagnosed. She thinks that she's not a good mother so she keeps on insisting that I call her or something like that. I never opened up on her, even to Dad, and just always keep on saying I am fine whenever they ask me.

I nodded at Mom. And then I waved my hand before heading to our main door.

I gently closed the door as I headed out.

Going to HCBU is just easy for me. I practically almost live beside the huge campus of our school. I can reach the school in five minutes, so I am always the earliest one in our class. Well I really don't mind, since when I arrive in our classroom I'll just go straight to my seat, put my headphones on, and then look at the quadrangle below, silently watching people below.

Just like any other normal sh*t day, I arrived at the school too early. I directly went to my seat and settled there. I took out my headphones and I was about to play a song when someone came barging in.

In my vision, her face was blurred. She's wearing a matching navy blue skirt na hanggang hita and coat with a checkered blue tie. Nakasuot rin siya ng black na knee-high socks.

"Morning, Xavier! Ang aga mo naman, hindi ka ba natulog?"

I didn't answer. I just continued to scroll on my phone. The girl, being pushy, sat in front of me.

"Hey Xavier, please, talk to me. It's me, Louise. Your childhood friend, " she said as she tried to hold my wrist. I immediately pushed her hand away.

"Xavier, what is your problem? What the f*ck? You've been ignoring me since Grade Ten when all I can remember is us doing good before that. You even told me you were falling for me, remember? Then why are you avoiding me?"

I coldly stared at her. " First of all Louise, shut the f*ck up. It's certainly 7 AM in the f*cking morning and your annoying voice is what's going to greet me? Oh come on. Give me a break. Second, I certainly don't see any reason why I shouldn't ignore you. You're not special. And lastly, we cannot go back to the time before Grade Ten. Many things have changed. And you know what, Louise? F*ck off. Stop showing me your sorry a*s pretending you care. Hindi ko kailangan ang pekeng awa mo," I flatly said as I put my headphones on and blasted loud music on my ears.

I didn't feel sorry nor guilty.

I have liked Louise since we were kids. But when that unfortunate event happened in Grade Nine, I just saw myself drifting away from her. Even though I tried to maintain our friendship, I just can't. Then she had a boyfriend when we were in Grade Ten. That was a turning point and a reason why I ignored her later on.

She stood up and left the room slamming on the door. I just stared at it.

"What a bother," I said as I turned my attention to the window where I could see the quadrangle.

I didn't realize how time quickly passed. One by one, my classmates started to enter the room. All of their faces, for me, are blurred. Everything is in monochrome.

I'm not color-blind. But yet my world, everything in it, no matter how colorful it is, all I can see is black and white. And the faces of people are all blurred, as if they're erased.

It wasn't long after our homeroom adviser stepped in... With a girl behind him.

"Good morning class 12-A,I want you to meet your new classmate for this year."

Strange.

Sa paningin ko, hindi malabo ang mukha niya. Hanggang balikat ang kanyang itim na buhok. Maputi siya, at medyo namumula ang kanyang mga pisngi. Itinaas niya ang kanyang tingin sa amin at nakita ko ang may pagka-singkit at kulay kayumanggi na mga mata. Agad niyang nakuha ang atensyon ng mga lalaki sa loob ng room.

" Ohayu Gozaimasu. Watashi no namae wa Akiara desu. Oiadakite ureshi desu." She put a hand over her mouth and cleared her throat. "In Filipino,'Magandang umaga. Ang pangalan ko ay Akiara. Ako ay nagagalak na makilala kayong lahat." She smiled and she bowed down. "My full name is Akiara Matsubara. I am 17 years old. You can call me Aki-chan or Matsubara-san. I hope we can all be friends," she said.

Amaze na amaze ang mga kaklase ko. I think it was their first time seeing a Japanese schoolgirl. Well it was my first time too, but I didn't like them since I always watch anime.

" Miss Matsubara, you can take the seat beside Mr. Xavier John Mendoza. Please enjoy this school year," our homeroom adviser said.

The transferee smiled and bowed down."Arigato,sensei."

She calmly went to the seat beside me and sat there. It's quite strange. Why is her face not blurred? Why isn't she like the rest of my classmates, having blurred faces?

