Chapter 3: Break the rule
Mia's Point of View
I couldn't stay still while sitting in the middle of Jerome and Dave. Everyone is paying attention to the teacher in front of us, and it seems like Matt and I are the only ones who couldn't focus.
"Do you think she's okay?" I asked Matt who seemed to be in deep thought while looking outside. I know he was also nervous because he didn't even answer.
Zein is alone in that class, and she's a girl, but even though she was so strong, I still couldn't help but worry.
I was already covered in sweat again because of what had happened earlier. That grin from the boy with red hair.
Flashback
I am currently looking outside. This math subject is always so boring. Psh.
I frowned upon catching a guy with red hair in my peripheral vision, he was outside in the window, smirking at me. He has earrings on almost every part of his ears, with a pale skin and a sharp nose. And he looked tall and broad-shouldered.
I couldn't move my eyes away from him. I could even bring myself to pay attention to Zein who kept on calling me since earlier. He's been standing there for several minutes while the creepy smile in his lips didn't disappear. It's a frightening sight.
Everything happened quickly and he suddenly vanished from my sight, and then there was the boy tied to the chair. I was so shocked that I instantly wrapped my arms around Zein and sobbed.
End of flashback.
Who is he? Did he stare at me on purpose so I wouldn't notice his other companions tying the boy in the chair? Why are they doing that? What do they want?
"Miss Almia Mendez? Are you with us?" The blood in my face drained and due to the embarrassment over my teacher catching me staring in daze. She has been speaking to me and I only noticed it now.
"Sorry ma'am," I respectfully asked for forgiveness.
Dave's hands touched mine so I couldn't help but to glance at him, only to see him staring seriously in front.
–
Zein's Point Of View
I could feel the ball of sweat forming in my forehead and even the loud thud in my chest. I feel like I'm in the middle of an interrogation.
"Are you okay?" She asked me, grinning devilishly.
I only nodded my head so I would not meet her eyes. Who is she? And what does she have to do with the Black Blood Gang, whose symbol is the nail? Shit! Is she an accomplice in the murder?
"You want to know everything?" She whispered in my ears that gave me unexplainable chills. My hands were sweating.
Wait, what is she talking about? Is it about HU?
"Nah. I'll figure everything out on my own. I don't need your help," I replied boldly.
A deafening laugh came out of her mouth. Our classmates didn't even dare turn to look at her, as if a single glance would spell their death.
Just who is she? And what's her rank in HU?
"Your curiosity will kill you Zein but if you really wanna know… find out on your own, break the only rule," she whispered once more.
I frowned. I don't understand anything and I can't even think properly because of her heavy presence.
Our professor arrived looking extremely nervous, soaked in sweat and constantly glancing around, as if he were hiding from someone.
"You are late, Mr. Dimatalo," the girl beside me said.
He started sweating even more. He was clearly trembling too. What's his problem? Is someone after him? Shit, this curiosity is killing me.
"I am sorry," he answered before starting.
I can't focus on what he was saying because my mind is clouded with so many things. God! My head is about to burst because of thinking too much.
What exactly is going on in Hell University?
"Poor girl. If I were you, I wouldn't meddle, your departure from this world might be earlier than expected," she said.
I gathered all of my strength before turning at her.
I stared at her dark eyes.
"Who are you?" I asked.
She grinned before tearing her eyes away from me.
"Let's just say I'm one of the most feared people here. No one has ever dared to shout at me the way you do. Do you know why? Of course not — so you'll go looking for the answer, right? Go on, feed your curiosity. You've already impressed me, Miss Zein Shion. What will you do next to impress me even more?"
I was lost in my thoughts and spaced out the whole class. Our last subject was from 5:00-6:30 p.m., 30 minutes before Bloody Night. I didn't attend, and I know my friends are already worried about me.
I quickly hid behind a post, moving from place to place so the demon woman I was tailing wouldn't notice that I was following her.
Am I doing the right thing? Or am I just making everything worse and putting myself in danger? Shit! I'm already being swallowed by fear but I'm just too curious.
I was so distracted that I didn't notice that the woman before me vanished out of my sight. I went out of where I was hiding and turned my head around.
Everything happened so quickly. The tip of the sharp nail was closely pointing to my neck, one wrong move and I'll be hurt.
"Are you ready to die?"
I'm already trembling in fear and could feel my shaking eyes. I shut my eyes very closely when I felt the tip of the nail on my skin on the side of my neck.
Is this where it ends for me?
"You're reckless. What do you think of me, do you really think you can outsmart me? You don't know me at all. I've killed many already. Do you want to be next?" she asked.
