"Hey, Miss Maldita, kanina pa po kayo nakatitig sa phone. Are you not planning to teach us?" I watched with boredom on my eyes as the man four seats across me called out our homeroom with 'Miss Maldita', a play with the teacher's second name that meant to insult the teacher's snappy behavior.

  She didn't even seem to mind it though. She just kept tapping on her phone with no interest in answering him. Yet as the man showed impatience, the teacher decided to lift her eyes.

  "Keep your pants seated, Mr. Nobody. I was waiting for an announcement." Our adviser, who was currently sitting on the teacher's table, dismissed the guy and she continued looking at her phone. Well, not before she glanced up and looked in my direction.

  "Looks like you got our teacher's attention the most, Mr. Zero." I diverted my gaze when my seatmate talked. I looked sideways, where Iona was calmly writing in her notebook. She seemed to be rewriting her notes yesterday.

  "I think it is not just the teacher..." I may not be looking around, but I can feel the side glance from my classmates. The little event yesterday stirred the curiosity of everyone, and they immediately approached me as the break arrived. Of course, I dismissed them. I feel uncomfortable in their prying eyes.

  "Well, who wouldn't? To get a perfect zero on a multiple choice test."

  "I guess my luck was just on the wrong side of the spectrum." When I said that, Iona stopped writing and looked my way. Her eyes were full of questions, and I'm sure she was still suspicious of me. "What?"

  "Are you acting right now or are you just really plain up stupid?"

  "Ha? Acting?"

  "Nevermind." Soon the girl became uninterested and shifted her gaze back at her notes.

  "Miss Maldita, can I take a break?" I glanced up again, this time the voice was not from Jacob, but rather from another one of his buddies. I can't seem to clearly remember his name, yet he was just beside the guy.

  "No can do." The teacher said firmly. "And it's 'may I...' not 'can I...', learn your formality." The guy who asked tried to get her attention again, but she didn't entertain him anymore.

  "Miss Irene, why are you letting them disrespect you?" I was honestly surprised when someone called her correctly. It was from the first row, If I was correct, her name is Venice. I can't remember the surname, though.

  "Kung plano mo maging sipsip, Miss Italy, itigil mo na. I don't entertain such things in my class." That!... to call someone a leech for just a simple question.

  A click of tongue echoed through the room as the girl looked at the teacher with contempt. She is obviously annoyed, but she never spoke again. Seriously, what does she get by doing this? Her charade regarding the phones yesterday was one thing, now this. She doesn't even seem to mind that they are using phones in the classes right now. Is she really just playing around?

  "Miss?" The next one to speak is the guy sitting right in the middle of the class. His name is Vincent, If I am right. He is the second highest.

  "Ano?"

  "I heard that the rest of the freshmen got the same pre-test as we answered yesterday. Is there..."

  "A ranking system, is that what you are asking?" The teacher looked up from her phone, her eyes are still uninterested. "Why? You think if such things exist, you have a chance to compete with the other class."

  "That is not—"

  "Sorry to pop your bubble, Mr. Whoever-You-Are. You cannot compete with them directly yet. Especially since you are still only on the second day of class." She then looked back at her phone. "And you'll know soon if you really have a chance, right~" the teacher dragged her last words, as if waiting for something. Then, a notification bell rang. "Now."

  The teacher stood up and fixed her pants as she moved towards the white board. She started writing something on the board. After about 5 minutes, she has now constructed a table consisting of 4 rows and 31 columns. At the very top were Class 1-A to Class 1-D. And below them were lists of numbers.

  "These are the scores of students from each class, arranged by ranking but with their names omitted. Feel free to observe the trend of each one."

  I looked at the table, my gaze focused on the third row.

  Class 1-C.

  The class itself has an average range between 38-42. And with two students getting 48. There's not much to observe about them aside from they are higher than the average of our class. I looked at the second row.

  Class 1-B.

  The class has an impressive average of every student about 40 yet below 48. There are three perfect scorers there, which is quite impressive based on my evaluation of the exam. What baffled me the most is the first row.

  Class 1-A.

  Even the whole class itself was in awe with the results. Half of the students were 47 or 48, about seven with the score 49, and the rest with a perfect score.

  "Do you understand it now? Do you now realize how much margin you have with the rest of the freshmen." The teacher spoke after a long silence. She seemed to be rubbing salt to the now bleeding wound.

  Still, the range of scores of the students in this is impressive. Even our class with an average ranging from 30-40, results like these would be enough to make other school envy.

  "Right now, you are regarded as the lowest of the batch. If put side by side with Class 1-A alone, you would look like ants. If you want to be in this school, you have to improve your overall academic life. Especially those who started from the very zero."

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  As she was saying that, she focused her gaze on me. Damn, this teacher is petty. Now even the rest of my classmates are looking at me.

  "And trust me, you all need to rise as a whole. Isa lang ang hindi umangat, babagsak ang buong klase. This place is called a house of geniuses for a reason." If one sinks, everybody goes with them... seriously, does she have to rub it this much?

