Kung pag-iisipan, bakit may kamatayan? Natural lang ba ito? Masasabi kong hindi, resulta ito ng pagkakasala ng tao at kailanman ay hindi naging normal ang kasalanan.
I have so many things to do at natutuliro na ako kung paano ko imamanage ang oras ko. Being the new president is not an easy task, kailangan kong kumilos and make this academy with its students better. I also have to maintain my consistency as the top student of this academy. I have become the decision maker in the organization and now I am in a team with two psychos in pursuit of a killer. I don't even know why I agreed to this.
Marami pa akong gagawin at dapat unahin but here I am, standing outside the observed office and waiting for the chief officer to come out.
Si Santera ay kanina pa naiinip at gustong pasukin ang crime scene while Aiden's a few meters away from us, he's talking to someone on the phone.
A few minutes later, a tall intimidating man in his professional uniform, probably in his 40's walked out of the room. May hawak itong folder. Kaagad naman kaming lumapit at sumunod si Aiden. The chief looked at us at itinaas ang kanang kilay niya.
"Anong kailangan niyo?" mababa ang boses nito at may kalakihan. Parang galit din kung magsalita.
"Good morning Sir, I am the School's president and we would like to inquire if we could observe the scene" mas lalong nangunot ang noo nito.
"Ano namang kinalaman nito sa inyo?" sagot nito, mukhang naiinis na sa pangingialam namin.
"As I've said sir, president po ako ng school. It is only my rightful job to know the cases in this school to make preventive measures and further precautions." I said trying to be as convincing as I can.
"Tss!" singhal nito. "Kaya mong gumawa ng ganiyan ng walang koneksyon sa crime scene" he's right, but no! I gotta twist his words and make an appeal para may masabi siyang information tungkol sa kaso.
"Can we at least know kung ano po yung main cause ng death niya? Lumabas na po ba yung autopsy report?" kahit hindi gan'on kabilis maprocess ang autopsy, alam kong gagawan ng school ng paraan para mapadali ito.
"Huwag na kayong mangialam."
May sasabihin pa sana ako nang biglang magsalita si Aiden.
"I am the victim's brother, sir." mangiyak-ngiyak pa ito at pinalungkot ang boses. Not specifying that he was his half-brother. Pinipigilan naman ni Santera ang kaniyang pagtawa. Hawak na niya ang kaniyang tiyan at kunting tulak nalang ay hahalakhak na ito. Alam ng lahat kung gaano kaayaw ni Aiden si Clive, and without him knowing, he became one of the suspects on my list. I know Santera thinks of that too kaya gustong-gusto niyang gumawa ng grupo na kasama si Aiden.
But if Aiden is the killer, then who was the one we saw hanging the secretary? Aiden was with us when it happened.
"Hindi oobra sa'kin ang mga paganyan-ganyan niyo. Ang mabuti pa bumalik na kayo sa mga klase niyo." I know wala na kaming magagawa at kapag pinilit namin ay mapapasama kami.
The officer is looking firm in his words. Is he really a decent worker? Most of us tend to criticize them for their hidden agendas. But if you were to look at yourselves, are you any better than them? What distinguish you from them is the honorifics.
I turned my back and started walking. When they noticed my missing presence and looked back, they immediately followed me. Funny! My title and authority moved them.
Title. Is that the basis of credibility and authority?
I once remembered being alone in my room. Dad was out of the country for the promotion of his experiments. I was nearly 9 years old and old enough to gain consciousness of my health. The only person to take care of me was the neighbor, she'll go and check on me from time to time, but I couldn't care more. At that age, I've become so independent with the training and trust Dad gave me. I remember waking up in the middle of the night, having difficulty breathing, my chest was tightening. It is like I am being suffocated to death but I managed to take slow deep breaths until I fell asleep. The next day went the same and the following days. I scribbled through my gadgets and figured I was having dyspnea. No, I'm not saying I am confident I have it. I just am so sure that I'm not well and that I am sick. I thought it was just a temporary dyspnea as what I thought after an intense physical activity as I was too engaged in archery so I decided to take an off from it for a while. But the shortness of breath didn't stop. I was so sure it is not because of archery that I'd been experiencing dyspnea so I told the neighbor the next day she came.
She didn't believe me.
I was nine.
I told her that I've been having difficulty in breathing, she said she understands me and that she had experienced what I'm going through, explaining to me that when as a child, the mind wanders and curiousness strikes. She said I am just curious about how respiration works, so when I think of breathing, I tend to control it and that's when my mind works to deceive me of not knowing how to properly breathe.
