DESPEDIDA GONE WRONG. What's supposed to be a memorable send-off party ends up in tragedy as the celebrant drops dead after making a toast. Of all the possibilities, murder seems to be most likely scenario. And the suspects? The four attendees who w...
TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains some details that might be disturbing to some readers, including, but not limited to, references to lewdness and rape.
Please be mindful of these sensitive themes and other possible triggers. Remember to practice self-care before, during and after reading.
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BEATRICE
IF I had known that would be the last we would ever have an honest one-on-one talk, I wished I had asked him more questions and got the answers that I was seeking for. I wished I did not hold back when I got the chance.
"Sir, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me," I told Sir Zafra when it was my turn to talk to him in private. Anastacia came here before me, and they spent fifteen minutes on the balcony. Yes, I counted because I was always looking at the time on my phone screen, eagerly waiting for my turn. "For that, I am truly, truly grateful."
I took the seat beside him and looked at the evening scenery in front of us. I put my head on his right shoulder and held his hand. "Kung hindi dahil sa inyo, wala ako sa posisyon na 'to ngayon."
"You deserved that position in the council more than anyone else," Sir Zafra said. "The USC would have been way different if that Sean won the seat. All I did was to clear the path for you. You did the rest of the job by yourself. Kung may dapat kang pasalamatan, walang iba kundi ang sarili mo."
I would like to think of him as a genie who could grant people's wishes. In the last student council general elections, I ran as an independent for the position of secretary. My opponent was from the ruling party. He had a greater chance of winning. I was clearly the underdog in the secretarial race. I would have possibly lost because I was not that popular.
Frustrated, I went to the Guidance and Counseling Office and there I confided with Sir Zafra my thoughts and feelings. I told him that I might not have a shot at winning, and my possible loss was stressing me out. He tried to comfort me, but words were not enough to soothe my soul. I had to win! I knew I should win!
Not to brag, but I knew in myself that I would do a great job—not just good—as the USC secretary. How about my opponent? Not to be judgmental, but he was not even half as competent as I was. He was probably one of those aspiring officers who wanted to use their popularity to win a seat in the council.
When Sir Zafra learned of my dilemma, he promised me that the situation would get better and that I should trust in my potential. I left his office with only a quarter of my burdens lifted. I even asked myself if I had made the right choice of confiding in him.
Then the situation did get better. The next day, our campus paper published an article about an audio recording where Sean was caught saying stuff that were lewd and disturbing.
"Alam n'yo bang matagal ko nang pinagnanasahan 'yang si ******? Gusto ko nga siyang lasingin 'tapos gawin kong pulutan! Mukha siyang masarap, eh!"
