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C H A P T E R S I X
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🅥🅐🅤🅖🅗🅐🅝
"Vaughan, gusto mo?" Alok ni Trace sa popcorn na hawak niya. Umiling ako saka inilagay ang atensyon ko sa T.V.
"Perhaps, she wants my popcorn."
"Shut up, Criden."
We are currently watching the movie 'Wrong Turn'. Nagulat na lang ako nang pagdating ko ng dorm ay nakita ko silang tatlo na naghihintay sa tapat ng pinto ko, may kanya-kanya silang dalang popcorn at DVDs. When I asked them what are they planning, they said that they want to watch a movie, at ayon nga, after few minutes, nag-aaway-away na sila sa pamimili ng panunuorin. But at the end, Laude won. She even loudly asked, "Who run the world?" and answered it by saying, "Girls!".
"This movie is so abominable!" Laude commented as she closed her eyes to avoid the disgusting scene where the killers are having a taste of the girl's eyeball.
"Are you serious? It actually bores me." Criden replied before munching his popcorn.
"Then let's change the movie with this one." Wika ni Trace saka itinaas ang DVD na hawak nito. I heard Criden scoffed.
"Seriously, dude? Dawn of the Planet of the Apes? C'mon! You've gotta be kidding me!" Hindi magkamayaw si Criden sa pagtawa.
"This is bullshit. What's so funny about that?" Trace annoyingly asked that made Criden to stop from laughing hard.
Criden shed a tear before replying, "Naught. It is just funny how you actually look like one of them." Nginuso nito ang DVD na hawak no Trace saka tumawa ulit nang malakas. Sinulyapan ko naman si Laude, tutok na tutok ang mga mata nito sa pinapanuod. Nakalagay pa sa bunganga nito ang kanang kamay niya habang hawak hawak naman nito sa kabila ang isang cup ng popcorn. Hindi ko alam kung may naiintindihan pa ba siya sa pinapanuod niya dahil sa lakas ng tawa ni Criden.
"Could you guys shut your mouth? The movie is nearing to its climax!" Wika ni Laude at saka tumili. Nakita kong napatigil na naman sa pagtawa si Criden at saka nito inikutan ng mata si Laude.
"The movie is nearing to its climax!" Criden mimicked. Napailing na lang ako saka tumayo mula sa kinauupuan ko. Nagtungo ako sa kusina at uminom ng isang baso ng malamig na tubig. Inilapag ko ang basong walang laman sa taas ng counter at saka umakyat at umupo roon. Napansin ko ang isang basket ng prutas sa gilid ko at kinuha ang nag-iisang mansanas. Pinaikot-ikot ko ang mansanas sa mga palad ko at saka tiningnan ang repleksyon ko sa kinis nito.
Mapula ito. Mapula... na maihahambing sa dugo.
"I've killed someone before."
Those words came rushing back to me.
Nahugot ko ang aking hininga nang sabihin niya ang mga katagang iyon.
Nakapatay na siya...
Hindi ko alam ngunit halos maging bato ako sa kinauupuan ko dahil sa sobrang lakas ng pintig ng puso ko. "What do you mean?" I heard myself asked in small voice.
"Nakapatay na ako." Dahan-dahan nitong wika sa akin. Isang nakakatakot na ngiti ang gumuhit sa kanyang labi habang siya ay aking pinagmamasdan.
"Did you hear me? I've already killed someone." Wika niyang muli. Matagal ko siyang tinitigan at pinag-aralan, pinipilit kong maghanap ng bakas na nagsasabing siya'y nagbibiro lamang.
"W-who did you kill?" I stuttered again. Damn it. I mentally cursed myself. Bakit hindi ko magawang kumalma kahit kaonti?!
Nilagay nito ang daliri sa labi niya, saglit itong umakto na parang nag-iisip, at saka siya nagkibit-balikat na parang bang killing is just a typical thing for him. "Honestly speaking, I've lost count of how many times I've killed someone." He replied with a smirk. "But there is one thing that I am certain of..." He paused as if trying to make me want to hear more but honestly, I'm damn curious and anxious at the same time.
