CHAPTER 2

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Bobby stood awkwardly while waiting for his girlfriend, Mylene, at the main lobby of the school. After he had received a text message from her that her last class for the day had ended, he immediately said goodbye to his friends and exited the canteen. Nevertheless, all four of them were able to finalize a deal before Bobby left: that Bobby would be doing the Bloody Mary incantation at home that night. Anyway, Bobby was very curious already, and the fact that he had not seen a ghost yet made him eager. I don't really think it will work, anyway, he thought.

His train of thoughts was suddenly halted by a greeting from behind. When Bobby turned, he saw that it was Samar, one of the school's bodyguards.

"Going home now, sir?" Samar asked. His voice always sounded polite, even when talking to students. Probably that was why he was always assigned at the information booth. All day long, all he had to do was answer the telephone and receive calls from inside and outside the school. That time, there was a Student Assistant on duty; Samar was happily gazing at students exiting the school.

"Yes, kuya. I'm just waiting for Mylene," Bobby answered fondly. Samar fired back with a smile and nodded.

After what seemed like five minutes, Bobby finally saw her leaving the College of Education office. Her classes on Saturdays were always in that office since it was closed to clients during weekends. Mylene came out of the door by herself; Bobby did not see her classmates leaving the office yet. She was wearing a blank face as if her day did not go well. She looked fine, nonetheless. Her white skin reflected the afternoon sun that beamed in a horizontal glare across the corridor. Even remotely, Bobby could imagine her brown eyes that had the ability to melt anybody's eyes. She did not have the sexy body of an underwear model, but she was slim enough for the medium sized skirt she was wearing. Despite the usual number of books she used to carry around almost all the time, she still possessed an invisible radiance only Bobby could see. She'll make a beautiful teacher someday, Bobby told himself.

"Hey," both of them greeted.

"What's with the face?" Bobby asked, one of his brows curving.

Mylene released her usual, intimidating laugh. "Isn't it obvious?"

Of course. Bobby knew what she meant. Their professor who was as old as the school itself seemed to have given them another hard day. He was the strictest professor the school had ever known. He was also a priest, one of those who managed the school.

Bobby gave Samar and the Student Assistant (who was on the phone) a wave and led Mylene through the front gate. Exiting the school had always been like stepping to another world for Bobby; probably for many students, too. The huge arch that towered above the gate appeared like a medieval portal, for what laid after it was the exact opposite of a contemporary landscape. One of the walls of Intramuros stood just outside of the school and adjacent to it was a wide stair climbing to the wall. It served as a headquarters for soldiers during the Spanish regime and now it remained a place of history for people visiting the walled city. What made it even more scenic was the seven-foot bronze statue of Plazuela Madre Francisca that stood before the stairs.

After crossing the street, Bobby and Mylene walked through another stone portal punched directly through the eastern wall. A wooden plaque with the word 'INTRAMUROS' hanged above it, the portal being one of the city' major entry ways.

They were in a historic place, as if they were transported back to some ages ago. The sun then was blocked by grey clouds, casting an orange shade across the sky. The dusk was colored brown, as if everything around was in sepia. Bobby imagined seeing José Rizal.

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