The Library

Suspicion

Sam POV

One week.

One week ng hindi nagpaparamdam ang bestfriend ko. Hindi naman niya ugali ang hindi tumawag o mag text eh. Kahit ganu ka-busy yun she'll find time to contact me.

Pumasok ako sa class hoping na may Kheara Gonzales akong makita but to my dismay wala kahit anino niya. She's always earlier than me and it's very freakin unusual for her to be late. Nangalumbaba nalang ako sa desk ko.

"Oh Sam? Any news about Kheara?" rinig kong tanong ni Drake na kakarating lang at naupo sa seat niya.

"None. Until now walang ha ni ho galing sa kanya. And for the 6th time pumunta ako sa residence nila hoping na nandun na sila but the guard told me that they moved out na." malungkot na tugon ko.

"What? They moved out? But why? And where?" sabat na tanong ni Carly.

"I don't know carls. Pero kinakabahan ako eh' what if something bad has happen to her? What if-

"Cut the what if's Sam. I'm sure Kheara's fine." Blake cut me off by saying that.

"Tinanong mo na ba ang adviser natin kung naka-enroll pa ba si Kheara dito sa school?" tanong naman ni Freddie.

"Hindi pa. I'll ask later nalang." why did i didn't think of that? Kinabahan ako lalo thinking about my what ifs.

"Sam chill lang okay? I'm sure kung may nangyaring masama man kay Kheara the teachers will let us know right? Let's just hope that she's fine." sabi sakin ni Blake na nakangiti. Pero hindi maitatago sa ngiti niya na nag-aalala din siya.

Lunch break na at wala akong ganang kumain. I tried calling Kheara but cannot be reach.

"Sam kain ka na. Binilhan na kita ng pagkain mo." Tumingin ako sa pagkain na inilapag ni Drake sa harap ko. Bumuntong hinanga ako. Wala akong gana.

"Do you think Kheara will be happy you not eating? Sige na. Kain na." Pilit ni Drake sakin. Tinutukan ko lang yung pagkain.

"I didn't know they were close." Napatingin ako kay Carly at tumingin ako sa tinitignan niya. The transferee and Blake. Nasa iisang table sila at kumakain. Kumakain lang hindi nag uusap.

"I saw them last friday na magkasamang nakatayo sa labas ng school. Maybe they met that time and become friends?" Sabat naman ng boyfriend niya.

"Nakapagtataka lang. She arrive the day Kheara went missing." Sabi ni Carly.

"Kheara is not missing carls. Could you stop the thought na may nangyaring masama kay Kheara!" Inis na sabi ni Drake.

"Okay okay. Chill." Sabi ni Carly na may kasamang hand gesture pa.

"Maybe Kheara was abductive by aliens and the transferee is an alien at siya ang ginamit nilang replacement?"

"Really Fred? Really? Aliens?" Frustrated na tugon ni Drake kay Freddie.

"Oh babe. You and your wild imaginations." Sambit ni Carly habang pinipisil ang pisngi ng boyfriend niya.

Napaisip ako saglit habang tinitignan si Xiara, the transferee, habang kumakain.

"You're not buying what they're saying right Sam?" Drake snap at me.

"I'll just ask her kung bakit hindi siya pumasok sa 1st week of school." Sabi ko sa kanya without looking at him at tinignan ng mabuti si Xiara.

"I can't believe this." Natatawang sabi niya while shaking his head.

"There's no harm on asking her naman diba?" Carly said habang nakatingin narin kay Xiara.