Richard's Standard

Chapter 8 - What's with Dona?

I texted Dona that we would meet on the rooftop. I've already been here for ten minutes, but she's not here yet. I tried calling her, but I can't reach her.

Where on Earth could she be right now? I wasn't supposed to be the one waiting for her; it should have been the other way around! Argh, Dona! You really are a challenge!

Without hesitation, I decided to search for Dona. My first stop was the canteen, but she wasn't there. I then headed to the hallway where she often ran, but it was empty, echoing only the sounds of distant chatter. Even Mom's office was devoid of her presence; she never seemed to visit that place.

Frustration bubbled within me. Where could she possibly be? It felt like she had vanished into thin air. I considered asking someone for help—maybe they could teach me a few Bisaya words to pass the time. But looking around, it seemed like no one was willing to lend a hand.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the wait. Dona, where are you?

Just as I was about to head back to Mom's office, I caught sight of Gilbert and Dona outside. They seemed deep in conversation, discussing something important. Wait, is Dona really against my back? Or could they be talking about something else entirely? I decided to ask her later.

I waited patiently for them to finish. When Dona finally went into Mom's office, Gilbert walked away. I decided to follow him, hoping to engage him in a bit of playful banter.

"Mr. Angeles!" I called out, my voice cutting through the hallway.

He paused and turned back, a curious expression on his face. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. But I hope it's not bad lalo pa't sabi ng Mommy mo that you're accepting me already."

The nerve of him! I fought the urge to roll my eyes, opting instead for a smile to keep up the charade.

"Yeah, I was sincere about that. What I want to ask you is about Dona. Do you, by any chance, know a lot about her?"

He looked a bit taken aback. "Only a few things—mostly about photography and your mom."

I nodded, though my trust felt flimsy. "Then I believe you." It was a lie, of course. Why would I trust this guy? I still needed to ask Dona myself.

"May itatanong ka pa ba?" he asked, glancing at his watch. "Because I still have business to finish."

"Oh, it's okay. I don't have anything else to ask, but please take care, Mr. Gilbert."

He nodded and smiled at me, and I forced a smile in return.

As soon as he was out of sight, curiosity bubbled inside me. I was eager to find out what they had discussed. Without hesitation, I headed back to Mom's office, determined to follow Dona there.

When I opened the door, I caught Mom handing Dona an envelope. I couldn't see what was inside, but the moment they noticed me, their expressions shifted to surprise. Dona quickly stuffed the envelope into her bag.

Mom stood up, clearly startled by my presence.

"A-Ala kang p-pasok ngeni?" she stammered.

I shook my head. "It's Dona's day to tutor me, but she seems very busy today."

"Oh no," Mom replied. "Actually, Dona is about to leave now. I just gave her an extra allowance for being so good."

I smirked as I noticed Dona's sudden silence. "Good? Why? Seems like she's completed a mission or something." Something felt off about Dona today; she looked unusually nervous.