Beneath the Veil

i. acting vs. lying

chapter 1: acting vs. lying

"GIRL, guess what?" I looked at Coreen as I savor my burger. Tumaas ang dalawang kilay ko.

"What?" tanong ko kahit puno ng pagkain ang bibig ko.

We were just sitting right next to each other. Hindi naman siya nahirapang umusog palapit sa akin kasi sa isang mahaba na upuan kami naka-upo. She excitingly leaned towards me when I fully turned my body to face her.

"I just got my nails done!" She showed me her fingers. Napangiti ako at binaba ang tingin sa bagong kuko niya, iniiwasan ang kaniyang tingin.

I feel weird. Some part of me feels nervous, like I was anticipating she'd say something different. Nilunok ko nalang ang aking kinakain at kinalma ang sarili.

Maybe I was just expecting that I'd hear another gossip from her. Baka 'yon nga. Iba kasi si Coreen makahanap ng chismis, puro controversial.

"AAAHHH!" My thoughts were cut off by a thin and loud shout of a girl. "My Derrick is dead!"

All of the students in the cafeteria looked at her after her remark. Maging ako ay napalingon din nang nagsimulang magbulong-bulungan ang mga estudyante sa paligid.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Who's Derrick?

I was thinking that this is some kind of a prank. The girl who screamed a while ago was known for her mischievous acts with that dramatic voice of hers, but when I glanced at her again, she was crying.

Is she faking it? Or is she not?

"Derrick?" biglang tanong ni Coreen sa mahinang boses.

"Oo raw," nag-aalangang sagot ko. She probably didn't heard it right.

Nagulat ako nang naging tahimik siya. The excitement from her lips became a thin line, and the enthusiasm in her eyes were gone.

This is not the Coreen I knew. Lalo na kung may mga bagong ganap at chismis dahil ito naman ang mga gusto niya. Parang news caster nga lang kung makapagsabi siya sa akin, eh. Detalyadong-detalyado at laging una sa balita.

However, she's the total opposite of herself right now. Isn't this what she want? Controversies?

Nanatili lang ang tingin ko sa kaniya nang natulala ito sa kawalan. Her eyes are telling me that she's remorseful.

I can't sum up the emotions from her eyes. She seems sad, but I can also notice a bit of regret through it. Kaya no'ng tumayo siya at lumabas sa cafeteria, hinayaan ko na lang siyang iwan ako. Sigurado akong naguguluhan siya ngayon sa nararamdaman niya at ganoon din ako.

Who is this Derrick that made my friend react that way?

I was preoccupied when lunch came. Hindi rin pumasok si Coreen sa subject na 'yon kaya hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala kung saan siya nagpunta. Naghintay pa ako ng ilang minuto sa loob ng classroom para hintayin siyang bumalik ngunit nang lumipas ang tatlumpung minuto na wala pa rin siya ay lumabas na ako.

On my way to the cafeteria, I heard voices of people talking as I walked across the principal's office. Natigilan ako nang pinag-uusapan nila ang lalaking namatay na gaya nga ng sinabi ng babae kanina ay si Derrick.

I stayed beside the door. It was made out of wood with glass in it that's why it's easy for me to take a peek. Bahagyang nangunot ang noo ko nang makita ang tatlong taong nasa loob.

From outside, I saw how our principal, Mr. Garcia, leaned his back on its swivel chair looking so stressed. Sunod naman ay ang isang babaeng medyo may katandaan na humahagulgol habang nakaupo sa harapan ng desk ni Mr. Garcia. And behind her was a man in his suit who have his hands in his pocket while he stands. Seryoso lang itong nakatingin sa kawalan.

The door wasn't fully soundproof kaya naririnig ko pa rin ang pinag-uusapan nila kahit mahina lang.

"During the investigation, we found out that the victim has a red mark on his neck. Malaki ang posibilidad na sinakal ang biktima bago ito hinampas sa ulo dahil may marka rin ng kamay ang leeg nito," salaysay ng lalaking naka-suit.

Napakunot ang noo ko. Unconsciously, my head leaned to one side when a familiar scene flashed on my mind. It's the same feeling when I sometimes felt like this has already happened. A déjà-vu, in short.

Napakagat ako ng labi. However, it's not really déjà-vu. Para bang mula siya sa panaginip ko na nakalimutan ko na pero ngayon ko lang naalala.

I couldn't think clearly. So many things happened today that my mind feels like it's stuck from all of the questions thrusted in my head.

Naputol ang iniisip ko nang mas lalong lumakas ang iyak ng matandang babae na sa tingin ko'y ang ina ni Derrick.

"Oh, my poor son! You have to do something about this!" she cried to the principal. Nilipat ko na lamang ang tingin kay Mr. Garcia nang makita ang tulo ng mga luha niya.

"We're deeply sorry for your loss, Mrs. Mendoza. The school will help you with the funeral expenses, and I'm sure that the police are working on the investigation," Mr. Garcia said. Tinanguan niya ang lalaking naka-suit na itim, seryoso pa rin ang ekspresyon sa mukha.

Sino siya? Is he a police? He's not wearing a uniform, but basing from what he said earlier, he sounds like one. Tinanguan din siya ng principal. Pwede pa lang hindi mag-uniporme ang mga pulis?

Napatango nalang din si Mrs. Mendoza at nilingon ang lalaki na nakatayo sa likod niya. When he nodded at her, she sighed heavily, having no choice but to accept the assurance she's unsure of.

"'Wag po kayong mag-alala, Ma'am. May nahanap po kaming mga clues para maturo ang suspek."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. I guess he really is a police, but what clues is he talking about?

"What clues?" sabay na tanong ng principal at ina ni Derrick.

Before I could finally hear the police's answer, the bell suddenly rang. Dahil sa malakas na tunog na iyon, bumaling ang tingin ng pulis sa banda ko. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang magtama ang aming paningin. Bago pa siya makalapit ay hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip pa na umalis doon at bumalik na sa classroom.

I can feel my heart beating fast. Na para bang nahuli sa isang malaking kasalanang aking nagawa. Did he really saw me? But it was too impossible because he tried going near me! What if I'll be punished because of it? I can't afford that!

Napailing-iling ako, pinipilit ang sarili na hindi mabahala sa nangyari. I'm just gonna pretend I haven't heard anything.

Huminga ako nang malalim at kinalma ang sarili bago pumasok sa room.

Akala ko, sa nahuli lang ako ng pulis magugulat pero hindi pala. I was left dumbfounded when I saw Coreen greeting me with a wide smile as she enthusiastically waved at me. She looked so joyful as if nothing happened earlier.

"Hi, Z!"

How she used to be was weird, but she's getting even weirder now.

Ngumiti ako at umupo sa tabi niya. "Where were you?"

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at sunod na tumawa nang malakas. "I went home, nagka-LBM 'ata ako sa kinain natin kanina!"

Pinagmasdan ko lang siya habang kinukumbinsi niya ako sa mga tawa niya.

"Bakit ako naman ay hindi. . ." bulong ko.

Coreen has no allergies. We both are, actually. Kaya kung sasakit man ang tiyan niya dahil sa parehas na burger na kinain namin kanina, dapat sasakit din ang tiyan ko. And it turned out to be one-sided, in which I can't believe.

And we've been friends for so long. She may be good at acting, but lying isn't included. I know when she lies. And with that, she suddenly hiccupped. Lihim akong napangiti nang makumpirma ang aking iniisip.

She's definitely lying.

- yulainela.