Chapter II

In the bustling cafeteria, Averja's pointed question hung heavy: "So, you two are... dating?" The implication hung between the two lovebirds before her.

Icyzel's response was succinct, yet affirmative: "Indeed, we are."

"And you didn't inform me," Averja stated, her voice laced with a quiet intensity, "nagulat kaya ako nung naglandian kayo sa harap ko, parang mga siraulo"

Blair offered a genuine smile. "Hello, Averja. I'm Blair Quin Lahnnel, Icyzel's girlfriend. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Blair," Averja replied, a hint of confusion in her voice. "Lahnnel? Is your father the owner of this university?"

Blair's response was delivered with a quiet confidence that belied its audacity. "No, it's actually me who owns this university."

Averja's shock was palpable; she hadn't imagined a student could own the university. Blair noticed the stunned expression on Averja's face and chuckled softly.

"That's a pretty typical reaction," Blair said, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "Students rarely believe I own the university."

Icyzel said, "Minsan 'di ko sila gets kung bakit hindi sila naniniwala na si bebe ko may ari nito, like tanga ba kayo? or baliw lang talaga, minsan gusto ko na sila putulan ng ulo" that make Averja laugh.

"Shh, bad 'yan" Blair said and softly flicked her forehead making the girl pout.

Averja, glancing at Blair, said, "Alright lovebirds, I'm off to the library. Hoping they have what I'm looking for." She stood, her smirk directed at Blair.

Blair, confident, retorted, "Excuse me, but I happen to have all the books you're looking for."

Averja's smirk widened. "We'll see about that," she said, and left them both sitting there.

My fingers traced the spines of the books, a familiar thrill coursing through me. I was here, in the library, searching for the new season of my favorite book series. I'd heard rumors, whispers of its release, and my heart pounded with anticipation. "Aha, there it is," I breathed, spotting the familiar cover. Blair had been right—and unnervingly so. It was a little unsettling, actually. How did she know I was looking for this specific book? Blair… she was awfully familiar, wasn't she? More than just an acquaintance. A nagging question formed in my mind: where exactly did I know her from?

I located an empty chair, a happy sigh escaping my lips as I settled in. Opening the book, I lost myself within its pages immediately. It was just as wonderful as I remembered, even better.

A prickling sensation on my skin made me aware of someone's gaze, but I shrugged it off, returning to the captivating world unfolding within the pages of my book.

After what felt like only a short time, but was actually a few hours, I finished the book. Happy sighs escaped my lips, I loved it.

My mom was waiting for me at the school gates, a familiar relief washing over me. I didn't have a car yet, so her picking me up was a welcome routine.

"How was your first day of school, honey?" she asked, her gaze soft and caring.

"It was fine, Mom," I replied, a smile touching my lips. "I made a new friend, actually. And… well, other things happened."

"That's good news, honey," Mom said, her eyes still focused on the road.

"Where's Dad? How is he?" I asked, a slight concern creeping into my voice.

"He's been really busy with work," she replied, her tone a little shorter than usual.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked, noticing a subtle shift in her mood. A little tension hung in the air between us.

"We had a bit of a fight," she admitted, her voice quiet. "But don't you worry about it."

"Mmm-hmm," I hummed in response, letting the conversation rest there for now.

We pulled into the driveway, and I retreated to my room. Lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I replayed our afternoon in my head. Kali's grey eyes... they really had a way of captivating me. Binuksan ko ang laptop ko at nag facebook agad. Kumuha ako ng loliipop saka agad kong sinearch ang pangalan niya, although not a complete name at mahihirapan ako I am determined to find her account.

Halos dumaan ang isang oras wala pa rin akong nakikitang mukha niya, stina-stalk ko na rin ang mga naka-tagged na photos from other people pero hindi ko talaga Makita, iba-ibang name ang lumalabas

Kali Dump

Kali Akonalangkasi

Kali Misskonasya

Kali Hashahs

Ang daming lumalabas pero wala akong makitang mukha niya.

