Amethyst Died that Saturday

02

02

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I SHOULDN'T HAVE said that.

I shouldn't have labeled it as a 'simple' fire. It was nowhere near from simple. It did not burn any other houses, thankfully because the houses are all fairly apart from each other, but it did kill a family. At Monday morning, the newspaper on my front yard said Fire on Kaylock Road Left Nothing On Cambray's Family.

That was Cambray's house?

Hawak-hawak ko lang ang dyaryo habang naglalakad, ini-i-skim read ang balita. There was a photo of my schoolmate, Amethyst, (everyone calls her Amy though) smiling at me with her bright smile. Katabi ng picture niya ay picture ng isang mag-asawa na sa palagay ko ay ang parents niya. Well shit. I did not leave the house yesterday because it's Sunday and I thought I needed a break, so I just spent the day reading books.

The police did not tell much about the fire, and even if they spoke, they were being vague about some details. I wonder if they found remains, or was just the fire too hot that everything just burnt to ashes? Is that how it works . . . I don't know. Well, as I said, they didn't tell much. Maybe soon they will begin to talk about the case more.

Amethyst Cambray, huh?

My clearest memory of her is when I saw her putting on lipstick on the coffee shop with Cinna. Her hair was long, brownish, shining on the dusk sunlight peeking through the glass window. She was wearing an off-shoulder blouse, and I noticed she has little freckles on her shoulder blades, like star scars. With Cinna . . . oh, right — magkaibigan sila. Would still Cinna come with me later? A death of a friend would be terribly painful. Napabuntonghininga ako. I guess not today, huh?

I'm sure an assembly will be held after school, where the principal will say prayers because of Amethyst's death.

Poor family.

—

THERE REALLY WAS an assembly after class.

"Pakingshet," sabi ni Pierre sa 'kin. "Hindi ako makapaniwala. Si Amethyst 'yan, boi."

My friend, Pierre, has a long time crush on Amethyst Cambray. He's been stalking her social media accounts since seventh grade. I find Amethyst pretty, but not really 'hot'. I mean . . . I've never seen her with a book once.

Still, valid naman ang feelings ni Pierre para kay Amethyst. He's been a solid admirer of her ever since. Finding out she's dead destroyed him extremely, but not only him.

Amethyst is pretty popular. She's beautiful, too. She sings well, and she has tons of friends in every grade, section, and strands. Sa sobrang sikat niya, parang siya 'yung star ng Ashmore High.

And because almost everybody loves her, wails and cries are heard all over the gymnasium. Tumingin ako sa paligid. May mga lalaking nakayuko, at mga babaeng nakadikit ang mukha sa kanya-kanya nilang mga panyo.