But I know that wasn't the case. I know I was sick. Though I never told Dad about it, I never wanted him to prioritize me over his work.
I bottled all the pain. Every day, I kept telling her I'm sick but she never listened and would just disregard me. I thought, maybe because of my age, I'm entitled to be imaginative and childish. To be playful and naive. But no! Does my title as a child hold no significance to my consciousness of health?
Until one fine day, she found me lying on the floor near the kitchen, unconscious. I was rushed to the hospital. I knew something was really wrong with me, but just then I was diagnosed with heart failure.
"Pres!" My sentiments were pushed back by a loud shout in my ear.
Chandiel!
"Pres, kanina ka pa lutang" She rolled her eyes while I showed her a smile.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked her looking intently to those wishful eyes.
"Wala! Nag-expired na"
"Dati nang expired 'yang laway mo" Aiden blurted. I didn't notice him. He is standing behind me, a few steps away.
"Yung sasabihin yung nag-expired, hindi yung laway. Sira din pala utak mo eh!"
"Callarse!" sabi ko habang hinihilot ang noo.
"Ano yun pres?" She asked.
"He said shut up," Aiden replied.
"Ayy, sorry sorry pres," she said.
"Aiden, bihasa ka parin ba sa paghahack?" I turned to him remembering he used to hack our organization's system. He once eliminated our transaction to a corporation. Turns out, it's his dad's. And no one really knows Aiden is an archer, well except for the team and now Santera. He always wears a mask when going to our trainings and meetings so I'm guessing he doesn't want anyone to know he's into archery, or he doesn't wanna be caught? Whichever, I know he's hiding the fact of relating to archery.
And it's to his advantage that we are not seen in public and uses only codenames.
"Bakit?" he asked.
"We'll use your skill in getting pieces of information from the police." I turned serious. Aaminin kong I'm bothered if this ever comes out. My image would be ruined in an instant.
"You want me to hack their system?"
"Malamang 'yon ang implication ng sinabi niya." Santera butted in at pumagitna sa amin, she gazed at Aiden at ngumiwi. "Didn't expect you to be this slow. Tsk tsk" pinipikon na naman niya ang kaharap.
"Quit for a while Santera!" no, baka akala niyo sinigawan ko siya. That was an emphasis.
"Hala Pres, Santera pala tawag mo sa'kin?" umakto itong nabigla at inilagay pa ang kamay sa bibig upang takpan. " 'wag pakiusap , 'wag!" she's trying to sound hysterical. No one informed me this academy's standard stooped low to admit a psycho.
Aiden's disgust is clearly depicted on his face.
"Ang badoy ng Santera, palitan mo naman 'yang tawag mo sa'kin" she continued as she scratched the back of her right ear. "Pahiram nalang ng apelyido mo pres hehe"
Parehong nalukot ang mukha namin ni Aiden. This girl never stops. She'll say anything she wants to obtain fun.
"Diel it is then," I said ending the topic about that.
Nilingon ko ulit si Aiden.
"Okay I'll do it but it'll take time to crash through their system. You know how it usually works. This is a prestigious school, they won't hire lowly officers, and their system holding info about the case, siguradong mas pinatibay ang security."
"But you're good. Can you do it within 2 days? The day after Clive's memorial program." I am not trusting Aiden. No one asked but I'm quite skilled at hacking too. I'll get that information also and see if he takes something from it.
"Sure. I'll figure that out"
"So hindi na tayo papasok sa crime scene?" Santera... well Diel, asked.
"We'll break in after obtaining the information Aiden gets."
"Sabi na eh!" tiningnan niya si Aiden at ngumisi na parang nangungutya at nagmamalaki. "See? Told'ya, information talaga nauuna."
Her, boasting. We disregarded it and she just rolled her eyes. I'm right. We would never get along peacefully. They are both psychotics.
"So, mga 2 days after gan'on? Pagkatapos ng kaek-ekan para kay Clive?"
It's now Aiden's turn to roast her. "Malamang that's the implication of that." He smirked. "Didn't expect you to be this slow. Tsk tsk" ganti nito sa kaninang pang-aasar ni...Diel. Yes, it's Diel now.
Diel just shrugged him off, not offended by it. She's always been unbothered, she only takes on fun fights.
"By the way, Aiden, aren't you sad about Clive's passing?" she asked, walking to a nearby shade because of the heat that was penetrating her skin.
Aiden mockingly laughed. He put his hands in his pocket and smirked.
