Who Are You

Chapter One - The Nightmare and The New School

"I'm here running with Katerin, and we really don’t know what’s happening right now! The scene looks like an alien invasion! Our surroundings are a total mess, and a crowd of zombies is chasing us!"

**Run, run, run**

"Ryka, I'm tired! I want to rest!" Katerin cried.

Because of that, we stopped at a convenience store and dashed inside.

"What's happening to our town?" I asked Katerin. She stopped, looked at me, and looked absolutely pissed.

"How would I know? And how many times do I need to tell you that I don’t know?!" she snapped, pulling my hair.

Wow, how mean!

As soon as we entered deeper into the convenience store, we heard a loud rustling behind the counter. A man appeared, sporting dark eye bags. In short, he looked like a total mess, and his face was incredibly pale. Just being honest here.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Katerin screamed, on the verge of tears.

"What's that noise?! You're disturbing my sleep!" the man groaned.

"Well, sorry if we bothered you," I said, glancing outside.

"No one is going to come in here," the creepy guy said, staring at us. "The virus is powerful. Be careful if you don't want to turn into a zombie." His eyes were seriously creeping me out!

"T-Thank you... but what's your name?" Katerin asked him. Her voice was gentler than usual. Was she seriously trying to flirt with him? Her taste is awful.

"I'm Joseph," he answered. But suddenly, his mouth began to swell. Oh my god, what is that?!

"Oh my god, Joseph! What's happening to you?!" Katerin shrieked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Joseph said, glaring at us.

"What is it?!" we shouted, completely bewildered.

"My mouth is swollen! I'm turning into a zombie and I'm going to eat you!!! RAAWWWRRR!" Joseph roared. Our bodies froze in terror.

"What are you doing just standing there? You have to run because I'm a zombie now!! Rawrrrr!" he yelled again. We panicked, sprinting toward every corner of the store.

"Fools! That's the exit, you idiots!!" Joseph shouted, pointing to a door with a big sign that read

"EXIT HERE"

Hell yeah, we were dumb! But hello? This is normal! If you watch horror movies, you'll understand. Even when the protagonists see the exit, they don't escape right away; instead, they just stand there waiting to get killed.

“He locked the front door, but he didn’t lock the back door. Stupid," Katerin mumbled. Well, she had a point!

"Do you think a zombie has the brains to figure that out?" I said, rolling my eyes. Sometimes she doesn't think things through.

"That’s right! Why didn't I think of that?" she agreed. Of course! What kind of zombie would use the regular exit?

*Wahahaha!*

I was cracking up at my own inside joke.

When we finally got outside, we saw a crowd of zombies...

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

We ran again until we spotted a woman who looked homeless.

"Miss, are you okay? Are you a zombie too?" I asked her.

"I'm not a zombie, and I'm perfectly okay!" she snapped sarcastically.

“Why are you mad? We're just asking!” I shouted back, rolling my eyes.

“Do you really think that I'm okay?" the girl asked, looking down as she wiped away tears. "Does anyone ever think I'm okay? Like... I'm the one who always says 'I'm fine,' but it's killing me inside," she said softly. Wow, so dramatic.

**Slow Clap**

“Okay fine, you're not okay. But what’s going on, and why do you look so messy? Are you a victim of an assault?” Katerin asked. Suddenly, the girl flashed a weird smile.

“Ah, this? Actually, I'm a stage actress! That’s why I'm dressed like this. I was performing on stage until someone shouted that Matteo Do, a Korean alien, had arrived here in the Philippines! Everyone ran to the airport. And for your information, I'm still a virgin!” she proudly stated, twirling her hair. She was about to flash us to prove it, but thank god we stopped her. We didn’t want to see any of that darkness. It was so weird.

“But why are there so many zombies?” Katerin asked.

Her question reminded me of how she had pulled my hair earlier. I decided I'd get my revenge on her later. But wait... she had been pulling my hair hard, yet it didn’t hurt at all.

“What zombies? They aren't zombies; they're patients who escaped from the mental hospital,” she said, looking at us with pure disgust written all over her face.

“But there’s a zombie in the convenience store! His name is Joseph!” I insisted.

"Joseph? That's the ringleader of the crazy guys who escaped! He's just pretending to be a zombie because he's addicted to playing *Left 4 Dead*. They’re looking for him right now," the girl explained.

