#TPTG_KEITH

"Goodmorning everyone. My name is Keith Adrian Sanchez. I'm thirteen years old. My nickname is Kai but I prefer if you call me Keith instead. It's nice to meet you all," I introduced myself in front of the class

"Let's all welcome your new classmate, Keith! It's nice to meet you hijo," she said and faced the class. "Keith right here is a consistent honor student since he was in pre-school up to middle school. He also graduated first honor in his previous school. We're lucky to have him as a top pupil," she looked back at me again with a smile on her lips. "Looking forward to your performance this year Keith."

I only gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

"Now, class. I hope you will all get along with Keith."

Embarrassment gushed over me when they all started applausing for me. Para akong statue na nakatayo lang sa harapan nila. Hindi malaman ang gagawin. They all have a bright smile plastered on their faces while looking at me. Nginitian ko sila pabalik.

I tried my best to look at them one by one. Then my eyes landed to this one girl on the second row on the corner of the room. She caught my attention not because I find her attractive or she's making unnecessary movements pero dahil siya lang ang masama ang tingin sa'kin. Her arms are crossed over her chest and her brows are furrowed while looking at me. Her gaze was intense, like it could kill.

From my spot, I can see the bitterness and disgust in her eyes, feeling unpleasant at my mere presence. Hindi ko alam kung bakit gano'n ang tingin niya sa'kin. Everyone seems delighted upon seeing me except for her. She looked grumpy. For some reason, I can't keep my eyes off her. We only broke eye contact when she rolled her eyes at me.

I only got back to my senses when my teacher spoke.

"Okay Keith. Thank you. You may take your seat."

"Ma'am dito niyo siya paupuin sa tabi ko!"

"Ma'am dito may vacant seat."

"Pre! Dito oh!"

They kept on calling my name simultaneously and I didn't know where to look. Nakita kong may mga bakanteng upuan sa dulo.

"Where do I sit ma'am?" I asked our teacher since I don't know which seat to choose

She smiled at me. "Wherever you like."

I nodded and walked towards the last row. Nakita ko kung paano nila ako nilingon at sinundan ng tingin. I put down my bag and sat on my armchair. I looked at my classmates and they were all looking at me.

"Ang pogi niya girl."

"At matalino rin daw. Swerte natin. May bago tayong classmate!"

"Gusto ko siyang kausapin kaso nahihiya ako."

"Sayang hindi siya dito umupo sa row natin."

"Ang lapit niya kay Fey."

From my seat, I can hear their murmurs and conversations about me, especially the girls. They kept on stealing glances at me. Iginiya ko ang paningin sa paligid. We were quite a lot inside the room. About thirty of us. Our classroom was big and there were big windows on the side. I was lucky enough to be near the window. I looked outside and there's a tall tree near the window. Tanaw rin ang field sa baba.

"What's up Keith? I'm Christopher by the way."

Napatingin ako sa tabi ko. My seatmate is a guy. He offered me a handshake and I gladly took it. We bumped our shoulders too. "Nice to meet you."

"Swerte ko may matalino na akong seatmate. Buti dito mo pinili umupo. Magulo rito sa last row e."

"It's fine. Gusto ko rito kasi malapit sa bintana."

He chuckled. "Oo at madali rin makatulog diyan. Hindi ka mapapansin."

I only gave him a small smile. Umayos na ako ng upo nung nagsimulang magdiscuss ang teacher namin. I took out my notebook and began writing the lesson on the board.

"Pakopya nalang pre ah. Tulog muna ko," aniya

From the corner of my eyes, I caught our classmates watching us or me alone even if our teacher is already discussing. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil panay ang lingon nila sa'kin. Whenever I look at them, they immediately avoided my gaze.

"Naku. Magiging sikat ka agad dito sa school na 'to pre. Hula ko maraming magkakacrush sa'yo," he smirked

Napailing nalang ako at binalik ang atensiyon sa harap.

While in the middle of the discussion, I felt like someone is staring at me from my right. I shifted my gaze to my right side and I was right. Nahuli kong nakatingin sa'kin yung babaeng masama ang tingin sa'kin kanina habang nagpapakilala ako sa harapan. She looked at me from head to foot then back to my face.

My brows furrowed, confused.

Why is she looking at me like I did something bad to her. Para bang may malaki akong utang sa kanya na hindi ko pa nababayaran.

Based on her unpleasant look, I felt like she was judging me by her stare. Alam kong maayos naman ang itsura ko kaya hindi ko alam bakit kanina niya pa ako tinitignan. She arched her brows and rolled her eyes at me again.

Umiwas na rin ako ng tingin. I sighed and focused on the discussion.

During the first week, I thought I wasn't able to make friends but to my surprise, it was the other way around. Some approached me and make friends with me. Well, mostly were girls but I didn't mind.

"So Keith. How's your first week so far?" asked Dianne

"It's better than I expected. Everyone seems friendly and nice."

Frankly, I didn't have a hard time adjusting. I was able to adapt in this new environment sooner than I expected. So far, I don't see any problem with this school. It's still my first week anyway. I think I'll eventually like it.

"Nag-join ka na ba sa mga clubs?"

"Ahh, not yet. But I'm planning to."

"You should join! Ano bang mga hobbies mo? I mean, mukhang kaya mo namang gawin lahat. Matalino ka na e."

I rubbed my neck, a bit embarrassed. "Uh, I like drawing, playing basketball and soccer. I can also play a little bit of piano."

Her eyes widened in amazement. "That's great! Marami kang pwedeng salihan."

I smiled. "Thanks."

She blushed and looked away. Nagulat nalang ako nang bigla akong lapitan ng iba kong kaklase.

"Excuse me ladies pero dadaan muna kayo sa'kin bago makalapit kay master Keith." Christopher suddenly appeared behind me and he placed his arms over my shoulder. Napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Lunch break na pala pre. Sabay ka na sa'min," he added

"Alright."

Sinabayan ako ng mga kaibigan ko na kumain ng lunch sa cafeteria. To my disappointment, the lunch was way too pricey yet it doesn't even taste great at all. Malaki ang tubo nila rito. Mas makakatipid ako kung magbabaon ako.

"Omg! Fey is here!"

"Ang ganda niya talaga 'no? Hindi nakakasawang pagmasdan."

"She's so hot! I want to get her number."

I heard some of the students talking beside our table. Napatingin ako sa kanila. Their attention was fixed on the girl in front.

"Who's she?" I asked my friends

"Hala! Hindi mo pa pala siya nakikilala? Kaklase natin siya Keith. She's also the top 1 in her class."

I shook my head. "No. I only know her face but I still don't know her name."

Siya yung babaeng masama lagi ang tingin sa'kin. I haven't formally met her yet but I've already heard a lot of things about her.

"She's Felicity Gueverra," said Dianne

I slowly nodded.

So that's her name huh?

"Ah siya? Ano, girlfriend ko," sagot ni Christopher na nagpakunot ng noo ko

"Ang kapal naman pre," one of them replied

"Crush lang kasi! Kayo naman."

"She's the campus crush. Who wouldn't love her anyway? Nasa kanya na ang lahat. She's smart, popular, rich, and insanely gorgeous! Kahit ako may crush din sa kanya," Dianne said while admiring the girl from afar. "Not to mention she's the daughter of the governor," pahabol niya

I arched my brow. "She's a daughter of a...governor?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yup! Sikat siya kaya sobrang dami niyang friends. Walang araw na hindi siya pinag-uusapan dito sa school."

Tumingin ako sa babae sa harapan ko. She's on the other table just right in front of us. She was surrounded by many students in one table. Masaya silang nagkwekwentuhan lahat. My friends are busy talking with a new topic but my eyes were fixed on her, only to her. Pakiramdam ko walang ibang tao kundi kaming dalawa lang.

There's something about her that feeds up my curiosity. Although we haven't met personally nor interacted yet, she intrigues me.

Nagulat ako noong bigla siyang tumingin sa direksiyon ko. She's wearing the usual annoyed look on her face.

I got back to my senses when I heard my friends called me.

"Keith.."

"Yeah?"

"Kanina ka pa nakatitig kay Fey ah. Crush mo na rin ba?" Christopher teased while grinning

Binalik ko ang atensiyon sa pagkain. "No. She's not my type."

"Woah, ikaw lang ata ang nakapagsabi niyan sa buong class."

"Sabagay, gwapo rin kaya si Keith kaya baka mataas standards," Dianne commented

"Looks and wealth don't attract me. Personality does," I said as a matter of fact

"Sa umpisa lang siguro 'yan baka pag tumagal, mahulog ka rin," Christopher told me with a an annoying smile on his lips. He wiggled his brows and nudged my elbow

"Stop it Chris."

Days went by in a blink of an eye. They were right when they told me that Fey was always the talk of the town. I feel like I know her more than half of the students here since she's always everyone's topic. For the record, we haven't personally met yet.

At first, it didn't bother me but later on, it annoyed the hell out of me. Bukambibig lagi nila ay siya. Parang wala na akong interes na kilalanin pa siya. I don't understand why people always talk about her. I get that she's famous, smart, and that she's a daughter of the governor but that's it. There's nothing special about her.

Everyone has a crush on her, but not me.

I'm just not the type of person who can easily like or instantly fall for someone because of their physical appearance and wealth. I have to get to know that person more.

There's one time where where Fey and I happen to see each other at the corridors. Kaming dalawa lang. I was about to greet her but she just walked passed me.