"I am so certain that..." I heard him chuckled. Yumuko ito at saka umiling-iling. "Did I scare you?" He asked while intently looking at my eyes. "Did I?"
"No." I firmly retorted, trying to be exteriorly undisturbed, but deep inside my whole body is shaking with anxiety. What if he's not kidding me? Kaming dalawa lang ang tao rito sa loob at paniguradong mahihirapan akong makalabas at makahingi ng tulong lalo na't nahaharangan niya ako at ng pesteng mesa na ito.
"Oh!" Wika nito sa gitna ng katahimikan. Nakita ko itong nakasulyap sa relong nasa kaliwang kamay niya. "I just realised that I am already done with those shit." Nguso nito sa mga folders na nasa mesa niya. "I must go ahead now. You know, can't make a woman wait." He playfully said before winking at me. "See you around!" That was the last thing I heard from him before leaving the room. Suddenly, the room felt like became bigger than earlier. I can't even describe how relieved I was when he left, but I am sure that his words won't let me sleep tonight.
"Vaughan?"
My track of thoughts was interrupted when Trace called me. I looked at him and saw him walking towards me, concern was written on his face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just kinda tired." Palusot ko. Binalik ko sa basket ng prutas 'yung mansanas at saka bumaba Mula sa counter.
"Are you sure?" Muling tanong ni Trace. Hindi na ako sumagot at isang tango na lang ang ibinigay ko sa kanya.
"Bakit mo nga pala ako tinawag?"
"Uuwi na kaming tatlo." Wika ni Trace saka itinuro ang direksyon kung nasa saan ang dalawa. Sabay kaming naglakad ni Trace papunta kung saan naroroon sila Laude at Criden. I saw Laude holding a soft whisk broom and almost done cleaning my floor filled with popcorn bits earlier. Next to her, I saw Criden yawning and suddenly stopped when he saw us walking towards them. He promptly snatched the soft whisk broom from Laude's hand and started cleaning the clean floor which Laude cleaned.
"What the heck are you doing, Criden?" Laude annoyingly asked Criden and tried to steal the broom from Criden. "It is already clean! I already cleaned that, dumbass!" Criden continued cleaning and acted as if Laude didn't say a thing, but Laude didn't stop and tried to take it from him. "Stop, I'm cleaning!"
"Dude, that looks redundant." Natatawang saad ni Trace. Tumigil ang dalawa nang makalapit na kami sa kanila. Criden shot Trace with a glare.
"Shut up, Trace." Criden retorted before lightly stamping the broom on Laude's hand.
"Pasikat." Narinig naming saad ni Laude saka itinabi ang dustpan at walis tambo.
"Sadly, we are leaving now, Vaughan." Wika ni Criden. Tumikhim ito bago nagsalita muli. "But I can stay here if you want someone to cuddle with on your bed." Nilapitan ito ni Trace at saka siya hinawakan nito sa magkabilang balikat.
"Nope, not gonna happen. Vaughan doesn't need any bad dreams tonight."
"Trace, you really need to get a life and stop ruining my moves!" Criden complained and tried to get away from Trace's grip.
"Uwi na kami, Vaughan. Don't forget to double check the windows and door, and make sure they are all locked. Have a sweet dream!" Trace said before completely pushing Criden outside my dorm. Nilapitan naman ako ni Laude at nagulat ako nang bigla ako nitong yakapin. Ilang segundo akong hindi nakagalaw bago ko napagdesisyunang yakapin si Laude pabalik. Narinig ko itong nagpakawala ng malumanay na tawa saka kumalas mula sa akin.
"I am so sorry if that made you uncomfortable."
"No, it didn't. I was just got surprised." Nginitian lang ako ni Laude at saka tinapik ang braso ko.
"Sige, uuna na rin ako. Basta lagi kang mag-iingat ha? Remember what Trace just told you. Sige na, goodnight!" Paalam nito.
