Montague Academy has a perfect reputation-a famous school known for its identity as "the School for the Elites," where most of its students come from wealthy and notorious families. Nathalie had never imagined herself entering this school. But one i...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Diana's missing. Diana's missing.
Those words kept repeating on my mind. I was stunned for a few seconds. It was as if my world was slowly crashing down. My mind was clouded with possible assumptions and.. they are NOT good assumptions.
I was pulled out from my reverie when someone nudged me. "A penny for your thoughts, cuppycake? Is something bothering you?"
Wala sa sarili akong napailing bago ibulsa ang phone ko. "I'm sorry Dustin but I need to go."
Napakunot ang noo ni Dustin na para bang nagtataka siya. I can see that he's trying to analyze what's bothering me. Alam ko rin na aalma siya. But before he could protest, I immediately left.
"Pero sugarplum, may sugat ka pa," I heard him said before I closed the rooftop door behind me.
This wound can wait. My friend is lost and she needs me now.
Agad akong naglakad papunta sa elevator. As the elevator door closes, nakita ko ang reflection ko. Gods, I'm a mess. I look like a zombie. Ang gulo ng buhok ko tapos may mga cuts ako sa iba't ibang parte ng katawan. Kadiri pa at mukhang natuyo sa katawan ko yung kaninang dugo. Tapos pinagpapawisan pa ako.
Hays, bahala na nga. Friend before face. Sana okay lang si Diana. Alam kong napakababaw na hanapin ko siya porket nawawala siya. Pwede namang nagliwaliw siya or ano. Pero iba kasi naging pakiramdam ko nung si XOXO ang nag-message.
Sino ba kasi talaga itong XOXO na ito? At ano bang pakay niya?
***
Nakarating naman ako sa dorm and I saw Snow pacing back and forth in the room. Nang makita niya ako ay napahinto siya at agad na lumapit. She hugged me as tears flow from her eyes.
"Nat, si Diana. She's missing," naiiyak niyang usal.
I creased my eyebrows. "Huwag kang umiyak. Malay mo nagliliwaliw lang."
Bumitaw siya sa yakap at umiling. "Tell me, kapag nagliliwaliw ba ang isang tao ay iiwan niyang may bakas ng dugo ang mga sketch niya?"
"What?"
"Follow me," sabi ni Snow at nagsimula na maglakad.
Ihave a bad feeling about this.
Nang makarating kami sa pwesto ni Diana ay napansin ko ang kalat-kalat na papel sa kama niya.
"Maybe that's just red paint," puna ko sa mga red lines na nag-form ng x sa drawings ni Diana.
Umiling naman si Snow. "It's too foul of a smell to be just paint."
May point nga naman. I sat on the bed and looked at each of the drawings. Nandon 'yung mask na nakita ko last time. Meron din drawing ng ahas, rosas, at baril.
Weird.
Kinuha ko isa-isa 'yung mga papel at may nahaharangan pa pala ang mga ito. Isang litrato. Medyo malabo na ang litrato kasi nababalot ito ng dugo pero kita pa rin naman ang laman nito.