She wasn't friendly, not to me I guess. Pakiramdam ko ayaw niya sa'kin. She has a different aura whenever she sees me. Mabilis din magbago ang mood niya.

I couldn't avoid the rumors about her. Some say she has a bad and spoiled brat attitude. Matapobre rin daw siya kasi mayaman. There are plenty of other mean things that people throw on her but she remained unbothered. She's probably used to it. I didn't want to judge her since I don't know her personally so I refuse to believe these rumors. But based on my observations...it made me think otherwise.

"She's very intimidating lalo na kapag tumingin siya sa'yo kaya walang kayang tumagal sa titig niya. Her looks could kill. If she doesn't like someone, she tend to scowl at them. May mga taong takot sa kanya dahil sa cold aura niya. Mabait naman siya kaya lang nakakatakot minsan kapag seryoso. She's just too serious when it comes to her studies. Consistent honor din siya kagaya mo hanggang ngayon. Gusto niyang gumraduate ng valedictorian," kwento ni Dianne. "She's also just too pressured by her family and everyone's expectations that's why she sometimes appear to be in a bad mood. Stress lang siya."

I guess that explains why she's often in a bad mood.

"Alam mo ba, pinagkukumpara na kayong dalawa. Bagay daw kayong magjowa."

My eyes widened in surprise. "What? That's too much."

"Hindi pa ba kayo nag-uusap?"

I didn't answer her and looked at Fey instead on the other table. She was with her usual group of friends. Biglang nag tama ang mata namin. Her lips parted and she immediately looked away.

Nakakatakot kung tumingin? She can't even hold eye contact with me for more than five seconds.

***

"Keith Sanchez, am I right?"

"Felicity Guevarra," I said

She smiled sarcastically. "The one and only."

"It's nice to finally meet you." I extended my arm to her for a handshake

Tinignan lang niya iyon at tinaasan ako ng kilay. Binaba ko na ang kamay ko dahil mukhang wala siyang balak makipag-kamayan sa'kin.

"What's your highest general average in elementary?"

My brows furrowed, confused by her sudden question.

"95."

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she kept her cool.

"Anong mga awards na ang natanggap mo? May sinalihan ka na rin bang ibang competitions?"

I chuckled softly and put my hands inside my pockets. "There's too many to mention. I lost count already."

Her lips twitched, forcing a smile to me. She looked at me again from head to foot. Tinaasan niya ulit ako ng kilay. She crossed her arms over her chest and took a step closer to me. I can smell her lavander perfume by our close distance. Nanatiling blanko ang mukha ko habang nakatingin sa mga mata niya.

"You may be new to this school Keith but just so you know, I'm still the best," she bragged

"I heard your the most popular, richest, and smartest student here in school."

She raised her chin. "That's right. And I won't let you take away my spot."

I smiled inwardly and went closer to her until we're in the same eye-level. "Look, I'm not competing against you but why are so threatened by me?"

She swallowed hard. "I'm not scared of you!"

I tilted my head, amused. "I'm not either."

Naningkit ang mata niya habang nakatingin sa'kin. Her forehead was creased and her big hazel brown eyes were filled with passion and rage. Masama ang tingin niya sa'kin but as for me, I was relaxed. I don't know how much longer we'll look at each other but it seems that none of us wants to break eye-contact.

We look like we're in a staring contest and if the other person blinks, they'll lose. The corner of my lips curved when she was the first one who avoided my gaze. I guess she couldn't handle me.

Bigla siyang umatras palayo sa'kin. I extended my arm for a handshake. This time, she took it. I leaned forward near her ear. "I hope you play fair Fey."

She clenched her jaw and walked passed me, bumping her shoulder to mine. Palihim akong ngumiti at sinundan siya ng tingin habang naglalakad palayo.

Our first interaction was not as bad as I expected. She was fierce and bold. A little bit feisty, I must say. Now I understand why she's looking at me that way. She sees me as a threat, as an enemy. But I couldn't care less. I'll just play along with her. If she thinks of me that way then so be it.

"Congratulations to the both of you. Kahit hindi kayo nakakuha ng medal ay job well done pa rin," our teacher said proudly and gave us both a certificate. Tinanggap namin iyon ni Fey

"Thank you," I said

"Thanks," she muttered

Umalis na ang teacher sa harap namin. Naiwan naman kaming dalawa.

"Congrats," I told her

Hindi niya ako sinagot at nanatili ang paningin sa certificate. Her expression remained blank. She kinda looks disappointed when she didn't win the medal, and just earned a certificate. I went to my locker and took out my folder. I opened it and put the certificate neatly inside along with the other certificates I have collected over the years.

I looked back at Fey and her fists were clenched while staring at the floor. My gaze followed her when she went to the trashcan near the lockers. She crumpled the certificate with both hands aggressively before throwing it inside the trash can. Tumalikod na siya at naglakad palayo.

The next day, I went to my usual spot which is the library

I was busy studying in the when I spot Fey sitting on the other table in front of me. Ngayon ko lang siya napansin. This time, she was alone. Her brows were furrowed while reading a book. She looks so serious and if someone dares to disturb her, she'd probably get mad.

A male student suddenly approached her. He was shy and hesitant at first. He greeted Fey a simple 'goodmorning' but Fey didn't even glance at him. He cleared his throat, feeling tensed and awkward. He was about to speak again but when Fey gave her the 'look' he suddenly took a step back and immediately walked away. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang estudyante. Napapikit nalang siya sa kahihiyan.

I shifted my gaze back to Fey. She rolled her eyes in disgust and went back to studying.

My brows furrowed. Ilang sandali ay biglang nagtama ang mata namin. I arched my brow at her. She did the same. Now that it's only just the two of us, mas napansin ko ang itsura niya. I can clearly see her features more.

She has this cold aura that everybody seems to be intimidated of. She has a small v-shaped face, porcelain skin, sharp jawline, big hazel brown eyes, long curly lashes, thin eyebrows, pointed nose, and a cupid shape lips. Her black hair is medium length long and it has soft curls at the end of it.

Now I understand why people admire her. She's flawless and alluring. But perhaps only on the outside.

Sure she stands out for everyone pero para sa'kin ay pantay lang ang tingin ko sa kanya sa iba.

"What?" she mouthed

My lips parted. I didn't realize I was staring at her for too long.

She rolled her eyes at me and went back to studying again.

Tumingin nalang ulit ako sa libro sa harapan ko. I kept glancing on her from time to time. There's something about her that draws me in.

She was too perfect. Hindi siya madaling basahin. She was an open book to everybody but for me, I'm reading between the lines. I, too, wanted to understand why people are obsessing her so much. If it's only just because of her looks, fame, wealth, or the fact that she's a daughter of a governor, then I probably wouldn't join the hype.

***

"Is freedom of speech a right or a privilege?"

That was the topic of our debate.

Fey and I are face to face with each other at the center in front of the class. We're behind a poolpit. Medyo malayo kami sa isa't isa. It's our English and our teacher proposed a debate for the class. Surprisingly, our classmates voted for us to go head to head since we're the top pupils in class.

I gladly agreed, especially Fey. She was so serious and I know she wanted to go up against me.

To be honest, I didn't expect there was gonna be a debate for today. No one even informed me so I didn't prepare at all. Ewan ko lang sa kanya.

Pinagmasdan ko siya sa harap ko. She's wearing her usual cold "intimidating" aura. Her game face was on. Diretso lamang ang tingin niya sa'kin. Her eyes were intense but I remained unfazed. If there's a different person in my position right now, they'll probably faint by her strong gaze but for me, I feel nothing. No fear, no worry, no discomfort. Para lang siyang matigas na pader na may mata.

"Okay, Fey and Keith so which one of you will go first? You can draw by playing rock paper scissors," our teacher said and looked at us two

"Ladies first," sabi ko nang hindi inaalis ang paningin sa kanya

She squinted her eyes at me. I actually find her amusing. I want to see her performance today. She's the smartest student in this school. siguro naman kaya niyang panindigan iyon.

Our teacher smiled at her. "Okay Fey. You go ahead first. Take turns kayo ni Keith," she said and faced the class. "Again, this is just a friendly debate. You students can also participate on which side you'll take. After the debate, we'll have a discussion about it and you can also share your opinions. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am!" they said in unison

They all have a huge smile on their faces, excited for the debate. The chairs we're divided. On the right is Fey's side and on the left is mine. I was surprised when they most of them went to Fey's side. Bilang lang sa daliri ko ang kaklase kong pinili ako.

"Go Fey!"

"Sure win na 'to si Fey. No one can beat her when it comes to debate. She's the best!"

"True! Nanalo pa nga siya sa debate competition nung English month. I'm sure basic lang 'to sa kanya."

"Fey will always be the smartest. No one can replace her. She's a queen!"

"Ang hirap nung topic nila pero feel ko mananalo pa rin siya."

"Kaya nga eh! Kaya mas lalong nakaka-excite. Eto lagi favorite part ko kapag English subject na natin."

Fey sure does have a lot of supporters. Well, the majority here is in favor of her. She was everyone's favorite...

"Go Keith!"

"Go pre! Support ka rin namin."

Tumingin naman ako sa side ko. I gave them a small smile. I was already contented with my few friends who were supporting me. Binalik ko ang tingin sa harap. Fey was still looking at me.

I was confident and chill. Hindi ako kinakabahan o napepressure. But that doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously. This is graded and part of our recitation so I will do my best today.

