"Babe, bakit ngayon mo lang sinagot ang tawag ko? How have you been? You were nowhere to be found these past days. Wala ka sa school, sa club and even Migo and Olly doesn't know where you are. Nasaan ka ba?" Catherine stacked up questions as soon as she reached her boyfriend Wicker.
"Long story, babe. I just wanna be with myself and figuring things out. I'll tell you everything soon," sagot nito habang nakatanaw mula sa bintana ng bus na lulan niya. He's on his way to school.
"I'm so worried about you! Hindi ka man lang nag-text. Tawag ako nang tawag sa 'yo. I am your girlfriend and I am the one who you have to put above all aside from your parents. Galit ka ba sa akin?"
"It's not what it was, Catherine. There's a sudden changes in my current life. Don't bother and mind me so much, I am doing okay right now. I just need time and I'll meet you soon, okay? I'll end this call, I'll reach to you soon. Keep safe."
Huminga nang malalim si Wicker at ibinaba ang kanyang cell phone.
Ayaw niyang mag-alala nang sobra si Catherine at magpunta pa ng Fawnbrook para sa kanya. If that happens, everything will be in mess again. He doesn't like to be with Catherine for now. Kung mangyayaring magkikita sila sa Fawnbrook, malamang ay magkakakilala ito pati na ang daddy niya at iyon ang pinaka iiwas-iwasan niya.
Ayaw niyang malaman ng daddy niya ang mga bagay-bagay tungkol sa kanya. He doesn't wanna let him tamper with his life. Hindi naman na kasi niya ito dapat pakialaman at wala na rin siyang pakialam dito. It just happened that they're both living under the same roof and it is all and nothing else.
For him, his dad is just a mere housemate.
He tightened his black bennie over his head and rested his hands in the pockets of his coat under his uniform. Iba ang lamig ng umaga sa probinsya ito.
Ito ang unang araw niya bilang estudyante ng Fawnbrook High School. He's in his senior year in line with business strand. Noon pa man, entrepreneurship na ang gusto niyang kuhaning kurso sa kolehiyo.
The hard heels of his shiny black shoes echoed as he stepped on the hallway of the main building. Walang pagkakaiba noong nag-aaral pa siya Bellmoral, ganoon pa rin ang salubong ng mga estudyante sa kanya, lalo na ng mga babae.
But these girls' eyes were different. Some of them are find him attractive and eye-catching, and some were in awe as if they've known him.
"He's so familiar . . ."
"New student ba siya? Thank god, heaven sent us an early gift for christmas . . ."
"He looks like . . . don't you think?"
He walked as casual as possible. Wicker's expecting such things like those. Girls are girls and he couldn't change them for being like that.
He immediately went to the guidance and counseling office to take an exam.
Sumalubong agad sa kanya ang nakahahalinang bango ng k'warto na nagmumula sa air humidifier. The room looks like a clinic, malinis at maaliwalas. Tamang-tama lang sa mata ang kintab ng kulay berdeng dingding at tiled floor.
Nagtungo na siya mula sa isang bahagi ng k'warto kung saan naroroon ang isang lalaking abala sa pag-aayos ng mga papeles, mula sa mahogany table nito habang nakaupo sa leather swivel chair.
BINABASA MO ANG
Strange Voices of the Dead
Mystery / Thriller"I feel more than infinite with you." When Adrian died, Annara, a student library assistant, began hearing ghostly voices. Later in life, she meets Wicker, who resembles him, and this changes everything, making her realize that those strange voices...
