I'M SORRY to hear that. I understand your grief. I'm… sincerely sending my sympathy to your family. Macine was such a great friend to us," sinserong saad ko at gulat pa rin sa balita.   "Dalmi, ayos ka lang?" Tumakbo si Clavis sa tabi ni Shanta saka inakbayan niya ito. He held her chin up, then checked on her face. "Lagyan natin ng ice pack 'yang mukha mo."   Her father's death must have depressed her. Nalunod siya sa matinding kalungkutan kaya pinili niyang tapusin ang buhay.   Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari. I just saw her running yesterday. I didn't have a clue that her way would be the afterlife. Today, she passed away.    Pero may isang bagay na kumakamot sa utak ko. I could not get rid of this feeling. Iyong

THE PRINCIPAL ordered us to come back to our classes as the school violence investigation will start tomorrow. They will ask victims and witnesses of other bullying cases that involved Shanta as the perpetrator. Kaya noong umalis kami sa opisina ng punong guro at makabalik sa klase, balisa at hindi makausap ang kaibigan namin. Matindi ang idinulot ng sulat ni Macine sa kanya. Most especially, her parents will be called off to school. Sa buong oras ng paglalakad namin sa hallway, she wouldn't look at us. Nasa malayo lang ang tingin niya at nasa ibang dimensyon ang isip.  Kapag sisilipin siya, we'd see that her eyes were weary and melancholic. Clavis even tried to approach her, but his cousin would always drive him away without saying a single word. 

DUMATING KAMI sa parking space ng Herrera Manor. Nakita kong lumabas sa kotse si Clavis at apuradong tumakbo sa main entrance ng mansyon.    "Shit!" I cursed under my breath.   Mabilis kong hinubad ang seatbelt ko at binuksan ang pinto. He's like his cousin. Impulsive and hard-headed. Ulo ko ang sumasakit dahil sa kanilang dalawa.    As I jumped out the car, nakasalubong kong lumabas si Jira, na ang kotse ay nakaparada sa tabi ko.   "Tarantado talaga 'yong si Umbok, sugod nang sugod," komento niya at bakas ang pagka inis mula roon.   "Oh, shit! Pancit! What the hell is really happening? Why so taranta?" Katlego was trying to lighten up the mood.

AFTER HALF A THIRTY MINUTE DRIVE, we arrived at Shanta’s apartment located at the top floor. Actually, it wasn’t an ordinary one. It could pass more than a penthouse. Maybe it was given by her father since they’re well off.    "Tuloy ka," giya niya matapos mag-scan ng card at awtomatikong mabuksan ang pinto. "Huwag kang mag-alala. Walang aso dito. Pero mga pusa, meron."   "Cats?" Kumunot-noo ako. "Hindi cat? You mean… marami sila?"   She nodded happily. "Oo. Trese silang lahat."   "Ang dami naman…"   She chuckled.   "Pero mag-ingat ka," paalala niya.   

I DID NOT spend much of the evening at Shanta’s penthouse, for as soon as the clock struck eight, I left.    With our plan locked in the darkest and deepest lobe of our thoughts, somewhere in our minds like dungeons filled with skulls and their hideous eye sockets, and pirate endeavors that are yet to be discovered, I was fully aware of our purpose.   But that was second to my concern.    Dahil sa sumunod na araw, it wounded my heart to see all the drama happening in the school, especially when it involved the infamous Dalmi Shantana Ferrucci.   Her presence was the hotcake of the town. People were buying it for such a cheap price as it was the one with high demands. As for me, I wasn’t a buyer of it. I de