Trace of Innocence

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

MARIRINIG ang takatak ng keyboard pagpasok ko sa opisina. Alas otso palang ng umaga ngunit amoy coffee shop na ito dahil sa kapeng pampagising na sasalubong sa'yo pagpasok. Maybe, some of my co-workers worked overnight to beat the deadline.

As I entered the office, I looked down. Not wanting to meet their eyes. I didn't want them to see my almost lifeless eyes, with black bags surrounding it, though I tried to cover it with concealers.

"Clarissa!"

I stopped on my track, my eyes briefly closing as I heard Patsy's high-pitched voice. I sensed her presence before me. I looked at her and noticed that she's staring at me. Her perfectly arched brows knitted and I was taken aback when she unexpectedly engulfed me in a tight hug. She's a thin and petite woman and I'm surprised she could tightly hug someone who was taller than her.

"Everything will be okay," she said in gentler voice this time.

I am not that close with this curly haired woman as I practically avoided people but I am thankful for her concern. She tucked a strand of her short curly hair when she broke the hug and continued staring at me or rather scrutinizing me.

I cleared my throat and awkwardly said my thanks. And that's when she's back to her usual bubbly personality. Hindi na ako magtataka na magka-vibes sila ni Selyn.

"Ano ka ba, wala 'yun!" her high-pitched voice was back as she hooked her right arm on mine and dragged me to our table.

Kung may magbibigay ng kahulugan sa terminong "feeling close", Patsy would surely fit the description.

Hinila niya ang upuan sa aking puwesto at iminuwestra ang kamay rito. Wala na akong magawa kundi ang maupo.

"I'm so happy na bumalik ka na, partner!" she exclaimed and I could almost see the sparkle in her eyes.

Iginala ko ang aking mata sa aming opisina. Almost everyone was busy in their own cubicles, sticking their nose in their own business, unlike this woman beside me who had been gawking at me since I got here.

I glanced at her desk and noticed her post-it notes with some brands of beauty products written on it. She's probably searching for beauty products that she could feature in her next article; after all she was the beauty editor.

Nang masiguro kong wala naman siyang ibang gagawin, napagpasyahan kong tanungin siya tungkol sa mga napansin niya kay Selyn bago ang araw na naaksidente siya. The two were quite close, I am sure she noticed something in my best friend. I couldn't just rely on my own observations so I needed to confirm them.

Akmang sasagot na siya nang biglang tumahimik ang opisina. Natigil ang takatak ng keyboard maging ang mga bulung-bulungan. Napalingon ako sa may entrance at tama nga ako. Nandito na si Mr. Jacinto.

We all stood up to greet him, pero nilagpasan lang kami ng bitter na matanda, though I did notice that he gazed at me briefly.

"So ayun na nga, napansin kong hindi nagsuot ng pink si Selyn 'nung Wednesday gala natin."

Napalingon ako agad kay Patsy na tinuloy na pala ang pagkukuwento. "Napansin mo rin pala iyon?"

She nodded her head. "Oo naman. Anyone who was close to Selyn would probably notice that sudden change."

Ever since I met Selyn, nakagawian na niya ang pagsuot ng kulay pink na damit sa araw ng Miyerkules, sabi niya goal niya raw iyon. Kapag nakalimutan niyang magsuot ng pink sa araw na iyon, ibig sabihin, wala siya sa sarili. That particular day when she forgot to wear pink on Wednesday was the day before she died.