Katerin and I looked at each other and smacked our foreheads. Yep, we were about to go crazy too!

We walked away from the girl who looked like an assault victim but claimed to be a virgin.

Suddenly, we noticed the trees moving. The roots of a Balete tree were crawling in our direction, and one coiled tightly around Katerin’s body!

“Oh my god, Katerin! Hey, Balete tree, let go of Katerin!” I shouted, dropping into a Taekwondo fighting stance.

“Ryka, help me! I'm too young and beautiful to die early!” Katerin screamed, struggling against the roots.

“Did you know that Katerin and I are one?! HAHAHHA!” the Balete tree boomed, and it suddenly vanished, taking Katerin with it.

Then, a splash of water hit my face. I felt like I was drowning!

**Pok**

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"What's wrong with you?"

I snapped my eyes open and saw Katerin holding a mug. I immediately bolted upright.

“Oh my god!! Katerin, you're alive! I thought the Balete tree kidn*pped you!” I yelled.

She hit me with the mug again. Okay, that really hurt!

Wait... I could feel pain?!

“You're crazy! I've been trying to wake you up, but you kept yelling about a zombie attack! Did you watch zombie movies again last night?!” she yelled, her face bright red. I figured it was time to escape from this living dragon.

So, it was all just a dream? Wow, that was a close one!

She raised the mug to strike again, but I dodged it, sprinted into the bathroom, and slammed the door. Oh yeahhh!

Today was the first day of school as a transfer student at Bradford University, the most prestigious university around. After taking a bath, I fixed myself up, walked out, and saw my younger brother reading his books.

“Rion! Take a bath. Your allowance is on the table. Go to school early!” I told him.

This is Rion Santos, a 2nd-year high school student at a public school. He's a bratty boy, but he's smart, so I don't have to worry much. Besides, he's famous at his school because he’s the total package—handsome and intelligent.

“Okay, Sis,” he said with a smile.

“Let’s go, Ryka!” Katerin shouted from her car.

Katerin has been my best friend since elementary school. She’s rich but chose to enroll in a public school before. She isn't mean like other arrogant wealthy people. Because of her, I got a chance to study at Bradford through a scholarship provided by her parents. I am so thankful to them!

While in the car, we chatted about what the school looked like and its basic rules. It was my first time studying at a private institution since I could previously only afford public schools.

I was in my 1st year of high school when my parents died in an accident. I don't remember much because I was in the crash too, and surviving it was a miracle. A stranger told us our parents were dead. I don't know any of our other relatives because I suffered from trauma-induced memory loss—a defense mechanism my brain used to cope.

Katerin’s family helped us out. I used to work as a housemaid at their place in exchange for their help, but now we manage to live on our own in a small apartment. Most importantly, I'm with my brother. Luckily, on the day of the accident, Rion was at daycare, so he was safe and sound.

“So, Ryka, remember what I told you, okay?” Katerin said, sporting a wide, slightly weird smile.

We arrived in front of the school gates. You could instantly tell this place was exclusive to those who could afford it.

“Katerin, I'm nervous.”

She just laughed and patted my back. “Don’t get nervous, it doesn't suit you.”

I just winced. I didn’t know why I felt this way. Maybe just because it wasn't a public school? As we walked through the entrance, a lot of students stared at me, questioning my presence. It felt exactly like a scene from a movie.

"Is she a new student?"

"Why isn't she wearing a uniform?"

"Look, she’s with Katerin."

"Her assistant, maybe?"

“Did I mention that I'm pretty popular here? Seeing is believing, especially since you always doubt what I say,” Katerin teased. She really knows me, *haha*. Besides, she is beautiful; I only call her ugly to tease her. Best friend things.

"The school is so nice," I murmured, letting my eyes wander. Every piece of scenery was wonderful, and even the hallways were gorgeous. The school even had an elevator!

Wow.

Before I knew it, we had reached our destination.

“Here is your classroom, Ryka. Good luck! I know you're a tough person!” hearing that made me a little anxious. What was happening to me?

When I entered the room, I took a vacant chair.

“Are you a new student, miss?” a girl asked. I nodded and smiled. Was it really that obvious?

“I'm Shantal Alvarez. How about you?” she asked. I turned to face her. She had a cute, harmless-looking face. What a weird thought.

“I'm Ryka... Ryka Santos.”

“What’s your family's business?”