"The topic is about social issue and the question is, 'Is freedom of speech a right or a privilege?'" she began. "My answer to that is, for me, freedom of speech is a right. Since we live in a democratic country, everyone deserves the right to speak and articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation and legal sanction. I believe our voices have the power to make a great change in our nation, especially the youth! Just like what our national hero Jose Rizal stated, 'Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.' As early as our age, masasabi kong unti-unti nang namumulat ang mga kabataan sa realidad. I can say I'm lucky enough that I'm able to use my platform to educate my fellow classmates. Thank you."

All of them gave her a round of applause including our teacher. They whistled and showered her with praises like she just gave a speech in running for President in the election. Tumingin ako sa side ni Fey. Malapad ang ngiti sa labi nila. Their eyes were filled with love and admiration. Nakaawang pa ang labi nila habang nakatingin kay Fey.

"Go bestie!" one of them shouted

Fey chuckled. "Thanks Lou. Thanks guys," she said to her supporters. Hindi maalis ang ngiti sa labi niya.

"Ang ganda ng sagot niya. Short and simple pero may sense."

"Uwian na. May nanalo na."

"I vote her for President!"

"Same kami ng opinion ni Fey. Tama naman kasi talaga yung sagot niya."

Maya-maya ay binalik niya ang tingin sa'kin. She arched her brow and smiled cockily. My lips formed into a small smile as well, amazed by her confidence and fighting spirit.

She has proved something to me, I must say. She's an intellectual and an educated person. She carries herself with confidence and class. When it comes to these things, she's a whole different person.

"Thank you for that wonderful speech Fey. Now, let's hear Keith's side," our teacher said and all of their attention was on me now. The room turned silent. I can feel their energy and anticipation for my turn. My eyes didn't leave Fey who's looking at me with boredom. She's just playing with her nails, uninterested to listen to my side.

"Since it's my turn to speak my side, let me repeat the question," I cleared my throat. "Is freedom of speech a right or a privilege? Well, my answer to that is, freedom of speech is indeed a human right but unfortunately, nowadays, it has become a privilege."

I heard them gasp. Soft murmurs filled across the room. From my spot, I can hear their conversations. Napatingin ako sa kanila. Their reaction was a bit exaggerated for me. At first, I didn't expect they would react right away knowing that I've only said one sentence with a few words. I guess it already had an impact on them.

Nonetheless, I still remained calm and relaxed. I was not affected by their reaction. Hindi ko na sila masyadong pinansin.

"To elaborate further, everyone deserves freedom of speech but not everyone has the right. A lot of countries have constitutional law that protects free speech. Why did I say it has become a privilege? Reason is that, in our country, when someone speak on social matters and political issues, they tend to be silenced. Those people are called activist. They would most likely experience such prejudice and punishment from the people in authority."

"Some people who are privilege enough are quite lucky because they can freely and easily voice out their opinions but what about those people who are ordinary citizens? The oppressed? Their voices matter too but they were neglected. Unfortunately, we live in a society where there's discrimination based on social classes. That's the sad reality. Not everyone sees that because some are too comfortable living inside their privilege bubble," I said calmly while directly looking at Fey

Her eyes widened. Napakurap-kurap siya at hindi malaman kung saan titingin. She swallowed hard and avoided my gaze.

Narinig ko nalang na may pumalakpak na isa galing sa audience. I looked at the one student at the back row. Her jaw was dropped while looking at me in awe. Ngayon ko lang napansin na kanina pa sila tahimik pero noong may pumalakpak na isa ay sabay sabay silang nagsipalakpakan na rin. I smiled triumphantly while looking at them with pride. Their loud cheers echoed the whole room. Everyone was amazed and thrilled by the debate. Their high energy was contagious.

"Grabe. Iba talaga ang top one at top two natin."

"Imagine if they were a couple. They would be so powerful!"

"Dumugo ata ilong ko sa english nila."

"I didn't fully understand what they said but I agree!"

"I love you Keith."

"Thank you," I simple replied to all of them

Our teacher walked towards us with a proud smile on her face. "Wow, the two of you. You never fail to amaze me with your performance. Maganda pareho ang sagot niyo. Thank you for sharing us your opinions about this. You both did great. As expected, you two are the top pupils in this class. I know you'll still improve as you grow older and I can see the potential in you two."

"Thank you ma'am." Tumingin ako kay Fey at nakita kong masama nanaman ang tingin niya sa'kin.

She averted her gaze on our teacher and smiled sweetly at her. "Thank you po."

"You may now take your seats."

We nodded and we both went back to our seats. Our teacher began to discuss another topic. Some of our classmates were busy talking to Fey about the debate. Panay ang puri nila sa kanya. Fey, on the other hand, appears to be in a bad mood. Tumingin siya sa'kin at inirapan ako.

Why does she always roll her eyes at me? It's getting annoying. I get it. She doesn't like me but she doesn't have to shove it to my face. Geez.

"Galing mo pre. Ganda ng sagot mo. Grabe yung English, sumakit ulo ko sa inyo," said Christopher beside me

I chuckled. "Thanks man."

"Parehas maganda sagot but I like yours better," sabi naman ni Dianne

Tipid lang akong ngumiti at binalik ang tingin sa harap.

After class, I decided to go to the library to study since finals is fast approaching.

"Keith!"

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nung biglang may tumawag sa'kin. I turned around and I was surprised to see Fey walking towards me. She crossed her arms over her chest when she stopped in front of me.

This is the first time she talked to me again.

My brows raised. "Yes?"

She extended her arm to me. Tinignan ko lang iyon.

"Nice job."

I arched my brow and shifted my gaze back to her.

"The debate earlier. You did...well," she gulped

"Oh, right. Thanks," I said and took her hand. It was soft and warm. "You did well too as expected."

"I did better."

My lips parted. "What?"

She tightened her grip on my hand before releasing it. Kunot noo ko siyang tinignan.

She smiled sweetly but I know it was fake. She still looked pissed at me.

"Look, I respect your opinion. I actually like your answer-"

She scoffed. "Oh, really? It seems like you were attacking me with your answer."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "What? What are you talking about?"

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, please Keith. You don't have to play innocent."

"Mali 'yang iniisip mo. I'm not attacking you but if the shoe fits, then wear it."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You think you've already beat me now? Don't get your hopes up Keith," she blurted

Shit. Here we go again...

"I don't understand why are you so mad at me. Ano bang ginawa ko sa'yo? May problema ka ba sa'kin? Why are you so pressed? It's just a friendly debate Fey. Walang awards doon. Walang first place at second place. It's for our grades and based on our teacher's feedback, I'm confident that she'll give us a high grade. You're taking things too seriously."

"I am not!"

I raised my brow. "Really?"

She fixed her posture and raised her chin. "Well, we are entitled of our opinions anyway."

"But not everyone's opinions matter. Let's say if someone shares they're opinion in this topic that they have zero knowledge about, do you think their opinion is valid? Not entirely."

"So you're saying my opinion is not-"

"You have knowledge in the said topic that's why I think your answer is great."

Her brows furrowed, confused. "We both had the same answer to the question. You just copied me."

"I agree with you but I did not copy you."

"If you agree with me then, bakit mo pa pinahaba?"

"Because we have a slightly different answer. I added my own opinion. Besides, if we have the same answer, what's the purpose of the debate?" I said. "I put a little thrill to spice it up."

"Tsk," she rolled her eyes as if I said something ridiculous.

I sighed. "Look Fey, you don't have to compare yourself to me. We're different. We're unique in our own little way."

She groaned. "Bakit ba lagi ka nalang may sagot sa lahat?" she asked, irritated

"Because I want you to keep that in mind." I took a step back and turned my heel, heading my way to the library leaving her dumbfounded

***

I yawned and closed the book I was reading. I glanced at my watch and it's already lunch time.

I've been studying for two hours already and I'm famished. Tumayo na ako at niligpit ang gamit bago lumabas ng library para dumiretso sa cafeteria. While I was on my way, I stopped when I heard familiar voices chattering in the lockers.

"I honestly hate him Lou. I swear to God! He's getting on my nerves."

It was Fey. She was talking to her friend.

"Calm down Fey. Wala namang ginagawa yung tao so bakit ka nagagalit? Natatakot ka ba na baka palitan ka niya sa top 1? Are you jealous that he might earn more academic achievements than you?" she sneered

Lumapit ako ng konti para marinig ang usapan nila. I hid behind the wall.

"I'm not scared nor jealous of him. He's just an average boy."

"Well, that average boy is getting more attention than you. I mean, eversince he transferred, he became the hot topic."

Fey sighed in frustration. "I can't let him take over me or else my dad will scold me. Kilala mo naman yun. Hindi pwede. Sa kanya ako natatakot."

"Yeah...nakakatakot nga si tito kung magalit. But don't worry. You're still way better than Keith. Talampakan mo lang siya. Just study more and work hard. He'll never reach your level. Tsaka, mas marami pa ring estudyante ang may gusto sa'yo. Another thing is, you can always ask help for your father if you know what I mean."

Then I heard them laugh.

"May back-up nga pala ako," said Fey confidently

I sighed heavily and laid my head on the wall. I was about to leave but then I heard them spoke again that triggered me more.

"Going back to Keith. Like I've said earlier, h'wag kang masyadong mag-alala sa kanya. He's not a threat. Balita ko nga e, mahirap lang daw sila. Not totally mahirap na parang nakatira sa streets. I've just heard tons of rumors about him. Alam mo naman kapag new student 'di ba? Pinag-uusapan."