  "This result was also posted to other classrooms. So what you are seeing here was being seen in all other sections. Especially those who stand out like a sour thumb."

  Okay, that does it. This teacher just straight up hate me. I know that my zero is like a target on my back, but to push the idea this far?

  "We'll be starting formal discussions tomorrow. Class dismissed."

  After announcing the overall rankings of the batch, the teacher took her things and left the room. First, there was silence, as if they are taking in the brand new knowledge. But soon, the rest of the students slowly became uninterested and went to their own chatters.

  "Tsk."

  I looked to my side. The girl, Iona, seems to be agitated. She was still facing the ranking table on the whiteboard, and she was repeatedly pressing the button on her pen.

  "Yo, Zero. Congrats, nangingibabaw yung score mo." Gerard Hendrickson, the student in front of me, suddenly leaned to my desk and spoke a very obvious mockery. I don't think I stand out with that score, I think I got stooped so low everyone can see me on their feet was a better term.

  "Please drop the topic." I tried to dissuade him from the topic, yet he still pushed on. I just listened to him ramble about how he pity me and how he wants to help me rise.

  "Y'know, I'm not a top-scorer myself. I only have a mere 34, but I can help you study. Consider this an act of friendship." Act of friendship, huh? More like a way to boost his own ego through a superior-inferior relationship. I guess human beings are of one evolution tree, after all.

  "Pag-iisipan ko." I just answered. I want to say no, but I don't want to be rude, so I went with the 'i want to think about it' tactics.

  "No, you won't. Wala kang pag-iisipan." I almost jumped when Iona' spoke. She was now standing at my right when she grabbed my sleeves. "Heiden, right? Come with me." I was about to complain, but she suddenly dragged me up and out of the room. This is against my right as a human but on the bright side, she called me by my first name.

  "Where exactly are you taking me?" I asked, pero 'di na ito sumagot. Instead, she kept dragging me across the hallway. Countless students were now staring at us. Inside their room, I mean—it is not yet break time. From the direction of our path, I inquire that we are going for the stairs.

  "Hey!" I heard someone yell from behind me. That doesn't seem to be for me, though. Maybe for this girl? I was about to dismiss it if not for the man half sprinting beside us and stopping right in front of Iona. The sudden block made Iona stop.

  "You feisty chick. I called you." I studied the man in front. He was a student also, yet he looked more like a thug. He has an obvious tattoo on his neck—a snake, perhaps—and a jet-black hair that is about shoulder length.

  "I don't care. Move."

  "Ho, interesting." The guy, who looks more amused than annoyed, smiled and licked his lips. "I like you already. The name's Zyrus. Zyrus Jake Hemingway." The guy extended his hands towards Iona. From his attitude alone, you can tell that he is a man of dominance.

  "Are you dumb or just plain up deaf? Sabi 'ko tabi." But of course, this is Iona. This girl is a dominance herself.

  At this point, I heard Zyrus click his tongue.

  "Listen up, miss. Getting a perfect score doesn't give you the right to be this rude. Especially, for someone who was situated at the lowest class." Oh, that's... !

  I looked at Iona. Although her back is on me, I can see her hand holding my sleeves clenching. She may not show it, but the statement had a toll on her.

  "Don't act this prideful, little missy. You might regret it later." The guy lifted his extended hands much higher and touched the ends of her hair. The guy then leaned until the two of them were on the same level. "But I'm willing to forgive that. Why don't you spend your time with me? I can give you privilege. I might give you heaven itself."

  I observed the situation silently. Intervention would be solving this whole affair, but I doubt that will do it. I can feel other students behind me, not just bystanders but a group that exhibits the same aura as the man. If push comes to shove, it will be a bother to keep them at bay.

  "Are you done? If yes, then take your hands off me for I'm not interested." As usual, Iona was composed. I'm surprised by her bravery to face this man in front of her with this attitude.

  But of course, it was not enough to dissuade the man, as he just laughed it off and proceeded to play with her hair even more.

  "Are you not afraid of rejecting my offer? I can make your life a living hell—"

  "Can you leave her alone now? She said she's not interested." The guy's annoyance was very visible when I spoke. I have no plans for intervening, but this won't do. I don't want to miss the next subject.

  The guy looked at me, at first with an annoyed expression. But then his eyes showed recognition, and then eventually he made a grin.

  "Oh, the zero scorer." Well, now I get why. Siguro nga'y ganoon kabilis kumalat ang balita rito. Especially if it's about a ranking system that's exposed to everyone else. "Would you look at that? Sinong mag-aakala na I would simultaneously bump with Miss Perfect at si Mister Zero?"

  The guys stepped away from Iona and stood with a smug look in his face.

  "You two look like a couple, y'know? A match made in heaven. Two polar opposites bounded by destiny." Wow, so this guy knows about things like that. "The question is, can that guy protect both your destinies?" Just then, I noticed that the group behind me moved closer. Iona also noticed that as she turned her head sideways to look back, yet she remained composed.