Kali Montefalco

Kali Bei Talarco

Kali Sheeshables

Kali Rizzler

Patuloy ako sa paghahanap ng account niya all over the facebook pero ni anino niya man lang at wala pa rin. Inopen ko ang phone ko tsaka inopen ang Instagram. Wala akong makitang pagmumukha niya roon, sinearch ko na lahat ng posibleng nickname pero wala.

Tiningnan ko ang laptop ko, bumalik ulit ako sa facebook at lumipas na ang isa't kalahating oras ng paghahanap ay nabagot na ako. Paano ba naman kasi hindi ko talaga Makita kahit pagbaliktarin ko pa name niyang "Kali"

I scratch my head knowing na wala talaga akong pag-asang makita ang account niya sa Instagram. I accidentally hit my phone at nahulog kaya pinulot ko ito at may na-type na letters sa search bar ng Instagram.

Eufracia_Isvara

Nang makita ko ang name na lumabas ay wala akong alam kung sino or kung ano pero wala sa isipan kong pinindot ang pangalan niya at..

At ngumiti ako, a smile for a successful mission.

I found her.

I was extremely happy because I found her account. Nagta-talon talon ako sa sobrang tuwa tapos tiningnan ang profile niya tapos tumalon-talon ulit.

pake niyo ba.

Tumigil na ako sa kakatalon saka umupo ulit at tiningnan ang personal information niya.

Eufracia Isvara (Kali)

My impending arrival will be followed by your experiencing the depths of torment.

Studying in De Lahnnel University

Single

gusto ko siyang asawahin.

Lost in thought of her, I drifted into a deep sleep without realizing it.

"We're gonna be best friends forever!" A child shouted happily.

"Yes, we are! Jael's the best; she has the cutest smile I've ever seen!" Another child replied with a wide smile.

"Isn't my smile cute, too?" A child asked, pouting.

"Of course it is, but Jael's smile is the cutest." The other child replied, pointing at Jael's smile.

"Hmph, I'm jealous!" The kid retorted, crossing her arms and pouting angrily.

"Oh, come on, Ali. Don't be so jealous. Tita said that you shouldn't be jealous because you'll carry that into adulthood." The other child said, face-palming.

"So what?" The kid replied and scoffed.

"Hay nako, Tita's going to be mad at us."

"Jael... why did you forget about me? I... I thought we were best friends? Why? WHY?!" A child was crying and shouting in pain.

"Ali, no! Come back here! Alii!" The other child was begging, tears streaming down her face.

A crash echoed.

"Jael... Ali... what's happening to you guys? I'm alone... I'm all alone..." The child said, crying so hard she curled up on her knees in the corner.

Oh my god.. What kind of dream was that? It's so traumatic for the little ones. How incredibly sad—it even made me cry. I checked the time, and it's 3:30 AM! Gosh, it's cold, but I'm sweating profusely. That's strange. I think I need some water. I rushed downstairs to get a glass of cold water, and then, as I was heading back upstairs, I heard fighting coming from my parents room. That's concerning.

"Stop working for him! You're putting our lives in danger!" my mom shouted.

"I am not putting our lives in danger, I am saving us by working for him!" my dad replied.

"How does working for him save us?!" my mom demanded.

"Did you forget what he did for us?! What they did for us?!" my dad shouted, silencing my mom.

"Alam kong nagaalala ka para sa pamilya natin, pero tandaan mo rin kung anong natulong nila sa'tin. Maliit na bagay nga lang 'to para makabawi sa ginawa nila sa'tin." my dad said, sighing.

"How about our daughter? mapapahamak siya sa ginagawa mo" my mom said.

"Hindi ko 'yon hahayaang mangyare! mahal ko kayo, kaya po-protektahan ko kayo hanggang sa abot ng makakaya ko" my dad replied, dismissing the topic.

I was left completely dumbfounded. What in the world are they arguing about?

