Chapter One

Arranged Marriage With Hot Nerdy Guy

Written by: maickeyyy_

Chapter 1

JADE

Puno ng mga estudyante ang paligid habang naglalakad ako sa corridor at hindi sa pagmamayabang pero pansin ko na sa akin sila nakatingin. Sanay naman na ako sa mga titig nila pero minsan ay hindi ko parin maiwasan na hindi mailang baka kasi mamaya may dumi ako sa mukha kaya sila nakatingin.

"Jade!"

Nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses na narinig ko, and there he is. I saw my boyfriend tumatakbo palapit sakin.

He's Jordan Sittie, a famous basketball player here on our campus and he is my boyfriend.

"I miss you,” He smiled at me, I smiled back.

Pawisan ito, katatapos niya lang ata mag training. Tss, masyadong nagpapalakas, malakas naman na siya. Hindi lang sa basketball, kun’di pati sa’kin.

Eww cheesy.

"I miss you too!"

We're about to hug nang mabalik ako sa reyalidad na maraming estudyante ang nakatingin sa’min kaya naman lumayo ako nang konti kay Jordan.

Duh? Bakit ba sila nakatingin pa rin? What? They think they are watching a love story? Tss.

Humarap ako sa kanila at tinaasan sila ng isang kilay. Mabilis naman silang kumilos papasok sa kani-kanilang silid-aralan. Napairap na lang ako sa hangin.

Mga chismosa..

My boyfriend laughed, "Ano na namang ginawa mo bakit sila nawala?"

Humarap ako sa boyfriend ko saka kinurot ito sa pisngi. "Magpalit kana at bumalik na sa klase, okay?"

Tinalikuran ko na siya at naglakad patungo sa classroom. Narinig ko pa siyang tumawa. He’s so cute when he laugh! I check my wrist watch para malaman kung anong oras na. Bawal ako ma late at never pa akong na late kaya naman bawal mangyari ‘yon ngayon.

7:49 AM good to know, hindi pa ako late kaya naman binilisan ko ang paglakad bago pa maging 8 ang oras dahil simula na iyon ng klase namin.

Hindi ko naman pinansin ang mga titig nila at dumiretso na kung na saan ang upuan aking upuan.

"Bakit ngayon ka lang?" Hindi pa man ako nakakaupo nagtanong na agad tong si Dana, she's one of my friend and the other one is Roan. We're seatmates too.

"Malamang syempre nakipagkita pa yan kay Jordan” Singit ni Roan. Hindi na ako sumagot pa at pareho silang inirapan saka umupo sa gitna nilang dalawa.

***

"By the way, your Mom called earlier pinapasabi na susunduin ka." ani Roan habang nasa kalagitnaan ng klase.

"Lagi ka namang sinusundo diba? What's new?" Dana asked. I’m curious as well.

"Iyon din ang ipinagtataka ko,e." ani Roan.

"E, kung tumahimik kaya kayong dalawa kasi nagkaklase diba?"

Sabay naman silang umiwas ng tingin sa’kin at ibinalik ang focus sa prof namin na nasa harap.

Ano na naman kaya ‘tong pakulo ni Mommy, ano na naman kaya ang kailangan niya? Napabuntong hininga na lang ako sa kakaisip at hindi na makapag focus sa klase. Bakit ba kasi kailangang sabihin sa’kin ‘yon habang nagkaklase kami? Roan talaga. Haist.

***

Natapos na ang pangatlong subjects, naglalakad na kami ngayon nina Dana at Roan sa hallway patungo sa food court ng school.

"Hindi ko pa ata nakitang pumangit si Jade kahit isang beses lang."

"Siguro kung ganyan ako kaganda, magugustuhan na ako ng crush ko."

"Halos lahat ng mga lalaki dito sa campus ay interesado sa kanya."

"Tignan mo ‘tong mga lalaking ‘to kulang na lang tumulo ang laway."

"Hays, Jade, kailan ka ba hindi mapag-uusapan dito?" Tanong ni Dana.

Siguro naririnig din niya ang bulong-bulungan sa paligid habang naglalakad kami. Hindi ko alam kung bulong talaga ‘yon kasi rinig na rinig naman.

"Oo nga, hindi ba sila nagsasawa pag-usapan ka?"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad, gano’n din ang ginawa nila at tinignan ako. I crossed my arms.

"Bakit? Don't tell me naiinggit kayo?" I asked.

Yeah, too harsh pero ganyan talaga ako sa kanilang dalawa, or must I say sa lahat?

"Come on, Jade, of course not." Depensa ni Dana. Ofcourse, hindi dapat.

