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...
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ANASTACIA
I DID not want to let go of his hand, but I had to. Kailangan kong magtiwala kay Cole. Kailangang kong magtiwala sa innocence niya. Despite now being the most suspected, he still accepted the invitation to the police station wholeheartedly. If he had nothing to hide, then there's no reason for him to turn it down.
Still I couldn't help but worry about him. What if he's being framed up by someone on Zack's death? What if the real killer was out there, watching this whole drama unfold? Dapat 'yon ang mas pagtuunan ng pansin ng mga pulis. Pero nandito sila sa gymnasium at sinusundan ang lead na wala namang patutunguhan.
"Don't worry about me. I'm innocent so I have nothing to prove to them. I'll just show them good faith, okay?"
"But—"
"Mag-focus ka muna sa audition mo, Stacy."
Kahit na ganito ang sitwasyon, ako pa rin ang iniisip niya. Ang audition ko pa rin ang gusto niyang unahin ko kaysa alalahanin siya. Cole didn't deserve this type of treatment.
"Anastacia."
"Ano 'yon, Desmond?" I turned around to face the bespectacled student behind me. He's not the type to start a conversation kaya may pagtataka sa isip ko kung bakit bigla niya akong tinawag.
"Hindi nawala ni Cole ang varsity jacket niya," sabi ni Desmond. "May kumuha n'on mula sa kanya."
My eyes squinted at him. What did he mean by that? Hindi ko alam kung masyado akong affected sa nangyayari kaya may kabagalan ang process ng utak ko o kung hindi nagme-make sense ang sinabi niya.
"Pwede mo bang i-explain sa akin kung ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"
He rolled his eyes first. "Sabihin na nating may nagnakaw sa varsity jacket ni Cole. At may ideya ako kung saan nangyari 'yon."
"T-Talaga?!" My hands held him on both of his shoulders. Napaangat ang mga balikat niya at napatingin sa mga kamay ko. He looked like he wanted to slap them away. "Bakit hindi mo agad sinabi sa mga pulis? Bakit makatulong 'yan para mapatunayan ang innocence ni Cole!"
"Kailangan ko munang ma-confirm bago ko sabihin sa kanila," pabalang na sagot ni Desmond. Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko at tinanggal mula sa kanyang mga balikat. "Malaki ang tiwala ko sa aking memory. Ngunit gusto kong one hundred percent muna akong sigurado."
"Then tell me where! Where was Cole's jacket stolen?"
"In the Guidance and Counseling Office."
"Eh?"
Instead of explaining it any further, Desmond just walked out of the gymnasium. Sumunod ako sa kanya at paulit-ulit na tinanong kung ano'ng meron doon at kung bakit doon nawala ang jacket. But he kept quiet while we're walking toward the college building. He got more annoyed every time I threw him a question, kaya nanahimik muna ako. Baka imbes na i-share niya sa 'kin kung ano ang nalalaman niya, magbago pa ang kanyang isip.