A month drifted by in a pleasant haze. Life was good. I'd made a new friend, Kleia, who'd seamlessly integrated into our group—Icyzel, Kleia, Blair, and me—and we were having a lot of fun. Blair, however, had a habit of giving me unsettling looks, a creepy intensity in her gaze that suggested she knew something I didn't. Meanwhile, Kali and I remained strangers; our single encounter unresolved, and I still found myself admiring her from afar. As for the man who'd saved me, the mystery remained. I still searched for him, but the lack of any physical description—I'd never seen his face—left me with no leads.

Icyzel and I sat peacefully in the cafeteria, our conversation drifting towards the origins of her relationship with Blair. Kleia wasn't with us today; we were in different departments, but we'd see her later. A forkful of food paused mid-air as I inquired, my tone laced with gentle confusion, "So, you met her in a playground?"

Icyzel elaborated, her voice calm and reminiscent. "Yes. She was sitting on a swing, crying. I approached her cautiously; initially, she seemed frightened. When I asked why she was upset, she simply replied, 'I'm alone.' I responded, 'You're not alone; I'm here now.' And that's how our friendship began."

"Did you ask her why she felt alone?" I questioned, genuinely curious.

Icyzel nodded, a slight sadness in her eyes. "I did, but she just cried and said she couldn't tell everyone. So I respected her wishes. She still hasn't told me anything about it."

I leaned forward slightly. "Aren't you curious?"

Icyzel smiled softly, a thoughtful expression replacing the sadness. "Of course, I am. But I value her feelings and don't want to pressure her into sharing something she's not ready to talk about."

Looking at Icyzel, I felt a warmth spread through me. Her kindness shone through, a pure and gentle light. The depth of her care for her girlfriend was evident, and her naturally cheerful disposition made her presence a joy.

Suddenly, Blair appeared, a radiant smile illuminating her face. "Hello, everyone!" she chirped, holding two bouquets of flowers. "One for my darling," she said, presenting one to Icyzel. Then, turning to me, she added, "And one for my girlfriend's best friend."

Icyzel's eyes widened in surprise. "Thank you, baby! But what's the occasion? And I love your smile—what's up?" she asked, her voice a mixture of curiosity and affection.

"Nothing, babe," Blair replied with a cheeky grin, settling down beside Icyzel. "I just wanted to give you both some flowers."

Icyzel playfully narrowed her eyes. "Hmm… you're bad at lying, babe. I can sense it."

I chuckled. "I guess your girlfriend knows you very well, Blair."

"Well, actually, there is something," Blair admitted, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Icyzel's eyebrows shot up. "I knew it! What is it?"

Blair leaned closer to Icyzel, a conspiratorial whisper escaping her lips. "Tomorrow is the school exam!"

Icyzel and I winced simultaneously at Blair's announcement. (Blair, by the way, loved exams.)

"Teh, that's not good news for Icy and me," I said, rolling my eyes at Blair.

"What? Why? Exam week is really nice, you know," Blair argued, completely oblivious.

"For you! Not for us!" I clarified.

"Alis na nga ako, para makapag-review ako," I said, gathering my things and leaving. I could hear Blair and Icyzel laughing behind me.

I arrived in the classroom; it was still early. Only one other person was there: Kali. She was quietly reading a book, not even glancing up when I entered—clearly uninterested. I sat down, opened my laptop, and started working. I felt her eyes on me, so I glanced over, but she quickly looked away. I put on some music on Spotify, turning up the volume slightly. I heard her sigh, but ignored it. "Can you lower your volume? I'm reading," she said, her British accent cutting through the music.

Not only did I obey her request, but I also put on my earphones to avoid disturbing her further. I glanced at her to see her reaction, but she remained indifferent. I started reviewing, using my textbook, phone, and laptop. I heard someone speaking, but it wasn't from my Spotify playlist, so I lowered the volume. She was singing.

You don't understand how much you really mean to me

I need you in my life, you're my necessity, yeah

But believe me, you're everything that just makes my world complete

My love is clear, the only thing that I'll ever see

Her voice was beautiful. I turned off my Spotify to listen to her. I pretended to read my book, subtly hiding my attentiveness. Her voice echoed softly in the classroom, a private concert for just the two of us. She didn't know I was listening.