  "You're not planning on beating up a girl, won't you?"

  "Of course not, missy. But I don't mind reducing a guy to dust." The guy raised both his arms. "And guess what? You are in Class 1-B's territory. There is no one else here but our class to witness a fight if there ever be. And trust me missy, I know how to keep my own class's mouths shut."

  Well, the guy was indeed telling the truth. We are in a hallway right outside of Class 1-B. I can even see the students inside the room in the window watching the whole thing unfold. There is no other class in here since we passed already in Class 1-C's room and Class 1-A was still beyond the corner.

  We are trapped here.

  "So you forgot about the cameras?" As Iona said this, I looked up and watched the surveillance camera just right above Zyrus. It was conveniently placed in the roof so that it will be able to record the whole hallway up until the turn. Basically, it can see what is unfolding in this place. "Feel free to beat him up or whatever. But I doubt you have the power to even blind the cameras. What do you say?"

  On the bright side, yes, there will be evidence if something like that occurs. But I can't help but be anguish when she said they could beat me up. Does this woman really have no compassion? She's the one who dragged me here.

  "I guess you do not have the balls to do that, huh?" I almost laughed with her choice of words, pero pinigil ko na lang since obvious sa mukha nung Zyrus ang pagkainis. He might actually use his fist if I actually laugh. "I guess you're all bark and no bite. Now, can you let me pass?"

  The man in front of us paused for a while before clicking his tongue. He then smiled and moved sideways, extending his hands as if giving way to us. On second thought, did she just say let her pass? Am I some kind of an object that she can't even refer to me as she referred to herself? Damn, this girl is a devil.

  "This won't be our last meeting, missy. And trust me, I always get what I want." I heard the man whispered to Iona's ears as we went past him. He has this eyes of amusement again, as if he's enjoying this like some type of a game. I was thinking that the girl I'm with won't answer back again, yet she stopped for a few seconds to face him, making him smile even more as she countered his words.

  "Drool however you want. You're still a waste of time."

  - - -

  "Can you please not throw me so suddenly next time? You almost gave me a heart attack." I massaged my face which kind of stings right now. Iona, apparently, was aiming to take me to the rooftop. She then grabbed my arms so suddenly that I hadn't had the time to react. So here I was ngayon, nakakapit sa alambreng nakapalibot sa lugar. If not for the metal wires, my face would have smashed to the floor.

  "You're overreacting." She said as she noticed my hands clutching my chest. I know that I am breathing heavily right now, and that she can see that. "That's some abnormal reaction you have."

  "You almost threw me off the building. Kung wala pang alambreng tumama sa mukha ko, naka-murder ka na." Seriously, she could have murdered someone.

  "Well, that's true." Just then, she moved closer to me. She grabbed the collar of my uniform and looked at me with murderous eyes. "And I might actually commit one."

  "Is this a threat?"

  "What do you think?"

  "I think you are being too close. I can feel your breath on my neck."

  "Ho, is that so? Are you perhaps affected by it?"

  "Not affected. More like bothered." I looked into her eyes. I don't get it but why do they seem to be seductive in a way?

  "Tsk." Nevermind, the seduction was gone. They are back to their shade of annoyance again. " 'Di kita ma-gets, Heiden. Aside from your racing heart, your expression is way too calm."

  "Am I not supposed to?" Seriously, how does she want me to react? I mean, my heart is racing just from the fact that I was this close to the edge, does she expect me to try and wriggle my wat out? I can do that also, but it's such a waste of energy. Besides, I am wondering why she took me here.

  "Your score. Did you do that?" Oh, so this is about this.

  "You mean my flop on the exam? Of course, I did not get any correct answer."

  "You know what I mean, Heiden." She released my collar just then and stepped back a little. "Did you intentionally go for a zero?"

  "..."

  "Bakit 'di ka makasagot?" It's not that I can't answer... it's more like I am wondering what answer would satisfy this woman.

  "What do you think?"

  "Ha?"

  I stepped away from the metal fence and walked closer to her.

  "Do you think I intentionally did it? And if I did, what is it to you?" She paused for a while, as if weighing my question.

  "What's your aim?"

  "You didn't answer my question."

  "Di mo rin naman sinagot yung akin." Well yeah, I kinda didn't answer hers as well so I just remained silent. I don't know if this works against her but I want to try.

  After a while, impatience showed at her face and she clicked her tongue again.

  "If you did get a zero by chance, no matter how low the probability of getting that, then I suggest you go and improve yourself. But if you've chosen to get a zero score—" She looked straight into my eyes, her luscious green retinas full of warning. "—then you better stop your games and take this seriously."

  She stepped back and started to walk towards the door. But before she went back down, she looked back at me one last time.

  "I don't know your intentions, Heiden Costello. Pero sinasabi ko, don't drag the class down with you. Most importantly, don't drag me down, or else I won't hesitate to push you off myself."

  - o - o -