The Transferees

One year ago...

"HERO Gaston!"

Hero, the red-haired leader of Morsons National High School turned his head when he heard his name called by a familiar rough voice. He was not surprised to see a group of uniformed guys standing behind Liam.

"Dixon Memorial Academy," whispered Lance, one of his two best friends who were walking with him to school that day.

It was the first day of their last year in Senior High. At last, they would be leaving their school! However, their enemies would never give them smooth graduation.

"What do you want?" he asked Liam despite having a clue already of what he wanted.

"Where is your gang?"

"I don't know," he shrugged as he popped his cigarette. "What do you want?"

"I want a fight, but there's only three of you." Liam laughed, boasting the higher number of minions he had.

Hero looked at his friends before giving Liam a mocking smile. "Are you sure about that?"

His friends, Miggy and Lance, smirked.

"Yeah. And I'm gonna win this time! Finish them off!" Liam ordered his minions. All of them screamed altogether and attacked.

"Time for a bet. I will have more K.O.s than Hero today," Lance said excitedly.

"I will have the most," Miggy answered, not wanting to lose.

"Well, let's see about that," Hero said, throwing the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it. "Let's go!"

They threw their bags somewhere and ran to meet the guys with their fists! Hero punched the first guy that got near him with his fist and knocked him to sleep. "One!" he shouted.

"Ahhh!" Lance yelled before kicking two guys-one on his front, the other on his right side. "I got two!"

"This is my fourth already," Miggy boasted while giving a headbutt to his opponent.

"You, a**ho**s! How dare you make fun of us!" Liam snarled as he grabbed Miggy's uniform and punched his face many times before kicking him in the abdomen.

"Miggy!!" Hero and Lance shouted in unison when they saw their friend getting knocked down on the muddy ground.

There was a sudden pause. The guys also looked at Hero's beaten friend.

"Damn you! I'll kill you!" Lance swore ferociously, hitting his opponents madly and making his way to Liam.

Hero also made his way to the man, getting rid of his opponents.

"Lance!" Miggy shouted.

There was another pause in the action.

Then they saw Miggy standing on his feet. "Don't you dare steal my opponent!" he said, hitting the guy near him.

The three of them smiled at each other...and back to action!

"We're late. Let's finish it already," Hero told his friends after seeing the time in his wristwatch. He let Miggy handle Liam. It was a bloody fight between the two of them as if they've been mortal enemies ever since.

"We're already late!" Lance shouted when they had already knocked down their opponents and was watching Miggy and Liam fight. "Miggy, come on!"

"Fine!" Miggy nodded before giving Liam his last punch that knocked the guy to sleep.

Present...

Krrrrriiiinnnngggg!

Hero instinctively slammed his alarm clock off before its disturbing noise could go on any further. It was already 5 AM. Time to get up and go to the market. After that, he would have to help with cooking. Before six, his aunt's eatery should open and be ready for breakfast.

It had been five months since he left home and decided to live with his Aunt Belen, who was an old maid and had no children of her own. He was her favorite nephew among his siblings and cousins so she was more than happy to take him in. She knew what happened to him, yet she still loved him just the same.

As a token of his gratitude, he helped her everyday with household chores and in the eatery. Being ordered around was hard for him at first as he was used to being the one who always gave the orders and being followed, respected, and served. He was the feared leader of Morsons National High School. Their school became a well-known gangster school because of him. Whoever messed with him went home injured and weeping--except for that one last bloody fight that costed his girlfriend's life and got him kicked out of school...

But that was history. He's in another place now, in a place named Casa de Oro, a small city in the south where people lived a peaceful and harmonious life. Far from Morsons. Far from his chaotic gangster life. He was now a good person, a hardworking nephew of the owner of a small eatery.

That school year, his aunt offered to pay for his tuition for him to finish his senior high school. She enrolled him in the senior high school department of Casa de Oro University, the biggest school in that province--and probably one of the biggest universities in the country.

"Leave it on the table. I'll take it from here. You've got school today," Belen told him when he got home.

"Auntie, you didn't have to spend that much money for me," he said in a sweet voice before hugging her from behind.

"I know, but I want to. And don't talk me out of this. I won't withdraw your enrollment," she warned him as if she could read through his mind.

It's not that he didn't want to go back to school. It's just that he was afraid that those dark memories from the past would come back and haunt him once he's inside the school again--not only about Dana but everything.