Why was she asking so many questions? I didn’t know how to tell her that I was a transferee on a scholarship. I felt tense.

“Ryka?” she prompted again.

Just then, the professor walked in. Great, saved by the bell!

"Where is the new student? Come up front," the professor called out.

I raised my hand and walked to the front, feeling the nerves rushing back.

“Okay, introduce yourself,” the professor said.

"Hi, I'm Ryka Santos," I said, smiling at the class. They just stared at me.

“What's your family's business?" a guy asked from the back.

Dang it, I thought I had dodged that question! The whole room fell silent, waiting for my answer.

“Sorry I'm late,” another guy interrupted, walking into the room like he didn't care that the professor was standing there. Oddly enough, the professor didn't seem to care either. Is this normal in private schools?

“Ms. Santos, you may take your seat. Let’s start the lesson,” the professor instructed.

I went back to my chair, and by total coincidence, the late guy's seat was right next to mine. He looked at me, seemingly questioning why I was there. I just pointed at my bag. He glared at me. Okay, he clearly has a bad attitude.

I diverted my attention to the front. I couldn’t wait for break time; I desperately wanted to talk to Katerin about this.

A few hours passed, and the morning lessons were finally done. Yes!

“Hi, Ryka,” Shantal said, smiling at me. I smiled back.

“You're Shantal, right?” I asked. She nodded like a kid.

“You know, Ryka... I-I like you,” she said, blushing. Oh my god! Is this common nowadays? She was a bit eccentric.

“Let’s go to the cafeteria?” she suggested. I nodded and followed her, since I still didn't know my way around. Where is Katerin?

*Huhuhu.*

This school is massive!

“Ah, Shantal, when did you start studying here?” I asked as we walked, trying to break the ice.

“Since high school. I just transferred to this branch; I’m originally from Australia,” she said with a smile. Okay, she was the definition of wealthy.

When we arrived at the cafeteria—which looked more like a luxury restaurant—I was fascinated by the facilities. They even had a massive LCD screen playing movies. Wow!

“Let’s order. What do you want?” she asked.

I looked at the menu and gulped. Why was the food so expensive?! Even a bottle of water cost sixty pesos. I peeked into my wallet; I only had a hundred pesos. Poor me, how could I afford to eat here? My money was only good for a bottle of water. I stared at the Oreo cheesecake. It looked delicious, but the price was 250 pesos per slice!

“Miss, my order is two Oreo cheesecakes and two lemonades, please,” Shantal told the woman at the counter. I looked at her. She was thin, so I didn't think she had that big of an appetite.

“You're a heavy eater, huh?” I noted.

She just laughed.

“Nope, the order is for both of us.” She glanced at the menu and then looked back at me. It must have been incredibly obvious from my expression that I didn't have that kind of money.

“It’s my treat, don’t worry! I think I already know the answer to my question from earlier. Don't worry, I'm not a judgmental person,” she said, smiling.

When the food arrived, I offered to carry it as a small thank-you for the treat.

We sat down at a vacant table and talked about our lives. She was a genuinely nice person, and I felt lucky. She was quite a chatterbox, even sharing embarrassing secrets like the time she tripped in the middle of the street and people saw her underwear. That was wild.

“Ryka!!” Katerin called out. I looked up to see her. She's holding a tray of food. She sat across from us. “I've been looking for you everywhere, and here you are!” she exclaimed, downing her lemonade like a stray cat.

*haha*.

“Whatever. Anyway, Katerin, this is Shantal. She was the first person to approach me in class,” I introduced. Katerin nodded and looked at Shantal, who began blushing again. Wait... is she really into girls?

“I know Katerin, of course,” Shantal said, looking at me.

Suddenly, a fight broke out in the cafeteria. Two girls were violently pulling each other's hair.

“You’re a flirt!!” one shouted.

“No, it’s not me! You're the flirt, let go of my hair!!”

Amidst the chaos, I noticed a girl who looked like a model walking in our direction.

''Give way to the Campus Queen!'' announced another girl who was carrying a mountain of bags. All the students parted to make a path. These kinds of scenes really are just like the movies. Nice.

“Hi, Katerin. Looks like you're hanging out with your friends?” the lady said, scanning me from head to toe.

"So what?" Katerin replied, looking thoroughly annoyed. Were they on bad terms?

The girl smiled again and turned to me.

