Chapter 11
Tasteful Lips
[ Ava Maureen ]

"ATE AVA!"

May kapareha ako ng pangalan dito? I'm sure it's not me who the girl is calling. I didn't tell anyone here about my first name. Only important people in my life would dare to call me using that name. Not that my new 'so-called' friends weren't important to me. It's just that, I didn't fully gave my trust to them. I have trust issues.

"Ate Ava!"

People in my country used to befriend me and it's very obvious that they're just using me for their own sake; popularity it is. I was just letting them to do that because I'm so suck of it. Hindi naman siguro gano'n ang mga estudyante rito . . . dahil bakit nila ako kakaibiganin kung hindi ko pa nga nadidiskubre ang aking kapangyarihan na siyang nagpapatakbo sa sistema rito?

The real question is, do I really have those?

"Ate Ava!" someone shouted at my back.

A petite girl with brown highlights on her hair approached me. Hanggang chin ko lang ang taas niya. She was smiling from ear to ear. Kung makatingin siya sa 'kin ay parang matagal na kaming magkaibigan.

Okay, who's this?

"Hi, po! I'm Kacey Laboriante from Freshmen J57, first section. Rank 9 in Rank DELTA, the one and only freshman in that rank!" she introduced herself with her wide smile. Why whould she even brag about that?

"Konnichiwa, I'm Maureen. How may I help you?" maikli kong tugon.

Her face lit up. "Ikaw po si Ava, 'di ba?" she asked.

I frowned. How did she know it? I didn't even write that name to the form that the headmaster gave me. "No, I'm not. Why?" May nakababasa ba ng isipan dito? I should ask Jane for that. But, how the h-ck did she know about that? Unless . . . I look at Kacey who's still smiling widely. She didn't even answer my question earlier.

"What is your magic and ability?"

"When I'm 10 years old, I already discovered my ability! Birthday ko po no'ng time na 'yon. Tapos, sa magic ko po naman noong maglabing-isang taong gulang ako. Tapos—" I cut her off.

I sighed. "I was only asking for your magic and ability. Not your story."

Kacey's confident smile turned into a shy one. She laughed awkwardly. "Ah . . . s-sorry, po. I can turn the person invisible, including myself and the things around me—that is my ability. Tapos, cloning naman po ang magic ko," saad niya at bahagya pang kinamot ang kaniyang batok.

After she said the last sentence, Kacey became 2 and disappeared. She literally doubled herself! Napaatras ako sa gulat at kalauna'y dahan-dahang tumango. She's not a mind reader but how come she does know my name?

I composed myself and acted like I don't know the name that she's talking about awhile ago. Dito naman ako magaling, sa pagpapanggap. "Who is Ava?" I said with fake confusion in my whole face together with my eyes. Baka ito ang ability ko, being an actress.

"A-Ah? Hindi ba ikaw po 'yon? Someone told me that. S-Sorry, po! Nagkamali lang siguro ako." I was about to ask her who's that someone but she already ran away. I sighed. I turned my back and started walking again towards the Training Field.

She's weird. Who could possibly told her that? May alam ba siya sa pagkatao ko? I should really ask Jane Hilary kung meron bang mind reader dito. But for now, I must enjoy the possibility that Jack Harrison will be my partner!

Pagpunta ko sa Training Field ay naroon na sa harap ang first at second section senior students. Pero hindi naman lahat. Every section has 30 students maliban sa First. First Sections has only 20 students pero sa Senior Class ay 15 nalang. Well, what should I expect? Kapag nasa first section ka, it only means that you can already control your magic and ability that much.

Tumabi ako kay Rhutchelle Faith. She introduced herself to me in the first day of my class. I did not bother mentioning it, though. Hindi naman siguro mapapansin na late ako. Rhutchelle's place is at the back.

"Numbers will appear on your wrist same as the numbers with your partners. That partner of yours will accompany you until you'll learn all the physical combat and the basic handling of magic and ability. Just wait for the numbers that will shown on yo—" Madam Herodie suddenly cuts her own own words when her eyes met mine. "Oh! Bakit ngayon ka lang, Miss Shimizuo? Narinig mo ba ang mga instructions na ibinigay ko kamakailan lang?"

Oh, just as I thought that she'll never notice me. I just nod, not minding the stares they are giving. The lecturer continued discussing about physical combat. She even showed a hologram using her bare hands, showing two stick men that are fighting.

Woah! Is that her ability? Cool, a living projector.

After she discussed on what we should do, Madam Herodie instructed us to wait the number that will shown up on our wrist. Seconds passed, my classmates were one by one going to their respective partners. The number already shown up to my right wrist.

It was 12. Tumayo lang ako at hindi gumalaw habang hinihintay na makalapit ang kapareha ko. A gorgeous lady like me shouldn't wait. But, where is my partner?! 2 minutes had passed but still none. Nakakainis na, a!

