HER

CHAPTER 1

It's my first day here in Camilla International School. It's a prestigious elite school in the Philippines, one of the prestigious schools in the world, where the heirs or children of business or powerful families study. Actually, this is not my first day today. I've been here many times before.

Nag-aral ako dito ng kindergarten, elementary, middle at high school. Nag-transfer lang ako papunta sa UK para mag-aral sa Oxford University para sa kolehiyo. Pero gusto ko ulit magtapos dito ng kolehiyo kaya nagpalipat ako.

I'm running late, naligaw pa kasi ako. Hindi ako gaanong ka-familiar sa college buildings at nawala rin ako ng tatlong taon.

Sinusubukan kong kunin yung schedule ko nang may mabangga ako, nakabangga ako.

Natapon lahat ng gamit ko sa sahig. Nilingon ko yung nakabangga ko. Nakatalikod siya at paalis na, hindi man lang nag-sorry.

Pinigilan ko siya sa braso pero hinila niya paalis agad.

"Don't f-cking touch me." malamig niyang sabi.

Itinaas ko ang dalawa kong kamay in surrender and unconsciously stepped back.

"Okay, Miss. But, can you at least help me with my things?" I politely said, itinuro ko yung mga gamit kong nagkalat sa sahig.

Actually, my bag has only 3 notebooks, a pad of paper, and pens. Pwede ko namang pulutin 'yun mag-isa pero gusto ko ring maging responsable siya. Isa rin siya sa may kasalaman dito. Nakita naman niya siguro na may ginagawa ako pero hindi niya ako iniwasan. Ang kasalanan ko rin ay pwede naman akong tumigil muna. Kaso, eh, late na ako.

She raised an eyebrow at me, buried her right hand in her skirt pocket, and stood straight in front of me. She's tall and extremely beautiful, especially those bright green eyes of her. But, I can't read her eyes. I have nothing to read 'cause it was emotionless, blankly staring at me.

Unconsciously, napatayo rin ako ng tuwid at minentain ang ngiti sa labi ko.

"Why would I? That's your things so go pick it up yourself." she arrogantly said with a heavy British accent. Even though she doesn't have manners, I find her hot with that accent.

Napangisi ako. I came from England and there were plenty of girls having the same accent yet no one had made me think like this.

"Miss, if you had your eyes on the way we wouldn't have to bump into each other. It's my bad that I was not looking where I was going but at least you could have avoided me. So now, can you please help me with this?" I explained to her.

She frowned impatiently. "You can do it yourself. You have two arms and I don't see missing limbs. So if you don't mind, I'll be going now. I have an emergency." Nagmamadali siyang lagpasan ako, may natapakan pa nga siya. Pinabayaan ko muna yun at pinanood siyang mabilis na lumakad palayo sa akin.

She has long black straight hair down to her mid back. It was bouncing and shining as she hastily walks. The school uniform suits her well: crimson vest over a white shirt and a pleated red, white and black checkered above the knee-length skirt. But instead of black school shoes, she was wearing a high-cut black converse and her black socks were showing few inches from the cut of the shoes. It was kinda cool to look at.

Pagkaayos ko ng mga nagkalat kong gamit ay pumunta na ako sa room na nakasulat sa schedule ko.

Nagtanong ako sa isang estudyante na malapit sa pinto, sinisiguradong tama ang papasukan kong room.

Her eyes widen when she saw me. I just smiled at her.

"Uhm...Yeah." she stutter. Nilingon niya yung katabi niya at tumili.

I thanked her and smiled at her friends in acknowledgement, which are my classmates too for this hour.

Naghanap ako ng mauupuan. Nakahanap ako sa likod. Sa pinakadulo nun ay may itim na bag kaya sa tabi ako naupo.

I looked around the room and saw that most of my classmates were staring at me. Most girls waved and smiled at me which I returned politely. I just ignored their squeals. And nod in acknowledgment to the men. Some faces were familiar, my classmates back then.

Hindi nagtagal ay dumating na ang may be-brief sa amin ngayong umaga.

She introduced herself as Miss Torres. She's nice and friendly and young to be a teacher. She's a fresh graduate here in CIA and lucky to work in here too. Miss Torres is beautiful kaya karamihan ng mga lalaki sa room ay nagpakita ng interes. Binalewala na lang 'yun ni Miss Torres ang just laugh it off.