"And I don't ever want to see you hanging out or becoming one of those thugs," she added, staring straight into his eyes.

The thugs she was referring to were the regular customers of the eatery who belonged to the different gangs in Casa de Oro that got into fights almost everyday whenever and wherever they met. Among those groups, were three famous gangs in Casa de Oro-Red Eagles, Oro Street Riders, and Thunders.

The Red Eagles group was composed of Casa de Oro University students. The group was named such because of their maroon uniform and the eagle mascot of the university. The group comprised of different fraternities and clubs inside the campus.

Oro Street Riders, also known as Bikers, consisted of people mostly from uptown that lived in subdivisions and usually rode on big motorbikes when they came downtown. They were easily recognized by their signature sleeveless jacket with a big embroidered Bikers logo at the back.

The most-feared group among the three was the Thunders. Hero didn't know much about this group, but it was well-known to be very dangerous. The only way you could determine its member was to see a small tattoo on the wrist that looked like a cross at first glance but was actually a letter "T" which stood for "Thunders".

"I promised you, didn't I?" he said, holding her on both shoulders. "I am a good boy now."

"Good. Now, go!" She released herself from him and pushed him away with her two hands.

At seven-thirty A.M., he's already standing at the gate of Casa de Oro University. He had been there on that same spot several times already, but it never crossed his mind even once that he would be studying there or even entering that gate. But here he was!

"Excuse me, may I help you?" The woman in her forties approached him as soon as he entered the Admission's Office, which was located on the second floor of the Administration Building.

"Ah, yes. I mean, I am a transferee here. I was wondering whom I need to submit my papers to," he answered, showing the folding he'd been carrying around.

"Oh, you're Hercules Gaston?"

"Yes. And please...just call me 'Hero'."

"Okay, Hero. Come, follow me," she said, guiding him to her table and offered him a chair. "Have a seat."

He sat on the chair across her.

"By the way, I am Mrs. Analyn Barbera. I am a Math teacher. I am in-charge of senior high school transferees."

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am," he said politely.

"Nice to meet you, too," she answered with a bright smile on her face.

She scanned her computer and checked on his papers. Then she faced him again. "Well, our records show you have completed your requirements, and there's no problem with your papers. So, congrats and welcome to Casa de Oro University!" She enthusiastically extended her hand.

He accepted it. "Thank you, Ma'am!"

"I hope you like it here. And please..." She put her other hand on the back of his palm. "Please refrain from troubles. You know what I mean."

Yes, he knew exactly what she meant. "Don't worry, Ma'am. I won't cause trouble in this school."

"Good to hear that." She let go of his hand and turned her back on him to print something. Then she stood up and went to him. "Here's your class schedule. If you need anything, you are welcome to come back here. Alright?" she said, handing him the paper.

"Sure. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"GOOD morning!"

Kath greeted her classmates loudly that everyone turned their heads to her. They all smiled when they saw her and greeted her as well, as she walked up to her seat. She noticed one person who did not even care to lift her head - her best friend, Ashley. She smiled and walked towards her.

Just as she was about to give her a hug from the back and a kiss, Ashley stood up from her seat and walked away from her.

She laughed while she followed her.

Ashley normally got annoyed with her being clingy and could never get used to it. While she, on the other hand, was used to her bestfriend's cold attitude and always found it cute.

"Stay away from me!" Ashley growled, shrugging her off from her.

She was shocked. Her classmates didn't react and just lowered their heads, which she found strange. They were usually going to laugh and found the scene cute and romantic. But their reactions were different and were telling her something was wrong.

"Do we have a problem?" she asked hesitantly in a soft voice, trying her best not to provoke her bestfriend's already hot temper.

Ashley turned to her only to give her a hard slap on the face. She was unable to react again and was totally lost. She looked at her bestfriend confusedly, her eyes asking what she did wrong.

And Ashley did not let her wait that long before she reproached her. "How dare you!" she said in a deep tone. "You always mock my hobby of reading gangster pocketbooks and all, then I will discover that it is you who's been actually hanging out with the likes of them? How shameful of you! You involved yourself in a bloody gang fight that killed an innocent student."

"Ashley, I can explain. I have nothing to do ..."

"Why are you at the crime scene? Why are you with those criminals?"

--

"WHAT a lucky day!"

Max was snapped back to present when she noticed a group of male students approaching her. She was standing outside the gate of Casa de Oro University and was actually hesitant to go in.

"Are you new here, Miss?" one of them asked.

