/4/
Deliberate Sabotage

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"PSST, QUINN! Pabato nung coke." Jarrell said, motioning for Quinn who was on the other far side of their room. 

It was a lively night at the boys' dormitory. Most of the young Castillian boys were still up and awake, horsing around compared to the demure lodgings of the girls.

In fact, the room that Rein shared with Jarrell and Quinn was less than quiet. The television that sat in the middle had its volume loud and clear for everyone to hear, with the news anchor reporting live on screen. Kasabay nito ang paggitara ni Jarrell sa kaniyang higaan, and the sound of Quinn's fingers who was tapping away on the keyboard of his laptop before Jarrell had called him.

"Alam mo, napakatamad mong hayop ka." Sabi ni Quinn sa kaibigan as he tossed two plastic bottles of coke towards Jarrell. The bespectacled boy then leaned back on the couch and returned his attention to the laptop on his lap.

Agad namang binuksan ni Jarrell ang isa sa mga bote at agad na inubos iyon, burping arrogantly. As soon as he had emptied the bottle, he then screwed the cap back before throwing it at Rein who was cross-legged on a wingback chair, writing furiously on a bullet journal. 

"Oy!" Biglang sigaw ni Rein, looking up from his writing nang tinamaan siya ng bote.

"Busy-ng busy tayo ah? Love letter ba 'yan?" Ngisi ni Jarrell bago inihagis yung isa pang bote na may laman, na sinalo naman ni Rein.

"Baka confession para kay Ann?" Quinn suggested innocently, glancing back at the two as he hung his arm on the back of his chair.

Rein scoffed before sipping from his own drink. "I'm not ready for that kind of commitment." Ngisi nito bago ibinaba ang bote at bumalik sa pagsusulat, making Jarrell and Quinn glance at each other curiously.

"I am however, committed to beating her in the Writers' Schism." Rein replied when he observed the looks on their faces.

"Ahh, so it still technically involves Ann in some way." Jarrell grinned.

"You're competing with her in the Writers' Schism?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Quinn as the two boys immediately stood up to peer over Rein's shoulder. "Eh diba sumali na ng PLUMA writing event si Ann? Don't you think she'll win again this time?"

"Don't underestimate me, my friend." Rein grinned in reply.

"The Adventures of Gerald Morrigan." Jarrell said slowly, reading the manuscript's title out loud. "Action ba 'yan?"

"Tanga, kita mo ngang adventure eh." Giit ni Quinn at napairap naman si Jarrell bago inakbayan si Rein. "Kung ako sa'yo Rein, romance isusulat ko. Yung mga tipong nagbanggaan tas na-in love." Nguso naman ni Jarrell, dahilan para umirap si Rein.

"O 'di kaya yung fake dating trope. Or—pwede rin ang enemies to lovers!" Suhestiyon naman ni Quinn habang tumango-tango si Jarrell.

"Romance?? Do you guys want me to lose?" He scoffed, dahilan para tumawa ang dalawa. Jarrell was just about to open his mouth in defense nang biglang nag-ring ang phone ni Rein.

"Ooh." Jarrell grinned, glancing towards Quinn who was playfully wiggling his eyebrows. "Girlfriend?" Tanong nito at agad na humiyaw ang dalawa.

Rein pulled out the phone from his pants' left pocket and glanced at the name of the caller. "I wish." He muttered grimly, before finally answering the call.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay agad na bumungad ang boses ng kaniyang ama na mukhang nakainom nanaman.

"Nasaan ka?" His father's voice slurred, drowned by the loud party music in the background. Both Jarrell and Quinn's smiling faces instantly fell.

This incited Rein to step away from his peers and into their dorm's balcony, where the cold rush of the evening air greeting him a bitter welcome.

"Dad," Rein said dryly. "Nasa bar ka ba?"

"Sweetheart, sino 'yan?" A flirty female voice said in the background, making Rein pull the phone away from his ear in disgust.