"Spill the tea!" Fey squealed

"Narinig ko na malaki ang utang niya sa school kasi may mga hindi pa siya nababayaran tulad ng tuition niya. Nag-down payment palang. Second, next week na exams natin pero hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin siya bayad. He also has only two sets of uniform."

Fey gasped. "What? Really? I can't believe it! Seryoso ba?"

"Uh-huh. At eto pa. I've heard that her mother takes care of children with disabilities. Who knows maybe Keith has too! He may be a special child."

They burst in laughter after making fun of me. I slowly clenched my fist in anger. I took a peek and I saw that they were still mocking me. Pinakalma ko muna ang sarili bago naglakad palayo.

Their voices slowly faded in my ears but their words remained in my head. It made me pissed. They didn't just insult and look down on me but my own mother too. Who are they to degrade us? They are feeling too superior and entitled. I don't care if they're rich. It turned me off with their execrable behavior and awful attitude towards their neighbor. Perhaps people like them only give a shit about themselves.

***

When I got home, I saw my sister waiting for me outside our house. Lumiwanag ang mukha niya pagkakita sa'kin. She bounced on her feet, wearing her usual warm smile.

"What are you doing here outside Kate?" tanong ko pagkalapit sa kanya

Tumingala siya sa'kin. "Waiting for you to come home," she smiled sweetly

I smiled back and pinch her cheeks. She giggled. "I also want to show you something! May bagong magiging parte ng family natin!" she cheered

Kumunot ang noo ko. "What do you mean?"

I noticed that she was hiding something behind her back.

"Tada! Meet Kiwi!" she said and showed me a cute brown puppy. Tinapat niya iyon sa mukha ko. My eyes widened in surprise as I look at it. The puppy barked at me.

"What the- where did you get that?"

She chuckled and caressed it's head. "Daddy and I adopted him at the animal shelter. Isn't he cute?"

I arched my brow. "Really? Buti pumayag si mama. She doesn't want pets in our house."

"Pumayag naman si mommy."

"What breed is that?"

She shrugged. "I forgot but he's so cute. He's a boy by the way," she whispered and hugged the puppy

"He looks like a labrador."

She gasped. "I think that's his breed. How did you guess it easily?"

I smiled. Pinagmasdan ko ng mabuti ang puppy. He's still small. He has light brown fur, small ears and eyes, and a short tail. Overall, he looks cute and innocent.

"What's his name again?" I said and caressed his fur. He wagged his tail and barked softly.

"I named him Kiwi."

I chuckled. "Why did you name him after a fruit?"

"I don't know it sounds cute to say. His name also starts with the letter 'K' like us. Keith, Kate, and Kiwi!" she cheered

The puppy barked again.

"See? He loves it!" she told me

"Alright. Let's get inside. Is mom or dad home?" I held her shoulders as we both entered inside our house

"Daddy's home."

"Pinakain mo na ba 'yan?" I asked, referring to the puppy

She nodded and put Kiwi down. He walked all around the house.

"How about you? Did you eat and drink your meds?"

"Yes Kuya," she replied and chased after the puppy. She carried him again and played with him in the living room

Umakyat na ako sa taas upang magbihis. I passed by my parent's room and I saw dad talking to someone on the phone. He startled when he saw me outside their door. Tipid lang siyang ngumiti sa'kin bago binalik ang atensiyon sa kausap. Dumiretso na ako sa kwarto para magbihis.

As soon as I got downstairs, I heard my sister called me.

"Kuya Kai!"

"What?"

I saw her at the living room. She was looking down at her puppy. I looked at it and noticed he peed on the floor.

Kate looked at me while pointing at Kiwi. "He peed."

I sighed and walked towards her. "Yan na nga ba sinasabi ko e."

She pouted and gave me puppy eyes.

"Now you're expecting me to clean it? You should have kept him outside. Our house is going to smell pee."

She crouched and carried Kiwi. "I don't want him outside. I want him beside me when I sleep."

I looked at his pee on the floor. Pumunta ako ng kusina para kumuha ng basahan. I wenr back and cleaned his pee with a rug. I covered my nose due to the awful smell. Kate is just beside me, watching me clean. Pagkatapos kong linisin iyon ay nilagay ko ang basahan sa labahan. I then washed my hands after.

When I returned, I saw her playing with the puppy again. Nilapitan ko sila at tumayo sa harapan ni Kate.

"Why did you adopt a puppy anyway?"

She looked at me. "Because I want a puppy!"

"Dagdag lang 'yan sa responsibilidad natin. Mahirap alagaan 'yan. You should learn how to take care of him, clean, bathe, feed, and play with him all the time."

Yumuko siya. "I know..."

"You're also studying. How are you suppose to manage your time? You know our parents are not always around so who do you expect to take care of that? Me?"

She frowned at me. "Why are you so mad? Ayaw mo ba kay Kiwi? Fine, I won't share him with you. Excited pa naman akong ipakilala siya sa'yo tapos..." she held Kiwi between her arms

I sighed and pinch the bridge of my nose. "That's not what I meant."

"I can take care of him!"

"You're only six. You can't even clean his-"

"Still, I can take care of him by myself whether you like it or not," sabi niya at binalingan ulit ang aso. "Don't worry Kiwi. Kuya is not mad at you. If he doesn't like you, then I promise to give you lots of love," she told him and caressed his fur

Pinagmasdan ko lang silang dalawa.

I was in the middle of studying when Kiwi suddenly approached me. I looked at him and he was wagging his tail playfully.

"What? Are you hungry?" I asked lazily. I noticed he's biting a ball in between his teeth. "Sorry. I can't play with you right now," I said and went back to study.

Naramdaman ko siyang lumapit sa'kin. He tried to climb up on the table. Agad kong nilayo ko ang notes ko sa kanya dahil baka paglaruan niya ito. I took the ball from his mouth and throw it on the living room. I went back to study but after a few seconds, he already came back with the ball. He put it on the floor and wagged his tail.

"You're fast huh?"

I smiled and caressed his fur. I stood up and went to kitchen to get him his food. When I returned, my eyes widened in shock when I saw him playing with my notes. Nabitawan ko ang pagkain niya. Agad ko siyang nilapitan at inalis siya sa lamesa. He was biting one of the pages of my book. I tried to remove it from his mouth but it's too late, napunit na iyon.

"Shit.."

Kiwi sat down while looking at me innocently.

"See what you did?!" I told him while showing him my book that's now ruined. Some pages were covered with his saliva.

He only tilted his head, confused.

Napahilamos nalang ako sa mukha sa sobrang inis.

"Kate!"

I tried calling my sister but she wasn't answering. Kami lang naman ulit dalawa ang nandito sa bahay plus this puppy. I don't know why he's with me instead of my sister.

"Kate!"

"Yes Kuya?"

I turned around and saw her walking downstairs.

"Have you seen Kiwi?" she gasped. "Oh, he's here pala," she smiled when he saw him beside me. Agad niya kaming nilapitan.

"Where were you? Kanina pa kita tinatawag."

"Nag-cr kasi ako e," she giggled. "Bakit?" she crouched and carried Kiwi

"This. He did this to my book," I said and showed it to her

She gasped. Binaba niya si Kiwi at tinignan ang libro ko. "What? Oh no..."

"This is what I'm talking about. Don't expect me to guard and take care of him all the time. I'm busy, alright?"

Yumuko siya at bumuntong hininga. "Sorry. I...I promise it won't happen again. H'wag mo kong sumbong kay mama," she begged and carried Kiwi again. "She might get rid of him. I don't want that to happen."

She pouted while looking at me, a bit teary-eyed. "Please Kuya.."

Nanatiling blanko ang mukha ko. "Why did you even want a puppy," I sighed

She sniffed and looked down at Kiwi. "Because I feel so lonely and sad being alone in this house all the time. Pagkasundo sa'kin ni mama galing school, iniiwan niya na ako dito. Daddy has work too. Wala kayo lahat dito sa bahay. Ikaw, may pasok. Hapon ka na umuuwi, 'di tulad noon."

My lips parted.

Unti-unti siyang tumingin sa'kin. "That's why I asked daddy for a puppy para maging playmate ko. And so that I won't feel lonely and sad anymore."

Bumaba ang mata ko sa sahig. "I'm sorry."

I never thought my sister would feel that way. I forgot that we have a huge age gap. She's still a kid. I'm now a teenager. Mas dumarami ang responsibilidad ko. It's getting harder for me as I grow old. It's hard to balance everything. I have a lot on my plate. I barely had any time for myself. I badly want to rest 'cause I'm getting sick and tired but I can't.

I lifted my eyes to my sister again.

I'm already having a hard time taking care of her and now, I have to look after her dog too? That's another responsibility. Kailangan maslalo kong habaan ang pasensiya ko. But at the same time, after she told me the real reason why she wanted a puppy made my heart ached. Hindi ko mapigilang maawa sa kanya. And seeing how happy she is with her puppy made me realize how important she is to me. It made me think how hard our situation is right now but I have to deal with it. Di bale na sigurong mahirapan ako, basta makita ko lang siyang masaya.