You're all I ever need

Baby, you're amazing

You're my angel, come and save me

Oh

You're all I ever need

Baby, you're amazing

You're my angel, come and save me

She stopped singing when a boy entered the classroom. She became serious, returning to her book, and didn't sing again, much to my disappointment.

"H-hi, Averja," the boy said, his voice barely above a whisper, clearly shy.

I removed my earphones and smiled at him. "Hi, do you need anything?"

"I-I know that we barely talk, but I l-like you," he stammered, extending a box of chocolates toward me. I glanced at the chocolates, then back at him; he was looking down, clearly embarrassed.

"Thank you," I said, taking the box from his hands. He smiled shyly when I accepted it.

"Why do you like me?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"You're so smart and beautiful," he replied, and I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips.

"I'm Vincenzo," he introduced himself.

"Ah yes, I remember you," I said, recalling his name.

"Y-you remember me?" he asked, shyly, his cheeks flushing crimson.

"Yes, of course," I replied, smiling warmly.

"I like you so much!" he blurted out, then practically ran from the classroom. I laughed at his flustered exit, his shyness so endearing. I placed the box of chocolates on my desk.

I glanced at the girl in the row across from me. She was asleep, and a small smile touched my lips; she looked so peaceful. A strand of hair had fallen across her face, so I carefully approached her, making sure not to wake her. Gently, I brushed the hair away, and my breath hitched. Her face, in the soft light, was breathtakingly beautiful.

I sat in the empty seat beside her, continuing to gaze at her face. "I don't know what you did to me," I whispered, gently stroking a strand of her hair. "Why do I like you so much? Do you know how much I love you? What have you done to me? Why am I like this?" My voice was barely audible, a confession to the sleeping girl beside me. She hummed softly, a sound that felt like a response to my unspoken questions. A soft chuckle escaped my lips.

I heard footsteps approaching our classroom. Quickly, I stood, returning to my own seat. Before I did, however, I leaned down and kissed her forehead, whispering in her ear, "Sleep well, mahal."

Icyzel entered the classroom with some of our classmates. Spotting me, she rushed over.

"Nandito ka lang pala. I've been searching for you everywhere," she said, seating herself beside me.

"Sabi ko di ba magr-review ako," I replied.

"Hindi mo naman sinabi saan eh. Basta ka na lang umalis," she said, rolling her eyes as she pulled out her books and placed them on the desk.

"Ay, sorry," I said, chuckling lightly.

A few minutes later, the rest of our classmates arrived, break time is over. Our professor entered.

"Good afternoon. Today marks the start of your exam week, so review diligently. Don't procrastinate. The exam is tomorrow, so make sure you review carefully," she announced, her tone firm yet fair.

Everyone grumbled but ultimately complied. The classroom fell silent except for the rustling of papers, the turning of pages, and the rhythmic clicking of keyboards.

"I have an announcement, class," our professor said, her voice cutting through the quiet concentration. "After exam week, we will have a vacation. It's a beach resort owned by the school owner. We'll stay there for three days."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. I looked at Icyzel; she was smiling and nodded at me. Pinag-usapan siguro nila 'yon nung wala ako, aba, well at least na-solo ko yung crush ko kanina.

We were all buzzing with excitement, the prospect of vacation fueling our last-minute review session. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day.

"Finally! I want to go home," Icyzel groaned, rubbing her neck. It looked stiff from studying.

We gathered our things, stuffing books and laptops into our bags. I was ready to leave, and glanced across the room. The girl from the other row was also getting ready to go. I wanted to talk to her.

"Wait lang, Icy, ah," I said, starting toward her, but someone stepped in front of me.

"Hi, Averja," Vincenzo said, a little shyly. "I was going to go to your seat, but it's good you came here. Are you going home now?"

"Hi, Vincenzo. Yes, I'm going home. I'm going with Icy," I replied.