There were a few mumbles and unintelligible utters that Rein couldn't understand through the phone. Ngunit sigurado ito sa isang bagay.

His father was out drinking and fucking around with women once again.

"Nasaan ka? Bakit hindi ka umuwi sa bahay?" Tugon ng kaniyang ama, ignoring his son's question about being caught up in his vices yet again.

"Don't tell me you've grown to be afraid of your own father?" He asked with a wicked glint in his tone, despite being drunk.

"You told me to study well, so I'm studying well in this God-forsaken place." Rein said coldly. "Bakit, nami-miss mo na ba 'kong gawing punching bag?"

"Aba-aba." His father said, letting out a drunk, hearty laugh. "Marunong ka nang sumagot. Dahan-dahan, baka hindi lang suntok ang abutin mo sa susunod na uwi mo dito."

Immediately, Rein wanted to throw his phone away. He hated his father — hated him with every living cell in his body. But there was nothing he could do. He was related to this man, blood and all.

Napayuko ang binata ang napatingin sa kaniyang binti. In fact, he still hasn't recovered from the limp that his father had gave him the last time he had visited home.

"You didn't answer my question." Rein replied bitterly. "Bakit mo 'ko hinahanap? May nangyari ba? Si Noah, nasaan?" Dire-diretso niyang tanong, suddenly worried about his only brother who was years younger than him, and was still unfortunately back at the Maccio residence under their abusive father's care.

"Nasa bahay, kanina pa umiiyak kasi hindi ka daw umuwi." His father scoffed, as the music in the background grew even louder.

"Which leads me back to the question. Bakit hindi ka umuwi?" His father demanded. Rein did all he could to not end the call right there.

"Like I said, I'm busy studying and fulfilling your bullshit dreams to be the perfect heir and son that you've dreamt me to be." Matigas na sabi ng binata.

"Well you better." His father muttered. And even though he was miles away, Rein could almost smell his drunk breath, as if he was standing next to him. "Siguraduhin mo lang na talagang nag-aaral ka ng mabuti diyan at hindi ka tinatalo ng anak ni Lobris. Naiintindihan mo?"

Napahilamos ng mukha ang binata nang nasama nanaman sa usapan ang mga Lobris. Rein hated it, the feud between the Lobris family and their clan. He didn't want to be part of any of it, especially since his dad was only using him to ensure that their family was better than anyone else. He just wanted a simple life.

"You're the only heir to my fortune, and I won't have a lowly son inheriting it. So you better earn my respect kung gusto mong manahin ang negosyo — bago ko pa baguhin ang isip ko at ibigay sa iba."

His dad's words seemed to slur even more and trip over one another. Agad na napatingin ang binata sa kaniyang likuran para sulyapan ang dalawang kaibigan na pinapanood siya ng may simpatya sa kanilang mga mata.

He hated it. He didn't want their sympathy.

"Naiintindihan mo ba ako ha?" Rein's drunk father demanded as Rein turned his back once more on his friends.

At this point, the young man had enough. He didn't want to hear anymore reminders from his father about the life prison that he was trapped in.

With raging fingers, agad na binaba ng binata ang tawag.

"Fucking hell." He muttered under his breath habang minamasahe ang sentido. He then looked down from the terrace, and lost himself in the aerial view of the whole campus.

Right below, he could see the other Castillians who were roaming around the campus grounds, chattering in groups or pairs, enjoying the night while it was still young.

Rein sighed, looking over his shoulder to glance once again at his two friends who gave him a sad smile.

If anything in the world, Rein wished he had freedom as much as Jarrell and Quinn had. Madalas ay naiinggit siya tuwing nakikita niya si Jarrell na nagagawa ang gusto niya kahit na galing ito sa striktong pamilya, o ang saya sa mga mata ni Quinn tuwing tinutuloy niya ang game na matagal na niyang dinedevelop. More than anything, he wished he were free — free from his family name, his reputation, and his responsibilities.

