Her Darkest Secrets || J.EB

{Chapter 03}

Chapter 03: Frames

TIMOTHY

Masayang kumakain ng tanghalian si Sam kasama ang mga kaibigan nito. Gusto ko itong lapitan at kamustahin. Itanong ang mga bagay na 'di muna dapat malaman ng iba. But, how?

She is surrounded by her peers. I can't just walk straight to her and ask her why she shot her mom and Mr. Ryan Lopez dead, right in front of her friends!

All I could do is stare at her from afar, for now. My time is running out, I only have three months to complete this mission. Three months, but five weeks to get my father's approval.

I have to act fast. I have to get her side. I have to get the truth out of her dirty secrets. Napabuntong-hininga ako bago tumayo. I need some air.

"Oh? Saan ka naman pupunta? Mag wo-walk out ka din?" Ani Aims, looking at me with his furrowed brows.

I shook my head, "May pupuntahan lang ako saglit." Ani ko at tumango naman ang tatlo.

I took my tray as I bid them farewell, nilagay ko muna sa mga lagayan ng used tray ang tray na ginamit ko bago lumabas ng cafeteria.

I need some alone time to think of possible ways on how to get near her. On how to know her. On how to get what I want from her.

I was walking in deep thoughts, hands inside my pockets. Nag-iisip ng mga posibleng plano para maisagawa ang misyon ko. At habang naglalakad habang malalim na nag-iisip ay hindi ko na pala namamalayan na dinala na pala ako ng mga paa ko sa Hall of Frames.

Ang Hall of Frames ay isang connecting building mula sa SH department patungo sa main building. Nandito ang mga litrato at mga parangal na napagtagumpayan ng mga estudyante sa S. Mondero University.

I looked at the trophies, medals, certificates, plaques, and photos of the utmost outstanding students in SMU from the past years.

I continued to walk down slowly the red carpeted hallway while looking at the school's rewards and achievements. Hanggang sa dumako ang tingin ko sa isang napaka laking family portrait with golden frames.

Napadako ang aking mga mata sa isang itim na plaka sa babang bahagi ng kuwadro...

THE MONDERO FAMILY
Mrs. Sandra Mondero (left side), Mr. Matteo Mondero (right side), and the five years old Ms. Samantha Mondero (center)

The picture in front of me was one of Mondero family's family picture. My eyes then landed to the little girl in the center of the piece. Her big and innocent eyes welcomed me.

Why do I get this feeling that there's something more to this particular girl? That maybe, there are deeper reasons behind her unlawful behavior.

"Fragile, isn't she?" Nabigla ako nang biglang lumitaw si Seth sa gilid ko. I was too preoccupied with the frame that I didn't even notice Seth coming.

"Seth. What are you doing here?" I asked. Bihira lang kasi ang mga estudyanteng napapadpad sa bahaging ito ng campus, afraid that they might get something in here broken.

"Bakit? Wala na ba akong karapatan na dumako sa parteng ito ng unibersidad?" Aniya, eyes still looking at the photo in front of us.

I shook my head, "O-of course, sorry." I said at muling ibinaling ang atensyon sa litratong nasa harap.

We were just quietly looking at the photo, the air got awkwardly silent so I decided to break it.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, not looking at him. Narinig kong medyo natawa ito before he answered.

"You mean, why did I walked out on you guys earlier?" He said, and I just hummed in response.

"Naranasan mo na ba ang pakiramdam na mawalan ka ng napakamahal mong ballpen, Tim?" Anito, and that was when tuluyan na akong napalingon dito. His eyes were still on the photo in front of us, hands inside his pockets.

"Pft, Seth, ano ba namang klaseng tanong—" he cuts me off

"Just answer me with yes or no, Tim."

Natigilan ako saglit dito. What is he talking about? "Yes. But, it doesn't matter right? It's just a pen—" he cuts me off, again.

"It may not matter to you, but to some it does. Imagine your most expensive and priced possessed pen lost, of course dahil ito ang paborito mong ballpen you'd exert efforts to find it. But unfortunately after weeks of trying to find it, makikita mo nalang itong nasa kamay na ng iba. Nagamit na at may mga marka na ng ngipin sa takip. Nabalewala ang effort mo sa paghahahanap dahil, nasa kamay na ito ng iba, used and broken. Now how would you feel?" Ani Seth bago lumingon sa akin.

I just stared at the guy. I got lost of words. Hindi ko alam kung nagbibiro lang ba ito or seryoso. He just answered my questions with a riddle-like story of a pen.

"Seth, it's just a pen." Those words came out from me absentmindedly

A warm smile then showed up on his face, tinapik nito ang balikat ko, "You're still young, so I wouldn't expect that you'll get my point easily. You'll understand when the time comes that your pen gets lost." He said

What? When my pen gets lost?

"By the way, hindi ka pa ba papasok? It's already past 1 p.m." I was pulled back into reality nang marinig ang tanong nito. I looked down at my wristwatch. Shit! It was already 1:15 in the afternoon! I'm already 15 minutes late!

"Shit! I better get going! Mauna na 'ko 'tol! See you later in the club!" Hindi ko na hinintay ang sasabihin nito at agad nang tinakbo ang hallway. Our class will be transferred to the main science laboratory na nasa main building.

I was on my way running nang biglang mahulog ang cellphone ko, I mentally cursed myself as I turned around para balikan ito.

"Aish! Damn my wet hands!" Nababasa kasi ang palad ko kapag kinakabahan.

I immediately bent down and picked my phone up, then stood up. Pero bigla akong natigilan nang makita ang malaking picture frame sa aking harapan.

She was wearing the school uniform. On her left chest was their family's crest, while on her right was the school's logo. Her hair was perfectly done. Her perfect and innocent facade welcomed my sight. Agad na dumako ang tingin ko sa itim na plaka na nasa baba.

Mondero, Samantha, C.
(16 years old)

The girl in the frame, who's intensely staring back at the person who looks at it while wearing a serious face. This picture was taken a year ago.

The girl in the frame is none other than, Samantha Mondero herself.

The girl who has the darkest secrets behind her innocent facade.

The girl whom I'm chasing for.
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UNNIETY