Chapter 01

My eyes widened when I saw the face behind the voice. No... Why him of all people?! Why Finley Angelo Suarez?! He's like literally the worst! He's what my nightmares are made of! Behind that gorgeous face is a rotten personality! He's such a first-class asshole!

"What's the problem with my room?" he asked the concierge behind me. Ugh! So good at ignoring me! Kapal!

"Sir, ano po—"

"Nothing!" I interjected as I dragged my suitcase behind me. No way in freezing hell would I tell him my problem! I could still clearly remember how he turned me down back in the 7th grade. There was a formal dance in school and I needed a partner... Naturally, I wanted him to be my partner because he's the most famous guy in our school—I mean, sila ng kambal niya, but Riley's a huge nerd, so he's not a match for the image I was trying to build.

So, I made sure I looked and smelled nice and asked him to be my date... and he very publicly told me that he wasn't, in the slightest, interested. Sobrang humiliating!

He seriously told me that he'd rather go to the dance with a chair kaysa samahan ako! The nerve of that asshole!

I almost transferred school sa sobrang kahihiyan, but my parents didn't allow me because they told me that I needed to graduate from SCA because of 'connections.' The stress Finley gave me! I had to memorize his sched yearly para lang hindi magtagpo ang landas namin sa school! I even had to go to ABM kahit na STEM iyong gusto ko!

I got out of the building.

And then the realization hit me...

I got freaking scammed.

My god... I wasn't the smart girl my parents always told me I was...

Agad akong napa-upo sa gutter. I covered my face with my hands. Saan ako titira? I really wanted to live here! The school's just around the area, so I could walk... If I like someplace else pa, I'd still have to find a way to get to school.

Oh, my god... I just wanted to be rich again! Hindi bagay sa akin iyong ganito!

I was still pondering about my life when I saw Finley walking towards my direction. I didn't know if he could see me since he was talking to someone with his phone. I immediately stood up and walked away. Over my dead body bago niya malaman kung anong kamalasan ang nangyari sa 'kin!

While walking, I looked up vacant spaces near me... I still had money left, but it's supposedly for food! Gosh, did I need to find work? But I was still studying!

So stressful this life!

"This... is it?" I asked when the landlady showed me the place that I was supposed to rent. I stepped in. That was it. Iyon na 'yun! Ni walang window!

"Ayaw mo ba? Kung hindi e nagsasayang lang ako ng oras," she grumpily said.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, fine... I'll take it," I said in complete and utter defeat. Itong place lang ang tumanggap sa akin even though minor pa ako and walang ID bukod sa school ID ko from SCA.

I had to pay 2 months advance and 1 month deposit for this small space. The only consolation I probably had was that it's kinda near school. I couldn't walk to the school, but maybe I could take public transpo and just walk to school. I'd just pretend na lang na sa condo ako naka-tira.

As they say, denial is the name of the game.

I was so tired na, but I still couldn't sleep without sanitizing the place. I got out to buy bleach and alcohol. I mean, I was probably poor, but I still needed to be clean! Hindi ako pwedeng madumihan! If my parents wouldn't be able to get past this, I needed my face to get a rich guy!

I still didn't really know this place so I got my phone out to look for a convenience store near me. There's one few hundred meters away. I just quietly followed the direction when suddenly—

"What the fucking shit!" I shouted so loudly when I just realized that someone snatched my phone! Oh, my god! When would the bad luck stop?!

I stood there, shouting expletives because I was honestly so fed up with everything! I was crying, too, because I was so frustrated! What the hell did my parents think would happen kapag iniwan nila ako rito?! Bakit hindi na lang nila ako sinama sa kung saan man sila pupunta?! Was graduating from SCA really that important that they'd leave their only child here in freaking Makati?!

"Are you done cursing?"

I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes. My lips parted when I saw Finley standing before me. He was wearing a white shirt and black running short. He was also sporting a black headband para suportahan 'yung kulot niyang buhok.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't know," he said, shrugging.

"Ugh. Just get lost. You're annoying," I replied, still wiping the tears from my eyes. Of all people naman who could've seen me, why him? He's still like literally the worst.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Don't you live in some castle faraway?"

"Ha-ha," I sarcastically laughed.

"Heard you got scammed."

"Ugh! Get lost nga! Pangit mo!"

"Akala mo maganda ka?"

Lord God! Why did You bring him here?! Haven't I suffered enough?!

"You're the freaking worst, Finley!"

"Back to you, Maia," he replied, smiling sarcastically.

I pulled my hair in utter frustration of him. I briefly closed my eyes and took deep breaths. So, okay... Wala na akong cellphone ngayon. That's like bad. But maybe I wouldn't need it much na rin... I still had my laptop with me... If I had school works, I could just do it in school. That's what libraries are for, right? I'll finally know.

I continued walking. I'd still buy that freaking bleach. At least kahit iyon man lang ay magawa ko nang tama.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Mandie asked when I arrived at our classroom.

"Yeah," I replied with a small smile on my face. I wasn't able to sleep properly because I was afraid that someone would break-in the room. I had to stack the bed and my things against the door because I was so scared...

Plus the neighbors were having noisy sex! I was so scarred for life!