Later that evening, I woke up by the grumble of the thunder. Bumangaon ako sa pagkakahiga at nakitang madilim pa sa labas. The rain was pouring heavily and I can hear it hitting on my window and to the roof of my room. I startled when a loud shatter of glass downstairs. Without thinking twice, I got out of bed to check it. Dahan-dahan at mabagal ang bawat yapak ko papuntang hagdan. At first I thought a robber entered our home so I became alert and vigilant of my surroundings. But then when I reached the staircase, I heard some familiar voices.

It was my mom and dad. I stopped and listened to their conversation. I thought they were just simply talking but my brows furrowed when I heard them yelling at each other. It seems like tehy were fighting.

"Alam mong hirap na hirap na akong kumita ng pera ngayon at baon na rin tayo sa utang tapos ikaw, ipangsusugal mo lang ang pera natin?! Hindi ka pa ba naawa sa'tin?" my mom said

"I know hon and I'm sorry. Pangako, ibabalik ko naman yung pera e. Bigyan mo lang ako ng oras. Ako rin naman ay nahihirapan na sa trabaho. Hayaan mo kong makabawi sa'yo, sa'tin," pagsusumamo ni papa

I stayed at the staircase while listening to them. Hindi ko na sila sinilip pa. They were still arguing but I couldn't hear them clearly anymore since the rain and the thunder were so loud. Nangibabaw iyon. It echoed inside my ears.

Even if I heard just a few sentences of their argument, I knew it was serious. It's mostly about money. It pains me seeing them fight. Hindi ko alam kung ilang beses na silang nag-aaway o vaka hindi ko lang nalalaman. The hardest part is I want to help them so bad but I couldn't. In the end, wala akong magawa.

"Kuya.."

I immediately turned around when I heard my sister's voice behind me. I saw her standing in front of me, just a few meters away. She's on her pink pajamas while holding her doll on the other hand. Even in the dark, I can see her eyes, looking at me innocently.

Agad ko siyang nilapitan. I knelt down in front of her and checked her face. "What are you doing here? Why are you still awake Kate?"I whispered as I remove a bit of her hair from her face

She blinked twice. "I'm scared of the thunder. I couldn't sleep."

"Gano'n ba?"

She nodded and looked behind me. "Is mommy and daddy home? Gusto ko sila katabi."

My lips parted. "Uh, they're already home but-"

We then heard our parent's voices from downstairs. Nakaabot iyon dito. Napapikit ako at binalik ang paningin sa kapatid ko.

"They're here," she muttered

"Come. Let's go back to sleep." I stood up and carried her. She wrapped her arms around my neck. We went inside her room. The lights were dim. There's a ray of moonlight coming from her window. Malakas pa rin ang ulan.

I tucked her back on her bed. Kinumutan ko rin siya. Napahawak siya sa kamay ko noong biglang kumulog ng malakas. She startled in shock. She looks frightened by the thunder. It made me worried.

"Kuya. Samahan mo ko matulog," she pleaded

I agreed without hesitating. Tumabi ko sa kanya at kinumutan din ang sarili.

"I'm scared.."

"Hush. Don't worry. Kuya is here now. Matulog ka na," I whispered softly and caressed her hair. She closed her eyes and clinged on my arm. I also put her doll beside her.

Pinagmasdan ko siya habang natutulog. Her brows were slightly furrowed. She quiver everytime the thunder grumble. I moved closer to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. I waited for her to fall asleep. My eyes slowly became heavy until I eventually fall into a deep sleep.

***

The next day I went to school earlier than usual. As expected, there were only a few students roaming around the campus. Napahinto ako pagkakita sa isang itim na kotse na nakapark sa tapat ng school. There were two people talking behind it. I looked closely and I was surprised to recognize one of them.

It was Fey and he's with an adult man that I assume to be his father. Seryoso silang nag-uusap sa medyo liblib na lugar. I didn't know what I was thinking but I went nearer to them for a closer look. Bigla akong napahinto sa nakita. My body stiffened when the man suddenly slapped Fey in the face. Fey remained silent as his father scolds her. Tulala lang siyang nakatingin sa sahig. The man was yelling at her furiously but I couldn't understand his words. The next thing I knew, he already went inside the car and the car drove away, leaving Fey.

She remained standing for a few seconds before fixing herself and began to walk but then she stopped when she saw me. Her lips parted in shock. She looked away and turned to the opposite direction. My feet began to move and I chased after her.

"Fey," I called and held her wrist

Bigla siyang humarap sa'kin. She glared at me with her brows slightly furrowed. Her eyes were glistening in tears and all I see in them is pure rage with a mixture of sadness. Her right cheek was a bit red and swollen too. Kumunot din ang noo ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.

"Damn you," she hissed and pushed me hard in the chest. Nabitawan ko siya pero hindi ko inalis ang paningin sa kanya

My lips parted. "What-"

She swallowed hard. "I hate you. Why did you even transfer here?! I don't like you here. Pwede bang mag-transfer ka nalang ulit? You're making my life ten times harder than it already is."

I scoffed, confused and offended by her words. "What the hell is your problem-"

"You are the problem," matigas niyang sabi. "Eversince you came here, mas lalo lang akong nahirapan! Shit began to happen." She sniffed and turned her back on me before walking away

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang mawala sa paningin ko.

What the fuck just happened? I was worried about her earlier by what her father did to her and I don't understand why she's angry at me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa'kin niya binuhos ang galit niya. She's being too dramatic.

I sighed and head my way to class.

I should mind my own business from now on.

Even if we were in the same class, we didn't talk after what happened. Hindi ko na rin siya pinansin not until dismissal came.

The two of us were left in the classroom since we're both cleaners...but I was the only one who's doing the job. Nakatayo lang siya at isa-isang tinitignan ang mga computers na nakapatong sa shelf.

"Are you just going to stand there?" I asked her as I sweep the floor.

Ilang segundo ang nakalipas pero hindi niya ako pinansin ni tignan.

"Fey."

"I told you we'll take turns," inis niyang sabi

"Well, it's your turn now," I replied and showed her the broom

She looked at me lazily and scanned the whole room. "I'll just arrange the chairs."

My brows furrowed. "What? Mag-walis ka rin."

"Ayoko nga."

I massaged my forehead. "I bet you don't know how to clean."

She arched her brow. "Why would I clean? We have maids anyway."

"Pwes, wala ka sa bahay mo. Hindi prinsesa ang turing sa'yo dito."

Seriously, she must be spoiled by her parents. It's obvious by how she speak and act. Laki siya sa yaman. I don't like spoiled brats like her.

It's weird how we started speaking casually para bang walang nangyari kanina. She didn't even apologize. Well, I expected that from her. Hindi ko alam kung sinasadya niya ba iyon. I just moved on from it 'cause I didn't want to waste my time on nonsense shit. It wasn't a big deal for me anyway.

Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me? You're being too personal."

"Stop blabbering and just clean, will you?"

She glared at me then rolled her eyes. She walked towards me and snatched the broom from my hands. Tinignan niya ulit ako bago talikuran at tumama pa ang buhok niya sa mukha ko. After a while, she began to clean. Pinanood ko lang siya.

My forehead creased when she couldn't even get the dirt off the floor. Kung saang saang direksiyon napupunta ang dumi. Panay din ang sulyap niya sa'kin. She took a break after three minutes of cleaning. She sighed and wiped her sweat.

"I'm tired."

I scoffed. "Already? You haven't even cleaned anything-"

"Excuse me? You're not the boss here and I'm not your slave. Ikaw nalang kaya maglinis tutal mas gusto mo naman."

I scratched my head and sigh. "My point is-"

"I don't care. I'll rest for a bit." My eyes widened when I saw that she's about to lean on the shelf where the computers were displayed. Pipigilan ko na sana siya pero huli na dahil biglang nahulog ang isa doon. Napapikit ako pagkarinig sa malakas na pagbagsak no'n.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed and covered her mouth in shock while looking at the broken computer on the floor

"Fuck."

Mabilis ko siyang nilapitan. I checked if she was okay but her eyes were glued on the computer. She swallowed hard and pointed at it with trembling hands. "Hindi ko sinasadya. It w-was an accident," she said nervously

I knelt down on the floor to check if the computer was damaged. I slowly turned it over and to my disappointment, the screen was broken. She gasped in terror. I lifted my eyes to her and she's already panicking.

"Ano? A-ayos pa ba?" her lips quivered

"Sa tingin mo?"

I was surprised when she lightly hit my back. "Aw, what was that for?!"

"Fuck, I'm in deep shit," she said and ran her fingers through her hair

"You're so clumsy. You should have been more careful. Why would you even lean on the shelf-"

"Hindi ko naman sinasadya e! Baka pwede pang maayos."

Binalik ko ang tingin sa computer. "Hindi na. Sira na talaga." Tumayo na ako at pinagpagan ang kamay. "You're in big trouble Fey," I told her

"You're no help Keith!"

I looked at her beside me. "Sigurado akong mapapagalitan ka."

She glared at me. "Imbis na tulungan mo ko mas lalo mo lang pinapalala yung sitwasyon!"

"What do you want me to do? Kasalanan mo e, hindi ka nag-iingat."

She clenched her fist. "Ayokong mapagalitan. Don't you dare speak anyone about this, understand?!" she warned

"They'll eventually find out about this anyway," I said calmly and put my hands inside my pockets.

I looked at her and she has a worried expression on her face. She bit her nails while thinking deeply. She looked at me with her big hazel brown eyes, asking me for help.

I sighed. "Calm down Fey. Mayaman naman kayo 'di ba? You can pay for the damages and replace the computer. I don't think this is a big deal to you."

