wattys 2020 winner • mystery/thriller
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Everyone thinks she is dead. Even I thought so, too.
While the town spoke of her dead name, Amethyst Cambray is actually alive, and she is asking for my help.
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09
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I WOKE UP this morning to see Amethyst brushing her bed.
"The hell are you doing?" I asked, all groggy, scratching my eyebrows. Hindi ko makita ang mukha niya. Her long hair was covering her face. I was about to suggest for her to cut her long hair when she spoke.
"Shut up, douchebag," sabi niya. Napakurap lang ako. When I looked closely, I noticed she wasn't wearing anything aside from her shirt — well, my shirt, technically, which is long enough to cover her thighs. I felt like shit because my face warmed like hell.
"What — b-bakit wala kang shorts?" The hell was she planning, waking up without shorts? She woke up and randomly decided to strip and brush her bed? At 6 AM in the morning?
She still did not reply, so I decided to shut up. Man, her hair is so long, it's covering the sides of her face. Gusto ko na lang sanang tanungin kung ano ang binu-brush niya sa couch pero nanahimik na lang ako. Maybe she spilled some coffee or something, but the thermos is empty. I frowned.
Seriously . . . what the hell is up?
"Ugh, please . . ." she murmured, but I could hear her. Huminga na lang ako nang malalim. I boiled some water and decided to pee, so I went to the comfort room. But before I could even touch the door knob, a brush flew across the room to hit me on my goddamn face.
"Aw!"
"Don't you go there!"
Sapul ako sa noo ko mismo. Sakit! I looked down at the brush on my floor and towards Amethyst, breathing heavily, her face as red as an apple.
Something was up.
"P-Pads."
I didn't quite get it. "What?"
"Mavin," she said, red on the face, almost crying. "I need pads!"
—
THAT BROUGHT ME here to ate Jiha's house. Man, I'm running late, but here I am . . .
Seriously though! A woman would know when it would come, right? Did she lose track of the dates? Whatever. I'm sure she's uncomfortable right now. Kung nahihiya na akong manghingi ng pads sa kapitbahay ko, mas malala ang nararamdaman ni Amethyst. Pinigilan kong 'wag matawa. That was an awesome facial reaction she did right there. Maybe I'd tease her.
Bumukas ang pinto at naabutan ako ni ate Jiha na nakangisi. Nagulat ako doon kaya bigla akong napatawa nang alanganin. "A-Ate."
Inabot niya na ang kamay niyang may hawak na kung ano. Nang tingnan ko nang mabuti, maliit na square na puti lang ang nawari ng mga mata ko. Ate Jiha is smiling awkwardly. "Sorry, Vin! Isa na lang ang natira, e."
What? Do girls need more than one?
"A-Ayos lang, ate. Nakakahiya na nga."
"Ano ka ba! Masaya nga ako kasi may kasama ka na sa bahay n'yo," tumatawang sabi ni ate Jiha saka sumandal sa pintuan. "So? Anong klaseng babae ba ang ate mo, at baka bisitahin ko siya mamaya . . ."
