Chapter 10: The Code
A day before Dean's Death
Victoria Abbel's Point of View
Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin mawala sa isipan ko kung ano ang sinabi ni Trevor. How can he say that I am fucked up as he is? I didn't even know to myself that I am fucked up. Kahit habang naghahanda ako papuntang school ay iniisip ko pa rin ang sinasabi niya. Why is he always there, making my mind confused. He is so annoying and confusing at the same time.
But the only question that I couldn't answer until now is: Why is he here?
He can't be here. And why now? The idea of him being in the same place with me is chaos.
"I see you are spacing out in my class Miss Stanislaski." Nakuha ang aking atensiyon nang biglang banggitin ni Mrs. Roosevelt and apelyido ko. I didn't even know that I am spacing out. Nasa akin na ang atensiyon ng lahat and I started to become uncomfortable to my seat.
"Sorry." Sabi ko na lang at bumalik sa pagsusulat. Good thing I didn't saw any sign of Dean right now. Sa tuwing nakikita ko ang mukha niya ay hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko at magisip ng masama. When the alarm started to ring ay agad kong nilagay ang mga gamit ko sa aking bag at agad umalis. I just don't want to stay in the University any longer. Mabuti na lang at isa lang ang subject ko ngayong araw.
"Victoria." I heard someone call my name. Tumingin ako sa aking likuran just to see Amber in her usual attire, a short skirt, and a crop top. Amber is a good looking girl, she has this long ginger hair and is really pale. Her name fits her because her eyes are amber in color. Ohh, I forgot to tell you that she is a cheerleader and she is mean. I am not stereotyping any cheerleaders out there but Amber is really annoying.
"I heard that you are planning to sue Dean." She said with her English accent.
"You heard it right." Amber likes Dean a lot. She got it bad. I tsked.
"Face me when I talk to you, maggot." Here we go again. Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na kakausapin ako ni Amber. She really hates my guts. Bakit naman hindi? I somehow understand her because the guy she likes is pestering me for years. Pero ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit siya sa akin naiinis where in fact wala naman akong ginagawa. I hate it when girls ruined each over a guy. Isn't it the best if they started to cheer each other? I am surrounded with idiots.
"I have an important thing to do than talking to you, Amber," I said and started to walk. School is really not my comfort zone. Hanggang ngayon ay usap usapin pa rin ang scandal namin ni Dean, which is really not my scandal because first of all I am not the girl in the video.
"You are really a bitch, aren't you. You just acted like you don't like Dean but you are really into him." I face her, uninterested.
"Just give it a rest, will you?" Naiinis na pahayag ako.
"Because of you, Dean is struggling so much right now. Don't you know?" Napangite na lang ako dahil sa sinabi ni Amber. That's the plan, honey.
"That is actually good news, Amber. Thank you for informing me." I said while flipping my hair.
"Don't forget to tell him to come in court in time." I said and blew her a kiss before turning my heels away. I am smirking while going straight to my locker to load my things inside. I don't usually bring my school stuff at home. Madalas kong iwan itong lahat sa locker ko. But something is off right now. Dali dali kong binuksan ang locker ko at tama nga ako ng hinala, somebody just broke the lock. Napapikit na lang ako sa inis nang makita ko ang pinaka paborito kong libro na sira-sira na ngayon. It really cost a lot. I bought this online with the author's signature and it cost a fortune. Kinuha ko ang libro na ngayon ay parang kinagat ng aso, some pages are crumpled, some pages are torn into pieces. My cheeks are now burning from anger. They can touch some of my things but not my books.
My books are so sacred to me. No one can touch my book. That is a bad move, sweetie.
"Where are you, Amber?" Bulong ko sa sarili ko habang tinatapon sa basurahan ang librong hindi ko na maaring magamit o mabasa. I know that this is Amber's plan. This is so childish but if she wants this kind of childish method then I am going to give her want she wants.
I walk straight to the gym. At hindi ako nagkakamali, the cheerleading squad is practicing right now.
