DETECTIVE FILES. File 1 (Published under PSICOM)

CHAPTER 30: APOLLO IN A LOCKED ROOM

Chapter 30: Apollo in A Locked Room*

Mabilis na dumaan ang mga araw and everyone in Bridle is busy para sa upcoming school festival. Each club were practicing for the cultural night at abala ang bawat section para sa mga sports, literary and musical event. It's only four days including the weekends bago ang festival at abala na ang lahat. As of the play, araw-araw kaming nagpapractice.

May mga nagtayo na rin ng mga booth sa grounds ng Bridle. The gym was cleaned up for the basketball and volleyball. The lawn were already mowed for the soccer and baseball game. Katatapos lamang ng practice namin. We were on the auditorium with the play's main cast at ng ilang mga staff.

Tumayo si Marion at lumapit sa akin. “Amber, samahan mo naman ako. We'll pick out our costumes for the play.”

“But the club will provide us our costume,” wika ko sa kanya.

“I already told Mia about it. She said we can have our own gown as long as it's of the same color,” she said. She's choosing her own gown? Oh yeah, she don't have problems regarding that since they're very rich.

“Please Amber, samahan mo ako please? Magpapasukat lang ako sa couture,” she said and pouted.

Pumayag ako at tuwang-tuwa naman ito. “Yes! Let's go. But first, can we drop by at Castell Hotel? Pinayagan lang kasi ako ni Daddy na pumunta sa couture kapag kasama ko ang pupuntahan natin sa hotel,” she said and I nodded.

Umalis kami ng Bridle at sumakay ng taxi papunta sa Castell Hotel. “Sino ba ang pupuntahan natin sa Castell Hotel Marion?” I asked her nang makasakay na kami ng taxi. She's frowning mula ng sinabi niya na pupunta kami sa Castell Hotel, maybe she doesn't like whoever we're meeting.

I saw her frowned again. “My suitor, oh, not really a suitor. His dad forced him to court me. Daddy wanted me to be acquainted with that guy since business partner niya ang daddy ng guy.”

“You're frowning. You don't like the guy?,” tanong ko sa kanya and she shook her head.

“He's hot and handsome but alam mo namang si Gray-chan ang gusto ko diba?,” she said. Oh, yeah. He's into Gray-CHAN. Whatever.

“Besides, I guess we're the same, you know, that guy who's courting me. I don't like him and he doesn't like me too. Sinabi niya talaga iyon sa akin. Oo, nanliligaw siya but it's like out of compliance. And I hate such,” wika ni Marion.

That's weird. I wonder why there were people who would really go after into orders even if it cost them their happiness. Courting someone out of compliance? Uh, not good.

Tumigil na ang taxi sa harap ng hotel at bumaba na kami. Marion got her phone and dialled a number. “He's not answering. He said kanina na pupuntahan ko lang siya dito and call him if I'm already at the hotel's premises.”

“What did you say? Siya pa mismo ang nagpapunta sayo rito? How rude! Guys should be the one fetching girls and not the other way around!” bulalas ko.

“I told you, he's not into me kaya normal lang na hindi niya ako itrato na parang tunay na nililigawan,” paliwanag ni Marion but I just frowned. Kahit pa siguro hindi niya gusto si Marion, he should be considerate enough not to let Marion fetch him. That's a guy's job.

I rolled my eyes. “Kahit na, you're still a lady.” Whoever it was, wala siyang modo! He makes a girl fetch him? And now he's not answering his phone? What a guy.

Lumapit kami ni Marion sa receptionist at nagtanong doon. “Excuse me, nag-check out na ba ang nasa Suite 202? He told me to be here but he's not answering his phone,” tanong niya and the receptionist checked the records.