I'm In Love With HIM

Chapter 27: Trust Issues

BLUE

“Hello? Sino po ito? Hello?”

I stared at Khen Clyde Valeriano with widened eyes. Was he the one who got my call? Was he the owner of the mysterious number? Is it really you Valeriano?

Inilapit ko sa aking tainga ang aking phone habang patuloy pa ring nakatingin kay Valeriano. I narrowed my eyes into slits as I observed him.

“Hello?” tanong ng taong nasa kabilang linya.

My forehead automatically created some creases when I heard a different voice. Totally different with what I had expected. I observed this guy in front of us and tried to listen to what he is saying. He kept on talking to whoever called him while the person whom I called kept silent as if he’s waiting for my response.

So, Valeriano isn’t the owner of the number that texted me earlier. What a relief. For a second, I thought I already confirmed that he is behind those message and probably, behind those death threats that I received.

Do I have to lower down my walls against him? I think no. He is still linked to the real owner of this number until I can solved that spared black rose petal case. He is still indeed an unsolved mystery.

“Tapos na ba ang exam niyo?” a robotic voice asked on the other line.

Even though it’s manipulated, I can tell that this person is a he. I was about to answer him when Valeriano turned to our direction. I quickly dropped the call. Tama ang number na tinawagan ko, but I expected the wrong person to answer.

“I’m sorry for that,” Valeriano said as he pressed a key on his phone and slid it back into his pocket. “Tumawag lang ang kapatid ko at may kaunting sinabi na importante. So, tara na?”

“Let’s go,” Kylie replied, leading our way to the classroom. I just replied him a nod, smiling. Medyo awkward lalo na at sandali ko siyang pinaghinalaan.

Sumunod na ako sa kanila ni Kylie papasok sa aming room. Something is odd with his reason after he answered the call.

If my memory and ears served right, he said that his sibling called to tell him something important. The question is: Why he didn’t recognized the caller easily on the first place? He keep on saying “hello” and asking the caller’s name when he answered the call. If you have a family member, you should have saved his/her phone number on your contact list, but in his case, he barely recognized the caller at first.

If he is telling the truth, that sibling of him might had a huge conflict with him that made him not to save his/her phone number, but if the latter is right, why does that particular sibling of him bothered to call him if they had some serious problem with each other?

One thing is sure right now: He is still not clear and he is still unsolved.

Pagkarating ko sa aking upuan ay agad na akong umupo at naghanda para sa first subject. Hindi ko maiwasang tumingin kay Valeriano. He is a total mystery right now. A walking mystery indeed. Everything and everyone went so silent after Sir Dela Cuesta stood from the teacher’s table.

“Good morning STEM 1,” Sir Dela Cuesta formally greeted, putting his both hands on her back.

“Good morning, Sir!” the class replied in unison.

“So, this will be your midterm examination. Just like what you did on your prelim one, you have to write your answers and solutions- if there’s any- on the test papers. So that means, there is no need of extra papers on your tables. A pencil, eraser and a sharpener must only be seen on it and strictly no borrowing of those,” Sir Dela Cuesta explained, walking through the aisles inside the rooms. It felt like he is observing anyone of us if someone will do something stupid to cheat in this examination.