"You up for a movie night?" Jarrell asked him as soon as he had stepped back into the warmth of their room. Alam ng binata na pinipilit ng dalawa na pasayahin ito, but Rein wasn't the type of person who would ignore and run away from his own problems. He would much rather face it, even if it meant receiving a punch or two.

Rein shook his head and his two friends nodded knowingly.

As he then walked back to his seat contemplating when he would face his father again and visit their home, bigla namang lumitaw ang isang pamilyar na mukha sa kanilang telebisyon.

"Mister Lobris, what do you have to say for all the people who are accusing you for embezzlement?" The news reporter asked, interviewing a rather large man with a big belly. It was none other than Ann's father, the man whom Rein's father despised the most.

Agad na napako ang tingin ng tatlong binata sa telebisyon.

"They're crazy," Ann's father responded seriously, loosening his tie as he did. "They're nothing but nincompoops with a lot of time on their hand—"

Hindi na pinatapos ni Quinn ang sasabihin ng senator at biglang pinatay ang TV.

"Mag-oorder ako ng pizza, anong flavor gusto niyo?" He asked, changing the subject, to which Rein was grateful.

"PEPPERONI!" Sigaw ni Jarrell at agad na nag-unahan ang dalawa papunta sa telepono.

Rein smiled faintly and glanced back at his own journal, which reminded him of his goal to beat Ann in everything.

Or else, he'd be beaten by his own dad.

---

"Ipasa mo! Open ako!" Javier shouted as he ran across the field.

The sun was out and shining brightly that Monday morning. Birds were chirping and a gentle breeze stirred the campus grounds as Rein found solace in one of the benches facing the soccer field. Kasalukuyang free time ng kanilang klase at naisipan ng binata na ipagpatuloy ang pag-ayos ng plot ng kaniyang kwento.

The tree next to the bench where he was seated, gave him the right amount of shade. Occasionally, Rein would glance at the field to where his friends and his other classmates were enjoying the lovely day by playing a game of soccer. Rein was actually decent at the sport himself, but despite invitations from his colleagues persuading him to join them, he declined and preferred to stay under the shade in order to focus on writing his piece for the Writers' Schism.

As he scanned his own work, he tapped his pen on the thick pages of his journal, deep in thought. "Mas maganda ata na first person ang POV nito." He mumbled to himself as he scribbled a few notes and corrections.

Just as he was enjoying his own quiet company, his focus was suddenly disrupted nang bigla niyang narinig ang isang sigaw mula sa field.

"BOLA!" Someone yelled, but it was already far too late.

By the time Rein had glanced up from his journal, a soccer ball had been shot into the air and was fast approaching towards his direction.

He was mistaken though, as the ball seemed to be readily aimed at Ann, who was coincidentally passing by with a coffee drink in her hand.

Immediately, the ball had shot the drink out of Ann's hand, causing it to spill on both of them.

"FUCK!" Rein cursed, standing from the bench.

"OH MY GOD!" Ann panicked, letting the cup fall on the ground.

Napatigil ang karamihan na nakakita dahil sa nangyari, at agad na napatingin ang dalawa sa isa't-isa na hindi alam ang gagawin.

Rein let out another curse as the burning sensation seared his hand. Ngunit ang talagang nagpalumo sa kaniya ay ang bullet journal na kasamang nahulog sa sahig. Picking it up, he raised the once trusty ledger which was now unreadable and drenched in brown coffee.

It had seen better days.

Rein then glanced at Ann who was wiping coffee stains on her own blouse. Nang nagtama ang kanilang mga mata, ay napunta sa baba ang tingin ng dalaga. He then slowly looked down to see where Ann was looking, and realized that his own shirt was stained as well. The young man clenched his jaw before letting go of his ruined journal and slowly unbuttoning his own polo uniform.