She scoffed and placed her hands on her hips. "Bayaran? Gusto mong bayaran ko 'yan?"

"That's what you do right?" I said casually. "I mean, hindi naman problema ang pera sa inyo 'di ba? Generally speaking, money can solve problems."

Her jaw dropped. She groaned and stomped her foot. Lumuhod siya at tinignan yung computer. I raised my brow when she looked at me. "Don't you just stand there. Help me."

Napahilamos nalang ako sa mukha ko at tinulungan siyang bitbitin ang computer. She was about to speak but we heard the door swung open. Sabay kaming napalingon doon at tumambad sa harap namin ang adviser namin. Sabay din kaming napatayo. I remained calm but Fey over here was frozen on her spot. Her eyes were wide open making it look bigger. I smiled inwardly.

"Oh, Fey, Keith. Why are you two still here? Hindi pa pala kayo tapos maglinis?"

Fey swallowed hard. She looked at me, asking for help. Nagulat nalang ako dahil biglang lumapit lalo ang teacher namin. My eyes widened when I realized that the computer was still on the floor behind us. I was about to speak but it's too late 'cause our teacher already saw the damage.

She gasped. "Hala, sinong may gawa nito?! Bakit nasira ang computer?" she said and looked at the both of us with a worried expression

I sighed. "It was-"

"Keith did it."

My body stiffened upon hearing those words. Unti-unti akong tumingin kay Fey na nasa tabi ko. Her eyes were fixed on our teacher. She also distanced herself from me.

"Keith? Si Keith ang nakasira?" our teacher said in disbelief. Nagtataka siyang tumingin sa'kin. "Is it true?"

I got back to my senses and I immediately shook my head, declining the accusations. "No! It wasn't me. It was Fey. Aksidente niyang nabangga-"

"No ma'am. He's lying. He did it. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako ang sinisisi niya," she cut me off

Tumingin ako sa kanya at hindi siya ngayon makatingin sa'kin. I can't believe her. She was able to come up with a lie that easily and put the blame on me even if she's the one who's guilty. Just great!

"Keith. Totoo ba? Kayo lang namang dalawa ang naiwan dito e."

I shifted my gaze back to our teacher who's now looking at me seriously. I gulped and shook my head. "She's lying. I s-swear, I didn't do it."

"Bakit kayo nagsisisihan? It only means isa sa inyo ang may kagagawan nito. I'm disappointed at you two. You are the top pupils yet you violated one of the school rules. This computer is a school property. Kailangan niyong bayaran ito," she explained

"Keith is the one to blame ma'am. I was cleaning earlier then I saw him playing with the computer. Aksidente niyang nahulog," said Fey that made me more pissed at her

Anger started building up inside me. Hindi ko inalis ang paningin sa kanya. I clenched my fist, feeling my nails dug deep into my skin. Yumuko lang siya at pinaglaruan ang daliri.

"Keith. Come with me."

She really has a grudge on me huh? That's why she's doing this. She wanted to see me get punished by the sin she did.

"Keith."

I got back to my senses when our teacher called my name again.

"I...didn't do it," I said almost like a whisper

"I'll let you explain in the office."

Then I just found myself being dragged by my teacher to the office. I wanted to protest but there was no voice coming out of my mouth. My eyes never left Fey until we reached outside the classroom and she disappeared from my sight.

When I got home, my parents scolded me when they found out about what happened. Hindi ko inaasahan na malalaman agad nila.

"Keith naman. Ang dami na nga nating problema ay dumagdag pa 'yan. Bakit ka naman kasi nakasira? Hindi ka ba marunong mag-ingat?" my mom said

Nakayuko lang ako habang pinapagalitan. From my peripheral vision, I saw my sister looking at me worriedly.

"I didn't do it mom."

"At nagawa mo pang magsinungaling?"

"I'm telling the truth. It was Fey, my classmate. She's the one who did it but she put the blame-"

"Kung gano'n e bakit ikaw ang napa-office? Bakit kami ang tinawagan?"

My lips parted as I try to find the right words to say. "I don't know. I-I don't understand why they easily believed her. But when it came to me, they were...different. One sided lang ang pinakinggan nila."

"Ano nalang gagawin natin ah? Dagdag 'yan sa babayaran e alam mo namang gipit tayo ngayon. Hindi pa nga ako tapos bayaran ang tuition mo e. Idagdag mo na yung pang-gamot sa kapatid mo. Saan tayo kukuha ng pera niyan? Sa tingin mo ba, madali lang kumita ng pera?"

I sighed and shut my eyes.

"Hon, relax. Magagawan natin ito ng paraan," my dad calmed my mom down

"Sinabi ko naman kasi sa kanya na mag-aral lang ng mabuti hindi yung gumawa ng gulo," she told him

I couldn't bare to look at them. I felt ashamed even if I'm innocent. They must be disappointed at me. The hardest pill to swallow is when I'm telling the truth but they refuse to believe me, telling me that I'm just making up lies.

It pains me to hear those words from my mom. Alam ko naman yung sitwasyon nila e. They're already stressed and they're working hard to earn money for us. I don't want to cause them anymore problems. But the world was against me.

It's all because of her.

Pagkatapos nila akong kausapin ay naramdaman ko nalang na umalis na sila sa harapan ko. I remained standing in my position. My sister suddenly ran towards me and hugged me. Inangat niya ang paningin sa'kin. She was looking at me innocently while pouting. There was pity in her eyes.

"Kuya.."

I smiled weakly and caressed her hair.

I forgot that my sister is the only one on my side.

Siya lang yung kakampi ko.

***

A week has passed and our finals has begun. I've had a hard time studying because of the issue but it eventually faded from my mind. The amount of workload I have became a distraction. I didn't have time to dwell on that incident again. I just simply moved on.

Surprisingly, the whole school found out about it. Some of my classmates were asking me about it. I didn't understand why it was such a big deal to them. Perhaps I was associated with Fey that time. I don't think they really care about the truth. They were more intrigued with Fey than the problem itself. I don't think they care about me but I couldn't care less either.

I bit my lip while thinking hard on the answer of item number fifteen. Our first subject was math. It's been half an hour already and I'm still in the first page of the test. Still a long way to go.

Tahimik ang buong room. Tanging aircon lang ang rinig ko. Our adviser is sitting on her desk while watching us with keen eyes. I looked at my classmates and they were all focused on the exam. We were one seat a part. May folder din sila pangtakip sa katabi. I diverted my attention back to my exam. I skipped a number since I still have no idea of the answer. I moved on to the next one and solved it as quickly as possible.

"Fifteen minutes left," announced our teacher

Fuck.

I paused for a minute to calm my brain down. There was definitely pressure and I can feel the tension that's building up inside this room. My classmates were silent but they looks stressed too. My eyes caught Fey who's acting quite unusual. She's seated on the back row and her eyes were roaming around the room. Yumuko siya at may biglang nilabas sa bulsa niya. I squinted my eyes to look closely. It was a piece of paper. She slowly unfolded it and covered her test paper using the folder. Pagkatapos ay mabilis siyang nagsulat.

My brows furrowed, confused and suspicious by what I saw. I shook my head to erase the thought and focused on the exam.

"So, how was the exam Fey?"

"Oh, it's pretty basic."

"Ang hirap kaya nung math. Sumakit ulo ko."

"Hindi ah. Sakto lang."

I heard Fey and her friends talking in a distance after our exam. It's our break and all of students are here in the cafeteria.

"Send notes naman diyan Fey," her friend Lou sat down beside her

Fey's eyes widened and she smiled awkwardly at her other friends. "Shut up Lou."

She sneered. "Damot. Dapat pinaprint mo rin-"

"Let's eat everyone!" Fey chuckled and glared at Lou. There was a sly smile on her lips, like she knows her friend's secret. Fey ignored her and began to eat. Tinawanan lang siya ng kaibigan.

"Keith."

I looked at my friends beside me who's already eating too.

"Kain na," said Dianne

"May dalawa pa tayong exam pagkatapos nito. Sakit na ng ulo ko. Pakopya naman pre," si Christopher

"Paano tayo makakakopya kay Keith e ang layo niya sa'tin," sabi ni Gerard

Hindi ko sila pinansin at diretso lang ang paningin sa harap. I saw Fey whispered something to Lou that made Lou gasped in shock. Her jaw dropped. Fey laughed at her friend's reaction. Lou burst in laughter that it echoed the whole cafeteria. Napalingon ang ilang estudyante sa kanila. They were startled. Some were confused and curious at the same time. Others didn't mind at all. Fey and Lou were oblivious or maybe they're already used to everyone's attention.

Fey was always surrounded by lots of people; People that has the same social class as her. She has a big circle of friends. I think she's friends with half of the population in this school. I've never seen her alone, not even once. Not unless she's studying but most of the time, she's with her friends.

She looks happy with her life. She loves the attention. Her life was an open book and everyone has a free pass.

But for me, I'm not planning to get close to her. I don't think she wants to be my friend anyway.

***

After class, my friend Gerard invited me to hang out in his house together with our other friends since exams finally ended. Pumayag ako pero bigla akong pinatawag ng adviser ko. They said they'll just wait for me outside the school. I, on the other hand, went back to my classroom. Wala nang estudyante sa loob.

"Yes ma'am? You asked for me?"

I'm standing in front of my adviser right now while she's sitting behind her desk. She's looking at me seriously with a cold expression on her face. I swallowed hard, sensing something bad is going to happen.