I just busied myself with the school activity. I didn't want to think about my big joke of a life. I never thought that school would actually feel... therapeutic. I just wanted to escape my reality for a while and just play the role of being a student.

"Maia, did you send your share na for the project?" Shy asked.

"I'll send later," I replied with a small smile on my face.

Freak.

Wala na akong money!

I used to love all our projects... but not now because they all cost money. And wala na akong money for that. If hindi sana ako na-scam, I'd still have some left para doon... Gosh... Ang stressful maging mahirap.

There was a free cut. My classmates were talking about where they plan on going sa school break, so I had to escape. I didn't want to lie. I knew naman na dadating iyong time na malalaman nila. Hindi na lang ako magsasabi about my plans kasi sure ako na sa Pilipinas lang ako for the foreseeable future.

I went to the back of the building. There was a huge tree there. I sat under the shade and quietly cried for the money that I lost.

"I don't want to sell you..." I told my LV. "But I need to pay for stuff... and I need to eat din... I don't want this, as well..."

Oh, gosh...

This was so hard!

"Are you seriously talking to a bag?"

"Finley?!" I shouted because I was sure it was him! Bakit ba siya ang nakaka-kita sa akin palagi kapag ganito?! I successfully evaded his presence for the past years tapos biglang para siyang mushroom ngayon na sulput nang sulpot kung saan-saan!

He stood up. Nandun pala siya sa other side ng tree.

"Okay, fine! I'm poor na! Just don't tell anybody!"

His forehead creased. "And why would I bother telling that to anybody?"

I groaned. "You're still so annoying!"

"At least I don't talk to my bags."

Lord... why?!

Tumayo na rin ako.

"You know what? I paid money to stay in your unit!" I said.

"Yeah, I heard... Didn't know you're that stupid."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "At least pay me back my money!"

He laughed. "Why?"

"Because!"

"Because? That's your argument?"

"You're so annoying!"

"So I've been told."

"Okay, half na lang ibalik mo na money ko."

"It's not my fault that you're gullible."

Ugh! Still so annoying! Nasaan ba 'yung kambal nito? Siya na lang kaya ang singilin ko? Riley's more considerate!

"You're still rich naman. Just give me back my money! You heard naman na I'm poor na, so I need money! Are you that heartless? Hindi ako tutulungan? I'm literally the 'less fortunate' right now!"

Finley just stared at me like I was a big clown. Well, he's a big jerk!

"You want your money?" he asked.

"Duh!"

"Work for it."

Agad akong napa-yakap sa katawan ko. "You wouldn't dare!"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "In your dreams," he said, scoffing.

"So annoying," I mumbled. "What work ba? Like tutor?" I asked.

"Tutor? My grades are way better than yours."

"How would you know? You stalk me, no?"

He scoffed like he couldn't believe what he was hearing from me. E paano niya kasi malalaman na pangit ang grades ko? Unless he's stalking me! Kasi ako wala na talaga akong alam sa kanya after the 7th grade! Like I literally worked so hard para hindi kami magtagpo!

"I just know that you're dumb. It shows."

Oh, dear God.

He's unbelievable.

"Know what? Never mind," I said as I began walking away. I changed my mind. I'd just stay poor kaysa humingi ng tulong kay Finley. The moment I ask for his help, that would be the sign that I really sank so low.

After class, dumiretso ako sa house namin. I really couldn't bear to part with my LV! It was my first ever LV! I'd just sell my other bags. Not my LV!

Good thing they didn't close the small gate sa may likod. I snuck in there and climbed on the tree. I was desperate! Huminga ako nang malalim before I jumped the distance between the tree and the balcony in my room.

"Oh, dear Lord!" I shouted as I took the leap of faith. "Ouch!" I yelped in pain when I kinda twisted my ankle when I landed. But it's no time for this! I did my best to ignore the stinging pain in my ankle. I used my card to swipe on the door. Naka-hinga ako nang maluwag nang bumukas iyon...

But my eyes widened even more when I heard an alarm blaring. Seriously! So annoying!

I just got in and grabbed whatever the heck I could grab. Baka may dumating na police! I couldn't be arrested! I didn't want a bad record! I just wanted some of my bags!

I grabbed like 3 bags and a small jewelry box before I went back to the balcony. Huminga ako nang malalim before I jumped. I seriously did hope that I wouldn't crush my ankle! I still needed to walk and stuff!

I was running like I was a freaking thief in my own house! I wasn't sure if I was paranoid or what, but it was as if I could hear the police siren blaring from a distance.

"Maia."

My eyes widened.

I looked around in panic, tumitingin sa kung may makaka-kita ba sa akin. But I didn't know if it was a good or bad thing when I saw that it was Finley Angelo aka the jerk who called my name.

"Oh, my god! Are you seriously stalking me?!"

"Had a thought that you'll do something dumb," he replied.

"I'm not dumb, you judgmental jerk!"

"You wanna get caught or you wanna ride in my car?"

"No, thank—" I said, but this time, I was sure that I wasn't hallucinating and I was really hearing the blaring of the sirens. "Drive!" I shouted at him as I wore the seatbelt. 

**

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