Verzalias High: School of Secrets

EPISODE 20

Chapter 20~ Suspect

"What?" mahinang tanong ko sa pulis na andito sa harap ko. The police officer gave me the autopsy of Kate Mendez' corpse.

Yes, she is dead. She is freaking dead! It was all my fault! Kung hindi ko kayang protektahan ang mga tao sa paligid ko paano nalang kaya ang sarili ko? I was with her yet I never saved her from all those bullets.

"Give me that," sabi sa akin ng demonyo saka inagaw sa akin ang autopsy report ni Kate. I glared at him pero huli na dahil nasa kanya na ang documents.

Andito ako, si Jahara at ang Trinities sa Guidance Office and kasalukuyan kaming nakaupo sa harap ng dalawang police. Jahara looks uneasy in her seat kaya di ko rin maiwasang kabahan.

"I am Police Officer Sebastian Guevarra," pagpapakilala ng lalaking may bigote na mataba at nakasalamin. He diverted his gaze to his partner sitting beside him. "He's Arthur Vergara, the detective."

"We all know what happened to your president," sabi ng detective. I was surprised for his high-pitched voice, based on his manly figure I thought his voice is deep. "And we are here to investigate what happened to her."

"We all know that," masungit na sabi ni Renzo. "Just start asking us questions and get over it."

The detective ignored him and looked at us seriously. Then he focused his gaze on Renzo who's cold eyes glared at him. All I can do is to roll my eyes at the scenario. 

"Renzo Ferrer, tama ba?" tanong ng detective. Renzo nodded. The detective also nodded and asked, "So, may relasyon kayo ng biktima?" 

"She's my ex," nakasimangot na sagot ni Renzo. Tumango naman ang kasama niyang police at may isinulat sa notepad niya. Maybe he is taking down notes tungkol sa mga sagot namin.

"Wala ka bang natatandaang huling pag-uusap niyo?" tanong ulit ng detective. Renzo rolled his eyes and obviously showing his annoyance to the detective.

"When she was in the clinic, we talked about us," sagot ni Renzo. I saw the other members of the Trinities surprised at what he said but never uttered a word. Parang ako lang yata ang hindi nagulat. "I want to end the relationship, and now she keeps on begging for me."

"Bakit ayaw mong makipagbalikan sa kaniya?"

"Why do you care?" masungit na tanong niya. "And your question is too personal. Try to ask us a nice question and we'll handle you with care."

"May napansin ka bang kakaiba sa kaniya? Na parang nakakatanggap siya ng threats, or she's being uneasy like she keeps on looking at her back because she feels like someone is watching her?"

"I don't know, I am not Kate," walang ganang sagot niya. The detective gave up on him dahil alam na niya sigurong wala siyang makukuhang matinong sagot.

"How about you, Ms. Lewis, I heard binubully ka raw ng biktima?" tanong naman niya kay Jahara. Tumango naman siya at yumuko.

"S-She is not good to me but I-I feel sorry for what happened to her," sagot ni Jahara at yumuko. Tumango naman ang detective.

"Are you mad at her?"

"Yes, who wouldn't be?" 

"Have you ever thought on killing her?" tanong ng detective. The question made my blood boil so I glared at the detective. Hindi ko muna binuka ang aking bibig.

"N-No! I wouldn't like to kill anyone!" Jahara answered. 

"Have you ever tried killing her?" tanong ng detective. That's it! Naubos na ang pasensiya ko.

"Shut up, detective! You think she's capable of killing her?" naiinis na tanong ko. "Are you really a detective?!"

"H-Huminahon ka, Sky," sabi ni Jahara. I ignored her and glared at the detective. The detective just stared at me calmly kaya mas lalo akong nairita.

"Okay, so I'm gonna ask you. Skyler Lee is the name, right?" he asked. I nodded and rolled my eyes.

"Ikaw Ms. Lee, I heard you have a pretty bad relationship," sabi niya. Wow, napaka-tsismoso! Tsk!

"We almost killed each other," I answered as if it is just a simple matter. Kumunot naman ang noo niya. Nakita ko ang pag-iling ni Renzo na halatang disappointed sa sagot ko. I rolled my eyes. I was just telling the truth!

"Why is that?"

"It's because she's btch who stole my friend's ring!" I shouted irritatedly. "And she's a btch, and I hate btches."

"So you hate yourself, huh?" sabi ni Renzo. I smirked at him.

"I'm a special kind of a btch so don't you dare compare me to that low-leveled whore."

