Entry #4: Diary

As much as it crept me out, the case got irresistibly interesting. I got the feeling I wouldn't be able to take my hands off of it.

If this was Angel's house, then she was the same Angel who owned my room. Meaning…

"Angel is the owner of the yellow diary," I thought out loud.

I had goosebumps all over my body as I peered at the old house through the barred gate. After learning that the former owner died, it looked creepier in my eyes.

Nick's eyebrows met each other in the middle. "What diary?"

"Oh my! What is happening here?"

Nick and I turned around to see who had spoken out of the blue.

Roxanne…

"Gosh, Ate! You already got a guy? This fast? I'm so proud of—hmm!"

I immediately covered her mouth with my hands to prevent her from saying something stupid further. She usually used 'Ate' as an honorific because I was her older sister.

"Shut up, Rox!"

Rox grinned at me and went near Nick. She offered her hand for a handshake.

"Hi, Kuya!" Rox smiled at him in a flirty way.

Calling someone 'Kuya' should've been polite because it was an honorific for an older brother/guy. But in my sister's case, this time, it was nowhere near that.

"I'm Roxanne. Do you have a girlfriend—Ah! Ouch, Ate!" She shrieked when I pinched her waist in frustration.

She embarrassed me all the time!

"And why the hell are you home so late?" I scolded her.

She smiled at me. "Not so effective coming from someone who also came home late," she retorted.

I wished I could chop her into pieces.

Rox faced Nick again with twinkling eyes and pursed her lips to look cute. Which was disgusting to me, by the way!

"Kuya, you're so handsome, and you're so tall, and you look mean, which I like the most. Oh my gosh! You're exactly my type!"

Nick looked shocked at how straightforward Roxanne was. I pushed Rox inside the gate, frightened she might spit weird stuff again.

I stared at Nick awkwardly. "That's just how she is."

"You said something about a diary." He shifted the course of the conversation.

I contemplated for a moment.

‘Is it okay if I show him the diary?’

I tried many times to open the diary. However, I couldn't guess Angel's combination of numbers as the passcode. And between us, it was Nick who knew Angel better.

"Let's get inside," I told him.

Nick disagreed, but I managed to drag him inside the gate. I led him straight to my bedroom. And on the way, Rox saw us.

"Ate! Ate! Let me join you guys!"

She tried to act cute, but no use. It didn't work on me and never will. I pushed her out of the way, and the brat sulked pretentiously.

"Stingy! Why would you deprive me of hanging out with a handsome guy?!"

I turned my eyes upward and ignored her. When I locked the door, Rox jabbed at the door loudly.

"Hey! Why would you lock the door? I will tell Mama! I bet you're gonna do something only adults can do! No!" She continuously screamed from outside.

I stared at the entirety of the room and breathed in the fact that this was Angel's room. Every sound from my surroundings faded.

Everything started to creep me out. This room, this house, my chair, and my locker were all owned by Angel. That only meant that every night, I was lying on the bed of a dead person.

"What if Angel's soul is lingering here? Unable to rest in peace? What if she's looking at me while I sleep? Creeps!" I shrieked in horror.

Nick wandered his eyes intently on the room.

"So this is my crush's room..." he murmured.

"Excuse me," I butted in. "Careful of your words. This is my room now. Does that mean I'm your crush?"

Nick whizzed. "Are you in your right mind?"

I cackled. Well…

Nick placed his backpack on the study table. Meanwhile, I took the diary from one of the drawers, and we both sat on the bed.

When he saw the diary, Nick immediately snatched it away from me. "This is Angel's! I saw her bring this to school many times."

"Did I say it's mine?" I sarcastically countered. "It's locked. Do you have an idea what’s the passcode?"

"Try her birthday. May 13."

I chuckled. "So knowledgeable," I joked.

He scowled in response.

I tried the 0513 combinations, but it didn't work.

"Her mother's birthday, perhaps?" I suggested.

"Wait, let me check her mom's FB."

After scribbling on his phone, he found it. "I'm not sure if this is the correct one, but try October 20."

I tried the combination of 1020, and again, it didn't work. Until we were left with no choice but to try every possible 4-digit combination we could come up with, but none worked.

After all the trials, we got tired, so we lay on the bed.

‘Just what on earth could her passcode be?!’

"Maybe it's my birthday," Nick suddenly said.

"Pfft!" I couldn't help but laugh so hard. "Are you implying she liked you too?" I made fun of him.

He fell silent. "I'm just hoping…"

Then I felt terrible. Maybe Nick really liked Angel, and I put salt in a wound. Nick sat up and entered his birthday. I tried to stop him because there was no way it could be his birthday. I didn't want him to get hurt.

"Nick, just don’t! I'm sure—"

I halted when I heard a soft click. It opened!

‘Wait, what?! It opened?!’

Nick and I stared at each other in doubt. I could tell that even Nick himself couldn't believe the passcode was his birthday.

"It's my birthday?" he exclaimed.

‘But why his birthday? Did Angel like him too? Or is it a mere coincidence? I have no idea.’

Seeing the happy smile on his face, I told him, "Save the celebration for later."

I opened the diary. Angel's picture was pasted on the first page.

And, to be honest, she was a really pretty girl.

I pointed to her face. "Angel, you're such a beauty, but I must say, your taste in men isn't that commendable," I joked.

Nick, in defense, pushed me harshly.

‘Fuck!’

Then I turned the leaves to the last entry of the diary. What I read shrunk me to a place of absolute mystery and curiosity.

"Hello, killer! If you're reading this, that only means you found my diary. But I hope not. I hope someone else is reading this."

Nick and I shared a look. He looked so confused just as I was.

As for me, the thunderous drumming on my chest was almost deafening. A surge of excitement went through me.

“I was right," I told Nickle. "I was right!"

He stared back at me in horror. “She was killed."

‘But do you know what’s making me curious? It is this peculiar feeling I have that I can't define. With this many coincidences, the news I happened to watch on this house's television, my room, my chair, my locker, and the diary. Everything involves Angel.

It’s like...

It’s like Angel is asking for my help.’