Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 2) English

Jay-Jay's POV

GARBAGE! Garbage everywhere. Garbage here, garbage there. The entire gymnasium is a pile of garbage.

"What is this?!" I said, annoyed.

I looked at the Snakes, who were kicking the garbage away from them. Edrix and I approached them.

"Jay-Jay!" Ci-N greeted me cheerfully, waving.

"Why is this here?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "I don't know. It was already like this when we got here."

Why do I feel like this was intentional? It's disgusting to stay here, not to mention the awful smell.

"We can't be here!" Drew said, irritated.

I agreed with him. Who could stand this mess?

"Section E," someone called out to us.

We turned toward the entrance, where Sir stood, looking shocked at the sight before him. He was carrying his bag and lesson plan as he approached us. We all gathered around him.

"Sir! We can't have class here!" I protested.

"Yes, Sir!" Kit agreed.

People were complaining all around until I felt someone grab my arm. I turned to see Yuri, who slightly pulled me away from the Snakes.

"W-why?" I asked him.

"I came to see you, but they said you had already left. Why didn't you wait for me?" There was sadness in his eyes.

I scratched the back of my neck. "I left with Aries," I explained, then smiled as I remembered what I had to tell him. "We're fine now! We're welcome!"

His face lit up with a smile. "Really?! Congrats!"

However, the sadness in his eyes didn't disappear. It was as if he was carrying a problem he didn't want to share with me.

"Are you okay? You seem sad," I asked, concerned.

He shook his head. "I was just worried earlier."

I frowned at his response. Worried? About what?

"Why should you be worried? I was just going to school."

He quickly looked away. "I-it's Sato's."

But that didn't seem to be the real reason. I chose to shrug it off.

"Is that so? You know me—I can handle myself," I replied with a smile, playfully hitting his arm.

What's bothering him?

Meanwhile, the Serpents were still talking to Sir. There was no way we could have class in this condition. It felt like their conversation would never end.

"Just clean the gymnasium. That's the only way you'll be allowed to stay here and be taught by another teacher," Sir explained.

"Sir! It's unfair that they kicked us out of our classroom, and now they expect us to have class here?!" Eren said angrily.

Some agreed with him, while others accepted Sir's decision. Of course, there were also those who were just confused.

"Let's blow up another classroom so they'll have no choice but to put us back in!"

Ci-N, seriously?! NEVER!!

"That's great—keep being an idiot," Josh said sarcastically.

Young Snake glared at him. "If you're so smart, then tell us what we should do!"

"If you're smart, why are you asking me? Shouldn't you already know the answer?" Josh retorted.

"Keep going, keep arguing. That's really helpful," Blaster added sarcastically.

"Away oh! Away oh!"

Everyone's attention shifted to the two groups locked in a battle of wits. It was embarrassing to witness.

I just slapped my forehead. I didn't want to punch myself out of frustration, but I was beyond stressed. Today was supposed to be a happy day!

"That's enough! What we need now is to work together," Sir Alvin said, stepping between them.

Ci-N turned away from him. I thought he was finally quieting down, but suddenly, he started singing.

"What's needed? Work together! What's needed? Work together!" He sang, and we all turned to look at him. "Wonder Pets! Wonder Pets! We're here!"

This time, I wasn't the only one who facepalmed. Even Sir and Ulupong reacted the same way. His maturity was really regressing.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," David said, approaching Sir. "Where's the cleaning equipment?"

"In the storage room with the other supplies," Sir replied, pointing to the door at the far end.

David headed there, followed by Eman, Denzel, Ci-N, Felix, Kit, and Josh. The others hesitated, shoving each other instead of following.

I went along as well. We each grabbed a broom, dustpan, mop, and garbage bag before heading to our assigned areas. The amount of trash left behind by the Peste'ng—I mean, este—students at this school was unbelievable.

Even the bleachers in the center of the gymnasium were covered in garbage. They had the nerve to kick us out of the classroom, yet this is what they left behind. They think they're smart? I hope Lowd takes them.

"Jay-jay!" Ci-N shouted, but I ignored him.

I had a bad feeling about whatever he was up to.

"Look at me! Come on!" he called again.

I held my breath. He never runs out of nonsense.

"Hurry up! Just look at me!"

Ugh, this guy…

I sighed deeply before turning to look. And what did I see?

Oh my gosh.

"Ain't I beautiful?" he declared proudly, striking a pose.

He had put on a garbage bag like a dress, tying a knot on his head like a headband. He looked so pleased with himself, even twirling around as if he were wearing an expensive gown.

"Some crazy person got in here!" Felix shouted between laughs.

"Tse! You're just jealous of my beauty!" Ci-N replied, grinning.

"Oh, give up already!" Calix teased.

"That's what happens when you inhale too much garbage smell!" Kit added.

Honestly, maybe! With how strong the stench was, it was enough to fry someone's brain.

