Sinclair Secrets

Chapter 25: The huge wall of iceberg

PATTY's POV

Sobrang tahimik ni Beshy nang sunduin namin sya kanina for school. She smiled when she saw us though but that was it. Kahapon, mas pinili nya ding mapag-isa. She went out somewhere. Napag-alaman nalang namin sa guard niya na nagpunta sya dun sa burol. That same hill she used to run to when she was a kid.

She was out of it most of the ride. Nung dumating na kami, she just stared at the looming building in front of us. Pero wala kang makikitang emosyon sa mukha niya. She just stared at it and blinked several times then as if in a trance, walked towards the lobby.

Hozzai jogged after her and put an arm on her shoulders. Steve stepped beside me with his head hung low. "I hope this day ends up good for once."

Specially for Beshy.

Sa aming lahat, alam ko siya ang mas nasasaktan. Ang dami na nilang pinagdaanan ni Vaughn. Especially the time when she lost her father. What happened last friday was a full-blow on her. Everything just piled up that day. Lahat-lahat nang sakit at hinanakit niya nitong mga nakaraang buwan.

Kami nga ni hindi namin lubos mawari kung paano haharapin yung nangyari, siya pa kaya? Napabuntung-hininga ako.

Habang papalapit kami nang papalapit sa silid namin, pabigat din nang pabigat yung mga hakbang ko. Parang gusto ko nang umatras saka umuwi nalang eh.

I looked at the both of them, walking ahead of us. Hozzai was talking to her, to which Beshy just nodded at.

Tumahimik yung buong klase nang pumasok kami. Nagsilingunan sila lahat samin. Lahat sila nandun na. Including the witch herself and Vaughn.

I saw Hozzai squeezed her shoulder and tapped it twice before he let go to sit. She just went straight ahead to her chair. Didn't even gave a glance to any of them. Even to Vaughn who had his eyes on her the whole time. I know he's itching to touch her and talk to her. He was sitting upright, his eyes scanning her and willing her to notice him.

But she didn't. She only had the same blank expression ever since that Saturday morning. Now, when I think more about it though, she almost had the same look as that witch, Tasha. Except that she just have smiles from time to time.

Maybe it was the same expression that told him off. Bryan said, the last time she was like this was when she'd been suicidal after the tragedy.

It was really creepy and scary. We have been advised to give her space. Everyone of us has different coping mechanisms. Beshy needs time to sort herself out. Her family had been trying to get her back to counseling but she declined. She said she's fine. But we all know she's not.

I sighed as I sat on my chair. Miss Hernandez arrived and started morning announcements. Oo nga pala, pagbubukas na nga pala ng School fest. Opisyal nang sisimulan bukas ang Intramurals week kung saan the crowning of the champions will be announced this Saturday. Which happens to be our Foundation Day. Kaya School Fest ang bansag nila dito kasi double celebration.

Tama lang din ang timing ng event na 'to. We need this time to stay away as much as possible from them. Beshy, most of all, needs this break for emotional downtime.

At the end, wala din kaming sinalihan na sports event. Maliban sa boys of course. They both signed up for the men's voleyball. Zed, on the other hand is on the soccer team. Speaking of him, absent na naman siya ngayon. Pero mamaya-maya, susulpot na naman yun na parang kabote.

Pero hindi ibig sabihin na dahil wala kaming event, pwede na kami umabsent kasi required pa din nila ang attendance. This only means more library time for Beshy and I. To catch up like good times.

Yeah, how I miss those times.

Recess came, then I know everybody had their attentions in our group. Even a blind can feel the huge, virtual wall of iceberg separating us from Vaughn.

Besides that, I've been hearing another set of rumors. Yung totoo, may mga nabasa na 'ko sa wall ng website. Something about Beshy trying to break Tasha and Vaughn's relationship. Asif!

Pero binalewala ko lang yun kasi akala ko wala lang. Kaso nang sumaglit ako sa restroom, lower class girls we're talking about it. Even on the hallways, I heard whispers. Ang sabi pa, sa kakapanggulo daw ni Beshy pati concentration ni Vaughn sa team naapektuhan. It seems like they almost lost to the San Pedro team by six points last Friday. Wala daw sa laro yung utak ng Captain kaya medyo tumagilid sila. Kung hindi lang dahil nagsikap ng husto sila Zack and Rocco sa huling half.

Hindi ko napigilan yung sarili ko and I just have to set them straight rightaway. They were what Professor Mcgonagall would call 'a bunch of bumbling baboons'.

The guys were pissed as well when I told them in the cafè. Kaya nga hindi na namin nilubayan si Beshy even for a minute. But then, I have this feeling na narinig niya na din.

When we came back from recess, Zed was waiting by the door.

"Hey guys," he greeted as he fistbumped with the boys and tapped my shoulder. In normal days, I would have swooned on him already, this time though, wala lang talaga ako sa mood.

I just nodded at him.

"Can I talk to Ariella alone?" He asked as he glanced at her.

I nodded again and walked inside the class.  Hozzai and Steven followed behind.

Vaughn wasn't there yet.

I admit to crushing on him since 6th grade. Pero alam ko naman kasing hindi ako. At okay naman ako doon. Back then, he was this serious and responsible 13 year old kid. He was so confident with his individuality na ni hindi niya na kinakailangang ipagmayabang pa kung ano siya. The way he walks, speaks and dresses is just so simple yet with that certain kind of confidence in his own skin that is so lacking in today's generation.

Everything about him then, impressed me. Now, I don't know anymore. He kind of changed ever since that first school day.

I've always wondered what happened then.