Rename the White and Black

CHAPTER I – ENCOUNTERING HIM

It was the first day of school and there were many students waiting for their classes in the morning session. While I was walking through our assigned classroom, it was noticeable that I was the one they were looking at. I heard them laughing and giggling behind my back; even in front of me. It was because of my skin that was dark and I was wearing my eyeglasses.

I am Avrora Sae Castillo Seranilla, eighteen year old, a transferee at Clifford Frances University and it was my grandfather’s choice for me to study here. I did not want to go away from my old school but he forced me and I could not do anything to refuse. It was already first semester of the school year when I transferred here.

“What is it? Is she a human?” I heard a question from a student girl.

“May be, no?” whispered by the one next to her while she, too, was laughing and I just ignored them.

It was my fault because I was late to wake up early and I did not go for a flag ceremony. Last night, I was not able to sleep early because I fixed my things in my new home. The deal of my grandfather and I, was to make me independent and I need to be at home alone. No maids, no cook, no butler, no nanny or even a personal assistant. It was torturing may be, but I was thankful because I learned to cook because of my nanny. Little did my grandfather know all of this and also, I learned martial arts from him and my butler to protect myself from any danger. I hope soon I would be back at our mansion and be with them again.

The class started and I was one of the hottest topic. I wanted to talk back at them but still, I have my reputation and all I have to do was to stay silent. Time flies so fast and it was our class break within ten to fifteen minutes. I started to prepare my tuna sandwich and pineapple juice for a break but I did not have a chance to take a bite of my tuna sandwich, it was accidentally fell because of my classmates playing a tug of war beside me.

I did not hear him to say sorry, they laughed out loud and went out of the classroom. I did not want to be angry at them, may be because it was just an accident. I picked my tuna sandwich and threw it to the trash can. I went back to my seat and my pineapple juice disappeared. I looked around and it was one of my classmate, a boy, who threw it to the trash can. All of his comrades were laughing but I did not utter anything. My stomach grumbled when our class was almost done at noon so, I went to a classic restaurant to eat all I want for a lunch.

It was almost two days being here at this school and I found it challenging. They were doing things repeatedly and I was not complaining at all. I did not know why I have the guts not to get angry with them. May be, I was too kind and I would feel bad if I do or say something back to them. It was after the class break when I changed my clothes for Physical Education. We went to the covered court and we were taught how to dribble, pass and shoot the basketball. It was my turn for our practicum and I shot the ball, a three point shot, that was why our teacher flattered me. I felt the daggering looks around me, that was why I looked down avoiding their eyes.

When our class was done, our teacher requested me to fix the balls and I returned it to the storage room. May be, he noticed that he had a bad feeling to me with my classmates. I put on my eyeglasses and started to fix the balls into its proper place.

On the other side of the court, there were three boys playing basketball. I just let them play at my back and I did not see a ball coming from my left landing on my face. My eyeglasses fell and it was broken because of the ball dribbled at it once. My eyes circled and wanted to cry but I held it back.

“She’s so careless. She didn’t move,” a student boy loudly said. Instead of being angry, I pushed the box of balls to the storage room and I heard that they were laughing out loud behind me.

“She’s too dark. Her skin was like a burned wood. May be, she doesn’t always take a bath.” I heard a student boy said. I turned my head to him as my tears fell easily and I ran out of the covered court.

As I was reminiscing all of what they did to me, I just cried evenly. I sat at the side of my bed and laid. I cuddled my pillow, put my blanket above my head and I did not notice that I fell asleep while crying.

I woke up early but I was lazy to get up and do my things. I yawned and I noticed something beside me, my eyes circled, covering my mouth and he was surprised too.

“You?” we asked each other. ”What are you doing here?” we added. He was annoyed as he pointed his finger at me, he went out of the bed and my brows met.

“You’re the girl who was not taking a bath, right?” he asked. I bit my lower lip controlling my temper and went away to him. I remember this annoying guy. He was the student boy who laughed at me yesterday. “Answer me. Are you a stalker? How did you get in here? Or yo-you’re a thief!” he added. “May be, you like to r**e me and have your babies to be handsome like me?” he asked fearfully, covering his chest; showing that he was the victim.

