Campus Girls Series #2: Ms. [Im]Perfect

A seemingly perfect girl manages to keep her flaws hidden in public until a mischievous schoolmate discovers them. To seal his lips, she must cater to his demands.

#hystories

Story Teaser

Everyone thinks I am perfect. Guys want me. Girls want to be me. Little did they know, I had three major flaws that nobody had ever discovered. Until someone had.

Charlotte Agoncillo was De La Real University’s “Ms. Perfect.” Lahat na yata ay nasa kanya. She was the unbeatable Campus Queen titleholder, the student council president, and a consistent dean’s lister. She belonged to a wealthy and reputable family. On top of that, she also had a great personality.

But what people did not know was that she was not perfect at all. Mayroon siyang major flaws na pinakatago-tago at walang nakapapansin dahil sa kanyang projected image. She was enjoying being “perfect” in the eyes of everyone around her until someone accidentally discovered her hidden imperfections. At si Axel pa, of all people!

Axel was notorious in school for his mischievousness and devil-may-care attitude. Ngayong may hawak ito laban sa kanya, gusto siyang pasunurin at paglaruan nito.

“You want to stay perfect? Then be useful to me, and I’ll zip my lips.”

She could not believe that the image she had been protecting for so long would be at the mercy of this handsome rascal!

Sample Chapter

MALAYO pa lang ay nakita na ni Axel si Charlotte na nakatayo sa ticket booth nito kasama ang mga kaibigan. Iyon ang unang araw ng pagbebenta ng tickets para sa Campus Queen pageant. Mahaba ang pila sa booth ng babae. She was smiling sweetly at everyone while giving them a warm handshake.

Katabi ng booth nito ay ang kay Ayla na marami rin ang nakapila. Pusturang-pustura ang kababata niya. Para itong rarampa sa isang fashion show. Like Charlotte, Ayla was all smiles to those who queued on her booth, who were all males. Ang booth yata ni Princess ang may pinakakonting nakapila.

“Shit, pare,” sabi ni Tobs na nasa tabi niya. “I’m torn. Hindi ko alam kung kanino ako unang pipila.” Pinaglipat-lipat nito ang tingin sa booths nina Charlotte at Ayla.

He exhaled a short laugh. “Required bang bumili ng ticket on the first day? Matagal pa naman ang duration ng bentahan ng tickets, `di ba?”

“Oo nga, pero kasi… `yong first day ang pinakamahalaga. Kasi nandoon sila mismo sa booths nila. Sa mga susunod, wala na sila doon. Hindi mo na personal na makakausap, makakapalitan ng smile. Hindi mo na makakamayan.”

“Sino ba’ng mas matimbang sa puso mo?” naaaliw na tanong ni Axel.

“Well… Charlotte is my number one. She will always be my number one. Kasi nasa kanya na lahat. Para siyang full course meal sa isang fine dining restaurant, accompanied by an expensive bottle of wine. Nakakabusog. Pero si Ayla, nakakatakam. Parang siyang… lechon belly with crispy skin and tender meat.”

Ngumisi si Axel. “Perfect analogy. And that means Ayla is bad for you.”

“Masama lang kapag naparami.”

Bumalik ang tingin ni Axel kay Charlotte na may napakagandang ngiti. She was not a full-course meal. It seemed this woman had a lot of hidden flaws.

“Do you like Charlotte because she’s perfect?” kusa na lang lumabas mula sa bibig ni Axel.

“Everybody does.”

So, if everyone found out about Charlotte’s imperfections, they would probably stop liking her because their illusion of perfection would be shattered.

“But you like Ayla despite having attitude problems.”

“Because she’s like lechon, right? You know it’s bad for you, but you can’t just stop stuffing it in your mouth.”

Right. Because Ayla’s flaws were obvious from the beginning, they could choose whether or not to like her. While Charlotte was viewed as perfect from the start so they automatically liked her.

Nang bumalik ang tingin ni Axel kay Ayla ay nakatagpo niya ang mga mata nitong biglang namilog. Mukhang na-excite ito nang makita siya. Kumaway ito sa kanya. Kaway na nauwi sa pagsenyas na lumapit siya sa booth.

Ah, she wanted to pretend he did not see her. Wala siyang balak na sumali sa kalokohang iyon at suportahan ang vanity ng mga babaeng ito. Pero itinulak siya ni Tobs.

“Tinatawag ka ni Ayla, pare. Lapitan mo na.”

“You should go instead kasi ikaw ang bibili ng tickets niya.”

“I’ve decided to go to my number one. Saka na ako bibili ng kay Ayla.”

“Why? Because you realize you prefer perfection?”

“Because I hate it that Ayla only looked at you.” Tobs scoffed. “Ikaw lang ang pinapalapit niya, hindi ako.”

“Are you jealous? You know, Ayla only sees me as a brother, right? And I see her as an annoying sister.”

“Axel!” malakas na tawag ni Ayla.

Naglingunan tuloy sa kanya ang mga lalaking nakapila rito. Actually, pati si Charlotte ay tumingin sa kanya. Kapansin-pansin ang pagkabura ng ngiti nito habang nakatuon sa kanya ang mga mata. Mabilis din itong nag-iwas ng tingin at ibinalik ang ngiti sa mga nakapila sa booth nito.

Kusang umangat ang isang sulok ng mga labi ni Axel. Wala talagang balak lumapit si Axel kahit pa tinawag siya ni Ayla pero gusto niyang makita ang full reaction ni Charlotte kapag nalaman nitong may kaugnayan sila ng isa sa pinaka-popular nitong kalaban sa pageant. Siguradong lalo itong kakabahan at mag-iisip na ikakalat ang mga sikreto nito.

Wala naman talagang balak si Axel na humingi ng kapalit sa pagtatago ng mga lihim ni Charlotte. He was just being playful, like he always was. Obviously, she regarded him as a bad guy, much like how some viewed him at school.

Iniwan niya si Tobs at humakbang palapit sa booth ni Ayla. Hindi pa man nagsasalita ang babae ay inilapag na ni Axel ang one thousand bill sa harapan nito. Suminghap si Ayla.

“Give me the tickets.”

“Oh my god, Axel! Thank you so much!” Ayla shrieked.

Well, she should be thankful to Charlotte. Wala talaga siyang balak na pagkagastusan ang kinakapatid. Gusto lang niyang makitang ma-rattle nang husto ang mahigpit nitong kalaban.