Knotted Conundrum (Project:Mystery #1) [COMPLETED]

Chapter One: Anonymous' Letter (Part I)

Chapter One: Anonymous' Letter (Part I)

I am walking down the hallway as students keep on walking passed through me while talking with their friends or some sort of acquaintances. Some glances in my direction and murmured beside another. Some eyed me up and down.

Sa tingin ba nila isa akong magandang bulaklak na dumadaan para matitigan nila ako ng ganoong masinsinan habang dumadaan sila?

I've got no idea why I am here and why do I agree with coming here. Long story short, I transferred to this university because of some "issues" from my other school, and plus, my mom insisted me on transferring dahil mas maganda ang quality of education nila daw dito.

Huminto ako sa isang pintuan at napabuntong-hininga. "This is it," bulong ko sa sarili ko. I looked up and checked if it's the right room. Right, HUMSS 11-A. Bagong atmospera, bagong ako.

Or that's how my mom tries to imagine me.

Binuksan ko na ang pintuan at rinig na rinig ko na ang mga ingay na nagmumula sa loob. I got in and I find a seat beside a window. Unluckily, okupado na ang nasa pinakalikod so wala akong choice kung hindi umupo sa pangalawa sa harap na upuan.

"Hi." Napaigtad ako sa aking kinauupuan at napatingin sa babaeng nasa harapan ko. She has the same uniform as mine—dark blue blazer, assorted blue checkered knee-length skirt and long-sleeve undershirt. The only thing na pinagkaiba is the blue brooch in her right chest. "You're the new student, right?" nakangiti niyang tanong sa akin.

I stared at her. Is she... befriending me?

"Oh, I'm Friar Furrer by the way." Right, looks like it. Inilahad niya ang kamay niya sa'kin. "I'm the Vice President of the Senior Student Council and your classmate as well. Your name?"

Guess it is not bad to talk to her. "Mavis. Mavis Sherlia Throver," ani ko at tinanggap ang kanyang kamay.

"Nice to meet you, Mavis. If gusto mo ng tour sa buong school, don't hesitate to ask for my help."

"Thanks, pero nakapag-tour na ako when we got here for my application."

"Oh." There's a tinge of disappointment in her voice. Hindi ko naman gustong tumanggi but it's true. I took the tour with the dean when he offered it to me as I applied to Ferris University. "Sorry. How dumb of me. Mayroon pa lang isinasagawa na tour tuwing may mag-a-apply sa school. What school are you transferred from?"

Iyon na ang kanyang ikalawang tanong sa akin. "That's confidential," sagot ko sa kanya.

"I like you already," natatawa niyang sambit. Napakunot ako ng noo. May ngiti pa rin ang kanyang labi habang nakikipag-usap sa akin. "Last question. Can we be friends?"

Already? Never I imagine that someone will ask me if they would want to be friends with me in my first day in my transferred school. I ignored her and looked outside the window. Puro ulap ang nasa langit at wala ni isang ibon ang makikita rito. Napatingin ako sa orasang nasa taas ng blackboard sa harapan ng classroom. 7:56.

"Four minutes before the adviser comes in," she blurted out kaya napatingin ako sa kanya habang nagtatakang nakatingin sa kanya pero ginawaran niya lamang ako ng isang nakakasilaw na ngiti.

"Hindi ka nakatingin sa orasan," pagkokomento ko.

"Yep," aniya. Nakaupo na siya ngayon sa upuan na nasa harapan ko. I did not notice na doon pala siya nakaupo until now.

"How did you—"

"I just read you, that's all," sagot niya nang hindi niya pinapatapos ang gusto kong sabihin. I'm not a talkative person but this person seems to make me wanna talk with her. "So, can we be friends?" Napatitig ako sa kanya. Does she really just read me or she glances at the watch without me noticing? "Curious kung paano ko nakuha ang exact leftover time? Your eyes. That tells me that the time would be near 8 o'clock. As of sa 4 minutes, I just guessed it."