One by one, everyone burst into laughter. I couldn't help but laugh too. But this Young Snake—he was fully committed to his catwalk moment. He even had the audacity to approach David.

"Hi, David," he greeted, batting his eyelashes.

David recoiled. "What are you supposed to be? A garbage man?"

"No," Ci-N twirled once more, then struck a dramatic pose. "I'm a beautiful princess!" he declared sweetly.

Oh, ganern!

David's brows furrowed instantly, and he smacked Ci-N's forehead without hesitation. Ci-N yelped, rubbing his forehead with a pout.

"You're wasting the garbage bags. Can't you see how much we have to clean? And here you are, playing around," David scolded.

Ci-N shot him a glare, but it quickly faded into a mischievous smile. He wrapped himself around David's arm, rubbing his cheek against it like a cat.

"You're too serious, David. Just chill. Want me to give you a kiss?" he teased, smirking.

Nope. Koya had had enough.

David struggled to push him away, but Ci-N clung like a leech. We all laughed—well, most of us.

"Stop that, Ci-N! You're disgusting!" Drew snapped, and we all turned to look at him.

"It's just a joke. Let it go," Denzel said.

"Even now, it's annoying!"

"Do you have a problem with gay people?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Drew's eyebrows furrowed, clearly unhappy that everyone's attention was on him.

"N-no… it's just… ugh! They're disgusting," he muttered before turning his back to us.

He kept cleaning, pretending he wasn't being watched. I exchanged looks with Kit and Mayo, who also seemed to catch on.

I just shook my head and went back to work. Thankfully, since we had so many people, we managed to clean the entire gymnasium in about an hour.

"There! It's clean!" Sir said with a smile as he checked his watch. "...We can't even have class anymore."

"What the hell..." Blaster whispered, but I still heard him.

"I'll just give you a copy of today's lesson so you can still study," Sir explained. "Maybe just take the rest of the time to rest."

"Yes, Sir."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Take a break first."

Sir was about to take the garbage bags, but David stopped him. He quickly volunteered that we would be the ones to throw them away. Sir left, full of concern for us.

I couldn't blame him—we looked like beggars. I didn't even know why we had bothered to come in. It was obvious we weren't welcome here anymore.

"I need some help here," David said, but no one paid attention to him. "...Come on, a little cooperation."

The lazy ones still ignored him, continuing whatever they were doing. Some were talking, others were playing on their phones, and someone had even decided to lie down on the bleachers and sleep.

Unbelievable. Snakes are really good at acting smart.

I saw David glance at Ci-N, who was still lost in his flirtations.

"Hey, beautiful princess. You might want to help me," he said sarcastically.

The cocky guy simply flipped his long hair and crossed one leg over the other.

Wow. Back-to-back beauty.

I took a deep breath, knowing that David and I were the only ones left to do the work.

"I'll do it. It's obvious you can't expect anything from them."

I grabbed four garbage bags, and David did the same. They were full of branches, making it difficult to walk. We barely managed to squeeze through the entrance while carrying them.

The designated dumping area was far away—behind the old buildings. David and I walked together. Luckily, it was still class time, so no students were loitering around. If they were, we would've become the topic of gossip again.

We reached the first-year building—one of the oldest in the school. Surprisingly, only one classroom was occupied by students. The rest were either vacant or locked.

"This used to be our classroom," David said, looking at the building. "I was in my second year when I transferred to Section E."

I looked at it too. It seemed even older than our Section E building. This school is something else! There's an older building here, yet ours was the first to be demolished?

The priorities in this place are ridiculous.

I turned to David. "Why did you end up in Section E?"

He glanced at me before smiling and walking ahead. I quickly followed.

"There was trouble in my old section. Some of my classmates were expelled, and others got suspended. To prevent things from getting worse, I just took the blame for everything," he explained. "...I also had a connection, so it wasn't really a problem for me."

I nodded, accepting his answer.

"And you?" he asked. "Why did you end up in Section E?"

I grinned. "Because I'm too beautiful. The other girls might've gotten insecure."

There it is!

I heard him chuckle softly. He asked as if he didn't already know I was reprimanded at my previous school. But maybe I was meant to end up in this section. Who knows? It just feels strange.

We finally reached the back of the old building. Surprisingly, their garbage segregation was well-organized—bottles separated from plastics, perishables from non-perishables.

If only they could segregate their students as well.

I looked around and saw two men arranging the garbage piles.

"Where should we put these?" I asked David.

"Probably over there," he said, pointing to a pile of garbage bags in the corner.

We were walking towards it when one of the men suddenly called out to us. David and I turned to face him as he approached.

"Where did you bring those from?" he asked.

We exchanged glances before answering.

"From the gymnasium."

The man suddenly frowned and scratched his head.

"Sorry, we can't accept that."

"Garbage not accepted?"

"Huh?" My eyes widened at his words. "Why won't it be accepted? Does the gymnasium have its own dump site?"

