Alta Casta Academy

Chapter 3: His Real Identity

I wake up early and prepare myself to go to school. I ate my breakfast, grabbed my pack lunch and hurriedly went out the house.

Hindi na ako nagpahatid kay Dad dahil baka magduda sila sa identity ko. Pumara ako ng taxi at sumakay na doon.

As I arrived in the school, I hurriedly search every corner of the school to find that guy.

Since it's still six o'clock in the morning, there are still few students roaming around the campus.

"Hey! D'you know where's that nerdy guy?" I asked one of the girls sitting on the bench of the Mini Plaza, but no one seem to care so I just walked through them.

I saw Odeth approaching me and was planning to ask her when she said,

"Looking for your nerdy boyfriend?"

Oh, great.=____=
Just great.

"Where is he?"

"Library."

Pagkarinig ko nun, I run as fast as I could, not realizing that I don't know where the library is.

I saw two girls walking on the left side. I called them. "Hey!"

Both of them turned their heads on me and chorused "What?"

"Where's the library?"

"Left building. Third floor." They said in chorus.

Kambal ba sila?
Ang weird ng mga estudyante dito.

I followed the directions they said and finally narating ko na rin ang library!

"GHIAN!!"

He flinched when he saw me. Good thing is no one's here in the library for it's still early in the morning, kundi lagot ako kay Dad.

I closed the library's door and locked it. I approached Ghian and grabbed his collar.

"Whoa! Easy, Dina! May ginawa ba ako sa iyo?" Sabi niya habang nakataas ang dalawang kamay.

"Why are you in disguise?" I asked him in a soft voice. Kahit na sound proof ang library, hindi pa rin ako nakakasiguro kung may nakikinig ba.

"What do you mean?" He confusedly asked me.

"You're not Ghian Ramos."

His eyes widened after I said that.

"I am." He just calmly said.

"No, you're not."

"What made you think of that?"
He still remained calm and composed kahit na nakikitaan siya ng pagkagulat.

"Perhaps, you knew Nicole, right?"

"Nicole? Sino siya? Hindi ko siya kilala." Pagkakaila niya.

"Kilala mo siya. Kilalang- kilala."

"Ano bang sinasabi mo? Hindi ko nga siya kilala, eh! Ni hindi ko pa siya nakikita!" Tuloy pa rin siya sa pagtanggi.

"Sinungaling!" Malakas na sabi ko.

Naglabas ako ng picture mula sa bag ko at pinakita sa kanya.

"Oh! Ayan! Idedeny mo pa ba? She's your twin sister! Magkasama pa nga kayo sa picture na ito, oh!"

He was silent for a minute.

"H-how did you knew her?" He asked stammering.

"I knew everything. You are the son of Mr. Nathan Fred Gonzaga, the President of Maek-San Group of Companies. Am I right, John Nithan?"

His jaw dropped after hearing that.

"H-how c-come you know that?"

"As what I've said, I knew everything. Now, should you answer my first question then? Why are you in disguise?"

He stared into my eyes and breathed a deep sigh.

"I'm

investigating on something."

"Investigating? What?"

Sa pagkagulat ko, nahigpitan ko yata ang pagkakahawak ko sa collar niya.

"Ah, eh. Dina. Pwede bitawan mo muna yung collar ko. Nasasakal na ako, eh."

"Oh, sorry." Bumitaw ako sa kwelyo niya habang umubo naman siya.

Hinimas ko yung likod niya.
"Okay ka na?"

"Yeah. "

"Now tell me. Ano bang iniimbestigahan mo?"

He looked at me.

"You sure you really wanna know?"

Tumango ako.

"Fine. It's about.......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

"Nicole's Death."

Napalunok ako ng sampung beses pagkatapos niyang sabihin iyon. Kasabay noon ang panglulumo ng katawan ko.

I lost my strength to stand up na siyang ikinatumba ko. Good thing is nasalo ako ni Ghian.

"Hey, you alright?"

I looked at him.

"P-patay na si Nicole?"

I asked trembling.

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango.

I felt shivers run through my spines.

Hindi ako makapaniwala.

This can't be.

Hindi maaari.

Nicole's dead.

"A-anong.. P-paanong n-nangyari yun?"

"She was killed."

"P-pinatay siya???"
My knees trembled when I was saying that.

Ghian nodded.

My mind was full of confusion.

"P-paanong..."

"She was found dead on her condo unit. Si Aira mismo ang nakakita. May sumaksak sa kanya. "

"K-kailan pa nangyari ito?"

"Two days ago."

"What?!"

Mukha nakong naghihysterical dito so I tried to calm myself.

"W-who killed her??"

"Hindi pa namin alam..."

"You still don't know? D-do you have any suspects by now?"

"Meron."

"Who?"

"Sid."

"Sid? Why would he-"

"He was Harvey's best friend. Dito nag-aral noon si Harvey. We all knew na hindi naman talaga sila mahirap."

"Kilala ba ni Sid si Nicole?"

"Yes. Nicole has been famous because of her title, "Relationship Wrecker. Sa tingin ko siya ang dahilan kung bakit nasira ang three years relationship nila Sid and Odeth."

"You mean gumaganti si Sid?"

"Ganun na nga. He's taking revenge for him and for Harvey. Nicole's the reason why you broke up, right?"

"B-but, how could he? He's just a teenager! At napakalaki ng mamanahin niya sa Dad niya! It's too impossible. He can't do that!"

"Don't judge him by his outer appearance, Ellaine Dina. Most of the criminals wear their mask to hide their identity. Wag kang pakasisiguro. You still don't know him."

"K-kaya ba hinahayaan mo lang na ibully ka niya?"

"Yes. To get some clues from him.....

and I already found one."