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...
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ALISTAIR
WHEN LORELEI wrote on her blog that they never ran out of cases in Clark High, I thought there was a slight exaggeration in it. But today, I bore witness to it. Sino ba namang mag-aakala na susubukan kong mag-solve ng isang mystery sa pinakaunang araw ko rito bilang transferee?
Naninibago pa ako sa layout ng school building kaya hinayaan ko si Lorelei ang mag-lead sa akin. The interior design of the rooms and corridors were not too different from our old school, so I sensed some sort of familiarity around me. We made a turn in the hallway, then another turn until we reached the entrance lobby.
"Dapat ba tayong magpatawag ng tricycle?" tanong niya nang makalabas na kami ng building. She halted at the front steps and turned to me. "Ang sabi ni Agatha, malapit lang ang address na 'yan. Pwede tayong sumakay ng trike, pwede rin tayong maglakad. But given the situation, maybe we should ride a tricycle."
"There's no need to call for a trike or anything." I jerked my thumb in the direction of the parking lot. "Dala ko ang kotse ko. Pwedeng 'yon ang sakyan natin para convenient. Tirik pa naman ang araw ngayong tanghali."
We walked a bit farther to reach the parking lot. Marami nang naka-park na sasakyan dito kaya medyo nahirapan akong hanapin ang kotse ko. I clicked a button on my car remote and went to where we heard an audible beeping sound. We found my white sedan a lot easier this time. With the press of a button, I unlocked the car doors before entering the driver's seat. Sumakay naman sa shotgun ride si Lorelei. Sabay naming isinuot ang seatbelt.
"Let's go?" I asked before turning on the car engine. Nag-drive na ako paalis ng parking lot at palabas ng campus.
Lorelei took her phone out and opened her navigation app. "Paglampas natin sa kanto, turn left 'tapos turn right sa unang street na makikita natin."
"Thanks!" I pressed the brake and waited for the traffic light to go green. I appreciated her taking the initiative to be the navigator. Alam kong hindi rin siya gano'n ka-familiar sa area na ito—we were both transferees here after all—but between the two of us, she would have a slight edge because she had been here for two months.
Reaching our destination did not take that long. Nag-park ako sa gilid ng apartment na nag-match sa address na ibinigay ni Agatha. No guard was stationed at the gate so going in was not a problem. Nilagpasan namin ang apat na unit at huminto sa tapat ng panlima.
"Classes are still ongoing so the boyfriend must still be in school," I deduced after noting the absence of men's leather shoes on the rack outside. Sinubukan ko ring sumilip sa bintana, ngunit masyadong madilim kaya wala akong masyadong nakita. I turned the knob, but it would not budge. "It might take a while before he returns to this apartment. Tawagan na natin 'yong landlord at ipaliwanag sa kanya ang sitwasyon para buksan niya ang pinto. Saan ba ang unit niya?"
I was about to walk away, but Lorelei grabbed me by the wrist. Kunot-noong lumingon ako sa kanya. "There's no need to call the landlord. Kaya kong buksan ang pintong 'to. Magtiwala ka sa 'kin."
