Chapter 1: The Royals

“Ms. Lopez, this is a classroom. If you are going to sleep in my class, you better go out.” Nagtitimping saad ni Miss Castro sa nakadukong si Scar. Palagi na lamang niyang nahuhuling natutulog si Scar sa klase niya kung kaya naman napupuno na siya.

Nag-angat ng tingin si Scar at ngumisi, “I’ll be obedient this time, Miss.” She lazily stood up and walked towards the door. Most of her classmates ignored her and some were still in awe because of her attitude. Iilan lamang ang estudyanteng kayang umakto nang gano’n sa harap ni Miss Castro.

Hindi naman nakakapagtaka ang ikinikilos ni Scar dahil karamihan naman talaga sa mga estudyante sa kanilang University ay ganito umasta ngunit hindi lahat ay kayang gawin iyon sa isa sa pinaka-istriktong instructor sa campus. Some students don’t worry much about their future and some just gave up reaching their parents’s expectations. However, Scar and a few others were different. There were students who were more privileged that they could still act out no matter who they deal with because they knew that they were superior in the social hierarchy.

Dahil napalabas na rin naman siya ng klase ay dumiretso na si Scar sa studio ng kaibigan niyang si Bryce. Doon sila madalas na tumambay magkakaibigan dahil nasa loob ito ng University. Hindi niya pa nga sigurado kung tama ba ang term na ginamit niya dahil hindi naman talaga sila magkakaibigan. They are like the influential people who decided to group up because the others are just way beneath them. Unlike other social circles, they just try to benefit from each other but they don’t really care about each other’s businesses. They’re too busy facing their own issues to be involved with others.

Sa kanyang paglalakad ay hindi maiwasan ng ibang estudyante na mapatingin sa gawi niya lalo pa’t agaw pansin ang kanyang presensya at ang kanyang ganda. She rolled her eyes when she saw a nerd looked at her with admiration. She truly hated losers because they just accept the fact that they belong to the lowest part of the hierarchy and didn’t do anything to move up.

‘You have to be the change that you wanted to see in the world.’

When she was younger, a friend told her that. It was her inspiration that pushed her to be the best in the thing that she was passionate about, though she failed in reaching the true sense of the quote.

“Cutting classes again, Scar?” panunuya ni Bryce Ward, the Playful Prince of Crown University. He is the heir of the biggest hotel chain in the country. Once you became his target, you’re going to live a miserable college life until you decide to quit or transfer schools. There had been too many cases wherein Bryce’s targets chose to leave school because they couldn’t take being Bryce’s source of amusement.

“Correction, Bryce, I left the class.” Mayabang na wika niya. She is Scar Lopez, the Crown University’s Brat Princess. She is the daughter of the most influential Family in the Fashion Industry therefore, she is very stylish and hates ugly and tacky creatures. She has a foul mouth but no one dares to talk back to her.

“Nandito na naman kayong dalawa, nag-aaral pa ba kayo?” tanong naman ni Meth nang makapasok ito sa studio. Humithit pa ito bago tuluyang itapon ang sigarilyo na nakaipit sa hintuturo at gitnang daliri.

Methuselah Swarovski, Crown University’s fighter princess. Her family is the biggest distributor of explosives and weapons in the country. She is a harsh girl who always gets into fights but never loses. Try to start a fight with her and you’ll end up with at least a few broken bones. Everyone who tried to get on her bad side ended up in the hospital so no one dared to go against her anymore.

“Psh. You’re smoking again, Meth. Alam mo bang mas deadly ang second-hand smoke?” Saway ni Stephen bago umupo sa Sofa at bumalik sa paglalaro ng game sa phone nito.

Stephen Harrison, Crown University’s genius prince. He is the son of the biggest technology company in the country. He doesn’t care about other people as long as he gets to play his games. Try to disturb him and he will definitely destroy your life through the media. He was considered the most harmless among their group because he just lived a quiet life as long as people won’t mess with him and his gadgets.

“Then don’t breathe,” pambabara naman ni Stanley na pumasok kasunod ni Stephen at naghanap ng makakain sa fridge.

Stanley Steinhart, Crown University’s Dark Prince. He is actually from a royal ancestry from another country and his family owns the largest food corporation in the country. He is said to be the most dangerous one and the leader of the group. Despite being quiet and cold, no one ever really saw how he gets angry. Everyone is just afraid of him because the other four respect and obey him. Just like how the saying goes, ‘the most dangerous one is the quiet one.’

