Chapter I

As a person, we have our own dark sides. As you explore it, you will find someone that gives it more fun and exciting.

But in my situation?

"Look at her, she's weird"

"Nagtaka pa kayo, kaya nga wala siyang kaibigan eh"

I haven't found that someone yet.

"Why does she even bother to go to school? She has no one to talk to"

"If I were her, I'd rather die than to live by myself. Lol I have no one to talk to. I can't live like that"

Napairap na lang ako. Why can't they just mind their own business. Everytime they see me, they always talk about me as if I'm not there.

"One solo po" I ordered.

I can hear them whispering that I was so cheap, that I can only buy a solo food. Obviously, iisa lang ako so Im just ordering a solo food. Bobo ba sila?

This is the reason why I don't wanna eat here.

After my food arrived, I immediately finished it and get back to classroom. I am so tired to hear their nonsense talks.

While I'm heading to the classroom, I stopped for a moment because I suddenly felt an abdominal pain. Then a guy approached me and handed me his jacket. I just looked at him and didn't accept it.

"Are you okay? You have a stain in your pants" he said casually. Like it's not a big deal for me. I guess my period has started already. Napapikit ako at iniwasan ang titig niya. Nakakahiya.

"Let me cover it for you" he said and lumapit sakin para ipangcover ang jacket niya. Hindi ko na siya napigilan dahil nahihiya ako.

"Aren't you gonna say something?" He said after he finished it. I sighed.

"Should I say something?" I asked innocently.

"You should thank me for helping you". Napairap ako.

"I don't remember asking for your help"

Napaawang ang bibig niya. Maybe he didn't expect me to say those words.

"Saying thank you is not my style" I added.

"Atleast you have said it" he said while smilling a bit before finally walking away.

Aalis na din sana ako pero bumalik pa siya. Napatingin siya sa kamay kong nakahawak sa puson ko. Then I saw the sudden change of emotion in his eyes.

"Are you really okay? Do you want me to bring you to the clinic?" He looks worried. Napataas ang kilay ko.

"Can you just mind your own business? I can handle myself" I said and quickly ran to the comfort room and change my pants. Good thing, I have my extra.

I am currently inside the last cubicle when I heard some chitchats out there. I smirked. I'm not eavesdropping. It's just that they are not good at keeping secrets. Mag-uusap na nga lang sila, sa cr pa. Hindi pa sila marunong magcheck kung may tao ba o wala.

Niready ko ang relo ko. Lumabas ako and saw their reaction.

Surprise? Tsk. It's their fault for not being careful.

"Hey!" Rinig kong tawag niya. I'm sure it was me but I didn't turn my back. I have to pretend that I didn't hear anything.

"Shh she's wearing her earphones. I guess she didn't hear us" the other girl said.

Stupid.

I went back to classroom but I find my next subject boring so I just find a place to sleep. I ended up being in the School Garden. Elite Garden to be exact. This is only exclusive for the rulers and elites student and I'm not one of them.

May nakaengrave na family name ng mga rulers sa mga square na bato dito na nagsisilbing divider ng garden.

If I crossed this divider, I can be punished. An outcast like me should know our limitation. May mga divider sa school na ito na mga elites at rulers lang ang pwedeng makapasok. Unfair isn't it?

Malaki ang garden na ito, pero dahil nga nahahati kami based on our rank, nahati din ang garden na ito.

I saw a group of people gathering in the Elite Garden.

The Rulers.

Ang tinitingala ng lahat.

Well except me. I respect them but not to the point that Im going to bow my head for them.

I believe that we are all born fair.

Hindi ko sila pinansin at nagpunta ko sa may pinakadulo. My favorite spot. May puno dito and doon ako umupo.

I saw a bunch of stones in my left side so I get some and itinapon ng malakas sa ilog.

Funny how an outcast like me didn't do anything to stop the government from their stupid system.

Oh I forgot. We're just an outcast. What can we do? Napailing ako dahil sa mga naisip ko.

Never in my life that I've been ashamed of who am I. I'm proud of being an outcast.

"Do you wanna go here?" I guess he's the guy who helped me kanina. Yes, he's one of the rulers. I wonder, why he doesn't hang out with the other rulers.

I shooked my head.

"You know what, you're weird" he said.

Hinayaan ko na lang siyang magsalita ng magsalita. I'm not interested to talk to him.

"A lot of people want to be with us. To be one of us rather. But you're not. You're different"

"You already know the reason why" I said. Tumayo ako at nagpagpag.

"I'll bring your jacket back tommorow. Don't worry. Hindi ko yun aangkinin. Marami din akong ganon"

Aalis na sana ako pero bigla siyang lumapit at iniabot sakin ang isang paper bag.

