Eternal Tune (Haunted Series 1)

PROLOGUE

"SCU students, let me hear you, screeeeam!"

I smiled, pushing my way through the jumping crowd while the band sings on stage. I got so caught up enjoying the school festival that I almost forgot to leave on time for my other plan.

"Hindi ka naman bumawi! Lason, halatang may galit. Sa dinaming daming tao sa mundo ikaw pa plastic!"

I can still hear the music and the screams even though I got to the parking spot where the car was.

Dahil sa dami ng tao, it was hard to drive towards my twin's condo even though walking distance lang 'yon sa University. His apartment is a lifesaver, I never really had the thought to buy one since mas prefer kong umuuwi sa bahay, so I use his flat nalang in times like these.

I took a short shower and did a natural makeup with a pop of burgundy lipstick. I changed into an all-black turtleneck and wide-leg pants. Styling it with silver accessories, pairing it with my white boots and envelope clutch, and tied my hair in an updo.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I looked good. Defined jawline, supple lips, upturned nose, my cheeks blushing with makeup, and my eyes golden like my mother's. I smiled and posed, tracing the way my clothes shaped my body. I was tall, but my pants made me look taller.

I left the condo satisfied.

"Here we go." I hyped myself, going inside my car, and drove to my alma mater that's blocks away.

Ingenio Academy of the Arts.

My batch is currently holding a reunion on its grounds kaya mabilis akong umalis sa school festival. I feel so bad sa friend kong naiwan sa gitna ng crowd dahil sa pagmamamadali pero oh well, bawi next time. Besides, it's been years since I last stepped on IAA.

The car beeped as I locked it and noticed the several vehicles around me. Nakangiti lang ako habang nakatingin sa paligid, admiring IAA's architecture and hearing my own heels as I walk on the stoned street.

I embraced the cold September night and breathed in the clean air that the trees here provide.

It's good to be back.

There are a lot of memories I have inside these walls, some I treasure, some I want to forget.

Ingay ng isang grupo ang bumungad sa'kin pagdating ko sa entrance ng main hall. Napangiti nalang ako nang ma-obserbahan ang masaya nilang pag uusap, but I had to go in between them to go through the door.

"Excuse me." The guy who's directly in front of me irritatedly looked back bago niya ibinalik ang tingin sa mga kaibigan pagkatapos ay mabilis uling lumingon sa'kin.

Nanlalaki ang mata niya habang nakangiti. "Jamie Faith Del Valle ang tagal na kitang hindi nakita."

I slightly panicked, ransacking names and faces of people in my brain dahil hindi ko naman siya naaalala. Pag hindi naman kasi importante sa buhay ko ay madali kong nakakalimutan. "Oh my God... I'm so sorry, you are?"

Ngumisi siya ng malaki. "Ah. Hindi mo ako kilala, but I'm Phanda."

I blinked.

"Oh, okay, nice to meet you." I awkwardly smiled and excused myself. For a second there, I thought we knew each other.

I entered the establishment that's full of people wearing the dress code—black. The room is adorned with a huge chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, the tables covered in red satin tablecloths and the chairs in metallic gold. Habang papunta sa registration area, masaya kong binati ang mga kakilala ko at napangiti nang makita ang mukhang matagal ko nang hindi nakikita.