181 Days of Madeline Jesty

Chapter 54: Forte

I tiptoed out of the situation. I didn't mind crawling if that would pull me away from there. Why did I, of all people, have to hear that?

Even though I hated Jane, I wouldn't tell a soul about what I heard. Not Steph. Not Mickey.

But do I care about her? Of course not. It's a stretch to say that I cared for Jane. My decision was more influenced by the fact that it wasn't my business and that things would get messier if I exposed Sister Antonia and Mr. Vicente. I wouldn't like to attend to an issue that wasn't mine. Besides, taking this secret to my death would be a better retaliation. Jane would have to live her life with a lie.

But just like the stupid characters in horror movies, I tripped and hit the ground.

"Who's there?!" I heard Sister Antonia shout. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I bit my lip, stayed silent, and prayed to God she wouldn't come toward my direction. My eyes looked from left to right, hoping a wall where I could easily hide would magically appear. But it would be too late by then since I heard grass-rustling sounds. She's approaching.

Doomed. I was fucking doomed-

"Uncle Gany!"

That voice. It was Margaux's! Thank God!

Never in my life did I imagine myself calling Margaux a blessing, but here I was. At least the footsteps coming toward me stopped; they were now walking away, toward Margaux's direction.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here, Sister. Pleasant afternoon, Sister Antonia," Margaux greeted while I endured the pain on my ankle and grazed abrasion on my left arm.

"M-Mr. Vicente and I just happened to meet here," Sister Antonia replied. "What are you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to go home, my dear?"

If I were Margaux, I would have replied, Did I ask? She made her affair with Mr. Vicente more obvious. Tsk. But for some reason, Margaux ignored Sister Antonia's script.

"Jane asked help to find Uncle Gany."

"I-I see then . . ."

While Sister Antonia kept on talking, I took the chance to get up quietly and dragged myself away from that maddening revelation as fast as I could. I only slowed down when I knew I had traveled a safe distance from them. There was another route to Tanky, albeit longer, but I took it anyway.

So much surprises today, huh? I told myself. One, Mom attended card-giving day; two, Mickey and I surpassed Jane in academic rankings; and three . . . this.

When I heard heels tapping, I knew there would be a fourth.

"Maddie!"

For fuck's sake.

I stopped walking. Margaux caught up with me, gasping for breath. "Wait, please . . . did . . . did you . . . did you also-"

"Yes" was my quick answer before passing by her side. However, the word also made me wonder if her presence was coincidental. But again, it wasn't my concern.

"H-hey. I saved you!"

I almost lost my temper. I badly wanted to reproach her and ask Did I ask you to save me? But at the back of my head, I was thankful that she did. I did not want to explicitly say, though. So instead of being hypocritical, I took a deep breath and asserted my nonchalance on the matter.

"I know you're worried about your princess. Don't worry, okay? My lips are sealed," I promised before zipping my mouth and throwing the invisible key away, like how busybodies would do. The only difference was I would really keep their secret; I had nothing to do with it anyway.