Death University

Chapter 21

Chapter 21: White Roses

"Hey Demerine, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Nag-aalalang tanong ni Selton sa'kin.

"D-Don't worry, I'm okay." Sagot ko sa kanya at ngumiti ako ng pilit.

Ibinalik ko ang aking atensyon sa kung saan ko natagpuan kanina si MK, pero wala na siya roon. Guni-guni ko lang ba 'yon? Namamalikmata lang ba ako? But it felt real!

"Demerine," Tawag sa akin ni Selton at agad akong bumaling sa kanya. "Are you sure that you're okay?"

"O-Oo naman. K-Kailan ba ako hindi naging okay?"

"May kung ano ka bang hinahanap?" Tanong niya at napabaling din siya sa likuran.

"N-Nothing, Selton. Let's just eat. Nandito na ang pagkain." Sabi ko na ikinatango niya. We then ate the food we ordered.

Habang kumakain kami, napatanong ako sa kanya. "Diba anak ka ni Madame Selina? Eh bakit ka kumakain sa isang ordinaryong cafeteria? What I mean is... dapat diba mga enggrande 'yung kinakainan mo?"

Kasi diba, anak siya ng headmistress ng paaralan na 'to tapos sa ordinaryong cafeteria lang siya kumakain? Nagtataka lang ako.

"Demerine, I'm just an ordinary person."

"Pero diba, dapat kang katakutan kasi anak ka ng headmistress?"

"Just her son. She doesn't even care." He hissed. Pain is evident in his eyes. "She doesn't care who dies, even if it's her son... All she cares about is fame. She wants to be the best, the greatest of all. She wants to be the one who stands out from the crowd."

Madame Selina only cares about fame? So anong kinalaman ng libro na nakuha ko sa kasikatan? Bakit gusto niya talagang mahanap ang aklat na iyon?

"She doesn't care kung mamatay man lahat ng tao. She only thinks about herself."

"So cruel..." That were the only words that came out of my mouth.

"Yes, Demerine, she is so cruel, so don't you ever come near her. I don't want you to be involved in any experiments she will make." He said seriously.

Experiments? What experiments?

"Selton, naguguluhan ako sa mga sinasabi mo. Ano bang experiments ha?"

"Experiments she'll make so she'll be more famous. And people are involved in those experiments... Mukhang hindi ka naman niya napapansin sa dami-dami ng nga estudyante rito, but better stay away. Don't ever get close to her."

"O-Okay. B-But why are you saying all of this? You should be on her side, right?"

"Because I don't want her cruelty. This is enough. I don't want you to be one of her victims. You're... important to me. I don't want you to be harmed."

I'm important to him? What does that mean?

"You're important to me because... you're my friend." Dugtong niya. I felt relieved. Akala ko kung ano na ang kahulugan ng 'important' na 'yun.

"T-Thank you, Selton. Thank you for being my friend and thank you for warning me about Madame Selina." I sincerely said.

"You're always welcome,"

Niyakap ko siya na ikinagulat niya. He hugged me back. I just really want to thank him for being a friend to me.

The bell rang.

What the heck? Halos 20 minutes pa nga lang ang lunch break, eh. Bakit nag-bell na agad? Well, that's strange...

"Well, looks like you have to go to your first period class. I'll see you when I see you." Selton said with a wink before he left.

I smiled. He really is my friend. He warned me about his own mother. Pero hindi alam ni Selton na may malaki pala akong atraso sa nanay niya. I stole the book for Pete's sake!

Yes, I'm just so stupid that I, myself, made this mess. Too much curiosity can lead you to danger. And can also lead you to death...

*****

First period na ng klase at ako ay nagd-doodle lamang sa aking notebook. Like, what am I going to do when the class is so boring? Hindi naman ako makakahawak ng gadgets because, of course, this hell of a university won't allow you to!

This hell is very strict when it comes to gadgets. 'Nung second day ko nga, ininspeksyon pa ang bagahe ko. Pagkabalik sa'kin ng bagahe ko, parang dinaanan na ng bagyo! One of the school staff really rummaged my bag!

Habang nagd-doodle, napaisip ako. What if I hadn't come to the point of running away? What if I'm still with my family?

Tears trickled from my eyes. Nabasa tuloy ang doodle ko. I ripped the paper off my notebook and crumpled it. I miss home. I truly do.

Pinalis ko ang aking mga luha. But then, I shouldn't be crying, right? Dapat maging matatag ako... pero paano nga ba maging matatag?

Lampas apat na buwan na ako rito. Dapat ko na talagang tanggapin na permanente na ako sa lugar na 'to.

"Miss Dawnt, are you okay? Kanina ka pa nakayuko riyan. Siguro dapat ka munang magpahangin sa labas." Wika ni Prof na ikinabalik ko sa aking huwisyo.

"T-Thank you, po." Sabi ko sabay tayo at inayos ko na ang mga gamit ko.

"Ako rin! I'm not feeling well. Pwedeng lumabas?" Sabi ng isa kong kaklaseng babae na maarte at mataray.

"No, Miss Madrigal. You can't. I know na pakulo mo lamang 'to." Sagot naman ni Prof.

"Pakulo lang din 'yan ng babaeng 'yan! She's just acting that she's kawawa so she'll be exempted in class." Sabi niya sabay irap.

Pinili kong hindi na lang umangal. Wala ako sa mood na makipag-away ngayon.

"Stop it, Miss Madrigal!" Saway ni Prof sa kanya.

'Yung iba ko namang kaklase, ayun at nakipag-chismisan na naman.

"It's okay, Miss Dawnt. You can go." Saad ni Prof.

"Thank you po ulit," Sagot ko at lumabas na ako ng classroom.

Nang makalabas na ako, pumunta ako sa fountain area because it's the place I need to be in. Parang 'don palagi gumagaan ang loob ko.

When I went in, I saw a bouquet of white roses on the bench.

Umupo ako sa bench kung saan ang mga rosas. Wala naman sigurong masama kung hawakan ko at amoyin ang magagandang bulaklak na ito? I love roses. Especially these white ones.

Hinawakan ko ang bouquet at sabay nilapit sa ilong ko para amoyin. And gosh, it smells so good!

Kaya ang paborito kong mga bulaklak ay rosas dahil may samot-saring kulay at masarap sa ilong ang amoy ng mga ito.

Sayang naman kung hahayaan ko na lang ang mga rosas na ito rito. Saan kaya ang may-ari nito? Kawawa naman kasi baka umulan at mabasa ang mga rosas na 'to.

This bouquet seems to be new. Parang bagong balot. At ang fresh pa. Wala naman siguro talagang masama kung kukunin ko ito at iuwi? There's no sign of the owner.

Then moments later, I decided to bring these flowers with me. I will surely take care of these beautiful flowers.

But who could've left these flowers here?

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