She sighed and removed her glasses. "Keith. I know your a good and smart student," she began. "But I'm disappointed at you when I saw this on your desk during exams." She placed a paper on the desk and pushed it towards me. Tumingin ako roon. My eyes widened when I saw that it was a cheat sheet filled with different math formulas and answers.

"Care to explain this?"

I gulped and looked at her again. "That's not mine."

She arched her brow. "I already caught you, no need to lie Keith. You cheated on an exam. Bakit? Maganda naman ang good moral mo sa card. Anong problema?"

I shook my head. "I didn't cheat. I swear. Hindi sa'kin 'yan. I don't know whose paper is that," I pointed at the paper on the table

"Kung hindi sa'yo, kanino?"

"Maybe someone must have put that on my chair. I don't know how but please believe me-"

"You've already caused trouble last week, may panibago nanaman? I'm sorry but I might have to call your parents this time and let's discuss this matter in the office. You know the rules, if I ever caught someone cheating, automatic zero na sa exam."

My eyes widened in shock. "But ma'am."

"No buts. You should think of the consequences of your actions Mr. Sanchez. I will not let this pass."

I took the paper and looked at it closely. It wasn't handwritten but printed so I can't identify who owns this. If it's handwritten, baka may pag-asa pa.

Binalik ko ang paningin sa kanya. I was about to speak but she raised her hand, stopping me. She dismissed me after and I wasn't able to explain anymore. She refused to hear my side. Tulala lang ako habang palabas ng classroom.

Who would do something like this to me?

How did that paper end up on my desk?

For some reason, only one person came to my mind. This person must be behind all of this.

I looked around and searched for Fey around the campus. Tumakbo ako at pumunta sa labas ng school. There I saw her waiting for her ride in front of the gate. She was alone. Luckily, she hasn't left yet. Hindi ako nagdalawang isip na lapitan siya.

"Fey." I held her wrist and turned her around to face me. Her eyes widened in shock upon seeing me.

She swallowed hard and removed her hand from me. "What?"

I went closer to her and looked into her eyes. She took a step back. "I know you did it."

Her brows furrowed. "What are you t-talking about?"

"Stop playing innocent," I firmly said. "I saw you cheated on our test. I know you're the one who put your cheat sheet on my desk to make it look like I'm the one cheating."

Her lips parted. She avoided my gaze and blinked rapidly. "I don't know what you're talking about. How dare you accuse me of cheating?" tumingin ulit siya sa'kin

"I don't care if you cheat pero h'wag mo naman akong idamay."

By the look on her eyes, I know she's guilty. I can read her so well.

She scoffed. "Maybe you're the one who's cheating, not me. Do you have any evidence that I cheat? Hmm?" hamon niya

I clenched my jaw. "I'm serious Fey. Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan sa'yo."

"Seryoso rin ako. Why the hell would you blame me?!"

"I've had enough of you Fey. Sinumbong mo na ako yung nakasira ng computer, well in fact, it was you who did it," I firmly said. "Pero pinalampas ko yung ginawa mo. And now this? What are you trying to do huh? Why are you doing this? You want to beat me so bad?" You're so immature."

Her jaw dropped. She gritted her teeth in anger. "Do you even hear yourself? Nababaliw ka na!"

"Stop playing the victim Fey. Akala mo ba hindi ko malalaman? You think I'll just let you play with me? You think this is fun?"

She inhaled sharply. "You know what? You're so judgemental. Mali ang mag bintang ng tao basta basta."

I scoffed. "So it's ny fault? Ako pa ang mali? Sino ka ba sa tingin mo? Bakit ang taas ng tingin mo sa sarili mo? I don't care about your looks, money, and fame. Your wealth leaves no impression to me if you have a shitty attitude. You have no class. I'm not buying your crap," I said to knock some sense into her

Her lips slowly parted. She inhaled deeply as tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. "Sumusobra ka na!"

"Ikaw yung sumusobra. Wala akong ginagawang masama sa'yo pero hindi ko alam kung bakit galit na galit ka sa'kin. You freely judge my life and you're offended when I assess you? Bakit? Kasi totoo? Don't expect that everyone will like you especially with that kind of attitude. You don't even practice what you preach. You're too comfortable living inside your privilege bubble."

She glared at me. "Damn you. Ang sama mo! Kung makapagsalita ka, akala mo kung sino. I'll make sure you'll regret this."

I swallowed hard and took a step closer to her without breaking eye-contact. Hindi siya gumalaw pero ramdam kong nagtitimpi siya sa galit. "You know what Fey? You're educated but you lack empathy. Check your damn privilege."

She sniffed and a tear fell from her eye. Hindi niya inalis ang paningin sa'kin. She couldn't utter a single word now. Gone was the Fey that everyone's afraid of. She looks helpless in front of me.

"Stop crying. It would only make you look more guilty." I turned my back on her and walked away

Hanggang sa pag-uwi ay dala dala ko pa rin ang galit ko. I was still pissed by what happened.. Kaya ko pa siyang tiisin noon pero ngayon, hindi na. I don't tolerate that kind of attitude. She has drawn the line. The fact that we've only known each other for months yet I can't seem to bare with her any longer.

I suddenly remembered what my adviser told me regarding my exam. I got more frustrated and worried at the same time. I hope she wasn't serious about it but...fuck! My parents would scold me again if they find out about this. I'm praying that they won't. Ayoko nang dumagdag sa problema nila.

Just when I thought things are already worse, little did I know it was only just the beginning.

The next day at school, I found myself inside the principal's office and in front of me was Fey...together with her father.

This is the first time I got called in the principal's office for something that I didn't even do. Kahit na mag-isa lang ako laban sa kanila ay hindi ako nakaramdam ng kaba. The anger that I felt from yesterday resurfaced. In my mind, I just want to get this over with.

My eyes were fixed on the ground, gathering my thoughts.

Even if I don't look at them, I can feel their eyes on me.

"Thank you for coming today Mr. Guevarra. It's nice to see you again po," our principal greeted with a smile on her lips

"I'm here today because my daughter wanted to address an issue regarding cheating in an exam? Am I correct Fey?" the man said

"False accusations were made pa. Keith accused me of cheating even if he's the one who was caught red handed," said Fey in a cold and stern voice

I slowly clenched my fist, trying my best to remain calm and restraining myself from doing something that I'd regret.

"Maari niyo bang ipaliwanag sa'min ang nangyari ma'am?" her father asked the principal

She chuckled nervously and glanced at me. "Right. Uh, magkaklase po sila ni Keith. The issue is, after exams po, may binalita sa'min ang adviser nila. She told us that Keith right here, cheated in an exam. She found this paper, a cheat sheet, on top of his desk," she explained and took a paper from the drawer. She showed it only to them.

"Eto ba?" her father took it and check it closely. I lifted my eyes on him and he was looking at me seriously. His forehead was creased. Lips formed in a grim line.

"Opo."

"And what does my daughter have to do with this? You said this belongs to that kid-"

"That's not mine," I cut him off

His brow shot up. I looked at Fey. She's leaning on the sofa, legs crossed while looking at me the same way with her father.

"Ah..eh. Yun nga po yung problema," singit ng principal. "Sabi ni Keith ay hindi naman daw sa kanya 'yan. Sa...anak niyo raw po," she trailed off

Tumingin ako sa kanya at bakas ang nerbyos sa mukha niya. She was so careful with her words, afraid that she might provoke the governor. She looks threatened and intimidated by his presence.

Tension began to rise between us inside the room but I didn't feel nervous nor petrified knowing that I didn't even do anything wrong in the first place.

"Sa anak ko? Is it true Fey?" he looked at his daughter. Her gaze remained on me.

Perhaps she's also scared by her own father that's why she can't look at him or maybe she thinks that she can make me feel intimidated by her...but I'm not.

"No dad. I'd never cheat," she simply said

He gave her a small smile. "Of course you don't. Why would my daughter bother to cheat anyway? She's smartest pupil in this school," he told the principal

She only smiled at him nervously then glanced at me. "Hindi ko po alam kay Keith," she said. "Hindi ba kayo magkasundo ni Fey, Keith?"

"No."

"Paano mo naman nasabi na sa anak ko ito? There's no name written on this paper. Printed pa nga ang papel. Bakit siya pa talaga ang sinisi mo sa dami niyo sa classroom? She's the least likely that would cheat. Have you even thought about that before blaming her? Baka naman sinisiraan mo lang ang anak ko."

"It's the other way around," I said while looking at him. "She's the one who's causing trouble."

"Liar!" she spat out and faced her father. "Dad, that's not true. Hindi ko alam ang pinagasasabi niya."

"Why do you sound so defensive?"

She glared at me. I shook my head in disappointment. I can see it in her eyes that she's guilty so how come the two of them can't see that? Perhaps they chose to turn a blind eye. I get that her father will take her side but the principal? My teacher? No one is on my side.

"Ang liit na bagay ito, h'wag na nating palakihin pa. This is just a small misunderstanding. I believe that my daughter is incapable of cheating. Wala naman siyang ebidensiya. He admitted that he doesn't get along well with Fey. Baka kaya niya sinisi si Fey ay ayaw nito sa kanya which is mali iyon. I talked to my daughter before coming here. Wala naman daw siyang ginagawa sa batang ito," his father said

"Ayun nga rin po yung sinabi ko kay Keith," the principal added

I heard him chuckled. "I understand since they're still kids. It's natural for them to have a childish quarrel. Hindi pa sila nagmamature. I'm sure this boy will learn from his mistakes. Let's settle this once and for all."

