Chapter 6: Something is Fishy

Matapos ang nangyari ay hindi na nakita ni Scar si Stanley sa buong araw. Maging ang ibang Royals ay nagtataka na hindi pumunta si Stanley sa Studio ni Bryce kaya naman hindi mapigilang isipin ni Scar na nagalit niya si Stanley at ngayon ay natatakot siya sa pwedeng gawin nito. Stanley is powerful enough to ruin someone’s life at iyon ang rason kung bakit nirerespeto siya at tinitingala ng mga Royals. He is silent most of the time but he could be very deadly.

“Hindi na naman dumaan dito si Stan. Pumapasok pa ba siya?” tanong ni Scar sa iba ngunit nagkibit-balikat lamang ang mga ito.

Gaya ng nakagawian ay sabay-sabay silang pumasok sa marketing course nila. Inaabangan ni Scar ang pagdating ni Aisha dahil hindi pa siya kuntento sa ginawa niya rito. She wanted to let her know her place in a way tat she would never dare cross the line again. She wants to humiliate her so that she can’t mess up with them anymore.

Umirap siya nang pumasok sa loob ng classroom si Aisha at umupo ito ulit sa back row, malapit sa pinto. Mas nagngitngit pa siya dahil mukhang hindi pa rin nadadala si Aisha matapos ng mga ginawa nila sa kanya.

There’s no way that she will let it slide. She was not titled the brat princess for nothing and she will make sure that their dear Aisha would never forget her and the lessons she would teach her. She would make her pay for the humiliation that the Royals received for the past few attempts of dealing with her.

Padabog siyang tumayo at akmang lalapit kay Aisha nang biglang pumasok mula sa pinto sa likod si Stanley at umupo ito sa tabi ni Aisha. Hindi niya inaasahan ang pagdating ng binata matapos ang ilang araw na hindi nito pagpapakita sa kanila at mas lalong hindi siya makapaniwala nang umirap si Aisha bago tumayo para lumipat ng upuan. How dare she act like that towards Stanley Steinhart?

“S-stan,” tawag niya. Tanging malamig na tingin lamang ang ibinigay ni Stan sa kanya bago ito lumipat sa paborito nitong pwesto, ang upuan sa pinakalikod sa tabi ng bintana.

“What happened to him?” Nagtatakang tanong ni Bryce. Nagkibit-balikat si Stephen dahil maging siya ay hindi makapaniwala sa ginawang rejection ni Aisha sa Dark Prince ng Crown University.

Sa buong klase ay nakatuon lamang ang atensyon ni Stanley kay Aisha na siyang nakaagaw ng curiosity ng mga Royals. They don’t want to conclude something but this is the first time that Stanley is paying attention to a girl after 10 years. They knew each other since they were younger at halos sabay sabay na silang lumaki. Simula bata pa sila ay sa Crown University na sila nag-aaral kaya naman kilala na nila ang isa’t-isa. Sa buong buhay nila, Stan only payed attention to a girl who went to Korea 10 years ago. She can vividly remember that day the girl left because that was also the day that Stan changed.

Nang matapos ang klase ay nagmamadaling nag-ayos ng gamit si Aisha upang makalayo sana agad ngunit mas mabilis si Stanley na pigilan siyang umalis. Ilang araw na siyang ginugulo ni Stanley at maging siya na mahaba ang pasensya ay naiirita na. She was expecting Stan to be the worst bully among them but instead of bullying her, he had been bothering her in a very annoying manner.

“Where are you going?“ tanong ni Stanley na nakaharang sa pintong dadaanan niya sana. Napairap siya at tinalikuran ito upang sa kabilang pinto dumaan ngunit hinawakan siya nito sa kamay upang pigilan siya, “You’re not going anywhere without me.” Napabuntong hininga na lamang siya nang hilahin siya nito palabas ng classroom.

Gusto niyang magreklamo dahil bukod sa ang bilis maglakad ni Stanley ay masyado silang nakakaagaw ng atensyon.  Aside from the fact that she is being dragged by the hottest guy in the campus, the students also started to talk about Stanley’s action before the start of the class. Kahit ayaw niyang maging center of attention ay wala na siyang magagawa dahil sinira na ng Royals ang tahimik niya sanang university life.

“Let’s take a break,” hinihingal niyang saad habang hinihila ang kanyang kamay mula kay Stanley.

Tumigil naman sa paglalakad si Stanley ngunit hindi pa rin nito binibitawan ang kamay niya. Takot yata ito na matakasan niya na naman dahil sa ilang araw nitong pangungulit ay palagi niya itong natatakasan. Sa bawat makikita niyang papalapit na ito aya agad siyang iiwas upang hindi ito makasalamuha. Kaya naman naiinis siya sa sarili niya dahil hinayaan niyang mahuli siya nito.