Sila ang University Royalties o mas kilala sa tawag na Royals sa Crown University. Bukod kasi sa mga ugali nila na halos sukuan ng mga professor ay sila din ang untouchable social group sa loob ng campus. They are people born with a golden spoon in their mouths that’s why no one dares to get on their bad side but no one would also like to suck up to them because they are very hard to please.

The Royals are known for their notorious activities and harsh personalities. They were famous for sending people to the hospital, wrecking their social image, and even have them transfer out or abandon their studies. No other students could be as bad as them but they never received sanctions because they belong to influential families. No one could also get in their clique because they were very picky with who they associate themselves with.

“Nasa iisang marketing class lang tayo di ba?” tanong ni Meth na ngayon ay ngumunguya naman ng chewing gum.

“Yeah, papasok pa ba kayo?” walang gana namang tanong ni Scar na nagbabasa ng fashion magazine sa tabi ni Stephen.

“Come on, guys! We need to go to our class. I’m currently looking for a new target dahil nag-transfer na yung last na playmate ko,” yaya naman ni Bryce.

“Playmate my ass, Bryce. Bakit di ka na lang maglaro ng games para di ka papalit-palit ng kalaro,” Stephen suggested which made Bryce scoff.

“No thanks, dude. Your games are boring,” Bryce retorted with a disgusted expression.

“You have no taste,” Stephen answered back.

“Do whatever you want, just don’t get in the way of my studies,” malamig na saad ni Stanley nang kalabitin siya ni Meth para sumagot.

“Narinig niyo? Papasok tayo!” Masayang saad ni Bryce. He wants to attend class not because he wants to learn but because he wants to search for his new prospect. Being at school without his source of amusement would be boring. He wanted to see how his prospects trembled in fear and nervousness from his antics.

Sa isang taon na nag-aaral sila sa CU ay madalas na talaga silang gumawa ng kalokohan. They have all the confidence that the University President would turn a blind eye to their misconducts because they know that they were important assets for the school. Who would kick out the children of the VIPs in the business world? Kaya naman kahit isang taon pa lamang ang itinatagal nila sa College ay iniilagan at kinatatakutan na sila ng mga seniors at maging ng mga juniors nila. Nobody would want to mess up with the University Royalties.

“The Royals are here.”

“Ang malas naman, bakit kaklase natin sa subject na `to ang royals?”

“Kaklase natin si Prince Tan?”

“Ang cool talaga ni Princess Meth.”

“Aish. Di nga ako nag-artista para di ako nakakaagaw ng atensyon.” Inis na reklamo ni Meth habang kinakalikot ang cellphone sa kamay. Among the five, Meth doesn’t want the attention but she can’t escape from it since she is one of the most influential person in CU.

“Just smile, Meth. Enjoy the spotlight.” Scar teased her habang nakatingin sa salamin at inaayos ang buhok na hindi naman magulo.

Si Bryce ay nagmamasid sa paligid at nag-hahanap ng bagong target kaya naman hinila na siya ni Stephen para maupo. He was smirking the whole time as he scanned the people who looked like losers but would be really fun to deal with however, he couldn’t find the one that would suit his tastes.

Stephen took out his tablet as soon as he was seated and plugged his earphones on because he didn’t want others to approach him while he is playing. He opened the latest game that he d******d as he immersed himself in a virtual world.

Ang huling umupo ay si Stanley na pinili ang pinakadulong upuan sa tabi ng bintana. Agad niyang inilabas ang librong kanina niya pa binabasa sa studio ni Bryce at inignora ang mga nakaw na tingin ng iba nilang mga kaklase.

Kahit ano pa ang gawin nila, sila ang magiging center of attention. Maswerte na lamang sila dahil magaling ang security team na naghahandle ng owner risk nila kung kaya naman kahit anong kalokohan ang gawin nila sa loob ng CU ay walang lalabas na scandal na makakasira sa reputasyon ng kanilang mga pamilya.

The Royals own the back row of every classroom at alam ng lahat iyon. It is an unspoken rule inside the University that’s why everyone was shocked when they saw an unfamiliar girl who fearlessly sat on the back row, just a few seats away from Bryce. The Royals who are already seated looked at her but she ignored them.

“That girl is in trouble.”