She did not answer. She just glanced at them before finally going in.

"Hey, wait!" the guy said as he promptly restrained her in the arm. "I don't think you know who we are."

She paused her step and glared at him. "Get your filthy hand off of mine."

"Oh?" He said in a sarcastic voice as he let go of her arm.

She got irritated that she gave him a powerful kick in between his legs to silence him.

The guy didn't see that coming. He groaned in pain as he was rolling on the ground, holding that part of him.

His colleagues got furious and were about to rush at her, but she quickly threatened. "Are you sure you want your balls to get crushed like his?"

They suddenly hesitated.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned their heads to the man who was approaching who was no other than her Uncle Rico, the current Chairman of the Department of Student Affairs and whom she was temporarily staying with him. The guys hurriedly fled from the scene. Of course, who would not be afraid being seen by a DSA Chairman? One letter from him and they could get suspended or, worst, expelled.

"Kath?" Rico's shocked reaction was tainted with disdain as he stared at her from head to toe.

"It's Max," she said firmly, trying to emphasize that she's not using that name anymore.

"Did you just...?"

"It's not what you think," she quickly defended before he could finish his question. It's not a secret to him that she beat anyone who messed with her, but she's not a bully.

"Follow me to my office. We need to talk," he said authoritatively before he walked ahead of her.

She hesitantly followed him to the second floor of the Administration Building. He locked the door behind her and offered her a seat before sitting on his desk.

"Let me just remind you, Kathrina Maxine Mejares, that starting today you will be studying here in this school. I am responsible for you while you are here at Casa de Oro, so everything you do will affect my name, my reputation. You understand?"

She did not answer.

He continued, "Your parents entrusted you to me after you left them in America. So you do as I say if you do not want me to send you back there," he threatened her.

She remained silent, although a lot of things had been swirling in her mind for a while now. She was thinking if she would argue with him, she would not be able to leave that room sooner.

"Look at you. What happened to you? I can no longer see my adorable niece, Kath."

"Your adorable niece's been long dead, Uncle," she said bitterly, trying her best not to crack her voice as she felt a lump in her throat and burning pain in her chest as she said that. The moment she discovered how she was betrayed by the people she cherished, whom she thought would have never done that to her, she instantly buried her old self.

She took a deep breath to calm herself as waves of various emotions were drowning her heart due to that painful memory. She pulled herself together before she spoke again to her uncle, this time in a cold tone. "Why don't we just pretend we don't know each other? After all, no one knows who I am. That way, you won't worry about my staining your reputation," she suggested.

"You know it's not just about that, Kath!"

"No, Uncle! I get it."

She stood up and headed for the door.

"Kath, we're not done yet!"

"It's Max," she corrected him again. "And I'm done!" she declared before closing the door behind her.

As she was about to leave that place, a young man stood shocked in front of her and was blocking her way.

She scowled at him. "What?"

He blinked and snapped back to his senses. "Oh, nothing. Sorry," he said before stepping aside so she could pass.

"Tsk." She shook her head before leaving him alone.

She was nearing the stairs when she made a stop upon recalling the young man's face. Suddenly, her heart throbbed when she remembered who he was. She couldn't be wrong. He just replaced the red dye on his hair but she knew it was really him.

She turned around to take another look at him but he was already walking away. She surreptitiously followed him and she was surprised to see that they shared the same classroom.

"They are here, our two transferees," the teacher excitedly announced to the class when she saw them by the door.

The young man looked over his shoulder and was shocked to see her. She darted him a sharp look to hide her agitation. She was now 100% sure it was him.

"Let's hear them introduce themselves to us." The teacher gestured for them to come in.

The guy immediately looked away in fear and went in first. He stood in front of the class to introduce himself. "Hi! My name is Hercules Ronald Gaston," he said. "Just call me Hero. Nice to meet you, all!"

"You're Aunt Belen's nephew, aren't you? The eatery in the next block, right?" asked a man in the back.

"Yes, I am," Hero replied.

"I'm Darwin! You can sit here." He offered the empty seat on his right in the next column near the window.

"All right, Hero. You can sit down," said their teacher.

Before he could reach the chair, one guy blocked his foot which made Hero stumbled face down on the floor. The whole class laughed except Max. She remained silent and emotionless.

"Hero, are you okay?" the teacher asked.

Hero quickly stood up. "Yes, Sir! I'm sorry. I just misstepped," he replied before sitting in his seat.

