Detective Rivalry

Chapter 15: Assistance

Cali knocked three times before turning the doorknob clockwise.

The cold air coming from the inside of the room welcomed us. The room was painted in white and is very clean. Pictures of the different board members are pinned on the wall. There are wooden and metal drawers with labels in them. The room was very organized and cleaned properly for neither dust nor papers can be seen scattered in the white tiled floor. Its been a while since I last went here.

At the center of the room, there located a rectangular long white table with 9 people seated on swivel chairs.

5 of them are students since they are wearing the same uniforms as us, a teacher to whom I recognize is seated beside the students and the other 3 are-- if I'm not mistaken-- board members.

Naglakad sila Cali at Eudayme papunta sa 4 na bakanteng swivel chair at tsaka umupo. Sumunod naman ako sa kanila at naupo sa tabi ni Eudayme.

Kaharap namin sa upuan ang tatlong students na matamang tinitingnan kami nang mabuti. Nakita kong nakangiti lamang si Eudayme sa isang student at si Cali naman ay nakakrus lamang ang mga braso at nakapikit ang mata.

Ni isa ay walang nagsasalita, siguro ay may hinihintay pa silang isang tao dahil may isang bakanteng upuan ang aking nasa tabi.

Nakita kong tiningnan ni Eudayme ang kanyang relo. "He sure is late."

Bigla naman kaming nakarinig ng tatlong katok galing sa pinto dahilan para mapatingin kami dito. Pumasok naman si Inspector Madrigal nang may ngiti sa kanyang labi. Sinaraduhan na muna niya ang pinto bago pumunta sa bakanteng swivel chair na nasa tabi ko.

"Sorry I'm late, may inasikaso muna kasi ako sa opisina." Pagpapaumanhin niya at umupo sa upuan.

"Introduction first before anything else since some of you doesn't know each other yet." said one of the board members. If I'm not mistaken, he is the president of the board.

Tumayo naman siya bago magsalita. "Paulo Rehera, the president." Sabi niya at umupo ulit.

Sunod naman na tumayo ang katabi niya sa kanan. "Eloisa Magdale, Vice President." Pagpapakilala niya at pagkatapos ay umupo.

"Albert Dumayao, the secretary." sabi ng nakatayo.

Sunod naman na tumayo ang estudyanteng kaharap ni Cali. Matangkad, seryoso at kulay itim ang medyo mahaba niyang buhok na halos kapantay na ng kanyang mata, may matangos rin siyang ilong.

"Victor Emmanuel Valencia, SC President." He introduced in a monotonous voice.

Is he a relative of Cali? Sinulyapan ko ang nakaupo na si Cali at nakitang nakapikit pa rin ang kanyang mga mata. Tulog na ba yan?

Sunod naman na tumayo ang babaeng katabi niya. Halata sa kanyang mukha na siya ay isang masiyahing estudyante, mahaba ang kanyang straight na buhok at medyo singkit ang mga mata, matangos rin ang kanyang ilong.

"Cleophine Esmeralda, SC Vice President~" pagpapakilala niya, naalala ko tuloy si Adrianna sa kanya dahil sa pagsasalita niya.

"Christie Agatha Sacabi, SC Secretary." Pagpapakilala ng babaeng abot balikat ang kulot na buhok, kita na nagpupuyat siya dahil halata ang eyebags sa ilalim ng kanyang mga mata. Naalala ko yung favorite author ko dahil sa pangalan niya.

"Samuel Soriano, SC Auditor." sabi naman ng lalaking katabi ni Christie. Seryoso at mukhang nagwoworkout dahil sa built ng kanyang katawan. Maayos naman ang ayos ng kanyang itim na buhok at may matangos rin na ilong.

"Xachary Levi, SC Auditor." pagpapakilala ng huling estudyante. Ka-height ko lang yata siya. Medyo curly naman ang kanyang itim na buhok, may matangos na ilong at nakangiti ang kanyang labi.

"Lenard Amuro, Adviser of the SC." pagpapakilala naman ng isang guro, he's my math teacher kaya naman ay kilala ko siya.

Tapos na silang magpakilala kaya kami naman ang susunod.

Una namang tumayo si Eudayme upang magpakilala. "Eudayme Kalix Rufus, a grade 11 ABM student." Sabi niya ng may ngiti sa kanyang labi.

Sinenyasan ako ni Eudayme na ako na ang sunod kaya naman ay tumayo ako. "Felicine Nicolus, a grade 11 HUMMS student." I introduced myself and sat down.

"Cali Valencia." Maikling pagpapakilala ni Cali, at bumalik sa pagkakaupo sa swivel chair. Ipinikit niya ulit ang kanyang mga mata.

"Inspector Loel Madrigal." Inspector introduced his self.

Tumikhim naman si sir Paulo, ang President ng board at tsaka nagsalita.

"Sorry for calling you all first thing in the morning." he said. "I called this meeting regarding the bombing incident that happened last week as well as the organization that these 3 students encountered." turo niya sa aming tatlo.

Bigla namang nagtaas ng kamay si Xachary. Tumango naman si sir Paulo sa kanya senyas na pwede siyang magsalita.

"Why did you call us here together with them, sir? And what do you mean by organization?" He asked to the president.

"I'm not done yet." The board president said. "The organization that I mentioned has the name of L organization, according to the inspector. They are said to be dangerous and are willing to take the lives of many. No one knows what their true goal is but we have to stop them as soon as possible." he explained.

The next one to raise their hand is the SC Vice President. Sir Paulo allowed her to talk.

"This hunt will surely take long. You mentioned that the said organization are willing to take the lives of many. What if, only an if, they took a life of a student, how are we supposed to explain it to their family?" She asked. I thought of that question too.

"We still haven't thought of that but I assure you that they will not bad mouth and ruin the image of this school." He answered.

Lahat naman napaisip kung anong pwedeng gawin sa tanong ni Cleophine.

Biglang nagtaas ng kamay si Cali dahilan para mapatingin ako sa kanya. Nag 'go' signal naman si Sir Paulo sa kanya kaya naman ay nagsalita na siya.

"The resolution for that will be only exclusive for the board members." He said to everyone then turned his head to the board president. "Now sir, what do you want to tell us all?"

Hindi ba siya nahihiya sa pinaggagagawa niya? President na ang kausap niya pero parang kalevel niya lang ito.

Hindi naman natinag si sir Paulo sa ginawa ni Cali. Sanay na yata siya sa ugali niya.

"The Student Council will be at assistance for your investigation about the said organization." Sir Amuro announced.

~RIVALRY~