Just a few months ago, I already started planning on how I should celebrate my 18th birthday. My first suggestion to my parents was that we all have a family trip to Singapore as a gift to me. They said that it was expensive so they went with the other idea, a debut. 

I've had a lot of close friends back in high school. Of course, we tried to keep in touch now that we're in college. 

See, I felt my guy friends drifting away not only because we were far from each other and not also because of school works, but because they've got girlfriends now. I'm really happy for them because they finally found someone who could make them happy. But I can't help but feel sad sometimes because it seems as though they've forgotten me. I tried reaching out to them until one day, I decided to stop. I shouldn't reach out first all the time. We have to take turns. I barely talk to them now because I can't see them online and I'm not even sure if their cellphone numbers are still the same. 

The carnival is open again tonight. It’s so bright outside. So many lights. But it’s so dark here inside. I’m alone, but it’s alright, people will be coming and I might be able to make friends. But Letheo will get mad. Yes, he’s very grumpy.

I heard a bunch of people laughing and whispering.

“You’re such scaredy cats! Haha. We’re going in. Let’s go Lily.” the guy was talking to his friends who didn’t want to enter.

“But Chad, it’s so dark.” The girl seemed scared.

“Babe, it’s okay. I’m here.” They’re near. I have to hide. I’m not allowed to show myself.  

“Lily, babe. We have to make this quick, okay?”

“Are you sure it’s okay to do it here? Someone might see us.”

“We’re going to be just fine.” The guy started to kiss the girl. And then they got intense and took their shirts off. But suddenly the girl pulled away.

“Can we not do this now?”

“Why?”

“I’m just not ready yet. And this place scares the shit out of me.” The guy just nodded and they both put their shirts back on. A few moments later, there was a piercing scream that startled me. I can’t make a noise or else they’ll see me.

“Oh my, was that Faye?” the girl started to worry as the guy held her close to him.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m here.” The guy just shushed her and suddenly the door burst open.

“Would you look at that? Some damn teenagers.” It was Letheo.

“What did you do to Faye?” the girl was enraged.

“Oh, you mean your friend out there? She got too nosy that I had to silence her.” Letheo just held his dagger with fresh blood on it.

“How dare you! You’re out of your mind!” the girl was crying and the guy just held her close.

“C’mon Lily, let’s go.” Just when the guy and the girl were about to step out the door, Letheo blocked them.

“Excuse me, sir, we just want to go home. So please, let us pass.” The guy was in a calm mood.

“Sorry, son. That’s not how things work here. Y’all should’ve known what you were gettin’ yourselves into.”

“You’re insane! You’re insane! Let us pass right now!” Letheo knocked the girl unconscious.

“What the hell man?! We just want to leave! You really are insane! Do people even know you’re here?! I’m calling the cops.” And when the guy was just about to call, Letheo stabbed him. Letheo just walked away after that. He didn’t kill the girl, Lily. Only Chad was killed. Lily was conscious again and Chad placed his finger on her lips. He ran his hand on her face and then, it just dropped.

I couldn’t stand what I just saw so I just stayed in my place until I fell asleep. Someone was waking me up, and I’m sure it’s not Letheo because he doesn’t wake me up by just shaking me.

“Hey, hey. You’ve got to get me out of here.” I opened my eyes and it was Lily. I nodded.

“Lily, babe. We gotta leave now.” It was weird seeing Chad. I thought he was already dead.

“You’re coming with me.” Lily grabbed my hand and we both went out and followed Chad. And suddenly, he was out of sight.

“Chad, where are you? Chad?” Lily was worried but she kept looking for Chad.

Part Two

I’m checking every rooftop of every building near the 5-star hotel where my next target is staying at. I need the perfect spot so that I could shoot the target. I won’t kill the target, only those who stand in my way. I suddenly found it hard to breathe because someone’s arm was squeezing my neck. In reaction I elbowed the person in the stomach. His face was covered so I didn’t know who he was. Only his eyes were visible. I kicked him again in the stomach so I could step backward a bit. He backflipped twice and aimed to kick my face with his left foot but I blocked it and the next second, I grabbed his shirt and had my knife against his neck. The moves were familiar, but before I could think of whose moves were those, I was disarmed and the person removed his mask and then removed my mouth mask. He grabbed my hair and kissed me.

“What the hell?!” was all I could say after I pushed him away. He was just standing there, smirking. He wasn’t saying anything. “OH MY GOD, B?! Unbelievable.”

“Took you long enough.” He finally replied.

“How’d you get here? I mean, why are you even here?”

“I saw a familiar face from afar and I thought to myself, ‘Hey, I should probably attack her first,’” he laughed a little. “How about you, still working for him huh?” his facial expression was suddenly unreadable.

“B, he’s my father and he’s the only one I have left. And I want to know why he’s letting me do this. I know he’ll be telling me everything as soon as I get all three.” I turned away from him.

“Sorry, it’s been too long since I last saw you. I’ve missed you so.” I turned around so that I could reply but he was gone.

Tomas Torralba is the owner of the biggest pastry shop in the country and has over 200 branches all over the world. He was a senator for 10 years and suddenly decided not to run anymore. He wasn’t even that old for retirement. Anyway, everything’s set. All I have to do is just stick to the plan. I just need to lure him out of the building and Mr. X will take care of the rest.

Tomas Torralba just walked inside the room with his secretary. His secretary went to the bathroom for awhile and now he’s calling for room service. The guy he called just walked in and steady, steady, BANG! I just aimed for his shoulder; I didn’t want to kill the innocent guy. I packed up everything so as not to leave any trail of mine and when I turned around ready to leave, someone was there.

“So this is what you’re up to.” says a familiar voice. I try to walk away but he kept on blocking me. So I dropped the bag with the gun and ran. I never looked back. I didn’t want to risk it. “Mr. X, we have to switch places. NOW. I left the sniper on the rooftop and someone else saw me. I’ll deal with this.” I took the place of Mr. X as the fake limo driver. I drove to the front of the hotel and I was just in time, Tomas was already running to the car.

“Get me away from here, fast!” he was so scared. I drove a little because I had to wait for Mr. X to ride. And as soon as he got in, “Who the hell are you?!” Torralba asked who he was and in an instant Mr. X made Torralba unconscious. I then drove at full speed.

 Torralba was blindfolded and his arms and legs were tied so Mr. X and I had to carry him to the room we prepared for him.

“Oh, good evening, Sir.” Mr. X said. I had just closed the door behind me and I froze. It was Father.

“So, you got Torralba eh? Let’s see how you’ll be able to capture the next and last target. Simoun San Diego.” he crossed his arms and waited for me to speak.

“Wait, THE Simoun San Diego? As in, the president who just stepped down?” Oh crap. 

--to be continued--

Prologue

I LOVE JOHN GREEN. 

I've loved him ever since I finished The Fault in Our Stars. He's just so damn good. He never failed to make me cry. I cried when I read The Fault in Our Stars and I also cried when I read Looking for Alaska.

Everything happened so fast that I had to re-read that tear-inducing part of the book. I was in a shock, seriously. But thumbs up for such a great novel. I'm excited to buy Paper Towns, Let It Snow, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. 

Looking for Alaska is about a guy who seeks the Great Perhaps named Miles Halter and enters an entirely different environment and gets drawn into the world of Alaska. 

My bestfriends already wanted to go home and our friend insisted that he should accompany them home. His brother was driving and our friend was waiting for him to come. A part of me wanted to wait for a while but a part of me wanted to leave already. My bestfriends finally decided to commute and I walked them to the LRT station before I went home.