[ COMPLETED ] • [ EDITED ]
Nadia Valiente's disappearance has always been a mystery to her friend, Marina. By how her alleged suicide took place, up to the position that she was in whilst on that river, soaked to death, felt like an unsealed package...
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TRIGGER WARNING: DRUG ABUSE
MARINA
Holding on tight to the Polaroid picture of us, I stride towards the room where Blue has told me he's in. The thought of being trapped in the room with his parents and the police has never left my mind, since I'm the one who fucking pushed him out of the building and put him in a coma. But there's a part of me that's been pressing my back to get here in the hospital where he's admitted. Mabuti na lang at hindi ito ang ospital na pinag-admit-an sa akin kung hindi'y baka makasalubong ko pa sina mom at dad dito.
Bawat hakbang ng aking mga paa ay ang papalakas na kalabog ng aking dibdib. The sound of the air conditioner increases the thudding of my chest. I think I'm about to puke, but I restrain it when I saw that I'm two rooms away from Blue's.
Nang marating ko ang harap ng kuwarto niya'y nakaramdam ako ng matinding panlalamig sa aking buong katawan. I can also feel how weak my pink knees are right now. I'm about to just take my leave, since I don't think I can face Blue yet, but I am stopped by the picture in my trembling hands.
It was Aki grinning as he pinched my left cheek. The light that flashed to his face made him flinch a bit, but that didn't become the reason for it to turn out bad. He looked good at any angle and with any reaction.
I want to answer his confession with another one. I like Aki. And I have to find him to tell him that in person. I know he's still alive… I hope so.
But the chances of him still breathing are thinning as minutes passed by without anyone doing something, without me doing something in order to figure out where they take him and his father, and why they just suddenly vanished from the university. From everyone's memory. From the CCTV footages. Basically, from everything.
Ibinulsa ko ang litrato saka ibinaba ang suot kong hoodie. I bit my lower lip when I felt that it is trembling. My stomach is turning upside down, too.
But I have to face reality. Because if I didn't, then Akihiro would be erased from it.
I knock with my hands still trembling. The sound echoes in my ears that I shut my eyes due to shock. I am having a panic attack, but I should not let this be the reason for me to stop moving.
Muli akong kumatok nang wala akong marinig na tugon mula sa loob. I take a deep sigh and just accepted that if Blue's parents are here, then I'm done for good. I'll have to face the different side of reality, which is its cruelty.
"Come in," mahinang saad ng boses sa loob na muntik nang naging dahilan upang mapatalon ako sa kaba.
It's a voice of someone in the same age as mine. It was Blue.
