Chapter 1

 Axel came down from a passenger’s jeepney and walked straight in the small street of Tondo Maynila. On his back is a small backpack that he uses daily for school. A deep frown on his forehead formed when he saw two expensive cars parked at the road going to the apartment where him and his mother lives.

He saw the three children that lives in their neighborhood, touching and checking out those expensive cars. Both vehicles are empty and it seems that the owners are somewhere in the area, and they couldn't have gotten far.

“Hey Tonyo! Don’t touch the car with your filthy hands, if the owner sees you doing that. They won’t be happy.

Axel knows the kids in the neighborhood that’s why he felt responsible for reminding them not to trash someone’s car. The kid he called Tonyo wore an old shirt with a grease and sweat stained on the front that’s probably because of eating some street food being sold in their place.

“Oh Axel, It’s already late. Did you just came home from school?

Tonyo grinned and looked at him, the kid knows his school timing and he is almost two hours late from the usual.

The ride from where they live and to the public school where he studies is only a few minutes on the passenger jeepney.

“Oh really now! A kid like you is trying to scold me for coming home late? Axel acted like he’s going to give Tonyo a big punch in his face.

“I’m only kidding Boss Axel, please don’t be mad. And we are only here to looked at the cars because it looks very nice and expensive. We only see this on television”.

Tonyo tried to explain with a looked of sincere apology in his childlike eyes. Another boy beside him tugged his shirt. The three boys are almost in the same age around nine and ten years olds.

“Tonyo i need to go home now, i think my mom is already looking for me”.

Axel nods his head. “Oh it’s better for you kids to go on home now, you know what? Berto is better than you Tonyo because sometimes he uses his brain in doing things.”

The kid who’s name is Berto widely grins while Tonyo pouted and scratch his head.

“Alright buddies, until tomorrow then. let’s meet       

together like the same time”.

Axel raised one brow from the kids conversation. He doesn’t know if he should be amused or he needs to smack Tonyo in the head for acting like a leader of the three kids roaming in the streets. The two kids ran back to their own houses, while Tonyo is left standing in front of him. It’s because they lived in the same building apartment with just one floor apart. They lived upstairs while Tonyo and his family lives in the ground floor. Tonyo has two siblings older than him, both are girls and the oldest is about Axel’s age. He is a friend of their family.

“Come on Boss Axel, we gotta go”.

Tonyo walked ahead of him.

“Stop calling me Boss Axel Tonyo! My name is only Axel and I’m not a Boss!

The kid just laughed and paused to looked back at him. He ran his eyes from his uniform. A white shirt with all the buttons open showing off the sleeveless white sando that he wore underneath his uniform. He has a black trousers and on his feet is a pair of black leather shoes.

“You looked like a Boss to me Axel. Compared to the boys on the streets here, you looked more different!

The kid commented before continuing his walk on the way home. He doesn’t know how to say the difference between Axel and the boys his age at their place. Axel smiled at himself, he knows how he is different from others. It’s because of how he looked, he has blue eyes if one looks at him closely. His eyebrows are thick and his nose is elegantly straight while his lips are a natural red. Not to mention his slightly long brown hair that he ties with a rubber band sometimes. All his qualities are very uncommon for a typical asian teenager that lives in their place.

He is always confronted by the teachers at school because he is just too lazy to cut his hair, and as a student he should be following the public school rules. But his homeroom teacher wouldn’t do anything as to scold him because she had a little crush on him. Even at a young age, Axel could already charm any girl that he likes. And oftentimes he gets confessed by the girls first.

On their way home they had to passed by an old smelly drainage where they have to cover both of their nose in order not to suffocate from the very bad smell. Their area is full of poor and helpless people, some would just stay living in a house that has no roof while others literally sleeps beside the big piles of smelly garbage.But both of them are already used to seeing the same scenes everyday of their lives that they don’t care anymore.

“That’s what i like about you Tonyo, you are always being honest with your admiration towards me. Say it! Aren’t i the most handsome guy in this town?

Axel is laughing while trying to tease Tonyo.

“You’re so full of yourself Axel, yes you are handsome but you didn’t have any money. You’re also a very poor guy.”

While telling the truth, Tonyo stick out his tongue to mocked Axel in return.

Axel jokingly strike the boys back with his hand so he would stop laughing at him.