Tumingin ako sa kanya at umayos siya ng upo. He gave me a small smile. "Say Keith. I'm giving you a chance. Go ahead and apologize to my daughter."

My lips slowly parted. His deep cold voice reverberated around the room. I looked at Fey and there's a half-smile ghosted across her face. Meanwhile, the principal was looking at me apologetically, telling me to follow the man's request.

I averted my gaze back to the man in front of me. He arched his brow, waiting for my response.

"No. I won't apologize simply because I didn't do anything. Fey's the one who should apologize to me."

The corner of his lips curved into an amuse grin. "You're quite persistent aren't you kid? Mahirap bang humingi ng sorry sa ginawa mong paninisi sa anak ko? I've heard your a smart kid too pero bakit parang masyado malaki ang ulo mo? You should know how to own up to your mistakes. Don't worry, papatawarin ka naman ng anak ko. Am I right Fey?" he smiled at her daughter

Fey sighed and nodded.

"See?" binalingan niya ulit ako. "We're not as bad as you think you are kid. In fact, we're giving you a chance. After this matter is settled, let's just forget everything that happened and move on. Hmm? How about that?"

"You can't make me apologize. You should be telling all of that to your daughter. You're his father afterall, why can't you discipline her?" I said calmly but on the inside, rage is slowly building up by our heated conversation

No matter how many times I'll explain my side, they always refuse to listen. It seems like they are doing it on purpose. The principal was being biased.

It was easy to come up with a lie than to prove the truth.

He sighed in frustration and shut his eyes, holding back his anger. He forced a smile, feeling aggravated. "Who are you to say that Keith? You're just an ordinary boy. You have no right to-"

"You have no right to look down on someone and disrespect them."

His eyes widened in shock. Gano'n din si Fey. "Wala kang respeto. Do you even know who you're talking to? I'm a governor," his voice raised

"But that's not an excuse to treat someone with-"

"Keith," awat sa'kin ng principal

Tumingin ako sa kanya at umiling siya sa'kin. The man gave him a suspicious look. She sighed and gave me an apologetic smile. "Keith, kung hindi ka pa rin mag-sosorry. Ipapatawag na namin ang parents mo para kausapin. Kung ako sa'yo, h'wag mo na palalain pa ang sitwasyon. Just apologize para matapos na 'to. You both still have classes to attend to. Baka maapektuhan pa ang pag-aaral niyo nito."

Among all the words she said, only one sentence remain in my head. It's when she mentioned my parents. It echoed inside my ears.

My lips parted while looking unbelievably at her. She encourage me with her eyes. I didn't know what to say.

I swallowed hard, my fist balled. Biglang nanikip ang dibdib ko.

"What? Are you still not going to apologize? Mas pipiliin mo pang magmatigas? Ang dami mo nang nasayang na oras. And that includes mine. I should be at work today."

Yumuko ako at pumikit ng mariin.

I can't believe this is happening to me. I don't care if they're rich and if the man in front of me is in authority. They're too much. They're too cruel. Masyadong mataas ang tingin nila sa sarili nila. They act superior and treat everyone small. They're clearly abusing their powers just because their family is rich? They should be ashamed of themselves. Anong laban ko sa katulad nila? They don't care if they stomp on other people's dignity. On my dignity.

In the end, I had no choice but to swallow my pride. All I can think about are my parents. Ayoko silang mapatawag. I would never want to see them get disrespected too. It would hurt me more.

"I'm s-sorry," I muttered

"Come again? I didn't hear you," he said

"I'm sorry," my lips quivered

"Tumingin ka sa'min at mag-sorry ka ng maayos."

My nails dug deep into my skin since I'm clenching my fist too hard. Even if it's against my will, I looked at them straight in the eye. My expression remained blank. "I'm sorry."

Ngumuso siya. "Doesn't sound sincere to me. How about you Fey?" he checked his daughter's reaction. Fey's eyes were hollow, void of emotion. She didn't speak.

Binalik niya ang paningin sa'kin. "I guess my daughter thinks the same way too," he smiled at me cockily

I sighed and stood straight. "I sincerely apologize-"

He raised his hand in front of me to stop me. He shook his head. "I want you to kneel as a form of respect."

Napakurap-kurap ako. "W-what?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?"

My throat felt dry. "I already apologized three times. Isn't that enough?"

He smiled weakly. "After you insulted us, no."

My mouth gaped open. I looked at the principal to ask for help pero yumuko lang siya at bumuntong hininga.

"My daughter is getting impatient. Trust me, you wouldn't want to see her mad. Susundin mo ba ang sinabi ko o baka gusto mong ipatawag pa namin ang magulang mo. I wonder what their reaction will be as soon as they find out about this. About what you did. Your grades and good morals will get affected too. They will be disappointed. Of course, no child wants to make their parents disappointed, especially for a smart kid like you, Keith."

I was staring blankly at the floor while his words echoed inside my head. My body turned weak but I gathered all my remaining strength and slowly got down on my knees. Ramdam ko ang pagbagsak ng tuhod ko sa malamig na semento. It was painful at first but my knees eventually turned numb.

"Fix your posture. Don't sit on your legs," he commanded like I'm his slave

I shifted my weight and straightened my back. I winced in pain when I felt my knees one again on the hard floor.

"There you go. Kaya mo naman pala e."

Para sa kanila maliit lang na bagay ito pero para sa'kin hindi. I swallowed my pride and I allowed them to step on my dignity. I did all of those for the sake of my family.

There was a long moment of silence. All of their attention was on me, waiting for me to speak.

Feeling my throat had gone dry, I opened my mouth to speak. "I'm sorry for my wrongdoings. It won't happen again. Allow me to reflect on my actions and mistakes." I almost choked in between my words. Gusto kong masuka sa sinabi ko.

Unti-unti kong inangat ang paningin sa kanila. The man smiled, pleased and satisfied. He leaned back and whispered something on Fey's ears. I didn't know what he was telling her but I've noticed there was a subtle change on her expression. Her eyes turned soft while looking at me. Hindi iyon nagtagal at bigla siyang umiwas ng tingin. I refuse to believe it was sympathy. Wala siya no'n. She's cold and heartless just like his father.

Napatingin ulit ako sa papa niya sa harap ko nung bigla siyang tumayo. He took a step forward, towering me with his huge frame. He looked down on me with cold and brooding eyes. He crouched a little and went near my ear.

"H'wag kami ang kalabanin mo hijo. You should know your place. You are nothing compared to us. Understand? You are nothing," he whispered with a menacing tone which made the hair on my neck rise. My feet turned cold and I froze on my spot.

At that moment, I realized that I was being abused. The way he said those words pierced through my heart. It clouded my thoughts and wrecked it. It was more than an insult. He was degrading me. I didn't have the strength to defend myself even if I desperately wanted to. I felt humiliated, mistreasted, and disrespected.

I was silenced.

I deserve respect too. I wanted to say.

The long silence was deafening to my ears. I just want the ground to swallow me whole. My thoughts were loud but my voice was nowhere to be found. My chest feels heavy as I burry the words I wanted to say but couldn't.

Turns out the rumors about her and her family were true

They're the type of people that I wouldn't want myself to get associated with. I'll just put myself in danger.

But as I open my eyes, there was something more I ought to see.

There was prejudice and discrimination in this school.

The news suddenly spread like wildfire and the next thing I knew, I became the topic. Rumors kept circulating around about me from God knows where they came from. Most of them were lies. My parents had no clue about this but it's better since I didn't want them to get worried.

Because of that one "issue" that I didn't even do, biglang nagbago ang tingin nila sa'kin. They started talking ill behind me. Every morning, I see them throwing suspicious glances at me. Every action I made was being monitored. One mistake and they already judged me. Most of them seem to hate me now but at least I discovered who the real one's are.

I wasn't used to it at all. I felt as if I was being bullied.

"Have you heard what happened to to the transferee? Napa-office siya kasama yung governor!"

"Yes. Nabalitaan ko nga yung issue nila ni Fey."

"Balita ko pinarusahan daw siya. God! I can't even imagine Fey, her father the governor himself, and Keith in one room!"

"Kawawa naman siya."

"Hindi na siya dapat nangielam pa. Akala ko nung una mabait siya pero mali yung ginawa niya kay Fey. Buti nga sa kanya, napagsabihan siya."

"Me too! I thought he's smart and a good student pero tignan mo, kebago bago niya lang dito sa school may issue na agad."

"Maybe he wanted to be the center of attention. Oh please, I don't care if he's goodlooking and a genius. Masyado siyang mayabang. Who does he think he is? He's just a transferee."

From then on, I began to keep a low profile. I distanced myself from everyone to avoid trouble. I rarely interact with someone unless it's a must. I ignored every rumor and issue that were thrown against me. All they care was about the issue anyway, and not my well-being. They thought it was interesting for an ordinary boy like me to get associated with the Guevarra's. They must be intrigued.

But as for me, I felt nothing. Now that I know what kind of people the Guevarra's are, I didn't perceive them the same way as others.

At this point, I just want to study in peace. I don't want to waste my time and energy on pointless stuff and dealing with negativities. It would only be a hindrance to my studies. Right now, I want to focus on what truly matters.

I was just an ordinary boy but I became a mystery to them.

I refuse to be in the spotlight so I lived in the shadows.

And for me, there was tranquility.