"You're still a b***h though," sagot niya. I just rolled my eyes and did not answer.

The detective asked the other members of the gang. They answered as the police officer took down notes, and I was sitting there and listening to them.

"You three are the potential suspects," sabi ng detective at tinignan kaming tatlo ni Jahara at Renzo. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Paano naman ako naging suspect?

Lumabas naman ang apat na miyembro ng Trinities at iniwan kaming tatlo. Hinintay silang makalabas ng police at nang makalabas na sila, sinara naman niya ang pintuan saka binaling ang atensyon sa aming tatlo.

"Can you tell us kung nasaan at anong ginagawa niyo kahapon around 9 a.m to 11?" tanong niya. Naunang sumagot si Renzo.

"I was sleeping in the rooftop. Nobody's there if you ask," sagot niya. Halatang nabo-bored na siya dito. Boring naman talaga eh.

"No alibi," sabi ng detective at tinignan naman si Jahara. Nanatili siyang nakayuko at parang nanginginig. She seems startled.

"N-Nag-uusap kami ng bestfriend ko sa room namin tungkol s-sa white rabbit," sagot niya and blushed. I rolled my eyes. For sure pinag-uusapan nila si Ivan eh.

"White rabbit?" 

"Yes, the sweet little candy," sagot ni Jahara. Tumango naman ang detective.

TInignan naman ako ng inspector. Pinag-iisipan kong magsinungaling pero alam ko namang hindi ko magagawa 'yon. Paano naman ako makakapagsinungaling eh masyado akong mabait?

"Nag-uusap kami ni Kate sa field tungkol sa magiging punishment ko," sagot ko. That one is definitely a lie. Iba ang pinag-uusapan namin ni Kate nung time na 'yon at hindi ko dapat sabihin yun sa kanila.

"Punishment?" takang tanong ng inspector. Tumango naman ako.

"She wants me out of this school and be in jail. I almost killed her with a pencil," I answered.

"Then ano namang naging deal niyo?" tanong niya ulit. This is what I really hate about inspectors, police officers, detectives and reporters, masyadong tsismoso.

"Nothing in particular happened, naging friends kami. She almost killed me so maybe napatawad niya na rin ako," sagot ko. I can't forgive her, hindi lang siya sa akin may kasalanan kundi sa kapatid ko rin. Greediness really makes a person evil.

The detective asked more questions and tossed the old ones over and over again. Mostly sa akin binabato ang mga tanong kaya I suspected that he thinks I am the culprit who killed Kate. This dumb bastard, I am a witness! Not a suspect!

"So, base from your statements, may hinala na ako kung sino but then again, we don't have enough evidence. So just expect seeing my face again and again," sabi niya at tumayo. Tumayo na rin ang kasama niyang police officer at sinara ang notepad niya. Inilagay niya ang ballpen niya sa bulsa niya.

"S-So you mean, i-isa lang sa amin ang suspect?" kinakabahang tanong ni Jahara. Nilingon siya ng detective at tumango.

"Unfortunately, yes," sabi niya at lumabas ng Guidance Office. Nagkatinginan kaming tatlo.

If Jahara is the culprit, that would be absurd. I mean, wala sa mukha niya ang marunong gumamit ng baril at shuriken. Over all, she looks so innocent to think na pumapatay siya ng tao. But looks can be deceiving, right?

What about Renzo? He is the leader of the strongest gang of this school so he must be skilled in martial arts. Maybe marunong rin siyang gumamit ng baril and shuriken. He also threatened to kill me when I first entered the school dahil inakala niyang may alam ako sa sikreto ng gang nila.

Baka may alam si Kate sa sikreto nila kaya siya pinatay? Uggh! Think positive Skyler, their gang can't do something like that. Alam kong may prinsipyo sila sa buhay and I believe they can't kill a person.

But the more I thought of it, the more it makes sense. Si Renzo ba talaga ang pumatay kay Kate?

"Lee, you are not leaving the room, I guess you want to be with me, huh?" halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang marinig ang boses ni Renzo. Ba't bigla-bigla na lang siya sumusulpot?

"Gusto mo bang patayin ako sa gulat?!" inis na tanong ko. He gave me a 'whatever-look'.

"It's not my fault that your soul is not with you," bored na sagot niya. I rolled my eyes at tumikhim muna ng ilang beses.

"Anong kailangan mo?" tanong ko sa kanya. Sinara muna niya ang Guidance Office saka ni-lock. Bigla akong kinabahan sa ginawa niya.

