Scarlet Strings of Love

Chapter 13: 置信度

"Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too stranger and strong to be coincidences."

Emman went to school the next day. Naririndi na siya sa mga bulong ng mga taong walang ibang magawa sa buhay kaya nagsaksak na lang siya ng earphones para mawala ang bad vibes sa paligid niya.

Gusto niya naman sumaya kahit papaano ngayong araw.

Papunta siya sa library para tapusin na ang essay niya nang biglang may tumapik sa braso niya. Lumingon siya at nagulat siya nang makita niya si Anne. Wait, that's impossible. He examined the woman in front of him at doon niya napagtanto na hindi pala si Anne ang nakita niya.

'Yong kamukha pala 'yon ni Anne.

"G'day mate, just want to return this to you," the woman said in a weird British accent. "You dropped this."

Inabot ng babae ang wallet na kamukha ng wallet niya. That wasn't his, nasa bulsa lang ni Emman ang wallet niy—

It's gone.

Inalis niya ang earphones niya at kinapa ang lahat ng bulsa niya pero wala doon ang wallet niya.

"Hello, it's right here," the woman waved the wallet in front of him. "I saw it slip from your pocket earlier when you pulled out your mp3 player."

Emman hesitantly reached out for the wallet and looked at its contents. If this wallet is really his, there should be that picture inside it. Una niyang tiningnan kung andoon nga ang litrato na magpapatunay kung sa kaniya nga wallet. Nakahinga nang maluwag si Emman nang makita niya ang litrato na 'yon. Hindi niya nawala ang wallet niya.

"Salamat—" he stopped, realizing his mistake. "I mean..."

"No worries, mate," the woman said. "And don't worry, I can understand your language. I'm half-Filipino after all."

"Really?" he asked in disbelief, putting the wallet back in his pocket.

"Yeah, anyway I have to leave," she said.

"Ah, okay. Thank you again for returning my wallet," Emman said, smiling at her. "Um, what's your name?"

The woman gave him a bright smile, "Scarlet Gonzaga, but call me Red. See you when I see you..."

It was Emman's turn to smile, "Emman."

"Okay, Emman. I'll see you around."

"Sure."

Emman looked as Red walked away and turned to a corner and disappeared. Emman turned around and started walking, but stopped because he realized something. Something that shook him to his core. Hindi niya alam kung natatakot siya o ano pero...

Scarlet?

Kapangalan niya na nga si Anne, tapos kamukha niya pa. Hindi siya tahimik kagaya ni Anne, pero the resemblance, and their names. Emman checked the calendar on his phone.

Lalo siyang kinabahan.

Bakit ngayon niya pa nakilala ang babaeng 'yon? Nagpaparamdam ba sa kaniya si Anne? Kung kailan dalawang araw na lang bago ang araw ng kamatayan niya?

If this is some prank, then it isn't a good prank.

***

Red turned to a corner and was about to enter her classroom, but a figure caught her eyes and she immediately approached him. A light tap on the shoulder was enough to startle him, and when they turned around he saw Red's concerned face.

"Lux, is everything okay? We haven't spoken to each other for days," she asks, not bothering to hide her worry and concern for her friend. Why wouldn't she be worried? One day they were having the best day of their life, Luxus even offered to take Red home, but when she mentioned her birthday his mood completely changed. He tried to act as if nothing changed, he tries to act cheerful, but she knows something changed. She's been wondering if something happened during her birthday... just like last year.