UNIVERSITY OF PAN: Triple Two

CHAPTER ONE: PUNISHMENTS

LAINE

I can't believe this is happening to me.

"I'm so dissapointed, especially in you, Shanon." dean Shantal said, fixing her daughter a disappointed look. Her pale yellow suit made her as respectful looking as she is intimidating. "Sneaking out at curfew hours in school year's second week? Really?"

Mabilis akong sumagot bago pa mapagalitan ni dean ang kaibigan ko. "It's really my fault, dean. Ako po ang nag-aya sa kanilang apat na mag-sneak out last night." I admitted, feeling ashamed.

Her serious, intelligent eyes zeroed in on me. "You? And four? Where's Andrea, then?"

Nagkatinginan kaming apat. It was Shan who answered her mother. "You know that she doesn't stay here at school's dorm, ma'am."

"At kahit ano po ang gawin namin, hinding hindi namin mapipilit 'yon na magbulakbol." dagdag ni Che.

The dean's brows furrowed.

"Is that what you're doing?"

Me and Shan gave Che identical flat looks, while Janine glared at her.

I turned to look directly at dean Shantal. "No, dean. I swear, hindi po kami nagbubulakbol."

She nodded slowly. "Because it's you, I'll take your word for that." I sat straighter. "But you still have to explain why you did it and tell me, what do you think you're trying to accomplish by doing what you did." It wasn't said as a question, but as a demand.

Muli ay nagpalitan kaming apat ng tingin. I looked at Shan, and she nodded, urging me to tell the truth.

I took a deep breath, and say my reason kahit medyo... childish. Maybe hindi ito ang reason ng ibang students na nakikita, napapansin, o naririnig kong nag-i-sneak-out past the curfew time, pero ito talaga ang reason ko.

"I did it because I was curious kung totoo po ang mga sabi-sabi tungkol sa thirteen wonders dito sa loob ng campus." hindi ko napigilang mapangiti. "Isa po sa nasabing thirteen wonders ay may nag-ha-haunt daw po sa college side's garden. Kaya po inaya ko sila to see if it's true." I finished, feeling silly all of a sudden now that I've thought about it. Kami lang siguro ang magkakarecord sa office na pag-go-ghost hunting ang reason.

"Is that so? Did you see a ghost, then?" the way the dean said it made me think that she's joking, but her serious yet calm expression rivalled her words.

Pero bago pa ako makasagot ay humirit na si Janine.

"Opo! Sumigaw pa nga po si Che, eh." she said, enthusiastic as ever.

Ugh.

Napapikit nalang ako nang dahan-dahang kumunot ang noo ni dean. Baka mamaya niyan ipa-drug test na rin niya kami.

"You what?"

"Totoo po! Nakita ko po 'yong multo! Lumulutang sa taas ng fountain!" dagdag pa ni Che. "Si Shan pa nga po ang unang nakakita, eh!"

Napahugot nalang ako ng hininga na hindi ko namalayang pinipigilan ko pala.

"Shanon?"

Shan gave the two her signature blank look before answering her mother in her polite tone. "We didn't see any ghost, ma'am. What we saw is probably just the moon's reflection on the water, right, Laine?"

"Reflection na lumulutang sa ere!?" bulalas nila Che at Ja.

"Probably just the moon's reflection." I agreed with Shan, sending a look to both Cherry and Janine to shut up.

Luckily, they get it.

"Okay." the dean leaned back slightly on her recliner chair. "Now that we're past the questioning part, let's talk about your punishments."