CLAIRE'S POV
Today is Friday, the last day of classes for gangster students but it was suspended. Nagpatawag daw kasi ng pagpupulong ang headmaster with the professors for the preparations of the upcoming gangster tournament.
Next week, the training will start and they gonna open the academy's training room. Ngayon ko lang din nalaman na merong sariling training place ang akademya since binubuksan lang 'yon tuwing nalalapit na ang paligsahan. Kinakabahan tuloy ako lalo, ano kayang magaganap sa darating na tournament?
"Laire, I have a meeting with my group members today but it won't take long. Magkita nalang tayo mamaya sa cafeteria for lunch," pagpapaalam ni El nang makalabas kami ng classroom.
"I'll just head to the library then," I replied.
"Make sure you get there because I have an important matter to discuss with you," dagdag niya pa na marahan ko nalang na tinanguan saka siya naglakad at nauna nang umalis.
I wonder wha
CLAIRE'S POV Kinabukasan, maaga akong nagising tulad ng nakasanayan. It's Saturday and since it's weekend, I wear casual clothes, tied my hair and put on my eyeglasses before wearing a flat sandals. Nang matapos akong mag-ayos ng sarili ay kaagad na akong lumabas ng kwarto ko. Nasalubong ko pa si Elaine sa harapan ng pintuan kaya medyo nailang pa ako sa kan'ya. Hindi kasi maganda ang inakto ko sa kan'ya kahapon, nagpadala ako sa emosyon ko. "About yesterday..." panimula ko sa mahinang boses. "What about yesterday? Don't tell me, babawiin mo 'yong sinabi mo? No, you can't," saad niyang tanong na napasingap pa. "It's not about that—" "Let's have a breakfast first, alam kong nagugutom ka na," she cut me off. Hinigit niya pa ako papunta sa kusina saka pinaupo sa harapan ng lamesa na kasalukuyang may nakahandang pagkain. "I'm sorry about yest
CLAIRE'S POV Isa-isang namatay ang ilaw sa corridor kaya nabalot ng dilim ang dormitory building, tanging liwanag na lamang na nagmumula sa buwan ang siyang nagbibigay ilaw sa paligid. Marahan akong humakbang palayo sa pwesto ko, napansin ko pa ang ibang mga kwarto na sarado at walang ni isang estudyante ang makikita sa labas. Hindi ko naiwasan ang kabahan, what's with the atmosphere? I'm feeling horrified. Nagpatuloy akong maglakad pababa ng hagdanan at nang makarating ng second floor ay may kadiliman ding paligid ang bumungad sa akin. Magpapatuloy na sana ako pababa sa unang palapag nang may sumalubong sa akin sa hagdan. Dalawang babae ang umakyat mula sa hagdanang nasa harapan ko kaya marahan akong napaatras. They're also wearing a black casual attire, probably a gangster students. This is looking strange, what are they doing here? Mamaya lang ay mabilis akong naalarma nang pareho silang sumugod sa akin. Inihanda ko ang armas na hawak-hawak
CLAIRE'S POV "Frey," I uttered. "I heard you passed the trial, but I'm not quite satisfied so I'm here to see it for myself," saad niya saka unti-unting humakbang palapit sa akin. Naglabas siya ng kutsilyo sa kan'yang kamay at humanda sa pag-opensa dahilan para marahan akong mapaatras. Maya-maya lang ay nalipat pa ang tingin ko sa gilid niya nang may tumabi naman sa kan'ya na isang matangkad at naka-itim din na lalaki, they're both gangster students. "You're too impatient, as always. Let me handle this, I'll make her pay from what she did to you," bulalas ng lalaki kay Frey habang nasa akin ang tingin. He looks familiar, saan ko nga ba siya nakita. I think I have already met him somewhere. Bumalik sa dating posisyon si Frey at itinabi muna ang kutsilyong hawak niya. She's looking fine, seemed like the wound she get from our last fight are now completely healed. "Target her weakness, she's injured at her right side, but don'
CLAIRE'S POV I woke up on this white bed and saw a white ceiling. Hindi na ako magtatakang nandito ako ngayon sa hospital room, since I'm wearing a hospital gown. Maliwanag ang buong paligid at mukhang dumaan na naman ang panibagong araw. Sinubukan kong gumalaw kaya naramdaman ko nalang ang pagkirot ng sugat ko, it's already covered with a bandage and same goes to the small cut on my neck. Tumingin ako sa gilid ko at nakita ro'n ang salamin ko sa mata na nakapatong sa maliit na table, kinuha ko naman 'yon at kaagad na sinuot. I also tied my hair in a ponytail and was about to get down from the bed when the door opens. "Claire," tawag ni Elaine sa'kin nang makapasok siya. Kaagad itong lumapit sa tabi ko at bigla akong niyakap. "I'm sorry, I should've noticed it sooner, then it wouldn't have gone this far," marahan niyang saad saka humiwalay sa pagkakayakap. "You lost consciousness last night because of exhaustion, maayos na