"Oh, okay. Take care. Mauna na ako," he mumbled, then hurried away.

I looked across the room again, but she was gone. Damn it.

I heard Icyzel calling me, so I followed her out of the classroom. Kleia and Blair were already waiting; they were in the same department.

"Tagal niyo naman, pota," Kleia snapped, clearly irritated.

"Ito na nga eh. Tara na, uwi na tayo," I said, rolling my eyes at her.

"Kapal ng mukha mo, porket ihahatid ka lang namin," Icyzel retorted to Kleia.

"Aba, malamang! Kailangan niyo ako ihatid, noh? Mamaya ma-kidnap pa ako, eh," Kleia replied defensively, as we started walking toward the parking lot.

"Tanga, walang mangki-kidnap sa'yo. Ayaw nila sa bakulaw," I teased, and the three of us laughed.

"Wow, porket maganda ka, ah," Kleia retorted, playfully hitting me on the head.

We piled into Blair's car, still laughing. Blair was driving, Icyzel in the passenger seat, and Kleia and I in the back.

"Alam niyo ba, may nakita akong magandang babae na lumabas sa classroom niyo? Mukha siyang goddess, mga pare! Tapos meron siyang grey eyes. Ang ganda niya, shet!" Kleia exclaimed. My ears perked up at the mention of grey eyes.

"Huyy, Averja, inaagaw ni Kleia yung crush mo, oh," Icyzel teased, earning a raised eyebrow from me.

"Crush mo siya?" Kleia asked directly.

"Gusto ko siya," I replied, my tone colder than intended.

"Luh, gagi, galit ka? Tanga, sabi ko lang naman na maganda siya. Di ko naman aagawin, eh," Kleia protested.

"Okay," I replied curtly.

"Matampuhin, ampota! Blair, deretso ka nga sa Jollibee. Nagugutom na ako, eh," Kleia announced, changing the subject.

"Patay gutom," Icyzel chuckled.

We stopped at Jollibee, utilizing the drive-thru for a quick meal of burgers, fries, and sodas. The restaurant was overflowing with customers, so we ate in the car, the usual banter filling the space. Icyzel and Kleia's playful squabbling was a constant soundtrack to our drive, punctuated by Blair and my shared laughter. Kleia was dropped off first, leaving just Blair, Icyzel, and me. As Blair pulled up to my house, a sense of unease settled over me as I overheard snippets of a hushed conversation from within.

My father's voice, low and serious, cut through the quiet. "I've informed Gustavo about what I overheard about Mateo."

My mother's response was equally grave. "Have you discovered Mateo's hiding place? The thing we're after?"

"Not yet, but I've uncovered something significant," my father replied, his tone laced with a chilling finality. "Mateo has a child. He intends to use this child as leverage against us."

A knot of confusion tightened in my stomach. Who's Mateo? And what was this "thing" they were after? The implications were heavy, the veiled threats resonating with an unspoken danger.

My mother's voice, laced with a tremor of apprehension, broke the silence. "What possible connection could his child have to us?"

My father's answer was chillingly calculated. "The child itself holds no direct connection to our family. However, there's a link to William, and through William...we are implicated. I haven't fully unraveled the specifics yet, but the connection is undeniable."

My mother's sigh was a heavy exhale of worry, her hand instinctively rising to her face. The unspoken tension hung heavy in the air, a silent drama playing out behind closed doors.

I entered their room, my cheerful greeting a stark contrast to the gravity of their conversation. Their startled reactions only served to underscore the hidden currents of tension that ran beneath the surface of our seemingly ordinary family life. The casual farewells and offers of food felt hollow against the backdrop of the cryptic exchange I had just overheard. The mystery hung in the air, thick and suffocating, as I retreated to my room, the weight of unspoken secrets settling heavily on my shoulders. The seemingly simple details of the day – the laughter with friends, the fast food, the ride home – now felt distant and surreal, overshadowed by the ominous undercurrent of my parents' clandestine conversation.