"Goodnight." Mahinang saad ko at pinanuod lang si Laude hanggang maglaho ito sa paningin ko.
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1:00 PM.
Laude and I are silently walking down the hall. The second subject just finished and until now, Criden is nowhere to be found. He already skipped two courses today, and we don't know if he has plan to attend the last course. I asked Laude if she knows where Criden is, but she said she has no idea at all, but I think she just doesn't care where he is right now.
"Did Trace already message you?" Laude asked without looking at me. I can sense that something is wrong with Laude today. This is not the usual behavior Laude has. She is so quiet today and I even caught her spacing out few times earlier. I wonder if something is bothering her.
I pulled out my phone from my pocket to check if I got a message from Trace but nothing appeared. The four of us were supposed to meet today for some snack but Criden didn't come to class today so it is only me and Laude who will meet Trace on the waiting area. I texted Trace to ask for an update but he didn't respond.
"Trace is not responding yet, but I think maybe he's already there because he told me that he was already on his way few minutes ago." Laude just nodded from what I've said and then complete silence. I looked at her face and tried to observe if she is sick, but she seems perfectly fine physically, so I think that something's really bothering her. She wouldn't be this quiet if it is not that serious. Most of the time, I hate how loud Criden and Laude are, 'cause I find it annoying, but when they are silent, it bothers me too!
Few steps away from the waiting area, I saw Trace standing there and he waved his hand to us when he noticed us. Normally, at this moment, Laude was already waving her hand too and shouting Trace's name, but today it is different, no one waved back to Trace.
"How was the class, girls?" Trace asked and tried to take my bag from me but I shot him with a glare that stopped him from getting it from my back. He turned instead to face Laude and waved his hand, "Hello, Laude! How are you?"
Laude obviously forced a smile. "Hi, Trace." Trace looked at me and I can see that he looks confused on how Laude talked to him.
"Are you okay, Laude?" Trace asked.
"I'm fine. Let's go." Laude said and without any words, she started walking ahead of us. I started walking too and Trace walked in the same pace. I felt Trace tapped my arm but I didn't bother to look at him.
"Is she sick?" I didn't answer him and just shrugged my shoulders instead.
"I really don't get girls when they are on their period." He mumbled next to me. We are walking quietly. Well, it is not really quiet because Trace sometimes talk about what happened to his class and stuff. I'm all ears on him but my eyes are glued on Laude's back, trying to guess what happened to her. I saw her hand holding a notebook fell down on her side, and that's when I remembered something.
"Oh shit!" I unconsciously cursed in the air. Laude and Trace stopped on their track and looked at me, obviously, they were surprised when I blurted.
"What happened?" Trace asked and he looked so concern due to my sudden reaction. "You guys can go ahead, I'll just meet you there. I gotta go back cause I forgot my book inside the classroom." I didn't even let Trace to talk and I just ran as fast as I can. I hope there is no one having a class discussion there yet or else I will need to wait until they are done before I can come inside and get my book.
I silently cursed when I felt a droplet of sweat sliding down between my chests. I never felt this sticky before, also to mention that I'm running under the sun. I was about to turn right when I bumped into someone. It was kinda hard because the straps of my bag almost fall down from my shoulders. I was about to say sorry when I heard that person talked in a deep, monotonous voice that made me to look at him.
I was mesmerized by how deep his blue eyes are. Its color was so alive yet those eyes felt dead and hopeless. In my life, I never encountered soulless stares from someone who is actually breathing.
"Watch your step." That was the last thing I heard before he passed by me and continued walking.
I turned around to see him walking away. I watched how his broad back moved on every step he makes. I hastily shook my head before continuing on my track. I don't know why but somehow, I felt like I have seen him before, I just can't tell when or where, but I'm so sure that he looks familiar.
I was almost near the classroom door when I suddenly stopped from walking, and a realization hits me.
That's him--- Zachary.
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A/N: Please bear with my grammatical errors! :)