''Hi, I'm Ericka Tolentino, the Campus Queen. And you are?''

“Ryka... Ryka Santos,'' I answered, giving a slight smile. I really wasn't feeling her vibe.

“Okay, I just want you to know: don't cross me if you want a quiet life here at Bradford University. Remember, I'm the Queen,” she warned. As she turned to leave, her toe violently stubbed against the edge of the table. Wow, karma is quick!

I was annoyed by her attitude. She should be thankful I kept my temper in check, or else I would've ruined her face without caring who she was.

“Ryka, this is what I wanted to tell you," Katerin said, tapping my back. "Remember, this school isn't ordinary. Students aren't afraid of the teachers or anyone else here. You need to learn to control your temper if you want to survive.”

I just nodded and looked around. I guess staying at this school would be an adventure. Too many thoughts were running through my head... like the fact that I was still hungry. Damn it.

When we got back to the classroom, we had one more subject before dismissal. Finally, the day ended. Yes, I survived my first day!

As I was packing my things, I noticed Shantal approaching me.

“Ah, Ryka, do you want me to give you a tour of Bradford so you can familiarize yourself with the campus?” Shantal asked, smiling adorably.

“Sure! It would be my pleasure to accept. It'll be a huge help,” I replied.

“Hey, count me in!!” Katerin rushed into the room. Great! Finally, she was here. I thought she was going to leave me behind.

Shantal suddenly blushed again. Wait, is she a lesbian who likes Katerin?! Oh my god, my poor Kat! She won't have any hope of starting a family if she returns those feelings. Come to think of it, I've never heard of Katerin having a boyfriend since elementary school... does that mean she might be a lesbian too?! Oh my god!!!

“Hey, Shantal, why do you always blush in front of Kat? Are you a lesbian?” I asked bluntly.

Her face turned even redder, and she stared at me in absolute disbelief.

“Me?! A LESBIAN?!” she gasped loudly. Realizing how loud she was, she instantly covered her mouth. “I'm not a lesbian! My face is just like this, I blush easily,” she whispered. I see. So she was just shy.

We roamed around the school. The facilities were incredible; even the smallest areas were fully furnished. They had a wide swimming pool, a massive gymnasium, and a huge open field.

“What about that door?” I asked, pointing toward a prominent red door ahead.

“Ryka, we’re not allowed to go in there. It’s exclusive to the Royal Punk,” Shantal warned. I gave her a confused look, and she just smiled.

They went on to explain who the Royal Punk were. So, they're basically the local F4 wannabes? Okay, definitely off-limits for me. I don’t want to get involved with people like that.

We decided to head home because we were exhausted from walking around the campus. I said goodbye to Shantal and got into the car. Okay, I think I really survived day one. There was a bit of trouble, but whatever it takes, I need to graduate! Fight on, self!

“So, until tomorrow! Remember what I said, okay? Never meddle in their business, especially Ericka’s and the Royal Punk's. Have a peaceful life, my friend! Hahaha,” Katerin teased.

“And I can’t pick you up tomorrow. I have an early morning meeting with some school officers, so take care of yourself!” she added, waving goodbye.

Standing in front of my apartment, I felt the sheer exhaustion of the day hitting me. So many thoughts flooded my mind. If our parents were still alive, would we be living like this? I wasn't complaining; I was truly grateful that despite all our problems, my brother and I were still here together.

I entered the apartment. Seeing the place a bit messy made my headache worse. Then, my furry baby trotted over to me.

“Hello, Pikachu, did you miss me? Did ugly Rion feed you?” I asked my cat, as if he could actually answer.

“*Nyaaww*, handsome Rion fed me,” a voice replied in a high pitch.

I jumped. Oh my god, Pikachu can speak!

“Pikachu, you can talk?!” I was about to bow down to my cat when a small stone flew through the air and hit me.

“Who the hell did that?!” I yelled.

I heard Rion laughing from the hallway. “I threw a stone at you, so you should throw me some bread!” he joked, using a cheesy line just to irritate me.

“You i***t!!” I shouted, grabbing a plastic basin nearby and hurling it at him.

*Shoot! Three points!*

“Ouch, that hurts!” he yelled in pain. I felt a tiny bit sorry for him, but he deserved it for teasing me. There's a saying, 'Only the ants can't take revenge.' I smiled secretly.