JARED'S POV Nang makalabas ako ng hospital ay naisipan kong pumunta sa opisina ni Lolo. Damn that old man, if only I stayed watching over my sister, things would've been different. But he ordered me to informed him as soon as the trial was over so I left Claire even knowing that she's injured. She wouldn't like it if I insisted to bring her to the hospital immediately. Perhaps, she doesn't want grandfather to be disappointed by her. I planned to take her to the hospital but when I came back, she already caught in trouble and her injury got worst. I'm a bad brother but still, I am pleased that she's not weak like I thought she was. Masaya ako na kahit papaano ay kaya niyang protektahan ang sarili niya, she have grown strong and I believe she will grow even more stronger. Habang naglalakad papunta sa opisina ni Lolo ay natanaw ko ang auditorium mula sa pwesto ko. I think they're preparing for something, is it related with the agreement between Lolo and
ELAINE'S POVThree days has passed and I've been practicing for the upcoming battle between the four of us. Honestly, I don't really need to practice since I believe in my ability. I am confident that I'm not going to lose against my opponent but knowing the agreement between the headmaster and Claire made me want to do my best and win.Nagpapagaling parin si Claire sa hospital hanggang ngayon but she doesn't want to stay there any longer so she's planning to go back in the dormitory today. Siguradong naiinip na siya kaya hindi na ako tututol, si Jared lang naman ang nagpupumilit na manatili pa siya ng hospital hanggang sa tuluyang maghilom ang sugat niya."Ouch!" I complaint. Bigla akong natauhan nang matamaan ako ng suntok ni Clyde sa mukha, mabuti nalang at hindi 'yon masyadong malakas. Nakalimutan kong nag-eensayo nga pala kami, nawala tuloy ang atensyon ko sa kan'ya."Shit!
ELAINE'S POV The next day, I made myself busy with my training but this time, I'm training with my group members. It's actually not bad since I can monitor their progress. They're working really hard, pero hindi ko alam if that's worth the effort since the tournament could be really unpredictable. We don't even know what kind of competition will take place during the tournament but one thing for sure is that it's a battle between the group of gangsters. What and how it may work, I have no idea. That's why, nakatuon ang pagsasanay ng bawat grupo sa pagpapabuti ng kakayahan nila sa pakikipaglaban. But I made my group do a mixed martial arts with different kinds of combat such as stick-fighting, hand combat, taekwando or karate, wrestling, and boxing other than using chainstick. This martial arts are all necessary once you're already on the field. Well, although it's hard to train and catch out, mas mabuti na 'yong handa kaysa mangapa sa dilim. "Ho
CLAIRE'S POVIt's been four days, ilang araw rin akong nanatili sa hospital ng academy para magpagaling. Halos magaling narin naman ang sugat na natamo ko from taking the trial. Nakakainip ang manatili sa hospital at pakiramdam ko ay nakaaabala lang ako kay Nurse Tiang dahil hindi naman gano'n kalala ang kondisyon ko. So I decided to get back to our dorm and stayed at my room for a while.I guess, Kuya Jared might be angry right now since I get discharged from the hospital without telling him and he couldn't pay a visit in my dormitory even if he wants to because of a certain policy. Mabuti narin ang makapagpahinga ng ilang araw. Kahit ngayon lang, ayoko munang may iniisip na sakit sa ulo.Habang nagbabasa ako ng libro ay napahinto ako at naisipang pumunta ng banyo. Nang makaharap sa hindi kalakihang salamin ay tinanggal ko ang aking salamin sa mata at napansin ang aking itsura, mukhang kailangan ko