"WOOH! MACCIO FOR THE WIN!" Asar ng kanilang mga kaklase na nanonood as Rein was now shirtless. Kasabay ng kaguluhang ito ay ang tilian ng mga babaeng nakapaligid.

"Pang-almusal ka Rein! Lakas mo!"

Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ni Ann, her cheeks turning even redder as she was faced by her shirtless rival. "What in the blazing fuck?!" Ann cursed to himself, her eyes wide as she unconsciously surveyed Rein's body.

He had the normal body of any boy their age, but Ann had noticed that he was probably doing a lot of core exercises due to his flat, slightly toned stomach.

"What?" Rein muttered, a few strands of his fair falling down his forehead as he noticed that Ann was unmoving and rather taken aback by his action. "Like what you see?" He smirked.

Ann gawked at him in surprise, taken aback by his ego.

But Rein wasn't done yet. He had stepped forward much to Ann's fluster, before hovering on the side of her face.

"You could've told me you wanted to see this." He whispered to her ear. "I'd personally show you in my own bed."

He then straightened his back with a victorious grin plastered on his face. Ann's eyes widened in horror.

With a purse of her lips, she then slapped him across the face.

The crowd gasped before Ann haughtily left a stricken Rein who watched her go.

---

By the time afternoon had come, everyone was still talking about the coffee incident that had happened earlier. It was all that everyone could talk about in the campus. It didn't help that the Castillian Gazette fueled the incident with an article covering it. A lot of girls were already talking ill of Ann, wondering how anyone could dare slap the charming, handsome, intelligent, wealthy Rein Maccio.

But Rein knew better.

"May the best writer win." Ann's voice rang in his head as he walked to the locker rooms with an amused face.

He should've known it was Ann's move in the "game" that they were apparently playing, chiding himself that he didn't see it soon enough.

Of course Ann was going to try to play dirty and sabotage him in the Writers' Schism just so she could get a headstart. Napangisi ulit ang binata at umiling.

"Jasper." Sambit ng binata pagkapasok niya sa locker room ng mga lalaki, kung saan kakatapos lang ng soccer training ni Jasper Mendez, isa sa mga kaklase nila.

Jasper was a school athlete, and one of the boys who were playing earlier that day.

Ayon kina Jarrell at Quinn, si Jasper daw ang nagkamali sa sipa ng bola at aksidenteng tumama kay Ann kaninang umaga. Kung aksidente nga lang ba talaga iyon.

"Rein?" Jasper asked with a frown as he closed his locker shut. "Sup bro?"

Hindi na nagpatumpik-tumpik pa ang binata. "Speak up." He said, and handed over a white envelope to Jasper.

Kunot-noong tinanggap kinuwha ito ni Jasper. "Ano namang gagawin ko sa perang 'to?" He scoffed.

"I know you know something." Rein said, crossing his arms. "Inutusan ka ba ni Ann na tamaan siya kanina?"

Jasper let out a howl of laughter. "I don't know what you're talking about." He shook his head before walking away with his gym bag.

"I'll double the price." Rein said shortly, not moving an inch from where he was standing.

Agad na napatigil ito.

"What makes you think I need the money?" Richard asked, unmoving.

"Well, I know that you're granted free scholarship as part of the school's soccer team. But I've observed that it's not enough for you. Kailangan mo pa rin ng pera para sa ibang pangangailangan mo dito sa Castillo High, kaya nagpa-part time job ka pagkatapos ng training mo. Isn't that right?" Rein said in a matter-of-fact tone, laying down his own observations on Richard for the past years.

For a moment, neither one of them moved.

"Make it triple." Richard sniffed, finally turning around.

"Done." Rein said, and Richard nodded.

"You're right. Earlier this morning while you were busy writing away, tinawag ako ni Ann habang naglalaro kami. Binigyan rin niya ako ng pera, instructing me to kick the ball towards her direction at her signal. Hindi ko alam na involved ka pala sa plano niya. That's all I know." He said, and Rein wasted no more time, immediately giving him the amount he promised before walking away without another word.

