WENDY
MY EYES are swollen and I couldn't hide it from my family. I thought about wearing sunglasses but who the hell would wear sungglasses at home? That's just not right.
"Umiyak ka?" natatawang tanong ni kuya habang inilalagay ang mga plato sa lamesa.
"No, I didn't." I looked down, observing the plates. "Sino naghugas nito kagabi?"
I remembered that I am scheduled to wash the dishes during Thurdays.
"Ako na ang naghugas. Nahiya naman ako sa 'yo e," aniya at umupo sa harap ko.
Tumingin ako sa kanya habang sinisimulan niya nang kumain. He acts like nothing happened yesterday at all. Why won't he tell me kung anuman ang napag-usapan nila kagabi no'ng lalaking may kaugnayan sa QR?
QR. Quintuple Ruby. I thought it would be much easier to say the acronym.
"I know you're holding it back." He won't look me in the eyes and just continued eating.
"Alin?"
"Your curiosity."
That made my mouth shut for a minute. Alam kong hindi siya psychic, pero gusto kong malaman lahat ng sagot sa mga katanungan ko nang hindi nagtatanong.
Nagsumula na rin akong kumain at hindi na nagsalita. The silence devoured the whole dining hall. Buti nalang wala dito si papa kundi magiging awkward talaga ang pakiramdam ko.
After a long while, my brother broke the silence.
"Don't worry, someone will have to answer your questions—about Quintuple Ruby and mom's case—all of it. Someone from today."
Napahinto ako habang nakakunot ang noo. "Someone from today?"
"Yes, so better be not late at school."
That was it. I was left speechless. I can hardly wait.
Nang makapasok ako sa classroom, napatingin ang lahat sa 'kin. As in—lahat.
But only for a moment.
That is indeed a very rare occasion. Sa tuwing papasok kasi ako, parang wala lang sa kanila. But now, their eyes are on me. Did something happened?
Yes, something did happen.
First, wala si Zen sa upuan niya.
Second, may sticky note sa desk ko. I quickly wear it off from the desk and read it.
The principal's looking for you. Go to the office the moment you see this.
—Stella Olivar, president.
Wala akong magawa kundi mapakurap nang ilang beses. My mouth slightly opened to say something but the shock prevented me. I glanced at her direction and she doesn't seemed drunk this time.
What the bloody hell is happening? Don't tell me . . . 'Yung principal mismo ang tinutukoy ni kuya na sasagot sa mga katanungan ko? Kasi sa pagkakaalala ko, wala naman akong ginawang masama. What a small world.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Phantom Detective ✓
Mystery / ThrillerHave you ever met a highschool detective that doesn't show himself in the crime scene? People around here called him the Phantom Detective. After discovering the phantom detective's identity, Wendy has started extraordinary adventures in a world fi...