What the hell is this? Tinignan ko ang loob at napapikit na lang ako dahil sa inis at halong hiya. Merong iba't ibang klase ng napkins. May whisper, modess, sister, charmee at kung ano pa. What are you really up to huh?

Ibabalik ko pa lang sana sa kaniya pero pagtingin ko, wala na siya. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

I decided to not attend on my other subjects.

But then..a group of girls suddenly appeared in my front.

"Bitch. Ikaw yung kausap kanina ni Oslo. Right?" She exclaimed.

"Maybe? She talked to a lot of girls before" I answered. Napataas ang kilay niya.

"Don't you ever dare go near him again or else.."

"Or else what?" napatahimik siya.

"Try me" paghahamon ko. Pero bigla nila akong sinugod ng sabay sabay. Good thing, I am good at Karate. But too bad, madami sila. Mag-isa lang ako.

"Hoy hoy hoy! Anong ginagawa niyo sa kaniya?" Napatingin ako sa isang babaeng sumigaw. She looks familiar.

Based on her uniform, she's an outcast too.

"Baka gusto niyong isumbong ko kayo sa council?"

"Go on. Wala ka din namang laban samin outcast"

But they were all shocked when the girl raised her phone and played the video. Video ng pagsugod nila sakin. Napaatras naman ang iba sa kanila at tumakbo palayo.

The girl who called me bitch glared at me.

"Hindi pa tayo tapos" she said and leave with her asungot.

Nagpagpag ako at umalis na din but the girl who helped me called me.

"Okay ka lang?" She asks. I just nod my head and tumalikod na.

"Wait. I'm just new he---"

"I gotta go. I have important matters to deal with" I said and tuluyan ng umalis.

Nagpunta muna ako ng Coffee shoppe. Wala akong mapagtambayan eh. Ayoko namang umuwi na.

Nang makaupo ako, napansin ko ang babaeng tumulong sakin kanina na papunta din dito.

"What's your order ma'am?" A crew asked to her.

"Uhmm, I wanted to talk to your manager" She said. Napakunot ang noo ko. The manager is one of the elites at hindi maganda ang ugali nun.

She greeted and bowed her head nang dumating siya. She's Juvian Guanzon. Rank 11 ang family nila sa pinakamayaman sa Pilipinas.

"I want to apply as the new waitress here" she said. She's so confident of herself. She looked at her from head to toe and stop at her badge.

"Oh. The last section" rinig kong bulong niya.

"But you're an outcast" supladang sabi ni Juvian

"Does my rank has something to do with it?" Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. Where the hell is she came from?

"Of course. You're just an outcast. I don't accept loser like you here" Juvian laugh sarcastically.

"Excuse me? Im not a loser. You are the loser because you look down on me" the girl defend herself. But Juvian suddenly slapped her. Nakakuha na rin sila ng atensyon ng mga taong nandito sa coffee shoppe.

"How dare you? You really have the guts to answer me huh" she added and looked at her friends. Sinugod naman ng mga alipores niya ang babae.

Hindi ko ugaling makisali sa gulo but this is too much. She help me so I should too.

Lumapit ako at pinigilan sila kaya napatingin sila sa akin.

"Oh. Isa pang outcast" pang insulto niya.

"Hindi ko alam kung paano kayo nakapasok sa school na to when in fact, this school is only exclusive for the rulers and elites student"

Pasimple akong napairap.

"Can you just let her go? You don't have to hurt her. She just wanted to apply here" I said at hinila ang babae paalis sa coffee shoppe na iyon.

I looked at her at namumula ang pisngi niya.

"Don't you know about the rankings?" I asked but she just shrugged her shoulder.

Explaining is not my style but I have no other choice but to explain it to her because if not, who would? She should be aware because if she doesn't know anything about this, it will lead her to danger.

"Kaya pala iba ang uniform natin sa kanila" sabi niya at napapatango pa.

Yes. Magkakaiba ang uniform namin para marecognize mo kung sino ang elites at kung sino ang outcast.

Gray and white for the rulers, black and white for the elites, green and white for the common while blue and white for the outcast.

"Then can we be friends?" She asks.

"No"

"B-but you're an outcast too" napataas ang kilay ko.

"I know. That's why I don't wanna be friends with you" I said and umalis na.

Nagpunta agad ako sa dorm ko at nagresearch about sa kaniya. Ikinonect ko ang relo ko sa computer. Meron kasing hidden cam na nakalagay dito. At pasimple kong pinicturan yung files na hawak niya kanina at iniscan iyon.

I opened the secret folder in my laptop. It is named Pandora's box. Ang record sa cr at ang document files ng babaeng bago ay kinopy ko doon.

I put all their secrets here.