"Good. We're friends tho so you don’t have to be insecure. For sure, ‘di lang ako ang pinag-uusapan ng mga yan, mas lamang lang talaga ‘yong akin." Pagbawi ko.

Totoo naman, minsan naman ay naririnig ko rin silang pinag-uusapan ng iba kapag magkakasama kami. And to tell the truth, Dana and Roan have beautiful faces. Of course they should've, hindi naman ako magkakaibigan ng hindi ka level ng itsura ko.

"Let's go, gutom na rin ako." I smiled at them at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad. Sunod lamang ang tingin sa amin ng mga estudyanteng nadadaanan namin.

Most of the students here calling me 'Queen'. Sila na mismo nag-bant’yag niyan and I don't know why. Well, okay lang naman sa’kin but then for me it's too much? Hmm... bahala sila we're all the same student lang naman dito pero siguro hindi mawala sa kanila ang pagkahanga sa’kin. I thanked my Dad and Mom for making me have this kind of face. I wandered kung anong itsura ko kung hindi sila Mom and Dad ang nagkatuluyan. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako.

Nakarating na kami sa cafeteria and we enjoyed the foods that we bought.

***

Our class for today ended just like that.

"Bye girls!" I said my goodbye to Dana and Roan. 

Ang pagkaway lang ng palad ang nagawa ko bilang sign ng pagpapaalam kina Dana at Roan. Pinagmasdan ko pa silang dalawa bago sila maghiwalay ng landas, and me? Here, standing in front of the gate waiting for my Mom and driver to arrive.

"Is that Jade?"

"Yas, I'm sure she's waiting for her Mom."

"I wish I had a pretty face like her!"

"Me to--"

Nilingon ko ang dalawang babaeng nag-uusap ‘di kalayuan sa kinatatayuan ko. Sinamaan ko sila ng tingin hudyat para maputol ng isang babae ang sasabihin niya.

So noisy, nakakairita.

Tinaasan ko sila ng isang kilay dahilan para umiba sila ng pwesto.

Magchichismisan na nga lang ipaparinig pa sa’kin. Parang gusto ko na lang tuloy maging isang nerd para sa gano’n ay hindi ako nakakakuha ng maraming atensyon ng iba. Should I disguise? Hmm...

"A-uhm... Q-Queen?"

Nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses sa kanan ko. I saw a guy student wearing a blue lace, meaning he's grade 12 student. He was holding a phone with black case, and there were three guys pushing him.

"C-can we take a s-selfie?" Itinaas nito ang cellphone niya tila inaabot sakin, habang nakayuko pa rin ang kanyang ulo. He's trembling, masyado ba akong nakakatakot?

Agad ko namang kinuha ang phone niya saka ni-swipe pataas ang screen dahilan para lumabas ang camera. Kita ko naman ang pagkagulat sa mukha ng lalaki.

I raised my brow, "Aren't you going closer?"

Pagkatapos ko sabihin yo’n, mabilis itong kumilos para lumapit sa’kin. I clicked the button one time, and hand the phone of one of his companion to take a picture of us.

Am I this kind now? Hindi ko naman gusto na katakutan nila ako. Masyado lang ata talagang dark ang aura ko kaya sila natatakot. Isa pa hindi rin naman kasi ako palangiti, ayoko ng ingay, at mas lalong ayoko nang dinadaldal.

"Babe!"

"Andyan na si Jordan, tara na!"

After hearing those words, the four guys left running. Then I turned my head to the left to see Jordan running towards me.

"Bakit nandito ka pa? Hatid na kita." He muttered when he got close to me.

Pawis na pawis ito halatang katatapos lang mag-training dahil aside that he's sweating, he is also wearing his jersey while carrying his bag behind his back.

Hinablot ko ang white towel na hawak niya na hindi naman kalakihan. Pinunasan ko ang mga pawis na lumalandas sa katawan at mukha niya.

"I'm okay, Mom is going to pick me up." I answered while wiping his sweat.

He nodded. "Okay, then I head first." He kissed my forehead.

"Take care, I love you." I nodded and gave his towel back to him before I answered.

"You too, I love you more." I smiled and kissed him to his cheeks.

Well I don't fucking care if there's sweat running down to his face.

He smiled back then we sent our goodbyes to each other. He said he'll text or call me once he got home, I just nodded at him as an answer then he started to walk.

And the next thing I knew was my Mom was already here inside her black car, seating in the backseat.

"Get in." sinunod ko naman ang sinabi nito.

Binuksan ko ang pinto ng sasakyan saka umupo sa tabi niya.