"You've made your move, Lobris." He muttered under his breath. "And I'll make mine."

---

The next day was nothing short of the ordinary. But this time, Rein was more attentive. He was silently noting every little move that his rival made, and calculating his next step.

Eventually, his plans had led him to the library, entering its large wooden doors and passing by a pair of renaissance statues.

"Emerie Louise Castrana." He said at once by the time he had reached the librarian's desk.

The figure seated behind the desk turned away from the librarian's computer to face Rein with a raised eyebrow. Instead of a middle-aged woman, it was a young girl with thin, straight hair in the shade of chestnut brown. Her prominent full bangs that framed her face complimented her round cheeks. Maputi ang balat nito at nakasuot ang dalaga ng dark purple na hoodie.

"Rein Maccio." Emerie raised an eyebrow, removing the headset around her ears. She seemed to be munching a piece of bubblegum.

"Isn't that illegal?" He asked curiously, pertaining to the gum she was chewing.

"I'm the librarian's assistant." She shrugged. "This is my turf and I can do whatever I want. Though, sa halip na ginagawa akong alalay rito, I wished I was reigning my own computer club instead." Emerie snorted, rolling her eyes.

She then waved a hand as if changing the topic. "But setting my problems aside, ang gusto kong malaman ay kung bakit ako kinakausap ng nag-iisang Rein Maccio. What do you want from me?"

"I have a job for you." He said straight to the point as he placed a white envelope on the desk.

Emerie scoffed. "What am I, your conman?"

"Sabihin mo lang kung hindi ka interesado para ibigay ko 'to sa iba."

"I doubt it." Emerie replied, blowing a bubble out of the gum with a pop. "You came to me for a reason, so I'm guessing this job involves either the library, or computers."

"Both." Rein grinned and Emerie nodded.

"Spill." She demanded, and Rein leaned forward.

"Listen to my instructions very, very closely." He whispered. "Like every student in our class, Ann Lobris will arrive here shortly to print her English homework. I deduce she'll either arrive anytime today, or anytime tomorrow morning — since the homework's deadline is tomorrow after lunch. With that being said, ito ang gusto kong gawin mo: siguraduhin mo na may virus ang computer na mapupunta sa kaniya."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ni Emerie.

"Why?"

"I want you to corrupt her flashdrive." Rein said and pushed the envelope forward.

Emerie looked at him steadily before snatching the envelope away. "A deal's a deal. Now leave me alone."

Agad na napangisi ang binata. "I expect nothing less from you." He said, before leaving the library with a victorious smirk.

---

"Bakit pakiramdam ko may ginawa kang kababalaghan kahapon." Sambit ni Jarrell kinabukasan habang nakaupo sa kaniyang lamesa.

It was already late in the afternoon and most of them were still at their classroom. Yung iba nilang kaklase ay nagpaiwan para tumambay, habang karamihan ay gumagawa naman ng kanilang mga group activities. The three boys on the other hand, were doing the former.

Rein grinned, writing in his new journal that had a black, leather cover. "Maybe not, maybe yes."

"What do you mean by that?" Quinn, who was leaning by one of the classroom's open windows, demanded with a frown.

Before Rein could even reply though, an angry voice echoed throughout the nearby hallway.

"Where is he?!" The voice demanded, answering Quinn's query. Agad na napatingin ang lahat kay Ann na kakapasok lang ng classroom.

"Looking for me babe?" Javier, who was with his gang by the doorway, asked Ann playfully. Ngunit nilampasan lamang ito ng dalaga as she stormed towards Rein with flashing eyes.

Bago pa makasalita si Jarrell o Quinn ay agad na binato ng dalaga ang kaniyang flashdrive sa binata, making the other onlookers gasp.