“Don’t say something like that Tonyo, you know I won’t stay poor forever. I am working so hard at school, studying every day so one day I could get a nice job and get out of this place”.

“What working hard? You? I even saw you not going to school yesterday. You were just at home hanging the clothes and doing your mom’s laundry”. I bet you didn’t go to school because you were lazy”.

His face suddenly dimmed from what Tonyo said. It’s true that he didn’t go to school yesterday and it’s because of his mom. She was badly beaten by her boyfriend and he doesn’t know who’s the man. Her mom never talked about what she does with her boyfriend or how she’s able to put food in their table. She was just trying hard not to let them both starved.

She always tells him to go to school and do well with his studies. She had high hopes for him. She wants him to become a successful engineer one day and have a better life. Far from the kind of life that they are having right now.

 Every time she gets a chance, his mom would tell him that she would sell her very soul if she has to in order for Axel to finish his studies.

“It was because I wasn’t feeling well yesterday Tonyo. You know a handsome man like me sometimes gets sick also.”

"Woooh! That’s it, i am so done with your air of arrogance Axel! I think i have to walk fast now because i can already smell that my mom finished cooking for dinner”

Axel just laugh behind Tonyo. They were near the apartment building where they both lived. Looking from a near distance, Axel notice a strange man standing outside their door. He is wearing a black shirt and a black trouser. The man also doesn’t look like he’s from around the place.

“Oh Axel, you’re mom has a different boyfriend this time?

 Tonyo asked, suddenly not being able to hold his tongue because he knows how Axel’s mom is.

“Hey Tonyo, watched your tongue! That’s not very nice to say specially to your elders. You have no right to judge people ok? And please mind yourself, you can’t even clean up. Looked at yourself and what you’re wearing, it’s so dirty. Go ahead now and get yourself a bath”.

Tonyo felt ashamed by what he said and tried to console him by giving another comment.

“I’m sorry Axel, i was not thinking. You’re mom is cool and she’s single so she can date whoever she wants”.

Tonyo went ahead of him to the door of their home. While he continued walking through the stairs going up to the place where him and his mom stays. He was near when the man from their door noticed and glanced at him with a piercing dark eyes. He obviously looked like not Asian so he must be a foreigner, he wondered from which country does this man came from. He had only seen a foreigner few times in his life and his mom doesn’t go out with them.

"Lui è il ragazzo. (He is the boy)

He didn’t understand what the man said when he walks near him at the door. The man gave way for him to enter and he silently go inside their house. Another man from the inside comes out to see him. He’s older with a mustache above his lip and he’s wearing an expensive looking suit. In his neck hangs a thick gold necklace and a pair of earrings on his ears. One can easily tell that this old man is rich.

"Axel, isn't it?

He raised his hand to gave him a handshake while his eyes looked at him up and down.

"You are like you're dad. tale padre tale figlio (like father like son) I am your uncle! You can call me Giovann".

He stilled for a moment by what he thought he’d heard. Do they have a family from outside the country? His mom never tells him about his father’s family. What she only said is that she had an Italian boyfriend once, who had her pregnant and he walked away. She was not able to reach out to him then because the man comes from a wealthy family and her mom is just a poor escort in Italy.

He is tongue tied while having an eye to eye with the old man. The man then came to hug him and urged him to sit in their very own old couch inside the small apartment.

He also noticed that there are other two men inside their place. Just standing and looking at them like two security people. Their expression blanked and their hands are behind their backs

"Ah ,I'm sorry... I don't know what to say". Is the only words that come out of his mouth when both of them are seated in the couch.

His mom come out of their bedroom bringing two big luggages. She’s all dressed up ready to go out.

"We are ready Mr. Giovann". She said and her face light up by seeing him already seated in the couch.

“Good to see your home my son! Come and help me with our things, we are leaving this place. Don't worry they are a family. You're uncle will explain everything once we get to a hotel."

The old man quickly gets up from the couch and gave orders to the two men.

"Prendi i loro bagagli! ( Take their luggages)

"Axel let's go i am taking you away from this poor place. You deserve something better".

Axel didn't argue or stopped the old man from guiding him outside their apartment. He was just floating in the air like everything is just a dream. His mother is also quiet but he can tell by her expression that she is happy and she can't wait to leave this poor place.