The Sleuth Project ✓

Chapter 22: Skeletons in the Closet

Kaibigan ko sila ng apat na taon. Quinn thought bitterly. They of all people shouldn't judge me for doing whatever the hell I want. I deserve to do things on my own accord.

As the silent tension between the three of them grew, Quinn understood that Jarrell and Rein were waiting for him to explain. But the dark-skinned boy of course, was not yet ready to acknowledge the elephant in the room, and hoped that the two boys would understood and respect his silence.

Yet after a few more seconds of ringing silence, Quinn gave a bitter smile. He was disappointed in them for not understanding that he didn't want to speak, as much as they were disappointed with him for abandoning them when they needed him most.

"Sa kwarto lang ako." The spectacled boy finally spoke, not meeting their questioning gazes.

"Ha?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Jarrell. "Hindi ka ba kakain—"

Quinn didn't let Jarrell finish his sentence as he eventually shut himself in his own room, locking the door swiftly. Jarrell's face immediately fell at this action, and Rein's look of disappointment turned into disdain.

This wasn't the Quinn they knew.

And what haunted Rein the most as he stared at Quinn's closed door, was that maybe, they never really knew Quinn at all.

Shaking his head with a grimace, he then snatched his laptop bag from the coffee table, hurriedly pushing his laptop and journal inside it before slinging the bag over his shoulder.

"I'll be at the library." Rein muttered under his breath, remembering that before the three ladies had left there dorm, he and Ann had an agreement. Napag-usapan ng dalawa na magkita sa library pagkatapos nilang kumain ng pang-hapunan, with the notion to work on their novel now that they have a little lead regarding their investigation.

As Rein headed towards the door, Jarrell, who would usually greet him goodbye with loud, obnoxious, smooching sounds just to spite him, did not give a reply. He was too bothered with Quinn's distant attitude to think about anything else.

Napatigil sa paglalakad si Rein at lumingon sa kaniyang tahimik na kaibigan. He would have to cheer Jarrell up later.

With a deep exhale, Rein then shut their dormitory door behind him and made his way towards the library, which was opened until nine in the evening. Right now, it was only 6:30 p.m. — still enough time for him and Ann to write a chapter or two for their novel.

As Rein walked out of the dormitory building and across the campus, the young man unconsciously squared his shoulders stiffly as the tension between him and his friends weighed him down.

Around him, the campus was lit in its usual warm lights that made the place comforting. But despite the cozy aura, Rein did not feel at all comforted, for Quinn's sudden presence reignited the feeling he had felt that morning when they learned that he had abandoned them. It was the disgusting feeling of betrayal.

Pakiramdam nito ay may tinatagong sikreto si Quinn sa kanila. And right now, keeping secrets were something that they shouldn't be doing as a group. Kailangan nilang pagkatiwalaan ang isa't-isa, especially if they wanted to outsmart their opponent as a team.

But if Quinn has no plans on telling them sooner about his secret agenda today, Rein would have no choice but to deem him suspicious — even if he was his longtime friend.

Napailing si Rein. Maybe I'm being too harsh on him? He asked himself with a sigh, finally entering the library by pushing the double doors with one hand.