Carnage of Vicinity (At a Not-So-Ordinary Senior High)

CHAPTER 05: When Walls Break Down

Author's Note: Hi, Mambabasa! I hope that you liked the last chapter though it was relatively longer than usual. Gusto ko lang din ipaalam na we are now one chapter away from the official first part of the story: the Faculty Members Arc. Yes! The story will have a number of arcs! How spicy things can be, you may ask. Well, ako mismo walang idea!

Now, to end the introductory part of this book, let's have Cameron's point of view for the first time. Will we hear anything from Rainier before the first part of the story starts though? I personally hope so.

Bye now! Joy, joy!

—

CAMERON

Two days have already passed since the incident in the school gym. It was a Saturday morning and I was having breakfast with my parents. As usual, they were already in their casual attire, ready to storm off to their work.

At a very young age, I became used to being alone in our house with our maids. Mom and Dad would go to work early every day and go back home late that's why. My parents still had time for me though. But of course, their work was their top priority to provide my needs. They worked as financial consultants in a company and they spent most of their time in their office. Though, it wasn't an issue. They have a son to feed.

I understood it very well. But lately, being a teenager going through early adulthood; I started questioning why they hadn't had time for me.

Then things like this happen...

"Cameron," Dad called me out. I was in the middle of putting the spoon in my mouth. I stopped on my track and looked at him.

"Yes, Dad?"

"I heard from your aunt that you were summoned to the guidance office," he said, which uplifted an unexplainable atmosphere in the dining area. The lights and the chandelier on the ceiling were shining bright. No bulb was broken at that time. But, I felt like darkness suddenly enveloped me. "That happened two days ago..." He looked at me directly. "Why did you not tell us about it?"

I wasn't able to find my voice. My mouth almost fell open. Which aunt?

Mom pressed his shoulder. "Sweetie, don't mind it anymore. It was already settled, right?"

"Yes," my father replied without breaking his eye contact with me. I felt a lump in my throat. "... He was accused of cheating and it was already settled...once again."

"Dad..." That's all that had left my mouth. It was a miracle I was even able to utter a word.

Dad stood on his feet and he turned his back on me. He was rubbing his hand on a tissue, rubbing off the ketchup that got on his skin. The way he rubbed his hand— it was intoxicating my lungs. He wasn't angry— he wasn't. He was just annoyed or something. Dad won't be mad at me. I clenched my fists together under the dining table as I felt my body shaking.

"Cameron..." he called out, which made my breathing close to halt. "Next time an emergency happens, tell us right away," he said calmly then he faced me. "I won't let them disgrace the name of our son..." There was this fire in his eyes, the same fire I had seen 2 years ago. "Accusing you of cheating without any concrete evidence? Like they did before? They never learned." He chuckled, a menacing chuckle. He then looked at me again straight in the eye. "... You are a Buenaventura, my son, and no one shall disgrace that name...even you, Cameron."

The shaking of my body stopped. My fists opened on their own. My heartbeat— I couldn't hear it anymore. All I felt was numbness. I'm not dumb to not be able to decode the message that Dad was trying to send. His tone was enough to make things clear to me.