Everyone is witness to the death of Damon Dominic, except for that one person who might have murdered him. After a "person of interest" is identified, three campus journalists will launch their own investigation to prove her innocence... or guilt.
K...
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TONY
"Uy, Cleo! Ang ganda naman ng scarf mo! Saan mo nabili 'yan?"
"Thank you! Actually, regalo 'to ni Damon sa akin. Bagay ba?"
"Oo naman! Kahit ano yatang suotin mo, babagay sa 'yo! Walang halong bola, ah?"
Umangat agad ang tingin ko nang marinig ang boses ni Cleo. Kapapasok pa lang niya ng classroom, sinalubong na siya ng dalawa naming classmate. I was busy typing on my laptop for the CAScade article that was due today. But for a minute, my fingers stopped from flying over my keyboard to catch a glimpse of her.
"Ang sweet pala ni Damon, 'no?" sabi ng classmate namin. "Sana kapag nagka-boyfriend ako, bilhan din ako ng ganyan. Ang lamig pa naman ngayon."
"Gaga!" tugon ng katabi niya. "Paano ka magkaka-boyfriend e napaka-pihikan mo sa mga lalaki?"
Nagpatuloy na ako sa pagta-type habang nakikinig sa kanilang morning tsismisan. As a journalist who sometimes writes my articles on the spot while the public information officer of our college student council is speaking, sanay na akong mag-multi-task: nagta-type habang nakikinig.
"Walang masama sa pagiging pihikan," sabi ni Cleo. "Hindi natin kailangang ibaba ang ating standards para lang magkaroon ng boyfriend. We need to know our worth."
"O, kita mo? Approve si Cleo sa pagiging choosy ko!" hirit ng isa sa mga kausap niya. "Kasalanan ko ba na mataas ang standards ko pagdating sa mga lalaki?"
"Sa sobrang taas yata, wala nang makaka-reach niyan! Kailangan mo ring maging realistic minsan!"
"Ang mabuti pa, paupuin n'yo na muna si Cleo at papagpahingain. Kakapasok pa lang niya, in-ambush n'yo na agad siya."
That was Hadriana's voice. Muling umangat ang tingin ko sa kanila. Tumuloy na sa kanyang upuan si Cleo at ibinaba ang kanyang bag. Agad siyang pinuntahan ni Hadriana at ilang segundong tumitig sa scarf nito. The honey gold color perfectly suited her. This was the first time that I had seen her wear such accessory.
ALL THIS time, I thought Damon giving a scarf to Cleo was a gesture of love while Cleo wearing it was a gesture of appreciation. But that wasn't the full story. That was just a smokescreen to hide the bruises that she had around her neck, courtesy of her boyfriend.
Kung hindi pa nagkaroon ng kaunting duda si Hadriana sa kanyang bestie, hindi ko pa malalaman. My so-called CAS power couple projected to the whole university that their relationship was perfect. Sino bang mag-aakala sa likod ng mga ngiti at sweet gesture na kinaiinggitan ng mga kinulang sa romance, may times pala na pinagbubuhatan ng kamay ni Damon si Cleo?
That made me furious. Damon is already dead, but I would have love to punch him in the face. Whatever the reason may be, he did not have the right to lay a finger on Cleo.