"Hmm." Rein chuckled. "That's a nice way to say good afternoon. I actually thought your next move would be more discreet."

"My second move will be much more menacing than that." Ann spat. "Now I don't care how you do it, but either replace or fix my drive before I strangle you."

Rein raised an eyebrow. "Not to be rude pero anong kinalaman ko sa flashdrive mo?"

"I'm not stupid." Ann said angrily. "That's why I'm your rival for a reason, Maccio."

"And your point is...?"

"A little someone told me you paid him triple just to tell you what he knows. Too bad he was loyal to me and followed you all the way to the library yesterday, exposing your plan to me — albeit he was a little late." Ann muttered the last part in annoyance, glaring sideways to Jasper at the back of the room, who was trying to stay away from the scene as possible. This caused Rein to chuckle.

"Ah. Based on your statement, despite your little someone's loyalty, he seems to be incompetent and inefficient in updating you as soon as possible." Rein grinned smugly, proud to know that his deal with Emerie had been a success.

"Oh shut up!" Ann snapped. "Putting two and two together, I should've known earlier na hindi coincidence na biglang na-corrupt ang flashdrive ko ngayong umaga."

Rein let a low whistle.

"Wow. I think I overestimate you a little too much. I actually thought your next move would be... more calculating than this. And to be frank with you, hindi naman kita pinabilhan ng bagong journal when you stained coffee all over mine, so why would I replace your flashdrive?" Gatong ng binata, frowning as he crossed his arms.

"It's not just my entry to the Writers' Schism that you sabotaged, you arrogant jerk. Dinamay mo pa yung ibang academic files ko. If you didn't know, this game we're playing revolved around the writing competition only. So why are you playing outside of the rules?" Ann retorted.

"Oh I'm sorry." Ngisi ng binata. "You didn't exactly clarify that part. Besides what do you want me to do now? Hindi naman ako yung computer na sumira sa flashdrive mo, and I'm no tech savvy."

"Are you deaf? I said I don't care how you'll do it—you're going to fix or replace my drive whether you like it or not!"

"See, that's the thing I don't understand." Rein said in amusement. "Aren't you rich enough to buy a new one? I'm sure your filthy father provides you and your family everything you need — even if it meant at a costly price."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ng dalaga sa sinabi ng binata, her eyes ablaze. "What the fuck are you implying?" She asked in a deadly tone.

"I'm saying you have all the means to buy a new flashdrive," Kibit-balikat ng binata, crossing his arms and leaning on his armchair's desk. "Especially with all the wealth that your father obtains from leeching off other people. Particularly, let me see... from the less fortunate...?" Rein smirked.

And that was the last straw.

Ann immediately grabbed him by the neck, and strangled him to the ground.

"ANN!" Sigaw ni Jarrell at Quinn, at agad na nagkagulo ang buong klase. Some were screaming frantically, while others were trying to document the event with their smartphones.

"You think you know everything about me?!" Ann yelled, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she continuously hit Rein who seemed to have gone as pale as a ghost.

To Rein, Ann's figure had turned into the ugly image of his father, striking him.

"Ann, tama na!" Sigaw ni Quinn habang pilit na hinihiwalay nina Jarrell ang dalawa.

Because of the uncomfortable position that they were in, nararamdaman nanaman ni Rein na sumasakit ang binti nito. The limp he had received from his father last time still wasn't fully healed, and the position he was in was becoming too much for him to handle.

But before his wounds could hurt even more, a loud whistle had erupted the air, eventually snapping Ann out of her outburst.

Agad na tumigil ang lahat dahil dito at napatingin sa pintuan kung saan nanggaling ang tunog.

Dito ay makikitang nakatayo si professor Simon Zaldiga, ang highest discipline officer ng Castillo High na saktong napadaan sa hallway ng tenth graders.

He had a dead-serious scowl on his rough face as he gazed down upon them with a whistle on one hand.

"Lobris, Maccio. To my office. NOW."

---

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