"Where is your leader?" I asked one girl, about my height. Bumubuo sila ng pyramid, buti na lang at kinausap niya ako pabalik.
"In the dressing room but no one can enter there but the members only." Sabi niya habang tumitingin kung nasaan ang papuntang dressing room.
"Try me," I said and started to walk inside. They tried to stop me but I told them if they didn't let me in then I will put the whole place on fire, I am not kidding. Kaya naman kahit bawal ay pinapasok nila ako. I get the scissor inside my backpack and look for Amber. The whole place is nice; there is a different locker with their respective surnames placed on the right corner, a big space in the middle, and a room. I heard someone flush the toilet before opening the door. Amber looks so shocked when she saw me.
"Hey." I said, smiling. Nakita ko kung paano siya kabahan nang makita niya akong may dalang gunting. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa hawak ko bago niya itaas ang paningin niya at tingnan.
"Wh-what are you doing here? What a-are you t-trying to do?" Kinakabahan na sabi niya. Dahan dahan siyang lumayo habang ako naman ay palapit sa kanya.
"Stop acting like an innocent lamb, Amber. You destroyed my book." She flashed a guilty look.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Sabi ko sa kanya. She's about to run when I catch her first.
"Gotcha!" I said and pulled her hair. She started shouting her lungs out and I heard a loud knock on the door. Her members must be worried. They all know me as crazy here in school.
"You fucking weirdo!" She muttered. I get the scissor and cut her long ginger hair which I assumed she love the most.
"Thank me for not making you bald," I whispered.
"WILL YOU call one of your guardians, Miss Stanislaski?" Napapikit na lang ako ng mata. I just saw myself inside the headmaster's room.
"I have to suspend you." I bite my lips. This is the first time to had a suspension. Inilapag niya ang buhok na pinutol ko sa table. It is now tied perfectly.
"And this may affect your grade." She said.
"No one will come here." Sabi ko naman habang nakaupo sa harapan niya.
"They are all busy," I added when I remembered that no one will actually come.
"Actually, I already called your household and the one who happened to answer the call said that he is on his way to school." Napaisip ako bigla kung sino ang pupunta. Wala naman akong aasahan sa pamilya ko. Si Nikos ba ang sumagot ng tawag? Hey, he is busy I think he doesn't have the time to answer the call. The head master must be kidding me.
"Can I keep the hair?" Hindi siya makapaniwalang tumingin sa akin.
"No."
"Okay," I said.
"Can I leave now?" Bagot kong pahayag.
"No. We have to wait for your guardian to arrive."
"Am I suspended for three days?" I asked.
"Actually, Miss Stanislaski considering your actions, you deserve a one-week suspension."
"I will miss a lot of topics in class."
"Not my problem anymore." I almost rolled my eyes but refrain myself. I waited for almost twenty minutes inside the headmaster's room when I heard a knock on the door. And my eyes almost fell on the floor to see Trevor, wearing ragged jeans and a black hoodie. What is he doing here? Hindi man lang siya tumingin sa akin.
"I am Victoria Stanislaski's guardian." He said with his manly voice
"Name?"
"Trevor Dmitri."
"Well, Mister Dmitri I would like to inform you that Ms. Stanislaski happened to bully Ms. Smith, she even cut her hair. Please talk to her about her behavior. She's suspended for one week and please tell her to apologize." I played with my hand
"You can talk to me about that. You don't have to call someone else." The headmaster hissed in my direction.
"Okay." He answered. I refrain myself from chuckling at his response.
"So, can we go now?" Tanong ko ulit. I just want to go home and have some rest.
"That would be all." I smiled and bow down a little.
"Thanks." Trevor and I left the room at instant. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa na naglakad palabas ng building.
"Why did you cut her hair?" Napatigil ako at humarap sa kanya. Even the headmaster didn't ask me that before suspending me.
"She destroyed one of my books. I won't forgive it. I won't even say sorry for something I've already done." Sabi ko at dire-diretsong naglakad.