I walked unto him and slapped him, making him feel what I feel, I said angrily, “I am not that kind of low level. You don’t know me and you don’t know what’s happening in my life!” I was holding my tears back, bit my lower lip and added, “Never judge me!” I screamed, without his respond, he turned his back at me and went to the bedroom.

I went out too but he screamed at me, “Get out of my house!” I was surprised at his scream, closing my eyes and my mouth shut, his nostrils were flaring up and I was avoiding his eyes glaring at me.

“Get out of my house? This is my house so better if you go outta here!” I exclaimed angrily and I pushed him because he was too close to me; making my heart to pound rapidly. He came near to me an inch to my face and I felt his hot breaths through his nostrils.

“No. You should GET – OUT – OF – MY – HOUSE – NOW! I SAID GET OUT!” His scream was loud and my tears fell down on my cheeks. I sat at the corner and he went back to the bedroom. I thought he just went there but he threw my things at me.

“You don’t want to leave? It should be you whom should I force to leave!” he said angrily, looking at my eyes blazingly. I got my things; heavy feelings I chose not to burst out and I was stunned when an old man entered the house.

“Kai, is that how I taught you on how to treat a lady?” He pointed at him, walking to me, as if he was studying my posture and I remembered I was wearing my uniform that made me shy.

“Lolo, why are you here?” Kai irritably asked. My eyes circled when I saw my grandfather behind his grandfather.

“What did you do to my one and only granddaughter?” My grandfather gritted his teeth. “This is not how you treat a lady, right? Whether you like it or not, you should live together in the same roof. Let’s see how your future relationship works,” he added seriously. I gasped, not seeing how Lolo Emman reacted while he reached out his hand to me because I cried so hard. “It’s okay, dear granddaughter.” He patted my back as I sobbed.

We sat in a couch, our grandfathers sat opposite to us and we were given the teas which made by his grandfather. I wonder why I did not know what was happening. I did not know why my grandfather let me out of my old school and be far from our mansion. He even let me sleep with this man that I did not even know. The worst was his attitude towards me, he was so stuck and get irritated easily.

Lolo Emman, my grandfather, cleared his throat. I took a sip on my tea silently and I saw how Kai’s face turned to red. May be…. If I was not mistaken….

“We had already agreed that the two of you must be married soon.” The conversation was started by his grandfather that made the two of us surprised. “You should build your own relationship now as early as possible,” Lolo Emman added, and to my surprise, I stood up .

“I could not accept it, Lolo,” I said clearly as I was against to their statement. My heart skipped a beat as I held my anger back.

“Me too. I don’t even know her and I think that she’s not that pretty, Lolo Adolfo.” He smirked, knowing that he was thinking something in his head that made me feel inferior. What, I am not that pretty? Well, who would like me? My skin was dark and I did not have friends. I looked away at them shyly.

“You’re so rude, Kai.” His grandfather was pissed and his nose was flaring. Even me, I would get irritated when the granddaughter of your best friend was commented badly like that.

“But it’s true. She’s not pretty at all. No class. Unlike other girls out there.” He smirked and rolled his eyes. I could not hold my tears so, it fell down on my cheeks again. How many times would this man make me cry?

“Excuse me.” I excused myself walking away at them. What if I was ugly and I was a dark skinned girl? I know that I was not that pretty but I have my heart and feelings too.

I sobbed and forced myself not to make a sound so, I covered my mouth.

“I don’t want this to happen.” I gasped slightly and went to the bedroom. I fixed my things which Lolo Emman had put back in my closet and I decided to leave.

“Where are you going?” Lolo Emman asked as he stopped me; holding my left arm. “Please don’t leave. Grant our wish because – “ His words were cut and he collapsed beside me. We were surprised that time, fears filled my whole body with trembling hands and crying.

It was almost an hour and the doctor was not coming out of the room of my Lolo Emman. I was worried and also, the two of them too. I was jittering for the test results of my grandfather. In just a second, the doctor came out and said that my grandfather have a lung cancer, stage one. My world seemed to stop when I heard his critical condition.

”His only wish was to see you married with Kai before leaving,” Lolo Adolfo said sadly; comforting me as I cried heavily.

I came to his room and I held his hand to promise that I would do everything to make him feel well. I wanted him to live so, I asked the doctor if he could do everything to have him cured and he agreed.