"Not even the slightest?" ako naman ang nagtanong sa kaniya.
"Why would I mourn for him? He's not worth my time."
"Then why are you here? What's your deal? Chasing his killer, huh." Diel fueled.
Just then, Aiden's phone rang and he checked the caller. He raised his phone and an eyebrow, asking permission to leave. I nodded in response.
Well, that was a nice way of escaping interrogation. What is he really up to? He suddenly showed up at this school and days after, there were murders. And Diel, I never wanted to entertain this but...why is she so eager for this catch? Does she perhaps have something to do with this?
I continued walking but someone grabbed my hand and I was swayed to turn.
Her.
I put a questioning look. It's becoming her hobby to hold my hand. Tss.
She's also unable to move or say a word. She's looking directly at my soul. Her smile started to fade and all that was left is embarrassment.
Binitawan na niya ang aking kamay at humakbang paatras. Iniyuko niya ang kaniyang ulo kasabay ng pamumula ng kaniyang pisngi at tainga.
We were both taken aback when my hand unconsciously traced its way to tap her head. She looked up to me and my hand stayed frozen in the warmth of her hair.
"Pres.."
Her breathings were heavy and slow. Her eyes speak a thousand syllables. As if not knowing what to do, she removed my hand from her head and rushed, escaping. Muntik pa siyang matalisod sa bilis ng takbo niya.
I smiled and stared at my hand.
_______
I have just taken a shower and dried my hair. I wore my readied suit and looked in the mirror once more.
"hijo, vamos" that's Dad. We're off to a formal dinner meeting with someone I don't know. He said we're meeting a business tycoon.
"de enmediato" I answered and went downstairs.
"Por qué? Pareces un tonto. Sonriendo desde que llegaste a casa" Dad and his comments. That's the bond I'm talking about. Throwing touches of sarcasm.
"Qué? Me veo guapo como siempre papá."
"Ah! Sí lo que sea. Recuerdo que te pareces a mí." he smiled to himself, bringing my face justice.
When we reached our destination, we head straight inside to a private reception. We were the ones who came first. I sat and observed. Looking at the grandiosity of this place, I can tell Dad ain't joking. We're really meeting a tycoon. I'm not new to this kind of environment but I'm not also comfortable to deal with things like these.
I scrolled through my social media account while waiting. I searched Diel's account, and what I'm seeing so far is that her timeline is filled with violent thoughts and photos of blood.
I wonder what brought her to this strange obsession. Does she love blood that much? Can it be to the point of killing for that addiction?
Next was Aiden's account. There is nothing much in it. Just tagged posts from the elite's social circles.
"No hables demasiado cuando estén aquí."Dad said sitting beside me.
"Por qué?"
"Bueno, Debería esconder un genio." he smiled and fixed his tie. He turned to look at me. "Crees que no debería?"
"debería"
A moment later, we heard steps coming. Tumayo kami at binalingan ang mga dumating. Isang matanda na mga nasa 60's ang may hawak na baston. Nakasunod dito ang dalawang lalakeng anak niya. Ang isa ay seryoso at blangko ang ekspresyon, ang isa naman ay ngumingiti ng mapang-asar habang nakatingin sa akin.
Both parties gave respect. A handshake and a smile.
"Come on, let's sit." anang matanda. He sat on the other side of the table parallel to my father. Ang hula kong panganay na anak ay naupo sa kanan nito at ang isa ay sa kaliwa, kaharap ko.
My father and the tycoon started talking about business. Napag-alaman kong hospital director ang matanda. He also owns an airline locally and across the country. The first son, in his graduating year majors in biology. The second, who sits facing me, I was quite acquainted that this jerk took biochemistry.
"What course is he on?" the old man asked my dad, referring to me. I did what he told me, I didn't talk much. I responded to frequent questions with a yes and a no.
"Oh, he has taken Chemistry," Dad replied.
"Oh, you're in 2nd year. Right?" he stopped cutting his meat for a while and looked at me. "You're in the same year as Luke." he continued and glanced at his second son. "He also told me na ikaw daw ang pumalit na presidente, magkasama na pala kayo ngayon sa council."
"Yes, He is my Vice President, sir," I said. Luke smirked and later smiled mockingly. I don't know what's his deal. Kanina pa nangungutya ang mga tinging tinatapon niya sa'kin.
"Oh, then that's great! Please guide my son." the old man said showing a humble smile.
"I will, sir. I will" emphasizing the last part.
"I'll do..."We waited for what he was about to say. It's the first of his phrase since we came. "...likewise."