"As I expected." Sabi niya na para bang kilala niya ako.
"Why are you here, Trevor?" Tanong ko naman dahil hindi ko inaasahan na siya ang pupunta sa akin.
"I happened to answer the call. I don't have any choice but to go here. You are such a troublemaker Victoria." He tsked. Kahit ganon ay nagpapasalamat ako dahil nandito si Trevor. Kahit kanina pa niya binabagabag ang isipan ko ay hindi ko maiwasan na matuwa.
Finally, someone is there for me. I know that relying on Trevor is a bad idea but the fact that he's here with me made me happy for a minute. I am really alone in my life right now.
"You shouldn't cut her hair like that." Napatigil ako sa sinabi niya.
"I think cutting her hair is easy. You should have burned her hair." He said, chuckling. Is he tolerating me? I laugh.
"Hala! Dapat pala ay sinunog ko na lang ang buhok niya." I muttered and I sigh because I can now use my language freely. Nakakapagod din kasi na magsalita ng hindi ka naiintindihan but conversing with Trevor like this is fun. But I should hate him. I should hate his handsome face, I should hate his smooth hair, I should hate the way he talks. I should hate everything about him.
"Ayoko rin humingi ng tawad kay Amber. She deserves it." I said, not even feeling guilty of my actions.
"I am not even asking you to."
"Thank goodness! I thought you are going to make me apologize to her." Sabi ko nang makarating kami sa parking lot.
"Not even a chance. Let's go home." I smiled. Actually, this is the first time I smiled sincerely at him since I saw him again. Home. He uses the word home.
"Thank you," I muttered and hurriedly entered my car. May dala siyang sarili niyang kotse kaya naman ay nag convoy na lang kami. How am I supposed to face Trevor again? He seems to be in good shape. Nakagat ko na lang ang kuko ko habang ang isang kamay ay nakahawak sa steering wheel. I am really becoming skeptical of his action. When we reached the house we didn't say much. I entered the room and the first thing I do is throw my backpack on the floor and lie down on my bed.
So one week suspension, huh? Ano naman ang gagawin ko sa isang linggo?
I decided to change my outside clothes first before going to sleep when I notice something scattered on the floor. Dahil sa hinagis ko ang bag ko kanina ay natamaan ang basurahan mula sa kwarto na ginagamit ni Trevor. Some papers are scattered on the floor. Hayst! I forgot to throw these away. Ano ba ginagawa mo Tori at bakit ka nagkokolekta ng basura ng iba?
Before I throw them away, I decided to open one of the crumpled papers. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa nakita ko. There is something written on the piece of paper. REDRUM.
"Red rum?" Basa ko sa nakasulat. What does this mean? Naupo ako sa sahig at binuksan ang iba bang naka crumpled na papel.
"Sometimes I wonder if being dead is easier than being alive." basa ko ulit sa nakasulat sa isang papel. May ilang salita ang natatakpan ng ink ng ballpen at mukhang ito ay nakabura. My heart is beating so loudly in my chest. Why is he writing this kind of things?
"Tell me something I can keep to myself," I mumbled to myself when reading the paper. And I flip the paper and I saw a phrase that says...
"Something that others don't even know."
"If you want to end it, I will do it for you." Eto naman ang nakasulat sa isang papel but what really caught my attention was there is a small letter written on the same paper where I saw the word RED RUM.
3 – L. VDYHPHSOHDVH
"Geez. What is this?" I whispered and put everything on the top of my bed.
"Is this three minus L?" Napahawak na lang ako sa ulo ko.
"But how can you subtract a number from the letter?" I bit my nails while thinking hard. Is this some kind of code?
"L is equal to 12 in the alphabet. So is it 3 minus 12? The answer must be negative 9. This doesn't make any sense! I am so fucking stupid when it comes to decoding." Nahiga na lang ako sa kama ko. Trevor, what are you planning to do?
***