Morning comes rough for me, I woke up soaked in cold sweat and headache. I'm pretty sure I had taken all the safety measures to avoid getting sick from coming home drenched in rain yesterday. But, I guess the incident had messed up my immune system.
I have serial nightmares of Mr. Bong chasing after me, and I couldn't forget his sinister sneers that keep echoing in my mind.
Forcing myself out of bed, I get ready for school.
The whole process takes a ton of my energy, one moment I wanted to give up for school today but then Hansel will be home earlier, and afterward, mom will be restricted to go out to spend time with Hansel.
The therapist said bonding time with Hansel is important for his recovery.
Go to hell with the advice, Hansel would be glad to torture me for the rest of the day, and then mom will be coming over blaming me for the mess he creates. I guess our age gaps that make the difference, we can't get along well, no matter how.
I have to get to school no matter what, I told myself, I just have to avoid bumping into Mr. Bong.
Putting my bag on my shoulder, I ascended down for breakfast.
My family was already seated in their usual place.
"Lana, Samuel said he is going to school with you today. Come have your breakfast faster, it's impolite to let someone wait." Mom said over the table.
What?
I know I didn't listen to it wrong.
Why?
"Just get to your seat and eat. You should have let him know what time you are ready next time, don't catch on a princess disease. " Mom repeated her order. Annoyed by my ignorance.
"But, mom... "I tried to defend myself. But then, I sigh to no avail deciding not to because, in the end, it will be hopeless.
Samuel is really someone persistent. I have told him over and over again, dad will be sending me to school.
Oh, that brick head!
"Don't treat him that way, Lana. I'm alright with you and Samuel. You have been a friend for like forever." Dad added. "With him, your future is guaranteed."
"Have they kissed, dad?" Hansel innocently asked sending pulsating nerves to my temple. My brother is only 10 years old, where does he learn something like that, huh?
My dad laughed, taking it as a joke. "No, Lana doesn't like him, don't you see."
"You better improve your grade before you let someone kiss you, Lana. Idiot girl will only be a toy for man, nothing special," Mom interfered, bluntly voicing out her cold thoughts.
"Shhh... honey, you shouldn't talk down to your daughter."
"Well, it's true. Look at her grades. Lana isn't fond of studying, if she only cares about falling in love, and having babies, this is way too early. We must correct her before she made the biggest mistake for her future."
"Honey, I haven't even mentioned a baby. Don't say that." Dad objected. "Na-na doesn't need to mind your mom, eat something."
Huh, that is my family, perhaps I'm really don't belong to them, since the day Hansel born I somehow become a stranger to mom. The rest is history, I don't bother to listen anymore. Ignoring their discussion, I take a piece of toast and gulp it down with cups of milk.
"I'm going," I said without even looking at them.
"Goodbye, my dear Na-na." Dad grabs me by force and plants a kiss on my forehead.
Dad is the only one that feels at home to me, Dad had been the one who always been with me when Mom is too occupied with Hansel, but dad never noticed that I have fallen in love a little bit with Samuel. I guess only mom sees it.
"Bye, Dad, " I replied briefly, with a forced smile across my face.
I still can hear mom complaining about my rude manners, yet I just proceeded to the front door, heading towards the same black sedan I got in yesterday.
Samuel is driving today, pulling down his black tinted window, he signaled me to sit in front by his side. Being in senior year we are allowed to drive our own vehicle as long as we get the authorized license.
"Gosh, you look awful. Are you sick?" Samuel runs a scan at me as soon as I get in the car. Casually putting his palm over my forehead, "You got a little feverish. Are you sure you alright?"
"Halt." Avoiding him from touching me. "I'm fine. I will just take a rest in the infirmary if it's getting worst. Don't simply put your hand on me." I warned him, lightly pushing his hand away. His touch might get me a high-grade fever and a heart attack
"Gosh, you must be really sick. You are unusually being this cold to me."
"Sorry, I think because I'm unwell." I tried to say nicely to him through the dizziness that is getting intense now.
Samuel didn't bother to talk more as if he understands my characteristics.
A piece of soft music fills our silence along the way to school.
He smoothly parked at the designated compound for student vehicles.
Is there any safety drill today? I wondered as I spotted a fleet of police automobiles and an ambulance in our school area.
Coming out of Samuel's sedan, we followed the crowd. It seems like something bigger is happening. I randomly overheard from one of the juniors that someone is dead in our school. I feel uneasy and my heart is uncontrollably beating at a fast pace all of a sudden.
My sixth sense was trying to tell me something is related to this...
The situation becomes chaotic for a moment as a team of paramedics pushes a stretcher out from the school's main entrance.
I stopped in my tracks as the paramedics pass us, white linen-covered over the body and I can see marks of blood-stained on it. It's getting uncomfortable inside of me, remembering that I have hurt Mr. Bong the day before.
Could it be...
My heart raced to the point that I didn't realize my trembling hand reflex had pulled the white linen over.
Exposing the dead body under it...
