Entry #28: Missing diary

Learning that people weren't as interested in seeking the truth about Angel’s death as I was depressing. But I couldn't blame Sir Castro either.

I sighed loudly and rested my chin on my hands. I couldn't focus on the class.

I felt like something was missing the entire day. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, and it had been bothering me since morning. It felt like I missed something important, and remembering what I forgot was frustrating.

It became the boys' habit to walk us home every day. I mean, they didn't have to, but okay, the effort was appreciated. As the boys walked us home, suddenly, the realization swooped and dawned on me. I halted my pace.

"Wait!"

The three also stopped and looked at me.

"It's the diary! The diary!"

Rox panicked. "Why, why?"

I opened my bag and frantically looked for it. When I couldn't find it, I cried out, "It's gone!"

"I have it, remember?" Nick intercepted. He attempted to open his bag.

"No! Not the real one. The fake!"

"Are you sure? You didn't forget it somewhere, left it in your locker?" Simon checked.

"No, S.T. finally took the bait. I'm certain of it!"

We decided to have an emergency discussion in the house. My mother looked at us with suspicion when we brought home two guys. She dragged Rox and me to the kitchen.

"Are those boys your boyfriends, huh? How dare you bring men into this house!"

"Ma, Ma! Chillax, okay?" Rox chuckled.

"Chillax?"

"Chill and relax, chillax! As we told you, they are Ate's friends, and they're here for a group project."

Mama looked at me, unconvinced by Rox's explanation. "You're just 16, Jasmine!" She looked at Rox. "And you, 14! We just moved here, and you brats are already dating?"

"Ma, stop overthinking." I sighed because she wasn't making any sense. "I promise they're just friends."

Though we tried, it was hard to convince someone who was already convinced. We let her think whatever she wanted.

I led the boys to my room. I took the investigation chart I created that was hidden beneath my bed. I put it up on the wall.

"Wow, living up to your role, Miss Detective," Nick mocked.

"Shut up!"

"Try to remember where you have gone today," Simon said. "You could've simply misplaced the diary."

"I think I forgot it at the club's quarters."

"If you did," Simon added, "then it's probably gone by now."

Silence reigned inside the room. I was elated that our plan worked. Sir Aresso took the bait, yet I was frightened. We were near to the truth. To me, the truth implied danger.

Simon stood up and looked around my room. He observed like he was in an art museum.

"This is my crush's room," he mumbled.

I didn't react because like Nick when he first came, Simon was obviously talking about Angel.

"Be careful of your words. Jasmine owns this room now. Is she your crush?"

I coughed and nearly choked.

"Shut up, Nick," I awkwardly told him.

Simon was quiet. He took off his glasses and cleaned them with his polo uniform.

"Why do you care who my crush is?" he taunted Nick.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t prevent myself from walking up to Simon and grabbing his cheeks to have a good look at his face. I couldn't believe it!

"Simon? Is this you?"

I felt his cheeks warm. "God, you look handsome! You should wear contact lenses instead. Why would you cover up this kind of face with those glasses?"

"I– I'm– Can y-you let g-go?"

"Oh!" I immediately let go of his face and stepped away. "I'm sorry."

Nick suddenly arrived near us and made Simon wear his glasses again.

"Wear it. You're blind without it."

I glared at Nick. "Why do you always kill the fun?"

He hissed and turned around from me.

I heard Rox faking and exaggerating her coughs. "Yeah, I'm fine! Don't mind me here. I'm just here as an envious viewer."

I creased my forehead at her. "Huh?"

She grinned. Just that. I was left confused.

**

As soon as I arrived at the school, I headed straight to the club's quarters to see if the diary was really missing. I couldn't find it anywhere.

I checked my locker, but it wasn't there either. I looked for it in our classroom, and the diary was nowhere to be found.

"Security room," Simon curtly said. "I think there's CCTV outside the quarters."

I literally heard a bulb light up in my head. I rapidly clapped my hands to compliment him. "Genius!"

Although I was already agitated, I had to wait for break time to visit the security room. The four of us discussed and brainstormed an excuse to present to the in charge to let us see the footage yesterday. We settled on telling a half-true story.

"I forgot my yellow diary inside the quarters, and it was gone when I came back this morning."

Sir Ruiz looked annoyed. He probably thought the diary wasn't worth his time.

"It's a really really important thing to me." I clasped my hands together to be as convincing as possible. "Really important."

Finally, he agreed to show us the footage. When I saw myself get inside the room, I focused on the footage.

Ten minutes later, I got out of the quarters. We had to skip the footage forward because there was nothing notable. Until someone we expected appeared.

I expected him to appear, but my body still shook from tension.

Sir Aresso entered the quarters, and he came out bringing things in his hand. I couldn't identify what he carried, but the diary was probably one of them.

"I think we're done here, Sir," I told Sir Ruiz.

"We haven’t found the one who took your diary yet."

"I just suddenly remembered I gave it to a classmate. I'm sorry for taking up your time."

Sir Ruiz's tired face gradually turned sour. "Are you messing with me?"

Nick stepped up and handled the situation.

"Sir, thank you for letting us see the footage. The diary was a really important gift to her from a deceased loved one, and that's why she had to find it. We apologize for wasting your time."

Like magic, Sir Ruiz's face relaxed. I could see he was still annoyed, but he nodded and let us leave quietly.

Nick glared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You nearly got us in trouble. Manners, Jas, make it the priority when dealing with people."

I grimaced. "Says the cranky VP," I mocked.

And before we plunged into another argument, Rox stepped in between.

"Stop!" She exclaimed. "We have a more urgent matter at hand."

I crossed my arms and smirked. "Do you believe me now? Sir Aresso is S.T. It stands for Science Teacher."

Nick grimaced in response.

"How do we get him to confess?" Simon posed the biggest real question.

I sighed. "That's the problem."