"Hi Xhem!" A familiar voice called on me cheerfully in the shower room. I just finished my bath and was watching myself in the big mirror in front of the sink brushing my hair.
"Hey Dian," I responded with a big smile as she approached. Her cheerfulness was contagious, one couldn't help but be merry in front of her.
"You guys are staying in the university dorms too?" I asked with curiosity as soon as I realized that she wasn't supposed to be here.
Dian is from XU High School. The school of the wealthiest in this region. One could not enter such school without hundreds of millions in their banks. With that kind of school, I'm sure they won't let their participants stay in university dorms. The school must have prepared hotels for them. I'm not saying that the university's facilities are substandard, it's just that things had always been like that for the rich. They always sought for luxury, so they stay in luxurious hotels.
"No of course! But my I messed up my uniform a while ago while touring around and I can't go walking with it, so I changed my clothes here." She explained and took some powder from her bag and started retouching her face.
"I see..." I answered and continued combing my hair.
I meet Diane a year ago when I joined a cartooning event. During break, she offered me strawberry biscuits and that's how our friendship started. Since then, we took time to greet each other when we met in competitions and if we had extra time, we went out shopping for souvenirs together before heading home.
"Your hair is pretty when they are out of the bun" She admiringly looked at me in the mirror while I was combing my hair. She must have been looking at me for while now and I didn't notice.
"Thanks, yours looks pretty in whatever ways you put them." I returned her compliment. What I said was true. Aside from her pretty face, her hair was stunningly perfect in whatever style she wore it. I couldn't help but look at her. Especially her almond hazel eyes which looked like the mesmerizing eyes of the beast. Ahh, I suddenly remembered the beast again, I frowned immediately.
"I heard you are having an affair with a Lagdameo kid." Her question shocked me a little. Her smiles were gone now but her aura was still wearing the cheerfulness she carries all the time.
"Rumors fly fast indeed." I answered with a sigh. Even after I took a bath and calmed myself from what happened earlier, I'm still frustrated about everything. My encounters with the beast, were clearly not one of the favorite events of my life.
"Well, it's trending on the participants' chatrooms and forums. They even have pictures of both of you." She hesitated a bit with her last word but decided to inform me anyway. However, a sense of worry swirled in her eyes knowing that such information will make me uneasy.
"Picture? What picture? Did someone capture a picture of us in the canteen?" The worry inside me started to rise up in an instant!
"Yes, but don't worry you were covered by his face so no one could tell it was you.That's why everyone is fussing about your identity online. Good thing no one can recognize your uniform so better not wear it throughout the competition," She assured me in a way making me believe she was very certain of her words.
I thought about it for a bit. My actions had really been too careless this time. If grandfather knew that someone was this close in taking a picture of me and could have possibly posted it online, he won't allow me to go any competitions anymore. Never again.
Aside from that, I had no idea the extent of trouble that it will may bring to my family. One noticeable picture of me might surely lead to disaster.
I had been so careful keeping a low profile all these years, I even avoided accepting my awards when I win in competitions as to not be photographed. Usually, coach Gem got those rewards on my behalf. Yet now, all of these efforts could have gone to waste because of my own silliness.
"Don't worry Xhem, I don't really think those pictures would even last long on the student's forums and chat rooms, I'm pretty sure of it. He is a Lagdameo after all." She added when she saw that I didn't respond and was lost in my thoughts.
"I hope so... " I responded while faking a smile. I noticed that she was really worried about me so I tried to act calmly as if this was not a big issue at all. But in truth, this information was seriously driving me nuts!
"He sure is trouble right? I can resonate with you. That person is indeed troublesome." Her tone suggesting that she was quite familiar with the person.
"You know him?"
"Of course I know him. Who would not know the name Darryl Lemmuel Lagdameo? Everyone knew him but I know him in a different way, you could say." She started smiling again. But this time, her smile was different.
I was surprised and confused about her revelation. I never would have thought that Dian knew the beast. She is an elite, and the beast on the other hand, might be from the lower or middle class since he is studying from San Sebastian.
I knew that the beast was popular, but didn't expect his popularity to draw such attention from elites like Dian. Well, isn't the girl in the canteen an elite too? She had the same uniform as what Dian wore, so she probably is from XU High School too. That beast, there's something fishy about him. Whatever it is, I don't really care. I have already decided from now on, I will distance myself from him no matter what.
"Well he is indeed popular since your circle knows him." I was still wondering how Dian came to know the beast when suddenly I remembered something. Is Dian also one of them? Like those girls screaming in the canteen?
"Don't tell me you are one of those girls who—?" I cut my question right away when I realized that it was a bit off. I bit my lips again for the nth time today, my straightforwardness was really troubling sometimes.
"Who?" She laughed a heartily when she noticed my awkwardness. "Who stalks him or who throws themselves at him? Which one?"
"I'm sorry. I just can't help wonder what's his connection to you. But never mind anyway." I looked away and pretended to that our recent conversation did not happen.
"I'm his sister." She voluntary answered my question when she realized that I did not intend to continue our recent conversation. Her mouth curved into haughty smile as she studied my current façade.
Well, of course my reaction to that was not a pretty sight. Not only did my jaw dropped, my eyes almost bulged out of their place.
"Impossible!" I answered without emotion, as if my resolve could not be swayed.
"Why impossible?" Her smile turned into laughter. The way she laughed was very sophisticated, one couldn't help but be envious of her pearly and perfect white teeth.
"It's just that you're too kind and his somewhat a bea—" I cut off my last words again when I remembered her revelation. If she was indeed her sister, then I should not say the last word in front of her. Right?
"A beast?" She continued my last word laughing hard.
