Echoes of Red [BINI AU]

Chapter 13

Sheena's Point Of View

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across my room as I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed. It was Monday again, the start of another long week looming ahead. Just as I was about to succumb to the temptation of hitting the snooze button for the umpteenth time, the shrill ring of my phone shattered the silence, jolting me awake.

With a groan, I fumbled for my phone, squinting at the bright screen as I answered the call. "Hello?"

"Thank god, sumagot ka rin," came the voice on the other end, crisp and businesslike. "Do you know what time it is?"

I blinked, my brain still foggy with sleep. "Um, no?"

"You're late," Mikha replied matter-of-factly. "It's already 6:30, and your class starts at 7. I'm waiting for you outside."

With a sudden surge of adrenaline, I leaped out of bed, the sleepiness evaporating in an instant. "Ay hala, shit. Ito na, babangon na, I'll be right there!"

As I hastily threw on some clothes and grabbed my backpack, I couldn't help but marvel at Mikha's efficiency. She was always looking out for me, even when I didn't realize I needed it.

My heart pounding with the realization that I was about to be late for class. But as I rounded the corner and spotted Mikha waiting patiently by her car, a wave of gratitude washed over me.

I may be running late, but with Mikha by my side, I knew everything would be alright.

-

I was wrong.

Late na ako.

As we raced through the congested streets, the minutes ticking away relentlessly, I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom gnawing at the pit of my stomach. With each passing second, the weight of my lateness bore down on me like a leaden anchor, dragging me deeper into a sea of anxiety.

Mikha's calm voice cut through the chaos, her reassurances falling on deaf ears as my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. "It's okay to be late, Sheena," she said, her words a feeble attempt to ease my mounting panic. But I knew better than to believe her.

As we finally reached the university campus, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, even though I knew I was in for it with my professor. "Lagot ako sa prof namin," I muttered under my breath, already bracing myself for the inevitable scolding.

Sheena chuckled beside me, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Hindi ka natatakot, no? 8 pa kasi start ng klase mo," she remarked, her tone laced with playful teasing.

I shot her a wry smile, shaking my head in resignation. "Kaninong kasalanan 'yan?" I quipped back, unable to resist the opportunity to banter with her, even in the face of impending doom.

Mikha's laughter echoed, a brief moment of levity amidst the tension. "Basta, 'wag mo na lang isipin 'yun. Takbo na, kaya pa 'yan," she reassured me, her words a comforting balm to my frazzled nerves.

-

As I stepped into the classroom, a sense of relief washed over me as I realized that my professor had yet to arrive. I scanned the room, my eyes settling on Jhoanna, who was giving me a knowing look from her seat.

"Grabe ka. Nagmadali ka pa naman, wala pa raw ang prof," she said with a chuckle, shaking her head in amusement.

I rolled my eyes, feeling a surge of frustration at the thought of rushing for nothing. "Eh 'di sana hindi na ako nagmadali," I muttered under my breath, unable to hide my annoyance.

Jhoanna raised an eyebrow at my response, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Relax lang, teh. Baka may emergency lang siya or something," she suggested, her tone placating.

I sighed, sinking into my seat as I resigned myself to the waiting game. With no updates on whether our professor would show up or not, there was little else to do but sit tight and hope for the best. But as the minutes ticked by, the uncertainty gnawed at my nerves, leaving me feeling restless and on edge.

"Ang tagal naman niya. Late na ako lahat-lahat tapos wala pa rin siya," I grumbled, my impatience getting the better of me.

Jhoanna shot me a sympathetic look, patting my shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. "Baka nagka-traffic lang. Tiwala lang, darating din siya," she said soothingly, trying to calm my frayed nerves.

But try as I might, I couldn't shake the feeling of irritation that simmered beneath the surface. "Kahit na, ang aga ko pa naman gumising tapos ganito lang pala," I complained, crossing my arms in frustration.

Jhoanna let out a soft chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ganun talaga, Shee. Part ng college life 'yan," she replied, offering me a sympathetic smile.

I sighed, realizing that she had a point. College was full of unexpected twists and turns, and sometimes, things just didn't go as planned. But as much as I tried to brush off my irritation, the lingering sense of impatience continued to nag at me, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

As the minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity, my frustration grew with each passing second. Despite Jhoanna's attempts to calm me down, I couldn't shake the feeling of annoyance that gnawed at me. It was bad enough that we were already late for class, but to have our professor not show up made it feel like a complete waste of time.

Unable to contain my exasperation any longer, I pulled out my phone and shot off a quick message to Mikha, venting my frustration about our absent professor.

Sheena: Wala pa rin si Prof. Late na ako tapos ganito lang palam nakakaineyz 😡😡😡

I typed out, my fingers tapping furiously against the screen.

As I hit send, a sense of relief washed over me, knowing that I had someone to commiserate with about our shared predicament. Mikha was always my go-to whenever I needed to vent, her unwavering support a constant source of comfort in times of frustration.

But even as I waited for her response, a part of me couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for dragging her into my drama. After all, it wasn't her fault that our professor had failed to show up, and yet here I was, burdening her with my complaints.

As the minutes ticked by, my phone remained conspicuously silent, no response from Mikha forthcoming. With a sigh, I tucked my phone back into my pocket, resigning myself to the fact that there was little else to do but wait.

But just as I was about to resign myself to another round of aimless waiting, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, drawing my attention to the door.

As I sat there, growing increasingly agitated by the absence of our professor, a sudden commotion erupted from outside the classroom. The sound of panicked screams and shuffling feet pierced the air, jolting me out of my frustrated reverie.

I exchanged a worried glance with Jhoanna, our eyes silently questioning what could possibly be causing such chaos. With hesitant steps, I made my way to the door, my heart pounding in my chest as I peered out into the hallway.

As I reached for the doorknob, intent on investigating the source of the disturbance, Jhoanna's hand shot out, gripping my arm with surprising strength. "Don't," she whispered urgently, her voice trembling with fear.

Startled, I turned to look at her, only to freeze at the sound of a desperate scream echoing through the hallway. My heart lurched in my chest, threatening to escape as panic surged through my veins.

Jhoanna's grip tightened, anchoring me in place as the scream reverberated through the walls, filling the air with a palpable sense of dread. Around us, our classmates had fallen silent, their attention drawn to the door as if compelled by some unseen force.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry with fear as I exchanged a terrified glance with Jhoanna. Something was terribly wrong, and instinct told me that opening that door would only invite more danger into our lives.

But as the cries for help grew louder, my resolve wavered, torn between the instinct to flee and the impulse to help. Little did I know, this decision would seal our fate in ways we could never have imagined.

-

🎀