She turned to my direction and smiled at me. "Konnichiwa, I'm Akiara. You can call me Aki-chan."

I didn't feel anything. It is normal when you have SPD. I coldly replied. "I know."

I saw that she was quite taken aback with my cold reply. But she still smiled. And then she turned her head towards the board.

My classmates are all looking in our direction. May ibang nagbubulungan. I just coldly watched them as they did that. I really don't care about their sh*tty opinions.I turned my attention to the window and watched the students from other sections taking their P. E. class.

Mayamaya kinalabit ako ni Akiara. She's clutching her blouse. Para siyang nahihiyang tumingin sa akin."Sumimasen, Xavier-san?"

Napakunot-noo ako. "What?"

She smiled shyly. "I said, 'Excuse me, Xavier?' Sumimasen means 'Excuse me'."

"What is it?"

"The homeroom adviser is asking you something..."

Napatingin ako sa unahan. Nakatingin silang lahat sa amin.

"Ahem," Mr. Policarpio said. "Mr. Mendoza, could you give Ms. Matsubara a tour around the campus later? Since you are her seatmate..."

Lalong lumakas ang mga bulungan. May isang nagtaas ng kamay. I can't remember her name since I really don't give a f**k on people and I don't really pay attention to them that much.

"Excuse me, Sir Policarpio? Why of all people, it has to be Xavier? We all know that he's..."

"Miss De Vera, I don't see anything wrong about that. He's still your classmate."

"But what if he scares Aki-chan away? Paano kung sungitan niya si Aki-chan? We are just concerned about the outcome..."

Mr. Policarpio slammed his hand on the desk. Natigil lahat ng bulungan.

"Class, I am doing this to help your classmate to reach out to everyone. And besides, Mr. Mendoza is a—"

"Excuse me, sensei?" Akiara raised her right hand.

"What is it, Matsubara-san?"

She glanced on me shyly and then turned her sight to Mr. Policarpio."Ayos lang naman po sa akin kung si Xavier ang magto-tour sa akin. Besides, I don't see him as someone who can harm me."

"But—" sabi ng babaeng nagtaas ng kamay kanina.

Akiara smiled. "It's okay. Is it all right for you, Xavier-san?"

I sighed. "I guess I don't have any choice. Okay, I'm going."

Mr. Policarpio sighed. "Well I guess it's settled, then. Stop all the ruckus, Class 12-A."

I really don't give a f*ck.

Mabilis na lumipas ang oras at hindi ko na namalayan na tapos na pala ang klase. It's around 3 in the afternoon at lahat sila ay nag-aayos ng mga gamit nila. I decided to go take a pee first.

Pagbalik ko pinapaligiran na siya ng mga kaklase naming babae.

"Aki-chan, sabihin mo sa amin kapag may ginawa siyang masama sa iyo, ha?"

She really looks so puzzled. "Doushite? What's wrong with Xavier-san? Bakit niyo siya sinasabihan ng gan'yan?"

At first, they hesitated pagkatapos ay nagkatinginan sila. "Well,Xavier is... He's really cold towards us. Tahimik lang siya but when you started going closer on his privacy space o kaya naman kinulit mo siya, doon mo makikita ang totoong ugali niya. He's mean. At sobrang talas ng bibig niya."

May isa pang nagsalita. " And he was suspended when we were in Grade Nine. He bullied a transferee. Kaya kami natatakot para sa iyo. "

I almost clenched my fist as my teeth gritted.

I saw Akiara smiled. " 'Yun lang ba? I'm sure he's not going to do that. I believe everyone here just misunderstands him."

I suddenly barged in. Nasasayang oras ko sa mga walang kuwenta nilang babala. "Hindi pa ba kayo tapos? It's getting late. I'm sure your rich ass*s have somewhere else to go. Ms. Matsubara, let's go."

Natahimik sila at parang mga langgam na nagpulasan papunta sa pinto at dali-daling lumabas.

Annoyed, I picked up my bag as well as Akiara's. She's surprised. " Uhm Xavier-san, ako na magbibitbit ng bag ko... "

I didn't reply. But I didn't give it back to her. "Let's go."

Even after what she heard about me, she still smiled as if she's seeing an angel in front of her.

"Hai!"

How strange.