LOCKED

CHAPTER 5

Rashia's POV

Pabalik na ako sa building namin para i-check yung locker ko. Sir Regon gave me the key after he told me that the lockers were just on the first floor and I will see the sign there. At nahanap ko rin naman agad iyon dahil malapit lang naman ito sa entrance ng building.

Seperate ang lockers ng girls sa boys pero magkatapat lang ito ng kwarto. Sir Regon also said that there are programs, sections and names written on the locker door, kaya sa tingin ko ay madali ko lang mahahanap ang akin.

All of my classmates got their key on the first day of school, natyempuhan na late ako that time kaya hindi agad ako nabigyan. Professor Lerino gave it to them gaya ng pinakiusap ni Sir Regon na siya na lang ang magbigay, dahil siya naman daw ang first period namin at ang adviser namin.

Nang makita ko na ang name ko na nasa bandang unahan nitong mga nakahilerang locker ay binuksan ko na iyon gamit ang hawak kong susi.  I just put in it the other books I bought last Friday and closed it again.

I was about to leave when I made sure that my locker was properly locked when I heard a loud thump of something on the floor and loud laughter.

Hindi sa malamang dahilan, bigla na lamang gumalaw ng kusa ang katawan ko at nagtago sa maliit na space sa gilid nitong locker. 

"Girl, you're not doing anything wrong here" I said sarcastically in my mind.

I waited for a while to see if that loud sound would happen again. And a few seconds passed, my body felt nervous when I heard something else—someone is begging. My eyebrows furrowed and my eyes widened when I saw a woman slumped right in front of me.

Pinagmasdan ko ang babae. Sira ang upper part ng damit nito na naging dahilan ng pagsilip ng kaniyang hinaharap.

Hindi naman siguro siya lasing, diba?

She hasn't seen me yet, dahil nakatingala lamang ito habang umaatras ng dahan-dahan hanggang tumama ang likod niya sa isang lumpon ng locker na nasa gitna. Pa-letter U ang pwesto ng mga locker dito kaya wala siyang magagawa kundi tumigil na lamang sa ginagawa niyang pag-atras.

"Holy shit" I exclaimed to myself as someone threw a bag that hit her right in her face.

I covered my mouth because what I said was a little too loud but it was too late. I cursed when she suddenly looked to her left where I'm hiding.

I couldn't do anything but put my index finger to my lips and say "shh" silently. I breathed a sigh of relief. She seemed to get what I meant because she looked in front of her again.

"What you are being asked to do was so easy but you still haven't done it well!" My eyebrows furrowed when I heard another woman's voice.

Hindi lang pala siya mag-isa.

Tahimik lamang akong nakatingin sa harapan habang nakakagat sa pang-ibaba kong labi, naghihintay sa susunod na mangyayari.

"Sorry, Krishna. Ibibili ko na lang kayo ulit--" The woman cut her off, "No! I've already run out of patience. You need to learn your lesson, nerd" Kwinelyuhan siya ng babae sabay sampal ng malakas sa kaniyang pisngi.

I clenched my hand at what I witnessed with my own eyes.

"That's what you deserve" The woman was about to slap her again when I suddenly came out.

Hindi lang pala silang dalawa ang nandito dahil bumungad pa sa akin ang dalawa pang babae na maarteng nakasandal sa kanang bahagi ng silid kung saan nakapwesto ang ibang lockers.

Hindi sila natinag sa biglaan kong paglabas. Nakangisi lang sila sa akin na parang wala silang pake kung nahuli sila sa akto.

Mataray akong nginitian ng sumampal sa babae. Hinatak niya ang buhok ng babaeng nakaupo at kaladkarin ito papunta sa dalawa niyang kasama.