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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LORELEI
WHEN I first joined the QED Club, I thought that only Loki Mendez and I would be its only members. Kung may interesado kasing sumali sa amin, dapat noon pa'y nag-apply na sila—bago pa ako i-convince ni Loki na mag-sign up.
Wala talaga akong balak na sumali roon. When I transferred from Manila to Pampanga, I wanted to start anew and enjoy a peaceful student life here in Clark High. But things happened. I met Loki first in the apartment, then at school. Nataon na may problema ako noon kaya in-advise sa akin ng classmate ko na i-consult ang club na siya pala ang president. I thought our interaction would only be once, but it was followed by another problem. Humingi na naman ako ng tulong sa kanya, nangakong magkakautang na loob ako kapag pinagbigyan niya. In exchange for his help, he asked me to join his club, but I tried to pull a fast one on him. Dahil sa pangongonsensya niya, naudyukan akong mag-apply. And the rest was history.
So there were two of us.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that a campus celebrity by the name of the Jamie Santiago chose to step down the theater stage and join our little detective group. She was once our client. Now, she wanted to be one of us. Wala akong problema kung sumali siya, pero iba kasi ang ipinapakita niya. Kapag nandiyan si Loki, ang ayos-ayos ng pakikitungo niya sa akin. Pero kapag kaming dalawa na, lumalabas ang pagiging rude niya. Hindi ko naman siya tinarayan o sinungitan, kaya bakit gano'n siya umasta sa harap ko? Whether that was her real facade or not, I could not tell. Ayaw ko rin siyang i-judge agad.
Then there were three of us.
But nothing would beat my surprise when I learned that my childhood friend Alistair Ravena transferred to Clark High and also joined the club. Nabasa niya ang mga ipino-post ko sa blog kaya aware siya sa ilang cases na ikinuwento ko roon. I suspected that my dad had asked him to come all the way here just to look after me. Pero 'yon lang ba talaga ang reason? He was willing to leave his life behind in Manila just to protect me? There must be more to it than meets the eye.
And then there were four of us.
Today was the very first day that we would all meet in person. Noon kasing nag-apply si Jamie, wala pa si Alistair. Noon namang nag-apply si Alistair, wala sina Loki at Jamie sa clubroom.
"St. Bart's cultural festival is fast approaching," Alistair shared. As always, his side-swept bangs was combed neatly, leaving no loose strand. And as usual, his face got that almost permanent smile across his lips, flashing his white teeth. Kinailangan ko pang tumingala nang bahagya dahil sa tangkad niya. "Bago ako umalis doon, sinabihan ako ni Lionel na welcome tayong pumunta kung gusto natin. Do you want to come?"
Since he and I belonged in the same class, we left the classroom as soon as the morning bell rang and went to the clubroom together. Dati, mag-isa akong naglalakad at umaakyat patungong third floor. Ngayon, nakapaninibagong meron na akong kasabay. I felt more safe and secured with him around. Hindi na ako napa-paranoid sa kalilingon kung meron bang palihim na nakasunod sa akin. There was one time someone knocked me unconscious and put me inside a box.
