"Paeng baon mo." Iniabot ko sa kapatid ko yung topperware na balot sa supot pagkahatid ko sa kanya sa school nila.

"Sige ate salamat." He smiled. I messed his hair at ngumiti sa kanya. Pinanood ko siyang nagtatakbong pumasok sa loob ng gate at may mga kausap siyang mga kaibigan.

My brother is 10 years old at sinisikap kong pag-aralin siya sa isa sa mga pinakamagandang school dito sa Pilipinas.

Kahit halos umabot na sa 1 million ang tuition niya sa isang school year pinagsisikapan kong pag-ipunan yun, he deserves the best. The best that I can never have.

Tinaas ko yung hood ng jacket ko sa ulo ko at nagsimula ng maglakad papasok sa eskwelahan.

Our apartment is 20 minute walk to school. Tapos hinatid ko pa si Paeng so estimatedly, 30 minutes akong maglalakad.

Naramdaman ko ang pagvibrate ng phone ko.

Kuya Spencer calling...

I encrypted my phone. I know he's tracking us. At ayaw kong malaman nila kung asan ako. Galit si Lolo sakin dahil ayaw niyang tanggapin si Paeng.

We are all orphans. Ako, si kuya Spencer, si Marshan at Paeng. But Lolo doesn't want Rafael, galing daw ito sa pamilyang kinamumuhian niya. Inampon niya kaming lahat kahit hindi kami magkakapatid.

"Kuya.." I answered.

"The f*ck Maxene! Where are you?! And will you stop encrypting your phone!" Singhal nito sakin. Napangisi na lang ako.

"Magtratrabaho pa rin ako para sa Mafia kuya, you can't take Rafael away from me."

"Max, come home. I'll provide you shelter, food and everything!"

"I can do that for us kuya, I'm an underground fighter baka nakakalimutan mo."

"F*ck! I told you to stop fighting and racing! Where the hell exactly are you?! Halos galugadin na namin ang buong Europe!"

"You can never find me kuya. Not until Lolo accepts Rafael." I sighed and ended the call.

I am 18, an underground fighter, car racer, and a mafia assassin. Nabubuhay kami sa malaking perang nakukuha ko sa pangangarera at pakikipaglaban.

We left Europe a month ago at dito kami sa Pilipinas napadpad. Life here is f*cking great.

I know they can't imagine me living in a third world country. Ako na apo ng isang mafia lord? That's why I know we are safe here.

Agad namang umiwas sakin ang mga nakakasalubong ko dito sa school. They say I have this very dark aura na parang papatay na ko sa tingin pa lang. But I just shrugged it off, wala akong pake sa kung anong sasabihin nila.

Pumasok ako sa library to return the book I borrowed nung isang araw. Mag-iisang buwan na ko dito sa school at halos isang buong shelf na ang nababasa kong libro.

"So, how did you find this novel?" Nakangiting tanong sakin ng librarian. She is the most terrifying librarian I've ever known kaya kokonti ang tao dito sa library. Pero kapag inlove ka sa libro like her then you're cool.

"The plot was great, medyo cliché lang yung ending. Medyo magulo din yung point ng protagonist of revenge but overall it's heartbreaking." I said and filled out some form.

"Talaga? How about you try this. The Seven Deadly Sins by Bean Patterson." I gazed at the thick hard bound book.

"The story of 7 different men and how did they survived their psychological disease?"

"Wow! Pano mo nalaman, this was released just few days ago!"

"I have a copy." I lied. The truth is Bean is a friend of mine sa Europe and I was his model for that crap. Ang Seven Deadly Sins.

"Sige po mauna na ko, I have a class to catch up." I said and fixed my stuffs.

I put my bag on my shoulder at lumabas na ng library. I again put my hood on my head.

"Guys, we're having a long quiz today!" The teacher announces.

"Ma'am wala ka namang sinabi ah!"

"Hindi lahat ng quizzes inaannounce, you need to be prepared always!" Hugot nito. The quiz was easy as 123. Well kailan nga ba ko nahirapan sa mga ganito.

Everything is easy for me. I got again the perfect score.

"Good Job, Ms. Collins." The teacher smiled at me. Tumango na lang ako. I hate flattery. Alam kong magaling ako hindi na kailangang ulit-ulitin. I am Maxene McNeils, but just by hearing surname is like uttering a curse. Delikado. So I need to change it into Collins. 

Dumiretso ako sa CR after the class.

"As usual, the scholar got a perfect score again, what do you expect from a poor girl? Puro aral lang inaatupag, walang social life. How boring."

I was about to open the door of the cubicle ng marinig ko yun. Hindi ko na lang pinansin at dumiretso ako sa sink sa tabi ng kung sino mang may sabi nun.

Syempre nagulat sila at bahagyang nagmove palayo sakin. I just washed my hands and dried it bago ako lumabas ng CR na parang walang nangyari.

"Hi! Excuse me, I'm Monique. Alam mo ba kung saan yung 12A?" She asked.

"Room 345." I said. Naglakad ulit ako pero sinundan niya ko.

"Can you help me look for it? Medyo may problema ako sa direksyons." She said. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako and started walking.

"Oy please naman." Pangungulit nito.
Hindi ko siya sinagot nagtuloy-tuloy lang ako sa paglalakad at pumasok sa classroom.

"Uyy miss saan ba yung Room 345?" She asked again. Nakaupo na ko sa seat ko.

"Miss you are already in 345, may I know what's your business here?" Napasinghap siya ng marinig yung boses ng teacher namin.

"A-ahm t-transferee po kasi ako." She said.

"Okay then, you may proceed here infront to introduce yourself." Sabi ng teacher. I was just looking at her.

Wala namang kakaiba sa kanya. She looks harmless.

"I'm Monique Allison Beckham, I came from Canada and uhm I transferred because my friends are studying here." Namumula ang pisngi nito.

I silently smirk. I don't know her. Pati yung apelyido niya hindi matunog.

"Okay Miss Beckham, if you could please take your seat."

"T-thank you po."

Naramdaman ko ang marahang paghila ni Monique sa jacket ko when she seated besides me.

"Nakakainis ka." She whispered. I rolled my eyes at her. Allergic ako sa mga FC.