Book #2 of the Campus Sleuths' Series.
Enter the student life in the prestigious academe of Castillo High - where favoritism is a religion, the campus is a board game, and the system is bullshit. Every single student is a pawn.
But not for long.
Thr...
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ENZO STARED at himself in the dusty, unkempt mirror in his tiny room — thunder rumbling from across the distance. Iniayos niya muli ang kaniyang kurbata, trying to adjust it again for the umpteenth time.
It was barely morning, with the sky still dark out, and rain threatening to pour down at any moment. Mukhang sinasabayan ng langit ang pakiramdam ng binata as he scowled, fumbling with his tie and ultimately gave up.
Before he could curse himself, there was a knock on the door.
"Anak?" tanong ng kaniyang ina na dahan-dahang binuksan ang pinto. "Oh, ba't 'di ka pa nakaayos?"
The older woman stepped inside the cramped space and reached out to fix her son's tie. Napabuntong-hininga ang binata habang patuloy na kumukulog sa labas.
"Aish, ang aga-aga bumubuntong-hininga agad! Smile, anak. Mahaba pa ang araw," his mother urged, pushing the tie upwards to its correct adjustment. Hindi nagsalita ang binata at napatingin muli sa salamin para tignan ang kaniyang repleksyon.
Beneath the mixture of what seemed like a frown and a scowl, there was a hint of deep-seated sadness and disappointment in Enzo's expression. "Tama ka ma," he sighed once more. "Mahaba pa nga araw."
Dahil dito ay nag-aalalang hinarap ng ina ang anak sa kaniya, placing both of her hands on his shoulders. "Lorenzo, hindi ko alam kung anong ikinalulungkot mo. Pero kung ano man 'yan, wag mo masyadong parusahin ang sarili mo. Proud ako sa'yo, 'nak. At alam ko, kung nandito rin ang papa mo, mas lalong proud 'yon sa'yo," she said gently.
The young man nodded before hugging his mother. She was right. Though Keira Suarez, the heir of the family that couldn't even give the right wage and work benefits to his mother, might now finally have a seat in the student council, Enzo still won as president after all. The fight he was leading was not yet over.
It had barely even started.
"Congrats Enzo!"
"Enzo, ang galing mo talaga!"
"You'll run for president again next year right??" masayang bati agad ng mga Castillians sa binata pagkatapak nito sa Castillo High; all of which he simply responded with a quiet nod and smile.
It was a rainy Tuesday morning, but it seemed as if the young man had brought with him the storm as he walked towards the deputy president's office, the place where he could find momentary solace in order to brace himself for what was to come.
Sure enough, there it was waiting for him inside.
"Enzo, dearest!" Keira squealed happily as soon as he opened the door. The young girl's dark blonde-dyed hair that was styled in a Marilyn Monroe-esque cut, bobbed with her every move as she jumped from Enzo's — giddy to see and torment her ultimate foe.