Tahimik lang ang naging byahe, nakatingin lang ako sa labas ng bintana at pinapasadahan ng tingin ang mga nadadaanan namin hanggang sa marating na namin ang bahay. Pagkatapos iparada ang sasakyan sa parking lot, bumaba na kami ni Mom sa magkabilaang pinto ng sasakyan saka nagsimulang maglakad papasok.

Imahe agad ni Dad na nakaupo sa sofa ang sumalubong sa akin. I ignore his stare and walk towards him. Aabutin ko na sana ang kamay nito para sana magmano nang bigla itong may ibinagsak na mga papel sa lamesa kaya naman naudlot ang pag-abot ko sa kamay niya at nanatiling nasa hangin ang kamay ko.

I looked at the papers before standing straight.

So, ‘yan ang rason kung bakit ako sinundo ni Mom? Heh, no doubts.

"Did you already know your scores Jade Madison Lantesa Austrelle?!" Daddy shouted out of anger.

Hindi ako sumagot, nanatili lang ang tingin ko sa ibaba.

He stood up and put his hands on his waist, "Didn't you hear me?! Hindi ka lang bobo ngayon, bingi ka pa?!"

Mom and Dad had their high standards which I can't reach. I had my limits, I can't be as smart as Kuya Jeil nor intelligent as my parents. Even if I do everything to reach their standards and be good as them I can't be like them. This is me, I am not like them. This is only what I can do, what's wrong with that? Why can't they accept it? I am only Jade Madison Lantesa Austrelle not Jeilord Amorphous Austrelle, Marigold Freise Lantesa-Austrelle or even Jeil Andrew Lantesa-Austrelle.

I am just me.

"Aren't you going to answer Madison?! Explain it to us!" Mom pointed to the papers scattered on the table.

 How could I explain if I couldn’t open my mouth, Mom?

Instead of answering those questions from Mom and Dad, I start to cry, I can't hold back these tears anymore.

"Huwag mo kaming daanin sa pag iyak mo, sagutin mo kami!" Dad exclaimed.

Can't you just lower your standard, ha? Mom, Dad?

"Why did you got a wrong answer here?! It just a simple question Madison!" Umalingawngaw ang boses ng ina ko sa buong bahay, mababakas mo talaga sa mukha nito ang galit. Sa tingin ko nga ay nakatingin na sa amin ang ibang mga katulong para silipin kung ano ang nangyayari.

I took a deep breath, "I've only got 2 wrongs in World history, 1 in gen mathematics. There's only 3 wrongs in total in all of my subjects. What's wrong wi--"

Dad cut my words before it went finished.

"Only 3? Did you hear yourself ha, Jade?! Zero was different to 3! Why can't you just perfect your score to all of your subjects?!" Dad’s voice went higher even more.

Napapikit na lamang ako para pigilan ang nagbabadyang luha sa mga mata ko.

Yeah, Dad. Why can't I?

Why can’t I? I can’t because I am not you! I am not Jeilord Austrelle who can perfect those exams! And I am not Marigold Austrelle who's always in the rank 1! And I am not also Jeil Austrelle who's as intelligent as the both of you! You always said that I should be always on top, I must perfect all exams! You always see my mistakes, but can't you see my effort even once? I am always on top, people in school complimented me like I was the perfect person they've ever seen. But both of you couldn’t see it! And you two didn't see me as your daughter, Jade Madison but only a trash!

Those words I want to pull out but I don't have the guts to say it loud. I couldn’t shout and speak those words out.

Gusto ko ‘yan ipagsigawan sa pagmumukha nila para malaman nila kung ano ang hirap ko sa pag-effort para lang mapantayan sila, para ipagmalaki tulad ng ginagawa nila kay kuya. Ginagawa ko naman lahat para i-prove na kaya ko rin pero anong magagawa ko? Tao rin naman ako nagkakamali, ano bang mali doon?

"Go to your room!” Dad pointed his finger to the stair. “If you won't take the top place this 1st semester, you better be ready with your luggage and I will send you abroad!"

And now he is threatening me.

I took the papers and ran till I reached my room then cried as I locked the door.

I know I did everything I could but I think it's not enough. Should I study more? Go in the library thrice a day? And study again when I get home? It's that what they want?

Hinayaan ko lang na dumulas ang likod ko mula sa pinto para dalhin ako nito papa-upo. Wala akong tigil sa kakaiyak, ang papel na kanina'y maayos at diretso, ngayon ay lukot lukot na.

I won't let them send me abroad, I'll do everything to make myself into the top. I won't let anyone steal my throne. Just wait and see.

I am the Queen and I'm always at the top.