WENDY
WE FOUND ourselves heading towards RIOT, where my older brother studies. It's just me and Zen, and it puts my mind at ease so they, I mean our co-members, won't be able to grow their suspicions stronger about him and I won't get tagged in case.
"You made it in time. The cops just arrived as well." My brother greeted us at the entrance while wearing a lab coat.
"Lab coat. Seriously?" I asked in disbelief.
"What? Is there even something wrong with wearing one?" he asked and then confronted Zen. "What do you think, Zen? Maangas ba?"
Instead of giving a quick comment, Zen sniffed my brother which totally surprised me.
"What are you doing?!"
He looked like a pervert gay.
"Ang baho ng lab coat. I can tell that it hasn't been washed for 3 days," Zen said with an innocuous expression. "And I think you also haven't bathed for 2 days."
"What?! Anak ng— 'yon talaga napansin mo?!"
"So totoo ngang 2 days ka nang 'di naliligo?" I smirked. "Kaya pala hindi nababawasan 'yung sabon mo sa CR."
"Wendy, may I remind you that I'm your big brother and it's your responsibility to take my side—"
Hindi na kami nakinig sa sasabihin niya dahil sinundan ko na si Zen papasok sa RIOT. Sumakay kami ng elevator, at ngayon ko lang narealize kung gaano ka-awkward maiwan mag-isa kasama niya. He pushed a button that I didn't even get to take a view due to the awkwardness that I feel. Sucks.
"What did you and Sophie talk about earlier?" He broke the silence.
Oo nga pala. Bago kami makaalis kanina, kinausap ako ni Sophie na buti na lang ay nalagpasan ko.
Sophie dragged me outside the room whilst the boys were left out inside. She held my arms and made me stood still, not taking her eyes off me.
"Alam mo na, 'di ba?" she asked in a sincere tone.
"Alam . . . ang alin?" pa-inosente kong tanong kahit na may idea na ako kung tungkol saan ang pag-uusapan namin. It's about Zen being the phantom detective. How I wish that I am able to maintain a poker face, avoid sweating, having the right choice of words, and not making any gestures to divulge details.
"You know what I'm talking about, Wendy."
What do I do? Holy pasta. I don't wanna lie especially to a friend.
I only gave her a puzzled look. As much as possible, avoid talking, Wendy. Why do I have to carry the burden of veiling Zen's little secret? Yes, I'm at fault. I . . . chose to know. Sheesh, how frustrating.
"The first time we met in the club, I heard you guys. Sabi mo may hindi alam si Skye na sikreto ni Zen. We both know they're best friends for real. Ano naman ang itatago ni Zen sa kanya, na ikaw ang nakakaalam?"
"Sophie, you probably misheard—"
"I know what I heard. I understood what I heard. And I trust kuya Damien. He wouldn't . . . lie."
"But he kept his theories from you, despite of knowing how desperate you are to know the phantom detective's identity," I responded, trying to change the topic.
"This is not about him. This is about Zen. Is he the phantom detective, Wendy?"
"Do you actually think that I know about that?" I asked. "Why don't you confront him instead?"
BINABASA MO ANG
The Phantom Detective ✓
Gizem / GerilimHave you ever met a highschool detective that doesn't show himself in the crime scene? People around here called him the Phantom Detective. After discovering the phantom detective's identity, Wendy has started extraordinary adventures in a world fi...
