Hues and Lies

🎨19: Behind

The road was a bit slippery because of the light rain. Kye was driving quietly. Alam kong gaya ko, naguguluhan din siya sa mga nangyari last night.

Itinigil n'ya ang kotse n'ya at lumabas. He opened the car's door for me and I realized, nasa isang clinic na pala kami. Oo nga pala, may sugat ako. I got wounded again.

“Tara na-- your wound must be cleaned,” Kye snorted.

I nodded and we directed to the clinic. Saglit lang nilinis ng nurse ang sugat ko at umalis na rin kami.

Dumiretso na agad kami sa university, at sa pagbaba pa lang namin, sumalubong agad sa'min ang kakaibang tingin ng ibang students. Yung iba nagbubulungan, some were throwing gossips.

“Ms. Torres at Mr. Del Mundo, gusto kayo makausap ng dean, dumiretso na kayo sa office n'ya,” salubong ng guard namin. “Nadoon na rin si Ms. Sarino.”

“Sige po-- salamat,” Kye answered. Ako naman, napabuntong-hininga na lang. The dean wanted to talk to us? Sana naman, he'd not expulse us. Second time na rin kasi 'to na may kinasangkutan kaming gulo. But we didn't mean it.

“Have a seat Ms. Torres at ikaw na rin Mr. Del Mundo,” sabi ng dean namin nang makarating kami sa office n'ya. Looking at him up closed, kahawig nga n'ya si Caden.

“Bakit ang tagal n'yo?” Faith asked at tila namumutla na ang mukha nito. The feeling was mutual, I didn't know what would be the outcome of this. I couldn't afford an expulsion as of now. I needed to stay here.

“S-Sir? Bakit n'yo po kami ipinatawag?” Kye stuttered.

“Mr. Del Mundo-- I know that because of the three of you, kaya nahuli si Mr. Wilson Salazar,” he said. The only problem was, you didn't cooperate in the authority and with me.”

“Sir-- about sir Wilson po, tinulungan lang po namin si Erin that time, hindi naman po namin alam na aabot sa ganun,” Faith firmly said even her breathing quickened.

“I know Ms. Sarino--” he paused. “This university protects the safety of every student, kaya ayoko na may isa sa inyo na possible mapahamak, just because you didn't cooperate.”

“We're very sorry about that sir-- biglaan din po kasi ang nangyari, wala na po kaming pagpipilian,” I gave a depressed sighed.

“Tama si Cindy sir-- we were put in a situation, where it's a matter of life or death po,” Kye added. “About Erin naman sir, as far as I received the text message of Cindy, I coordinated with the police officers immediately.”

Wait? I didn't text Kye? Why he's lying? Anong meron?

“Okay students calm down-- hindi ako galit sa inyo, instead I wanted to say thank you, dahil nahuli na ang pumapatay dito,” the dean stood. “What I wanted right now is, whatever you find out, you'll coordinate with me.”

I gulped knowing that still, we were hiding something on him.

“Okay po sir-- hindi na po mauulit,” Kye looked at me meaningfully.

“Alright-- isa pa, ayoko magbigay kayo ng interview sa kahit sinong press, if possible, itikom n'yo na lang ang mga bibig n'yo,” he instructed. “For our university's name-- nagkakaintindihan ba tayo?”

“Yes sir!” we answered together.

“Sige na you may proceed to your class-- anyway Ms. Torres, get well soon, and I hope it won't happen again,” he looked at me with a serious facial expression. “No more gossips to be shared by the three of you to other students okay?”

We nodded as we stood. After talking to the dean, pumasok na kami sa mga klase namin. The only problem was, we became an instant celebrity in the campus. What I mean was, everyone's attention was on us because of what happened.