FAITHFULLY YOURS ( Tears Series 1 )

"Loving a friend feels safe, but transforming friendship into love can be risky." ___ "Stop it!" The shout of the guards erupted behind the STEM Department building, causing the group known as the Wattdapakers to flee in a hurry. It is composed of five people: Cee Jacinto, Kian San Diego, Rio Villaluna, Riellander Shan Gozon, and the leader, Watt Gero Bytheway. The five of them came from a prominent family, influential and with many connections in politics, so they can resolve any trouble that comes their way. They also have a hood, an organization with various rules and goals that most people are unaware of. "Our world was too small, bro, so be careful with your team," Watt reminds their opponents, who are the children of teachers, head officers, and directors on their campus. Aron and Pao are leading to compete against Watt's group. Their organization had a quiet fame within the campus, unlike Wattdapakers. Pao stood firm, "Do you think you can scare us?" He challenged Watt while Aron, his partner standing beside him, nodded in agreement. "Let's see," Watt replied with a shrug, smiling and clearly teasing the two. Unable to bear it any longer, he was immediately surrounded so he couldn't escape until he was finally captured. "They framed me!" Watt angrily whispered when he realized that his team had left him alone. He was secretly taken to the principal's office and put into the investigation room. Upon entering, he was made to sit on a metal chair, his hands were tied behind the chair, and then he was left alone for a moment. Watt shouted, but not a single person responded to him until he lost all his strength. When he thought he couldn't be saved by his colleague, he suddenly remembered his friend Raina. He is concerned that what happened to him may not be reported to the entire campus. Maybe they keep it a secret so it doesn't leak out, especially to his family. But his thinking was mistaken. The news of his arrest spread rapidly because the entire incident was recorded on video and in photographs. There was a student who witnessed the entire incident and secretly recorded a video to share with others until it reached his friend Raina. When Raina found out, she immediately ran to the principal's office to save her friend Watt. She immediately ran because she was worried about her friend, as if she weren't sick. She prioritized Watt's safety over her own, despite having an underlying illness. Everybody knows that she has asthma, so everyone was shocked and followed her. Several students also tried to stop her, but none of them succeeded until she got into the office. "Oh my god!" The teachers said after she enter inside the office. She was sweating profusely and panting heavily, but she pushed herself to go to Watt. "I want to save him, I need to save kuya," she said repeatedly as she headed towards the investigation room. Just right, she encountered some guards who immediately assisted her to where Watt was located. "I'm sorry, Ms Delfuego, but you are not allowed to enter!" The guard approached her when they reached the only room in the corner where Watt was placed. "Please, I beg you, let me in even just for a moment," Raina pleaded,subalit hindi talaga siya pinayagan. Kahit anong pilit at pakiusap niya ay hindi talaga tumalab to the point that she just cried and screamed because she couldn't do anything for her kuya best friend hanggang sa matigilan ito ng may marinig siyang sunod-sunod na yapak sa pasilyo. "Oh my Goodness! What's happening here?" gulat na tanong ng punong-guro ng madatnan si Raina na nakaupo sa sahig. Hindi mawari sa mukha nila ang pag-alala kay Raina dahil sa sobrang putla na siya na parang lantang gulay at walang kabuhay-buhay. Raina immediately wiped her tears and then looked at the principal as well as the investigators, officers and teacher na kasama ng punong-guro. Raina stared blankly until she knelt down in front na ikinagulat ng lahat. "Watt is innocent, believe me!" she insisted then bowed until her tears fell on the floor. With everyone concerned about what she had done, Watt adviser's approached her and made her stand up. The teacher wiped her tears and hugged her, "Raina" the teacher pronounced her name while tightening the hug as a sign that everything was going to be okay. "I know how important Watt is to you but you don't have to do this. Watt knows what he did so trust him the way he trusted you." The teacher added a reason for her to break away from the hug. Raina let go of the hug not because she was being held back, but because she had an ally. She found an ally who believed what she was saying was true. Until Watt's investigation began when the principal and investigators finally entered while the teacher decided to talk to her for a while. When there were only two of them, the teacher immediately asked her. Raina immediately opened up without hesitation. She started talking about Watt's teammates Cee, Kian, Reillander and Rio. Until she didn't realize na pati ang tungkol sa kanila ni Watt ay na kwento niya. About their friendship and relationship as siblings even though they are not related by blood. Lastly, about how they met each other and how they are faithful to each other. As they continued their conversation, the teacher suddenly asked Raina a question that caught her off guard, “Raina, how loyal you are? I mean to you as her friend at paano mo siya nakikita in the future?” Raina was silent for a