Max just remained silent and waited for Hero to snap. Disappointingly, he just sat there quietly, as if nothing happened. She sensed something wrong. It was not like him to forgive such humiliation.

"And you, Miss?" The teacher turned to her. "Come. Please introduce yourself."

She stepped forward and stood in front of the class. "My name is Max," she said simply.

Her classmates waited for her to continue, but she never spoke again.

"Okay, let's all get along with Hero and Max," the teacher said before facing her. "There is a vacant seat next to Hero." He then ordered the class to settle down before he turned around and finished what he's writing on the board.

As Max walked towards her seat, she was aware of another foot blocking her way. She kicked it hard without even looking down, pretending nothing happened and simply sat down in her chair.

"Bit**!" The owner of the hurt foot cursed underneath his breath as he looked at her.

She shot him a deadly look, warning him not to mess with her. The guy was silenced and behaved himself.

"I heard she got sick so she had to stop studying," she heard a classmate in front of her whisper to her seatmate.

"I hope her illness is not contagious," replied the other one.

She knew they were talking about her and did not like it. To stop their gossip, she simply kicked the butt of the chair in front of her. It created a loud thud that scared the crap out of them and disturbed the whole class.

"Lisa, what's happening there?" the teacher asked when he noticed it came from there.

"I'm sorry, Sir. Nothing," Lisa replied before turning to her angrily.

She answered with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

Lisa got annoyed and just looked away.

She was not satisfied yet. She brought her mouth closer between their ears and whispered, "Do you want to know what my illness is? I do cut tongues of people gossiping about me."

The two suddenly stiffened in fear. They fell silent and did not dare open their mouths until the class was over.

"ARE you lost, baby girl? This is not the way to Princeton." A malicious smile registered on the man's face upon seeing Kath walking alone in that secluded part of the street.

Her class ended earlier than usual so she decided to spend her time in her favorite coffee shop while waiting for Cedric. But she got bored so she left and decided to take a walk.

"What do you need?" she asked coldly, sensing danger from the dark auras of the three men surrounding her.

"What we need? You! Will you join us?"

"I'm busy," she abruptly refused and tried to walk past him.

But one of his companions promptly grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Don't be rude! My friend is still talking to you," he said in a soft threatening voice.

"Let go of me!" she said sternly as she forcefully tried to withdraw her hand.

Instead of letting her go, the man's grasp just got even tighter.

"Hey!"

A baritone voice shouted from nowhere. She thought it was Cedric's. To her surprise, it was a red-haired guy from another school, which uniform she was not familiar with.

"Hey, Hero! Don't interfere in this!" said the man who talked to her first.

"You are in MY territory," the guy named Hero said firmly, declaring his authority over his claimed territory.

The three men laughed.

"Territory? It's already outside the Morsons' gate. You've got no authority here," said the man holding her.

Without warning, Hero rushed at him and kicked him in the face. The guy fell to the ground, loosening his grip on her. She instantly freed herself and ran towards her savior.

The other two gestured to attack Hero, but he didn't give them the chance to do so. He swiftly gave the first guy a headbutt and kicked the third man in the abdomen. The three villains immediately left before getting beaten into a pulp.

She just stood there, dumbfounded and amazed!

"Are you all right, Miss?" Hero asked her, snapping her back to her senses.

"Y-Yes. Thank you," she answered nervously.

"Nex time, do not roam around all by yourself. You do not know this place," he told her before turning around and leaving her.

Buzzzz...

MAX'S phone vibration brought back to the present while she was roaming around the campus during lunch break.

"What?" she asked her cousin coldly. He was in America with her parents.

"What's with the sour face?" he asked, laughing at her as if he could see her reaction from the other line.

"Just getting annoyed with my classmates, that's all. Why?"

"Nothing. I'm just checking up on you. How's your new school?"

"It's...public. And I'm fine, thanks."

"It's the biggest university in Casa de Oro and one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Anything else aside from 'It's...public.'?"

She rolled her eyes. "Duh..." As if that mattered to her. Then she changed the topic. "Is Daddy still mad at me?"

"Well, of course. Whose parents would be happy with what you did? You left us here without a word, " he scolded her.

She felt a pang of guilt but she never regretted her decision.

"Miss Mejares, have a seat," the principal said when she entered the principal's office.

"Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" she asked as she settled in one of the chairs in that long table across them. Though she did not expect to see them, she already had an idea what they were there for. "Is it about the gang fight incident?"