The chilling tone of her voice sent shivers down my spine. She was right, that must be why she's feared. She's skilled too. She managed to disappear from my sight in a matter of seconds.
Who is she, really?
"Seriously, who are you?" I asked.
I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally let me go. Once again, she tucked the nail weapon back into her pocket.
"You wanna know my name?" she asked. "Well, I am Nicky Colt. Remember my name, bitch."
"You wanna know my name?" Tanong niya. "Well, I am Nicky Colt. Remember my name, bitch." And just like earlier, she quickly vanished from my sight."
I sank to the floor. My breathing was still rapid, as if a wolf had been chasing me. That was so dangerous.
I didn't even know how many minutes I sat there. I still feel so weak.
"You don't have class?"
I was startled and jumped to my feet when someone spoke behind me. I quickly turned to face him.
It was a guy with glasses. He's holding a notebook. He looked just like a typical nerd, but why is this? My knees started shaking twice as hard.
"Full name please."
"Zein Shion."
He opened the notebook he was carrying, frowning as he did so. He's just a normal student but why is his presence so heavy and different?
"Boom!"
I screamed at him. He was laughing while I clutched my chest. What the hell?
"Why are you scaring me?" I shouted back.
Then he became serious again and adjusted his glasses.
"You have class, right? Why are you here?" He asked.
"What's it to you?!" I was about to walk away when he grabbed my arm, gripping on it tightly.
He was still grinning. I can't help but to wince and scream in pain when he tightens his grip on my arms, and his nails are digging through my skin.
"O-Ouch…"
It was a few seconds later that he finally let me go. I sank back to the floor.
He used only one hand, yet I felt like my bones were about to shatter from his grip. He was so strong.
And I'm starting to wonder now if he's really just an ordinary student?
"Look at your arms…"
I went pale when I saw the red mark of his hands in my skin, even his nails had left an imprint too.
"That's the first warning Miss Zein Shion, if I ever catch you again loitering around during class hours, I might just as well take off one of your arms…" he smirked and turned his back at me.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Acw Craige. I am the Supreme Student President of Hell University. Nice meeting you, Ms. Shion…"
I watched as his silhouette disappeared from my sight. And my mind was still processing everything.
"P-President? Ace?"
Is it him? Is he the one Nicky was referring to when I was late? Is he the reason why every student, even the teachers, are scared to be late?
He only looks like a nerd from the outside but who would've known that he's a demon inside? And hiding a strength like that… no wonder why he's being feared of.
Damn! We're being surrounded by evils.
I was touching my arms while going to my last subject. The teacher only spared me a glance for a second before his eyes landed on my arms, and then shook his head.
I quickly went to the last row where my friends were looking at me worriedly.
"Where did you go?! Shit Zein! Are you going to kill us with worry?" Vanessa greeted me with a curse.
I couldn't bring myself to respond because of the aftershocks from what had happened earlier. I had just crossed paths with two of the most feared people in HU – Nicky, who almost killed me, and President Ace, who nearly crushed my arm. Lucky me.
"What happened to your arm?" Matt asked. He roughly yanked my hand away from where it was covering it.
I could hear the whispers from my classmates when they saw my arm. What's their problem? Are they really going to gossip about this too? Tsk.
"What happened?" Mia worriedly asked while staring at my reddened arm caused by Ace.
"That's the Supreme Mark Warning Number 1."
We all turned our heads to our teacher who only shook his head. He handed us a first ad kit that Jerome quickly used to aid my arm.
"What does it mean?" Daved asked me.
"Supremo did that. Don't you ever let yourself have the second warning, or your next stop will be your grave."
I almost chuckled at what my teacher said. Spell OA? Duh! They even have these so-called warnings. Psh.
"Supremo? Sino?" Dave asked next.
"Ace Craige," our teacher simply replied.
Our class began in complete silence, as if everyone was afraid to make even the slightest move. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the students here.
We've been here for only a couple of days but we haven't been sleeping well every night,
We'd only been here for a few days, yet we could barely sleep at night, what more for those who've been here much longer? What kind of brutality must they have witnessed and endured?
Who are the people behind HU? Who are the members of Black Blood Gang and Devil God Warrior, and who is behind all of this? Shit!
"Your curiosity will kill you Zein but if you really wanna know... find out by yourself, break the only rule." This is what Nicky said that I still don't understand up until now.
Does she want me to disobey the only rule of HU? But HU's rule is that killing is legal when the clock strikes at 7:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., I gulped when I realized what she wanted to say.
Does she want me to go out during that hour? She wants me to be out.. during the Bloody Night? Shit! Why… Why does it feel like something is pushing me to do it? This is bad