“Where are we going?” tanong niya nang maging maayos na ulit ang kanyang paghinga. Tinitigan lamang siya ni Stanley na wala yatang balak sagutin ang tanong niya.

“I need to go to the library,” sabi niya dahil balak naman talaga niyang sagutan ang mga module niya doon. Hindi niya inaasahan ang pagtango ni Stanley kasunod ng paghila a kanya patungo sa library. Napangiti siya dahil medyo bumagal na ang paglalakad nito kaya naman nakakasabay na siya nang hindi hinihingal.

Even if she was annoyed by Stanley, there were moments that she still find his actions cute. She would definitely be criticized if other people knew what was going on in her mind sp she just kept it all to herself.

Ito ang naghanap ng upuan para sa kanila at umupo ito sa tapat niya. Stan crossed his arms as he intently stared at her. Napairap na lang siya dahil naiilang siya sa ginagawang pagtitig ni Stan sa kanya.

“Don’t dare run away from me again. I swear di gano’n kahaba ang pasensya ko para pagbigyan ka pa ulit.” May halong pagbabanta ang tono ni Stan ngunit halata rin ang inis at pagod sa boses nito.

“I’m not going to run away as long as you won’t gather too much attention,” inis na bulong ni Aisha bago inilabas ang mga module na kailangan niyang sagutan. “Why are you even bothering me? Is this how you treat your target? You’re not that much of a threat if that’s the case,” pang-aasar niya rito.

“I’m not like the other Royals. I don’t waste my time on doing immature deeds. So don’t make me waste my time anymore and answer my question. You’re Bellatrix, aren’t you?” seryosong wika nito. Tinitigan siya nito sa mata na tila ba hinahanap nito doon ang sagot na gusto nitong makuha.

Aisha rolled her eyes and scoffed, “you’re the one who’s wasting your precious time. I already told you, I am Aisha Mori. Ai-sha Mo-ri, saan banda sa pangalan ko ang Bellatrix?”

“I don’t know the reason why you are hiding your identity, Bella. Just continue what you planned to do here.”

Napailing na lamang sa inis si Aisha bago ito tinitigan na tila ba nagsasawa na siya rito at ipinagpatuloy ang pagbabasa ng kanyang mga modules. Naiilang man ay hindi niya na lamang pinansin ang matiim na pagtitig sa kanya ni Stanley.

“Are they dating?” hindi makapaniwalang saad ni Meth habang pinapanood sina Stanley at Aisha na magkasama sa library.

“Dating? That’s absurd, we don’t even know who Aisha Mori is,” saad ni Scar. Contempt was evident in her voice as she glared at Aisha who was talking with Stanley.

Napatingin si Meth kay Stephen kaya nagkibit-balikat naman ang huli. “Don’t ask me. I tried digging anything about her background but I found nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?” takang tanong ni Bryce.

May pinindot si Stephen sa kanyang tablet at ipinakita ito sa kanila. Totoo ngang nahanap ni Stephen ang personal information ni Aisha pero wala silang mapapala sa mga information.

Name: Aisha Mori

Age: 18

Birthday: August 16, ****

Sex: Female

Father’s name: N/A

Occupation: N/A

Mother’s name: N/A

Occupation N/A

Educational Background:

Elementary: Hankuk International Academy

Secondary: Premiere International University

College: Premiere International University, Crown University

Working background:

Part timer at Clay Pharmaceuticals

Part timer at Yo Han University Hospital

Part timer at JC Holdings

Part timer at Galaxy Hotel

Part timer at Blackpearl Clothing Line

Part timer at Live Security Corp.

Part timer at BlueTech Inc.

Part timer at SD Food Corp.

“What’s with her working background? How can she study here if she needs to work to provide for herself?” maarteng wika ni Scar. She even rolled her eyes to show her disgust. She hated people who aim for something that they can’t afford.

“Don’t you find it weird?” sabi ni Stephen. Nararamdaman niya talagang may mali dahil nang sinimulan niyang maghack ng information kay Aisha ay agad siya nitong pinigilan at nasira pa nito ang mga programs niya.

“She’s really weird. She even worked under our companies,” mayabang na sabi ni Bryce.

“True. There’s really something really fishy about her,” sabi ni Meth at tinignan si Aisha na ngayon ay binabantayan pa rin ni Stanley. If she is not that wealthy, why does she have bodyguards?

“Do you think she might be hiding something?” Stephen suspiciously eyed Aisha. “She must be hiding something,” he said with conviction.