"Oh no! I'm sorry! That's not what I meant!" I denied profusely waving both my hands in front of her.
"Xhem what's my name?" She asked as soon as she finished laughing. Ehh? Why would she ask me her name? Did she forgot her name?
" Dian" I replied confidently.
"My complete name I mean." She clarified hurriedly, her tone a bit impatient
"Dian Emmanuelle Lagdame—". I tried to recite her full name and realization dawned on me. I've known Dian for a year and of course I know her full name! Dian Emmanuelle Lagdameo. Why did I miss this fact? Did my exhaustion today turned me into a slowpoke?
She was also a Lagdameo! Why did I miss such important fact?
Her eyes. That's why her eyes reminded me of him. They both have hazel eyes!
"It's weird though." I looked at her my eyes full of questions. The information that Dian revealed tonight were too much for me to handle at the moment.
Dian and I have been friends for a while but we didn't mind sharing much about family backgrounds. Our conversations were always about school stuff, the competitions and of course, foods like strawberries! Both Dian and I were great cooks and we shared recipes with other. Apart from that, the only thing I knew was that she came from a very wealthy family.
She looked at me with an expression that meant she didn't get the point of my previous statement.
"I mean it's weird that— if he really is your brother then why is he in San Sebastian?" I tried to explain to her the thing that confuses me the most. There is no way an elite would study in San Sebastian. When it comes to social status, San Sebastian and XU High are very far from each other. The elites in this country has very strict social rules and San Sebastian was clearly not one of their options.
"Oh, that…." She said letting go of a deep sigh. Thinking briefly before answering her cheerfulness somehow fizzling out. "My brother is someone you can't confine to the rules of social class. Let's just say San Sebastian is a school he wants. Plus, who wouldn't like to study in the school of the champions?"
"I see." I didn't pry any further when I saw her look away as if there was something she didn't want to tell me. What did she mean when she said that he can't be confined to the rules of the social class? I didn't get it but I thought it was something sensitive, so better not bother Dian with it.
There was silence for a moment as Dian dazed in her thoughts. Seeing that her mind had wandered off somewhere, I didn't bother her and continued brushing my hair.
"You know Xhem my brother has never been involved with a girl." She said after a while, breaking the silence. Ahh, good she was cheerful again.
"Not as bad news with his revelation that I'm also his first kiss." I smiled at her in a way to convey that I wasn't surprised at all.
"Well I already suspected that much." She answered with certainty. She put back the powder in her bag and was about to leave. "Ohh, my brother, he is really hard to comprehend but I'm very sure that he likes you. So please take it easy with him okay?"
WHAT? Dian left me gazing as my thought once again became erratic. My forehead creased, confused at her words.
HE LIKES YOU.
Did she mean the beast likes me? The word echoed in my mind back and forth not wanting to stop. I put my brush down and looked at myself in the mirror. I'm definitely not as prim and proper like the girl in the canteen. Why would he like me? For him I'm just that stupid girl who caused him too many inconveniences. There's no way that the beast would like me!
I wonder if he even knows my name. Sure not.
He likes you.
He likes you.
He likes you.
Holy cow! I think I might have an insomnia tonight.
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5: 45 AM. Fifth day of the conference.
Jogging…
Jogging…
Jogging…
Jogging…
Huzey, Ziggy and me were in the oval sports field doing our morning jog. This had always been a part of our morning routine whenever we were in a competition.
"Are you ready for the final rounds today?"I asked the two boys beside me who were wiping beads of sweat off their faces. We decided to retreat in the benches after exhausting ourselves.
"We've never been unprepared!" Ziggy confidently answered wiggling his two feet in the air.
"What are you going to do while both of us are busy?" Huzey turned to me. The last round of my competition is still tomorrow so I am literally free for the whole day.
"I'll cheer for you of course!" I answered like a kid full of joy.
"That's our girl!" Ziggy responded and messed my hair. I tried to stop him but failed as he quickly put his arms around my neck and locked me. He continued messing up my hair mercilessly.
"Hey! Stop it!" I yelled at him helplessly.
"When we are at the competition stay out for trouble okay?" Huzey said and glared at Ziggy warning him to let me go. Ziggy released me in an instant.
"Are you telling me right now that I'm a troublemaker?" I exclaimed and started brushing my hair with my finger. I pouted my lips in dismay.
"Trouble maker is your last name, don't you remember?" Ziggy reminded me and reached out for my nose to pinch it.
"Ouch!…Get lost Zigs!" I yelled at him in annoyance once more. The sun had not yet risen but his silliness was already at its peak. Too bad I was his chosen victim today!
"Maybe it would be better if you stay away from that boy." Huzey said calmly while reaching out the water bottles to us. He threw one to Ziggy and opened up the other before offering it to me.
"It's not better Huzey, it's the best thing to do." I answered and drank all the water in the bottle.
I meant what I said. I decided the last time that I will have nothing to do with the beast. The night I went back to the quarters I told the two boys about the pictures in the forum. We decided to take it down from the net right away. However, for some reason or probably by luck, the pictures were already pulled down from the net, leaving nothing for us to work on.
I'm not dumb. I knew somebody ordered to have it pulled down. Whoever it was or whatever their reason was – that's none of my business anymore. But I have to thank them anyway. Hopefully I can hide this from grandfather since the pictures were all gone now.
Where was that guy anyway? I hadn't seen him for the last five days. When I went back to the quarters that night he was no longer there and that was the last time I saw him.
The thought of him made me somber. I didn't know why. Maybe the memories of our encounters was something that bad, I can't help but feel oddly lonely.
Lonely. Why was I lonely when I'm supposed to be angry?