The man suddenly seemed ashamed and lowered his head. If I didn't like his answer, I might just smack him on the back of the neck.

"That's what the Guidance Officer instructed us to do. That trash is really meant for you."

I let go of all the garbage bags I was holding. I couldn't stand it! For us? What do they mean by that? Are they saying we're garbage, so it's only fitting for us to be treated like a trash dump?

"You are the children of Canaan!!!"

"Brother!" I shouted, looking at the person in front of us. "...I know we haven't had any issues, but maybe now we do!"

He was still a little hesitant. I wasn't trying to scare him, but… ugh, this is infuriating! I just want to kick something! The school is testing my patience. Just a little longer, and we'll be graduating. Then we'll be done with all of this.

"Brother, this is just garbage. Why don't we just leave it?" David said. "Let's just leave it here."

He dropped everything he was holding and pulled out his wallet. He took out what looked like around five thousand.

"Maybe this is enough to shut you up," he added while handing the money to the man.

I suddenly felt like a garbage can myself.

The man quickly took the money, grinning widely. His dark gums and yellowed teeth were visible. It was a miracle they were still intact, considering how his mouth looked like it had been consumed by bacteria.

"You can count on it, sir," the man replied.

David signaled for me to leave. We left the garbage bags in front of him. I really wanted to complain about what had just happened, but to whom?

I couldn't believe it. This school had deliberately dumped us with the garbage. What were they trying to prove?

I frowned as I walked. No one was beside me. David knew I was fuming.

Annoying! This kind of frustration is contagious!

We reached the gymnasium quickly, probably because I was practically stomping my way there. As soon as we entered, loud shouting echoed throughout the building.

I turned to look at the source of the commotion—the Serpents fighting with Section D.

"You're cheating!" Eren yelled at the girl in front of him.

"We're using this gymnasium. You all need to leave!" a guy said.

"It's huge! Even if more than 200 people use it, there's still enough space!" Mayo snapped.

"What now?!" I muttered in irritation.

David and I rushed toward them and stepped into the middle of the argument.

"What is this?! What's going on now?!" I demanded, standing between them all.

One of the students from Section D stepped forward. "You guys need to leave. We're using the gymnasium."

I glanced around the enormous space, including the bleachers.

"Seriously? This place is huge. Why do we have to be kicked out?" I asked, clearly annoyed.

"Isn't it obvious? We just can't stand having you guys here." A girl said sarcastically.

So that's how it is! And here I thought she was pretty.

I nearly lunged at her out of frustration, but I managed to restrain myself. Good thing I remembered why we were even arguing.

I clasped my hands together. "Oh, so that's what you think. Well, guess what? We can't stand being around you either! So why don't you leave?"

The girl who had spoken earlier glared at me. I was tempted to poke her eyes out.

"Miss!" A guy called out to me. If I wasn't mistaken, he was their president. "...This gymnasium is for P.E. class. Clearly, you're not here for P.E. You're just hanging out here because you don't have your own classroom."

Ugh! This is making me even angrier. I was about to argue when Yuri suddenly stepped in.

"FYI, we're not here to hang out. The school management put us here." He crossed his arms, standing firm. "...So if anyone should leave, it's you."

The president of Section D let out an irritated laugh. "Don't act so tough, Hanamitchi. You're only talking like this because Watson isn't here."

What does the King have to do with this?

My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at Ugok standing in front of Yuri. This section was truly overflowing with arrogance. After all, they were a lower section without Section E.

Yuri smiled at him—a normal, friendly smile. He removed his arms from their position and placed one hand on the shoulder of the person he was speaking to.

"You're right, Watson isn't here." He leaned in slightly and whispered in their ear, "...so no one will stop me when I kick you."

With that, he loosened his grip on the other's arm, making them sit down.

Section D immediately became alarmed and tried to approach Yuri, but David stopped them.

"We can talk about this properly," he said, standing in the middle. "...Just use the space you need in the gymnasium and leave the bleachers to us."

"That's not how it works," a woman from Section D replied. "...We don't feel comfortable with you here."

"Me neither... We're not comfortable with you either, but what can we do?" Denzel answered irritably.

"Then leave! The conversation is over!"

Once again, the discussion turned into shouting and bickering. The tension between both groups was palpable, as if they were moments away from a fight.

Amidst the argument, I noticed Josh, Eren, Drew, and Blaster quietly walking out of the gymnasium with their bags.

I immediately ran after them, sensing what they were about to do.

"Where are you going?" I asked, annoyed.

Eren and Josh stopped, but Drew and Blaster kept walking.

"Arguing is a waste of time. It's obvious they're trying to kick us out of this school," Eren explained.

"Eren's right," Josh added. "...If you haven't noticed, we're just being played."

I wanted to argue, to tell them they were wrong. But no matter how I looked at it, that was exactly what was happening.

They turned away and continued walking. My shoulders slumped as I made my way back inside the gymnasium.