Heaven Academy

4 - The Academy of Angels (Part 1)

4 - The Academy of Angels (Part 1)

"How did you get in?"

"How do you think I became Aster's best buddy?" Luther shot back, smirking again. I can't tell if he's asking me a serious question, or he's preparing to deliver a punchline. He stood up from the couch and sat at the edge of the bed. "I forced my way in," he answered his own question while chuckling.

He sounded and looked like the usual Luther Magalona that I know but I didn't find his joke amusing. My eyes never left him as I got up and rested my back on the headboard.

"How exactly did you get in?" I spoke every word slowly.

He sighed and took out a piece of steel wire from his jacket. He showed it to me. "And my room has the exact same set of bolts, courtesy of your twin."

Napakunot ang noo ko. If he's thinking that what he said answered my question, he's wrong. This guy...he's giving me reasons to be more suspicious of him.

"Did I just climb up your list?"

His question caught me off guard. Is he pertaining to my suspects' list? Anong alam niya?

As if he heard my thoughts, Luther said, "I know why you're here, Erisk."

I gulped. "What do you mean?"

"Or maybe I don't." He sighed once again. "Ibalik mo 'yang kumot ko, ah? Paborito ko 'yan."

So, I'm still on top of Aster's duvet. Dinala niya mismo ang kumot na nakabalot sa akin. I was curious as to why he did that but I can't even look at the blanket. Nanatili lang akong nakatingin kay Luther hanggang sa tumayo siya ulit. Parang nabalik lang ako sa ulirat nang mamalayan kong palabas na siya.

"Luther!" I called him and he immediately looked back at me. Napahigpit ang kapit ko sa makapal na kumot at pigil hininga akong nagtanong. "What do you know?"

For the third time since I woke up, he sighed. "That you shouldn't be here, Erisk."

Luther's words felt like a bomb. They made me feel something I can't comprehend. It could be something between scared and curious, but I'm not sure. All I know is that I was left staring at the door after he got out.

Ano ang alam niya? Bakit niya sinasabing wala dapat ako dito? It's the same thing that Dom told me the day before. Do they both have something to do with Aster's death? Whatever the answer is, there's one thing I was immediately so sure of, they know something I don't.

Hindi pa ako nakaka-move on sa mga sinabi ni Luther nang may kumatok sa pinto. Hindi naman na 'yon naka-lock dahil kakalabas pa lang niya. Sino ang masyadong mabait para kumatok pa muna? Sighing, I got up to open the door. I was really surprised when I saw who it is.

"Wow. One day here and you already missed me, kuya?" I joked and opened the door wide so Kuya Bullet could enter.

"You really got his room, huh?" He scanned the whole place and sighed. "Our surname really does wonders. I also saw the gold plate on the door engraved with nothing but an asterisk."

I was about to close the door when I opened it again to see the plate that he was talking about. Mr. Diaz works quick, huh? I smirked and went back to bed. "Bakit ka nandito?"

"A little birdy told me that mom doesn't know that you're here," sagot niya na muling nakapagpabangon sa'kin.

"Well, we don't know why, but we all saw how mom cried and begged before so dad won't let me study here," I reminded him. "I can't deal with that, right now. Getting in here is the priority."