"Why do you need to lock the door? A-Anong binabalak mo sa akin?" I asked with wide eyes open at niyakap ang sarili ko. Gusto ko pang mabuhay ng matagal Lord! Papatayin niya ba ako or may gagawin siya sa akin?

Nilapitan niya ako with a smirk on his lips. Agad naman akong napalunok sa ginagawa niya. Dahan-dahan akong napaatras.

"Y-You know, I am too young for everything," sabi ko at dahan-dahang umatras kasi papalapit nang papalapit siya sa akin. This jerk!

"Why don't you just clean your mind? It's really dirty," sabi niya at mas lalong inilapit ang mukha niya sa mukha ko. Ilang beses akong napalunok.

But then when I got the opportunity, sinuntok ko ang mukha niya saka sinipa siya sa tagiliran. Hinawakan ko ang balikat niya saka inilagay ang mga kamay niya sa likod niya but then nanlaban siya kaya nabitawan ko ang mga kamay niya. Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko ng mahigpit kaya napasigaw ako sa sakit.

"You would not definitely win against me, but I must admit you are quite tough for a girl," nakangising sabi niya and pushed me towards the wall. It was really harsh that's why I will really continue to curse him to death.

"Y-You are the suspect, right?" tanong ko. He glared at me kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. Baka mamaya mamatay pa ako eh.

"No," sagot niya. I gave him a smug.

"You even threatened to kill me before," sagot ko.

"You shouldn't have asked in the first place if you would not believe me," sagot niya. Napairap nalang ako. Mahirap naman kasi paniwalaan eh!

"I thought you are the suspect since kasama mo si Kate that time. Seeing how you almost beat me, it's not impossible that you are the real culprit," sabi niya. I clenched my fist. 

"I would never do that—"

"But then what you are saying right now is hard to believe," sabi niya. I glared at him. That's when I realized something.

He keeps on saying that he is not the culprit but I can't believe him. I keep saying I was just a victim but then they can't trust me. 

"We are almost the same, Skyler Lee." sabi niya. Umiling ako.

"I am a devil but not as much as you are," inis na sagot ko. Gawin ba namang demonyo ang isang anghel na katulad ko? Hindi man lang siya nahiya!

"But you are a great liar," sagot niya. Napataas naman ang kilay ko.

"Everyone lies, and don't tell me you aren't lying?" sarcastic na sagot ko. He took my wrist and gripped it tightly.

"You pretended to know the secret," nagpipigil sa galit na sabi niya. Napalunok naman ako but I managed to put a dauntless face and glared at him.

"Dapat magpasalamat ka dahil wala akong alam kaysa sa sumbatan mo ako," sagot ko at inirapan siya. He held my wrist tighter and I can't hide the pain. "B-Bitawan mo ako!"

"Because of what you did, you already asked for your own death," sabi niya. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan.

"How important is your secret?" I asked. His face went serious kaya napalunok na naman ako ng laway. Bakit ba masyado akong nai-intimidate sa kanya?

"Our secret is the secret of this school," sagot niya. Kumunot ang noo ko tapos napa-poker face at nang marealize ko kung ano ang sinabi niya ay bigla naman akong kinabahan.

Secret of this school? Ano 'yon? So ibig sabihin ganun kadelikado ang napasok ko? Ba't ba kasi nagpanggap ako na may alam ako? Kung alam ko lang na sekreto 'yon ng school!

"We are the keepers of that secret. Once may makaalam, we should keep their mouth shut forever," sabi niya and smiled evilly at me. Napaiwas ako ng tingin.

"W-Why are you smiling l-like that? I told you wala talaga akong alam!" I managed to say. Tumawa siya ng malakas kaya tumayo ang mga balahibo ko.

"Pretending to know something is very dangerous. Napapahamak ka ng wala sa oras," he said. he moved forward and I stepped back.

"I-I am always in danger since birth," tanging sagot ko. Palagi naman kasi akong may nae-encounter kahit sa dati kong school pa. Palaging nakadikit sa akin ang kamalasan.

"But we are more dangerous tha—"

Natahimik siya nang biglang makarinig ng malakas na mga katok sa pinto. Agad akong lumayo at tinulak siya saka binuksan ang pintuan. Kumunot naman ang noo ko nang makita ang police officer kanina na mataba at masungit.

"Anong kailangan mo?" tanong ko. The look on his face makes me frustrated. Bakit parang may masamang nangyari?

"The suspect is dead." 

(end of chapter)