QED CLUB: the go-to place of students and teachers in Clark High whenever they have mind-boggling mysteries they want solved. For months, club president Loki Mendez has been managing it alone, but circumstances will force him to open its doors to ne...
A/N: Let's revisit Loki and Lorelei's first ever meeting—but this time, in Loki's POV!
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LOKI
TWO WEEKS ago, I first met—what's her name again? Ah, Lorelei—in the apartment. I had been staying there since I was Grade 9. A part of me wanted to live independently as young as I could. I was a fledgling eager to leave the nest. All I wanted was to spread my wings and learn to fly on my own.
So I asked my mom to let me rent an apartment unit near Clark High. She was against it. But my dad, who had been always supportive of my daring ideas, was all for it. After some convincing, she agreed. She got teary eyed when she sent me off.
My brother Luthor was another reason why I didn't want to stay any longer in our residence. I couldn't stand being in the same room as him for five minutes. I'd rather go homeless than share the same roof with that guy.
Enough of my pre-apartment days.
I used to have a companion in this two-bedroom unit. I occupied one room while they occupied the other. How many roommates have I had? Three or four, if I wasn't mistaken. But none of them stayed any longer than two months. Why? Because of some absurd reason. One of them told me that he couldn't stand living here because of some paranormal encounters he'd experienced. He, as well as the others, chose to leave and let me have the unit all to myself. I preferred it that way though.
Thus the other room became vacant for months, waiting for its next lucky occupant. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that my next roommate wouldn't last two months. There's already a pattern here. I hoped that he or she wouldn't break it.
That afternoon, I was busy putting together a puzzle with blank pieces when Martha Henson the landlady knocked and opened the door. She's a middle-aged woman with jaw-length hair—few gray strands sticking out. She told me early in the morning that I'd be having a new roommate. She even cleaned the vacant room and sprayed some lavender air freshener.
She was enthusiastic about it. Unfortunately, I didn't share the same level of her enthusiasm.
"Excuse me, Loki?" the landlady called me as soon as she stepped inside. "Gusto ko sanang ipakilala sa 'yo ang bago mong roommate."
I paused from fitting a piece into the puzzle and raised my gaze to the girl beside the landlady. Her hair was hazel brown, reaching down her chest. That's a surprise. She didn't tell me that my next roommate was going to be female. Judging by how close these two stood next to each other, they seemed comfortable. They were already acquainted, I guess?
Her daughter? Possible. They got some resemblance.
My swift gaze moved from the girl's face to the luggage on her right. Three travel tags with the acronym MNL caught my attention. MNL meant Manila. She always checked in that luggage whenever she flew to and from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