moment looking at the floor, deeply thinking about how to answer the question. "Watt is not just a friend to me...he is also my brother even though we are not related by blood. But...I don't know why we were brought together!" biglang tanong na nasagi sa isip niya nang maalala kung bakit nga ba sila humantong sa ganitong pagkakaibigan. "Maybe fate, that's why you're so strong and loyal to each other." The teacher replied as she shrugged her shoulders to cut off Raina's question. Raina bit her lips, "I don't think so. But, one thing that I always say to myself and to others is that I never stopped believing until we'll both reach in a place where our dreams meet." Raina's respond while looking at Watt teacher to show how proud she was of her answer that it seems the teacher believed her. "Until, I see Watt achieving the things we've always talked about, maybe without me by his side, but I'll be proud watching him from afar if fate ever takes us away. And if ever he looked back, I'll still be here, loyal to the bond we shared," she added. The teacher, deeply moved by Raina's words and smiled softly. "That's a rare kind of loyalty, Raina." When their conversation was over, Raina suddenly stood up and hugged the teacher in gratitude for the time given to her, just listen to her story. "Please don't let Watt know about this loyalty of mine because he would definitely be in trouble," Raina pleaded after remembering her condition before the teacher entered inside where Watt was. Tumango ang guro sa pakiusap niya saka itinaas ang kanang kamay bilang panunumpa. Raina felt relieved and hoping na manatiling sekreto ang lahat. Pagkapasok ng guro, mag-isang nagmumuni-muni si Raina, naghihintay sa paglabas ni Watt. Pero biglang nagbago ang isip niya ng maalala ang teammate ni Watt. Nagdesisyon na siyang lumabas ng opisina at hinanap ang apat. Sinimulan niyang hanapin si Kian at Rio sa building ng HumDept pero ni anino ng dalawa wala. Tinungo niya din ang room ni Reillander na nasa ABM department subalit hindi niya naabutan. Kahit hinihingal, nagpatuloy pa rin siya hanggang sa may nagturo sa kanya na nasa locker daw ang apat nakatambay. Walang alinlangan siyang humakbang papalapit sa locker area at nadatnan nga niya ang apat na masayang nagku-kwentuhan. "How dare you to have fun!" Raina insisted so angrily that the four immediately looked at each other and Cee smiled as he leaned against the wall. "Just chill, Raina. We're just enjoying our success. You know that, right?" "Where's the success? Arresting Watt in the mess you four were responsible for?" Raina replied, her eyes burning with anger and annoyance. "If something happens to him because of you—" "Or what?" Reillander interrupted with a smirk on his lips. "What are you going to do, Raina? You want to report us. Akala mo ba, natatakot kami sa'yo?" Raina's anger flared up at lander, but before she could speak, Rio burst out laughing. "Ang lakas ng loob mo, Raina. You are obedient and always behind Watt, like a dog that can't get away. But don't worry, we love pets so we won't stop him." Dinukot ni Rio ang cellphone saka itinutok kay Raina ang mga recording at pinarinig sa kanya. "Lahat ng kailangan namin para pabagsakin si Watt, nasa amin na." Raina was stunned, as if her world had collapsed. Hindi niya inakalang ganito na kalalim ang plano ng mga ito kay Watt bilang leader. Raina tried to grab Rio's cellphone, but Kian quickly let her go and laughed. "You're desperate, aren't you?" “Wala kayong puso!” sigaw ni Raina, pero ramdam niya ang takot na unti-unting sumisiksik sa dibdib niya. "Hindi niyo pwedeng sirain ang buhay niya! Alam niyong hindi totoo 'yang mga sinasabi niyo!" Lumapit si Cee, at biglang hinawakan ang braso ni Raina, piniga ito nang mahigpit na dahilan para ngumilid ang mga luha niya.. "Hindi mo pa rin gets, ano? Hindi 'to laro lang, Raina. Watt has to pay. And you—" mabilis niyang inagaw ang cellphone ni Raina. "—anong ginagawa mo? Nagrerecord ka rin, ha?" Nataranta si Raina, nanlalamig sa takot ng mahuli siya nagrerecord rin. "Hindi, hindi ganun! Please, ibalik mo 'yan sakin!" pakiusap niya, pero huli na. Cee look at her,bmga tingin na nag-aapoy sa galit. Bigla siyang hinampas sa pader, at naramdaman ni Raina ang kamay ni Cee sa leeg niya, dahan-dahang pinipiga ito, sapat para mahirapan siyang huminga. “Akala pa naman namin, ang talino mo? Pretending to be loyal kay Watt? Pero wala kang kwenta, Raina. You’re just a trator,” banta ni Cee habang unti-unting hinihigpitan ang hawak. Napakapit si Raina sa braso ni Cee, umiiyak at sinusubukang alisin ang pagkakasakal nito. "S-sorry! Please… Cee… I’m sorry! Let me go!" halos hindi na marinig ang boses niya sa takot. Matalim ang tingin ni Cee nakatingin sa mga mata ni Raina. Pagkatapos ng ilang saglit, binitawan niya ang mahigpit na pagkakahawak at lumapit sa tenga ni Raina, "Your sorry isn’t enough. Gusto mong iligtas si Watt? Sundin mo ang gusto namin." bulong ni Cee na may halong pagbabanta. Takot na tumango si Raina, nanginginig at walang magawa. "Gagawin ko. Basta... 'wag niyo siyang saktan." Ngumiti si Cee ng may pagka-demonyo habang binitiwan si Raina, bumagsak ito sa sahig na hinihingal, "Good. Then we have a deal. And if you break it…" bitin na ang banta, pero sapat na para takutin siya. After a moment, iniwan nila si Raina, nanghihina at basang-basa sa sariling pawis. Alam niyang nagbitaw siya ng pangako, isang pangako na posibleng sirain ang lahat—pati na ang buhay nila ni Watt.