Kath," the principal spoke. "Your parents and I have agreed not to send you to court to protect the name of our school and your future. Besides, you have nothing to do with that incident, isn't that right?"

"How about Cedric?" she asked her father.

"He won't go to jail. Both of you were not there," he convinced her.

"And Dana's boyfriend?"

The three adults went silent and looked at each other.

She also looked at each one of them and got what they were plotting. They would use him as a scapegoat. No, she would not allow it. Her sense of justice wouldn't approve of that. His girlfriend was dead and they would blame it on him? No man in his right mind, no matter how stupid, could and would ever kill the person he loved!

"You want me to just keep quiet while punishing someone innocent?" she asked indignantly.

Her mother tried to calm her down. "Kath, think carefully about your future. You're graduating this year. If your name is involved in this case, your reputation will be ruined and..."

"Mom, that's not the point," she rebutted right away. "One student has already lost her life, and another one's life will be destroyed if I do not speak. You and Daddy have always taught me to do what is right, remember?"

His stubbornness made her father furious that he stood up and raised his voice, "This is a different situation, Kathrina! You can't ruin your life for the sake of one person who has nothing to do with you."

"Dad, I'll just testify about what I saw that day. I just want to help. How can my life be ruined?"

"You don't know anything about the real world, Kathrina. Not everyone needs your help. Sometimes you just have to leave him alone, for his own good..."

"You okay?" Cedric asked. "Don't worry about it too much. His anger has already subsided. You know he can't go mad that long with his only princess."

She took a deep breath before answering, "Yeah. Thanks. Please take care of them."

"You bet I will. All right, I have to go."

"'Wait!" she stopped when she remembered Hero, but suddenly decided to just keep it to herself. "Ah, nothing. Be careful. Bye!" and she cut her line off.

She let out a sigh before tucking the phone back into her pocket. Cedric didn't need to know about Hero. The guy had already suffered enough, had his share of loss and misery. Maybe it's time to leave him alone and let him live peacefully.

"Hey, Hero!"

She turned around when she heard the name called by a male's voice. The voice was coming from the back of the building where she was standing. She carefully followed it and saw five guys surrounding Hero and picking on him. It was Darwin's crew. Two of them were holding each of his arms while Darwin was standing in from of him.

"I heard you're from Morsons. Do you know the Morsons, huh? It's a famous Yankee school. All the male students there are cool and brave and fearsome, not as lame as you!"

"What do you need?" Hero asked in an anxious tone. She didn't know if he's just acting or if he's really afraid of his opponents. But the latter would be too unrealistic.

"What do we need?" Darwin repeated as if thinking for a moment. "Money! Do you have any money?"

"I only have fifty pesos," Hero replied.

"Well, if you don't have any money, you have to become our servant. You will have to do as we say."

"But ..."

"What 'but'?" Darwin sneered, punching Hero in the abdomen. "You really don't know who I am, do you? Well, let me tell you. I'm Darwin, the senior high leader of Casa de Oro University and a member of the Red Eagles."

Max's forehead wrinkled upon listening to Darwin's boasting. She decided to reveal herself because she could no longer stand such a piffling scene. "Do you think Red Eagles allow bullying of transferees?" she asked coldly.

"How convenient! I don't have to call for you anymore. Max, isn't it?" Darwin smirked when he recognized her.

"I didn't know Red Eagles' standards have gone this low, letting scumbags like you join their group," she mocked in reply.

Darwin got infuriated. "What did you say?"

Before she could respond, they rushed to attack her. She met them and immediately knocked them down with her swift combat moves. Darwin was the last one she beat up. "Don't you dare use Red Eagles' name again if you don't want me to ruin your face!" she warned him as she was standing in front of him.

"Y-Yeah. So-sorry!" he answered before he got up and fled.

"Thanks," Hero thanked her after the thugs left them. "You're strong!" he added in amazement.

"Don't get me wrong. I didn't help you. I was just annoyed by them. That's all," she replied coldly, trying to maintain her gangster image despite the rapid throbbing of her heart at that moment. She actually meant to say, "I'm just returning the favor," but that would not be necessary anymore.

"Ahh ... But thank you. If it weren't for you, they might have beaten me up."

"Why would you let them if you could fight back?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" she replied. She didn't know what happened to him, but it seemed he'd had forgotten who he was, so she just reminded herself not to bring up the past anymore in front of him. "Next time, don't roam around all by yourself. You don't know this place."

"Okay."