I roamed my eyes around the field and I saw a man standing there, probably waiting for his partner, too. I look again at the number on my wrist. Pinuntahan ko siyang nakatayo pa rin at parang may binubulong sa sarili.

Naririnig ko pa nga rito, e. "I am the Rank 1 in Rank SUPREMUS, a prince, and a powerful one. Jack Harrison, where's your partner now, huh?" he murmured under his breath while staring at his wrist.

Tiningnan ko rin papulsuhan niya and to my surprise, we have the same number! Jane was right. "Hi! I'm Maureen, your partner," wika ko at inilahad sa kaniya ang kamay.

Nag-angat ito ng tingin. He composed himself and cleared his throat as if I didn't heard him earlier. "Let's go."

"Why you didn't approached me earlier? I'm your partner," I scolded. Saan ba kami pupunta?

"You should be the one approaching me," his voice was cold.

I flashed a smile. "What? A gorgeous lady like me should not wait for someone. But if it's you, that's fine."

Napalingon naman siya sa 'kin at inirapan ako. Luh!? Marunong siyang umirap? I heard him saying 'tss'. Suplado naman nito but again, it's okay. Mapagtatyagaan ko naman siguro siya.

We stopped in the mansion with gold linings. It's smaller than my house but more attractive. Ano ang ginagawa namin dito? I look at him at confusion. "You're not surprise on how big this mansion is?" takang tanong niya.

I frowned. "Why would I? My mansion is bigger and more attractive than this," I bragged. "And what are we doing here?"

"This is our dorm. SUPREMUS MANSION as we call it. Dito kita i-t-train." My mouth hang open as he said 'our dorm'. Sobrang laki naman? Even if the 10 dorms collided, hindi pa rin mapapantayan ang laki nito. Ugh! Gusto ko na tuloy maging Rank SUPREMUS. There's so much advantages I will get, and maybe, it can help me.

I heard him whispered, "And now you're shock." Akala ko ba tahimik ito? Why he is being talkative with me now? Sumunod kaagad ako sa kaniya nang pumasok na siya.

Nadaanan namin ang malaking sala. Umakyat kami sa mala-engrandeng hagdanan at dumaan sa maluwag na pasilyo. Bumaba na naman kami sa hagdanan at pinasok ang higanteng pintuan. There are words that is engraved on the wooden gigantic door in front of me. It says 'TRAINING ROOM'.

As he open the door, my mouth hang open, again. A training field just like the place that I've been to earlier. Pero mas maliit lamang ito. I can see the transparent barrier that is covering the whole place. This is perfect for my training!

KANINA PA kami naglalaban na walang katapusan. He's stronger than his twin! Well, of course, he's a man after all. Kanina pa dumudugo ang gilid ng aking labi dahil sa lakas ng suntok na pinapakawalan niya. I even almost cry when I thought that my nose would be broken!

He jumped off in my direction and without hesitation, he instantly punch my stomach. My body was thrown on the ground. Buong pwersa akong tumayo at tumakbo papalapit sa kaniya. That hurt a lot! He don't have mercy! Goodness gracious!

He released an upper cut blow but I'm fast so I managed to block his attack. I know he's faster than me that he even kicked me on my gut at hindi ko na nailagan pa iyon. My knees trembled kaya naman napaluhod ako at napaubo ng dugo. I didn't give attention to my condition and managed to stand up, only to see his handsome face with his smirking lips.

I wanna kiss that lips . . .

I touched my lips and stomach because of the pain I felt. Shock expression was left on our faces when the cuts of my face and the pain that I felt physically, had disappeared.

Is this my ability? I smiled widely and silently thanked him for letting it come out of my system.

Sinamantala ko ang kaniyang pagkabigla kaya agad akong nakalapit sa kaniya at tinuhod siya ng buong pwersa sa kaniyang tiyan. I kicked his face causing him to sat down. I saw him smirk again and say, "You just discovered your ability and that is to heal. You also improved on your skills."

"I know, Darling." I don't want to call him 'babe' like the guys I kissed. Darling would be better. Flirty Ava is back.

I smiled sweetly at him and grabbed his collar. I looked at his eyes down to his teasing lips and back to his eyes again. I bit my lips and fastly leaning closer at him. I crashed my lips at his. I finally stand and wink. His face was red as a tomato and even got his eyes bigger than the usual.

Maybe he couldn't believe that I kissed him. Or don't tell me, it's his first kiss? I can't believe that this side of myself is still alive. "That was a tasteful lips, Darling."

Ang kaniyang laging nakakunot na kilay ay mas lalo lang kumunot. I bet he doesn't want to call him 'darling'. "Stop flirting around, flirt. We must focus on your training," he seriously said.

Aray ko ha! Flirt?! Duh, I know it's true but, excuse me! I only kissed attractive boys.

@eggarru