“Whatever! Have you eaten?” I asked. He nodded and walked back toward his room, but he accidentally dropped something on the floor. I picked it up. A love letter? I glanced left and right, then opened it. Reading through the paragraphs, I burst out laughing.

“Ah, where did you put the—wait, why are you holding that?!” He looked shocked and immediately lunged to grab the letter, but I held it out of reach. I couldn't get over how overly dramatic and emotional his love confession was. Oh my god, he really is growing up!

“Did you read it?!!” his face flushed bright red.

I began reciting it dramatically: “I really want to tell you that I've liked you for a long time, but you are a diamond and I am just a stone. Still, my love for you is everlasting. I will do everything just to be with you, my Marika Danyela. My love so sweet, muah muah, love lots, take care."

Rion’s expression was priceless. He was visibly trying to control his temper, completely furious as he stormed back into his room and slammed the door.

*One point for Ryka!!*

I checked the wall clock; it was already 2:00 PM. I still had my part-time shift at the convenience store. I quickly changed my clothes and headed out. Thankfully, the store wasn't too far away.

When I arrived, I went straight to the staff room to change into my uniform. I needed to work hard for my brother. Yes, I have a scholarship, but we still have daily expenses. Plus, I'm planning to enroll Rion at Bradford next school year because I believe he deserves a high-quality education. Honestly, I don't have days off—the concept doesn't exist in my vocabulary. As long as a part-time gig needs me, I take the shift.

Tomorrow is technically my day off from the convenience store, but I’ll be heading to my other job at a bookstore. I have a lot of side hustles. I even handle school projects for students who can't be bothered to do them, and they pay me well for it.

Once I took over the counter, the usual routine began:

* Scan the product...

* Receive the payment...

* Bag the goods...

* Hand over the change...

Hours passed. It was 10:35 PM by the time Dave arrived to substitute for the night shift.

“Hey, Dave, you're early,” I noted.

“Yeah, I know you have classes tomorrow, so I wanted to take over early so you could get some rest,” he said with a warm smile. He really is a good friend. To be honest, he likes me, but I've already told him that romance isn't my priority right now. I'm glad he understood, and we managed to keep our friendship intact.

“Ryka, you can head out now,” he added.

“Okay, thanks, Dave!” I went to the locker room, changed back into my clothes, and grabbed my bag. “I'm heading home! Thanks again!”

As I opened the convenience store door and stepped outside, I noticed a man sitting by the side of the building. I walked closer to him.

“Mister, are you okay?” I asked.

He raised his head to look at me. He was handsome, wearing a black jacket and a black cap pulled low. Wait... he looked incredibly familiar. Without a word, he immediately stood up and walked away.

What was his problem? He should be thankful a good citizen bothered to ask if he was okay. Hmm, handsome face, but a terrible attitude.

I continued walking down the street.

“Ahh! Flying lizard!” I shrieked. I almost slipped. Who the hell leaves a banana peel on the sidewalk?!

Suddenly, I saw the same man heading back my way.

“What did you say? A f-flying lizard?” he asked, his hands visibly trembling. He looked absolutely terrified. He even grabbed my wrist. Oh my god, what if he's a mugger?!

I yanked my hand back. “Don’t touch me!” I shouted. He stared at me for a moment, suddenly realizing what he had done.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of lizards?” I asked out of nowhere. He looked away quickly.

“I'm not scared! I'm just... curious about flying lizards!” he claimed, though his voice betrayed his panic.

“Ah, look! There’s the flying lizard right next to you!” I shouted, pointing wildly at the wall behind him.

He instantly jumped and hid behind my back. “Where?! Kill it! Kill it!” he yelled, covering his face.

Was he seriously that terrified? I was about to burst out laughing but tried to maintain a serious face. Is he a closet coward? If so, what a waste! A lot of girls are probably crying out there over this handsome guy, thinking he's a prince charming,

*hahaha*

“You really are scared, huh?” I said, turning to look at him. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach. This guy was bizarre!

“Shut up! You're just bluffing,” he snapped, turning on his heel and storming off. He really did look familiar, but I just couldn't place where I had seen him before.

I continued my walk home. Fortunately, the shop was close to our apartment. When I got inside, Rion was already fast asleep. I took a quick half-bath and crawled into bed.

Suddenly, the man's face popped back into my head. Yes, he was handsome, but a total scaredy-cat. What a waste.

To be continued...