Sa lakagitnaan ng briefing ay may pumasok na student and just rudely walked into the room and in the middle of the class, yung babae kanina.

The room became oddly silent. I looked at my classmates, they were looking down on their desks and Miss Torres was anxiously scanning her notebook. It was more like anxiously turning the pages, no scanning happened. The lively room instantly became a deserted place with no noise except it was cold because of the AC.

Pinagmasdan ko siya. She's emitting some kind of aura that makes someone falter or cower when near her. She's something in this school and I will find out what.

She sat beside me then Miss Torres, with a shaky voice at first, continued talking in front. The atmosphere wasn't the same earlier. It was tensed and forced and I don't know why.

I turn to look at the girl. Her bag is now hanging beside her desk. She's leaning comfortably on her chair and looking impassive and I bet she's not listening. She has a headphone on her ears for goodness' sake! First, she rudely entered and disrupted us then now she's wearing a headphone when a teacher's talking in front? I can't take her rudeness.

I was about to reprimand her when she looked at me. I blinked multiple times and gulped. She really does have a cold stare. I just looked away and silently scolded myself for being affected by her stares.

...

I smiled as I stood from my seat. I looked around the room, at my classmates and Miss Torres.

"Good morning. I'm Louis Garrett Santamaria Walter. 20 years old. I hope we all can have a wonderful year." I introduced myself before smiling at my classmates and Miss Torres, who blushed and took my seat.

"He's back!" I heard some girl whispered.

"He's more handsome now. I didn't recognize him earlier!"

I faintly smiled and waited for the next student to introduce herself which was the rude cold girl. All were silent and also waiting for her to introduce herself.

She stood tall and buried her right hand in her pocket, her left hand slowly removed her black headphone to rest on her neck. I was stunned as I watched her. She was so attractive when she did that.

Natigilan ako sa pinag-iisip ko. Kanina pa akong ganito ah. I can't believe myself complimenting someone, especially a person with no manners!

But I can't help it.

She opened her full pink lips which shine as the light refracted from her glossy and soft-looking lips.

"Marie Rodriguez." sabi niya at naupo na.

We stared at her. Seriously, that's it? Just her name? Where's her age or she could have just smile at least.

Seems like she's not affected by our stares, she doesn't even care that the whole room is staring at her.

When she looked at us, all were startled and panicked, looking away and pretended doing something; students talking quietly at each other and Miss Torres nervously browsing her phone.

Why are they frightened? Is there something wrong? What's up with them, with her?

...

"You're staring too much. Someone has caught your eyes, bro?" Isaac smirked at me.

"Finally! Who?" Luther exclaimed, like a huge burden was lifted off his shoulders.

Nasa cafeteria kami ngayon. We have a 1 hour break bago magsimula ang classes.

Tinuro ko ang table ng pinsan kong si Laura, mukhang friends sila ni Marie.

"Yung nasa dulong nag-iisa. Kaharap ni Laura." tukoy ko.

Agad naman silang tumingin doon at nanlaki yung mga mata.

"What?! That's your crush?" Luther exclaimed, hindi makapaniwala.

"She really is an eye-catcher." Isaac sneered at Marie's direction.

Naguguluhan ako sa pinagsasabi nila. They knew Marie too?

"Find someone else. That's hard to reach, literally hard to reach." Isaac slowly shook his head as a warning.

"Why?" I am totally confused right now.

"She's the infamous Marie Rodriguez. Barely talks and only talks to her friends. She's famous for being snub, rude, aloof, arrogant and extremely beautiful yet intimidating. Gays would go straight if she smiles, though she never smiled." Isaac explained.

"No one ever approached her except for your cousin Laura. She's from England by the way. She transferred here when you left for Oxford to study." Luther added.

"She is infamous here because of her coldness and very intimidating aura. One time, one student thought her as his friend and just placed an arm around her shoulders, the poor boy stayed in the hospital for over a month with a broken arm. No one reported her because no one dared to and she's so mysterious. No one knows which family is she from. There is no Rodriguez in the business world and don't ring a bell."

They told me.

I looked at their table. Laura and her friends are talking animatedly while she is just quietly eating in front of them.