SEARCHING STUDENT X [ COMPLETED ]

X.O Club

Neiza Tuazon Pov

The cold breeze of the wind greeted me as I entered the club room. The room was dimly lit. I walked towards the window and noticed the angelic white curtains brought comfort in the room. I arranged the curtains from both sides, letting the brightness of the sun come in. When I turned around, I saw a long, wooden mahogany table accompanied by a single plastic chair in the center of the room.

There was a cabinet that looked like it had been there for a couple of years in the corner. On the right side, there was a wall fan that I was not sure if it was still working, and the sky blue painted walls that complemented the whole room.

Napabuntonghininga ako at napahawak sa batok. Wala pa akong ginagawa, pero pakiramdam ko, pagod na ako. "Mukhang kailangan kong maglinis," bulong ko sa sarili ko.

This was the third day since the new school year started. A few more agonizing months then I would finally graduate.

I am Neiza Tuazon, a senior high student. Humanities and Social Sciences was the strand where I belonged.

Kailangan kong mag-recruit ng mga estudyante na may interes sa club na ako lang ang miyembro. Ang dating may hawak ng club ay si Sirius Feliciano, na ngayon ay nasa ibang bansa na nag-aaral dahil nag-migrate ang pamilya nito sa Amerika.

Decidedly, we were three in this club, but the other one quitted because he got scared of what we were doing, so Sirius and I continued to run the club. Without the help of the academy, this club would no longer function and might be disbanded by the Supreme Student Council. I should say thanks to the students who were bringing mysterious codes wherein there were some things that the Supreme Student Council couldn't handle. There were some issues about dispersing answers for the examination of different departments. The answer keys were concealed in codes.

I was a bit down because I would be the only one to solve the mysterious cases and to decipher some codes. I was so used to the thought that we were always together and he was also the one who influenced me to join this club, then he left?

It was not my intention, really, but I actually liked watching detective stories and reading some books about mystery and thriller genres. I did not expect that I would be able to apply those in reality. Now, I was forced to learn different codes that Sirius used to do while I was just his assistant.

Now that I was the new club president, I did not imagine that it was going to be this hard, not knowing that your life was always on the line, so you had to be alert at all times.

He would always remind me to remain cautious of my every move if I wanted to be just like him. That every time his name was mentioned, everybody would say, 'Oh! The one who always helps in time of need!' A legacy, they said. I wanted to quit at that time 'cause I couldn't stand on my own.

But Sirius said to me a year ago, "Trust me, you can do it."

I just missed him, but not in a romantic way. He was like a brother to me.

Code Breakers Club. Not many people knew this club, some even did not know that this kind of organization existed since they were so busy with their school activities.

Nasa club room ako na maliit, abala sa pag-o-organize ng mga print-out na kailangan ko pang idikit sa mga bulletin board sa bawat classroom at department building nang makatanggap ako ng text message. Isang emergency sa locker room ng school gymnasium. Dahil emergency ang nilalaman ng text message ay kumaripas na ako ng takbo nang may makabangga akong isang binatang lalaki. Mabilis akong humingi ng pasensya. Unexpectedly, I felt the sudden disturbance.

He was tall, had a slightly white complexion, hair that looked like he just woke up or maybe that was the way it was—messy hair. Well-built body, Asian eyes that had the color of almonds, and a pinkish pair of lips. Good-looking, that was the only thought that directly got in my head.

''Are you alright?" I asked him while snapping my fingers in front of him and it appeared to wake him up from his deep thoughts.

Looked like there was something wrong with him. It was like I had seen him before and his stare . . . it made me nervous.

He seemed familiar.

My train of thoughts were cut short when I realized what I was supposed to do.

"I'm alright. Again, sorry and I need to go, I'm in a hurry," I said.

I was about to run when I heard a distant, "Wait!" but I just ignored him because I was in a rush.

I swiftly ran across the hallway, but that was tougher than I thought. Thanks to the sea of students who were walking like they owned the whole school. Some were even talking with their friends in the middle of the hallway. I continued my run, I practically flew away across the hallway just to get where I was going.

"Sorry!" I uttered to some students that I bumped into.

Nakita ko kaagad ang kumpol ng mga estudyante na nasa dulo ng court sa gymnasium. May ilan naman na nanatiling nasa mga bleacher na nangangahulugang wala silang interes sa nangyayari.

"She's here!" a boy wearing a beanie with his bangs tucked underneath it yelled. A typical nerd with eyeglasses, teeth with braces, and a junior of our school which you could determine because of the ID lace hanging on his neck.

Sumiksik ako para makadaan dahil wala silang balak padaanin ako. Sa huli ay nakapunta na rin ako sa harapan at nakita ang kung ano ang nangyari.

"Isang bomba," ang sabi ni Mr. Louie, isa sa janitors ng school.

Sirius and I usually encountered Mr. Lou in this kind of situation, cracking the codes to see the message behind them. Mr. Louie was a middle aged man, we could count on him and he was very trustworthy. If only we could let him join the Code Breakers Club, but he was not a student.

Sa unang tingin ko pa lang sa box ay may ideya na ako kung sino ang nasa likod nito. Tatlong minuto na lang ang natitira sa maliit na screen ng timer na naka-attach dito, may mga wire na nakalitaw na green, red, at orange. Nang lumingon ako sa paligid ay napansin ko ang isang pinto, may puting papel ang nakadikit doon at kinuha ko ito para mabasa.

"Is there anybody in the locker room?" I asked them.

I could clearly see the worry in their eyes, some were even getting teary-eyed and the others were basically sitting on the polished floor of the gym. In short, they were thinking that this was just a prank, just an entertainment for them.

"Uhm, y-yes there is. I was looking for my friend for hours now." The student was stuttering then he continued, "The class was supposed to start and I can't seem to find my friend. I panicked so I contacted you," he explained.

I recognized him. He was the one who competed as an escort at the intramurals last year. He was tall, had tan skin, dark eyes that seemed like they would absorb you if you stare at them. In short, he was quite attractive.

I snapped out of my thoughts. I brought my attention back to the improvised bomb.

"This is too early!" I hissed.

"Mag-iingat ka, Neiza," bilin sa akin ni Mr. Louie. Tumango ako at binigyan siya ng tipid na ngiti.

"Sirius told me to take care of you," dagdag nito. Lalo akong nakaramdam ng tensyon sa sistema ko nang marinig iyon. Inilihis ko ang atensyon ko sa puting papel na hawak-hawak ko at binasa na iyon.

You're way more beautiful than the morning. We have a surprise for . . .

Hindi ko na tinapos pa na basahin ang mga nakasulat pa. Alam ko kung sino ang dahilan para sumira ng araw ko at manggulo ng mga inosenteng tao.

"The XO Club."

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