A ruckus filled with the shattering voice of cries coveted my eardrums as the dead body splays by their eyes to witness. I couldn't move. Definitely, it was our school security man, MR. BONG. Am I still in one of my continuous nightmares? Please, I wanted to wake up! His pale face indirectly faced me, empty eyes staring back at me, sending churn to the pit of my stomach. Implement a lucid image of his death to the back of my mind. I put my hand over my mouth to muffle a scream while the paramedic roughly snatched the linen, giving me an annoyed glance as he put it back to its place. Did I accidentally injure him? Does he bleed heavily to his death? A shivers run through my spine, thinking, should I look back yesterday, just to make sure he is not hurt anywhere, will he survive? So, now... I'm a m
"Shh... Don't joke on things like this Lana, " Samuel blurted in a half-whispered tone, putting his hand over my lips. "You going to get in trouble." Tears welled up my eyes. I do hope that all of this is only a prank, but Mr. Bong is dead, and I'm officially a criminal. I weakly shove his hand away, "Sam... I'm the last person he met. He tried to... " I hushed, chin trembled, and an involuntary whimper escaped my lips. Staring back at me, he realized that I'm not kidding him. He is silent but at last, he exhaled, coming closer putting a hand over me, and crushing me to his everlasting safe haven body. "I'm sorry, don't say a word anymore." "I'm scared. I didn't mean to..." I convinced him with my voice muffled to his chest. "Hush... I know, I understand, anyone in your place won't hesitate to stab him to death..." He comforted me, tightening the embrace as I sobbed uncontrollably. &n
A thousand rays of the morning sun escaped from between the blinds. I used to love being near the windows, but every now and then each time my glance turns to the exact spots where Mr. Bong's body lay, a cold shiver runs down my spine, and my palms couldn't stop sweating in the cold air-conditioned room. I have to keep telling myself over and over again that it wasn't me that had him killed, I didn't stab him, someone did. And that someone, is among us... It is day four after the incident, there is no new clue of the case, crime scene investigation and evidence collection were completed and we had been allowed to move back to our classroom yesterday. I didn't take leave from school the day after the incident. When I woke up that day later in the evening, I was in Samuel's guest room, he had offered to let me rest in his guest room once I have taken the medicine provided by Ms. Oh. I'm running with fever again on that day, and Samuel said that I keep mumbling in my sleep that he ha
The soft bell chime indicating that school is over for today sends a sigh of relief throughout the class. We say our salute to Mrs. Sue, the mathematics teacher, then gather our belongings to leave. I stuffed my notebooks into my bag and went up to Samuel who was already waiting outside with his three other best friends. "Hey, Lana what's up." Jerry Chon, the boy with the most adorable eyes and sweetest smile welcomed me. "I'm good, thanks," I replied while giving way to a girl who is flirting with Jason Bak without seeing that she almost bumped into me. Anyway, can't they simply wake up to the womanizer who would never commit his heart to any of them, but then there's Jason, all confident... Good looks are definitely a plus. I saw Naomi being the last exiting the class, I try my luck to talk to her again as she approached us but Nelson Kim had already overtaken me. "Goodbye, Naomi," Nelson uttered with a smile. His dimple deepened, showing off his charms. Now I understand why Na
"No. I'm sorry Lana. I didn't mean that way. I mean, you should at least have some basic to be on yourself," He said as he put down his food, using his other free hand, he tilts my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You are going to die before entering the battleground, do you think this is wise?" Always with his broad point of view, somehow he had accidentally become my counselor as we grow up. Damn, I must be in a serious lack of common sense. Meeting his gaze, I'm overwhelmed that it is him from the beginning. As I drifted into his dreamy brown eyes, he breaks the spell by giving me another flick on the forehead. "Ouch!" "Gosh, stop looking at me like that," He said, lightly pushing me away from him and continuing to enjoy his meal. "That's hurt, you shouldn't treat a girl like that," I grumbled, covering my forehead to soften the mild pain he caused to me. "Well, I treat every girl good, except you. Eat your food, I got a ne
The dim light poles along the winding alleys illuminated shadows to the pavement Naomi stepped on. Commuting back home after her self-study in school, this is the long stairways she had to walk up daily, to her home at the top of the alleys. For an outsider, this hilly neighborhood gives an illusion of a romantic getaway as it has the closest space to a better view of the moon. Yet, with the chipped paint of colored houses along with the distinct lack of planning development, this place is soon to be abandoned. Sooner the neighborhood will be only occupied by the elderly and bad memories. Because in reality, living in peace doesn't enough if the stomach goes hungry... The younger generation believes that they can only dream in the land of skyscrapers overlook the run-down neighborhood she lives in. Naomi's sister was one of them, she runs away from home five years ago, leaving behind her aging parents with her litt
Day 2 of tracking Naomi and Harry's mission. Gosh... I sighed to a long exhale of boringness. Why on earth does Samuel have to put me on them? They are merely future scholars, only studies excited them. I am aware that I have developed a new habit of biting my nail recently. Gross, this is a bad omen, what is next? Even Naomi still refuses to talk to me, she rather spends her time alone. I pity myself, oh... Closing my notebook in frustration having the whole class turn to me. A moment of silence, then they return to their desk, leaving me in an awkward situation. Samuel makes a hand signal asking what was wrong with me, but I just waved my hands acknowledging him that it is nothing to worry about. Looking at the wall clocks showing five more minutes to 4:30 p.m, our free time for club activity will start soon. Naomi was in art while Harry
"Let me go, Nelson!" Naomi harshly pulled away from him as soon as Lana and Samuel disappeared from their view. "What's wrong Naomi? What did I do to you that you despise me that much?.." "As I said. Nothing wrong, just stay away from my business." "No. It's not going to happen. I'm not going to let you go. At least I won't." "Don't make me repeat myself!" Holding up the rage buckling in her, she makes sure Nelson heard her well this time. "Stay. Away. From. Me." "NO." Nelson gets a hold of her arm before she gets the chance to run away again. "Give me a chance, let us prove that we are not meant to be together." Nelson hadn't staggered from his position, inoffensive by Naomi's harsh attitude toward him. "Give me a chance." He said, almost half whispering. As if the time had frozen, for a second, Naomi had listened to him. Their eyes locked, and a