Verzalias High: School of Secrets

EPISODE 21

Chapter 21~ Partners in Crime

Skyler's POV*

Sumunod kami sa police officer or should I say kay Officer Guevarra sa kinaroroonan ng suspect sa pagpatay kay Kate. I still don't know kung ano ang dahilan ng ikinamatay niya but I have a bad feeling about this.

"Aksidente siyang nahulog sa Senior High Building around 10:45 a.m. and he left a message to his mom saying he is the culprit," paliwanag ng inspector habang papunta kami sa scene. Habang tumatagal, mas lalong sumasama ang kutob ko.

"Now tell me I am the suspect," bulong sa akin ni Renzo. Inirapan ko siya at hindi sinagot. Binaling ko na lang ang atensyon kay Officer Guevarra.

"He sent it? What time?" tanong ko.

"It was around 10:30 just before he died," sagot niya. Hindi nalang ako umimik. I'm really going crazy.

If he killed Kate, is he the one threatening my sister then? Or this incident is just another story? If that boy is her boyfriend, then what about Renzo? Kaya siguro palaging nire-reject ni Kate si Renzo kasi may iba siya?

Bakit ba kasi nangyayari 'to? Why do they make things complicated? I have so many questions in my mind and I just can't ignore them. I am very curious and the things are just starting to pique my interest. I know I sound so crazy, but I can't help it.

Nang makarating kami sa Senior High Building maraming police ang nakapaligid doon. Marami ring mga estudyante na nakikiusisa pero hindi sila pinapalapit ng mga police. May ilang estudyanteng umiiyak and some are gossiping. 

Nakatingin sa amin ang mga estudyante. I saw fear in some eyes. We keep on getting attention as we walked. At habang patagal ng patagal, nagtatagpo na ang kilay ko.

"You are quite known here, huh?" sabi ng detective. He showed his boyish grin and I rolled my eyes.

"Ang ganda ko kasi," I replied and smiled brightly.

"Nice joke," sagot ni Renzo. I glared at him and he just smirked at me.

"What are you doing?" tanong ko kay Renzo when he crossed the police line. He looked at me.

"I'm going to see what's going on, aren't you coming with me?" tanong niya. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay at itinuro ang sign. 

"Can't you read? It says Police Line Do Not Cross," sabi ko sa kanya. He entered the scene at hinila ako which made me so startled.

"Don't worry b***h, I got your back," sagot niya. I ignored him once again at sumunod na lang sa kaniya. The students are still watching us na parang di sila makapaniwala sa ginawa namin.

Some officers are taking pictures and some are checking the surroundings carefully. Maya-maya'y dumating ang ambulansya at kinuha ang bangkay. Lumapit ang isang police sa amin at nginitian kami, ay hindi pala, si Renzo lang pala ang nginitian.

"Diba anak ka ni Mr. Rafael? What brings you here?" tanong niya. Naghintay ako kay Renzo na magmano or even smile politely pero wala akong nakita!

"I'm just his nephew, and I wanted to see what happened. The detective just said I am one of the potential culprits," sagot ni Renzo na parang ka-edad lang niya ang kausap niya. This jerk is disrespectful!

"Really? The youngest detective? Siguro hindi ka pa kilala 'nun," sagot ng police. Hindi na sumagot si Renzo at hiningi ang files na nasa kamay ng police officer.

The guy is Kane Zamora. He is in Senior High School and a consistent honor student. He is one of the members of Dictators and there are some rumors that he is really obsess with Kate Mendez. He is Kate's stalker and he's creepy.

"I know this guy. He always sent me threats saying na layuan ko raw si Kate or else magkakaroon ng away sa pagitan ng Dictators and Trinities," sabi ni Renzo. "He's funny, no one can take us down."

Kate rejected him so many times at napuno na siguro siya kaya niya pinatay si Kate. He sent a message to his mom saying that he is very sorry for committing a deadly sin of killing someone close to his heart.

"He fell from the fourth floor of this building. Puntahan natin," sabi niya at hinila na naman ako—este kinaladkad. Feeling ko nga mas excited pa siya sa akin eh. 

Nakarating na kami sa fourth floor kung saan sinasabing nahulog ang biktima.  As expected, marami na namang police na nakapaligid and inspecting the hallways. There were no students except sa aming dalawa ni Renzo.

"Eww," I commented when I saw the mess on the floor. Napatakip pa ako sa ilong ko. I almost puked!

"Is he drunk?" tanong ko habang inaamoy ang paligid. Para kasing amoy alak eh, and the hallway is a mess. Suka here, suka there, suka everywhere!

"Isn't it obvious?" he answered. I just rolled my eyes and roamed my sight at the disgusting place.

"So he started drinking around 7 a.m to 10 a.m," sabi ni Renzo nang makita ang isang receipt na galing sa cafeteria. It says there that the guy bought junkfoods around 7 a.m. para siguro sa pulutan at ice. Walang masyadong tao ang pumupunta dito dahil under renovation pa kaya siguro walang nakapansin sa kaniyang uminom. Where did he got those alcoholic beverages though?

So lasing na siya before he sent the message? If he is really drunk then it would have been difficult for him to send a message kung ganun na siya katagal umiinom. He would have called his mom and started blabbering nonsense since he is drunk before telling the truth.

"Have you seen the message he sent? Walang wrong grammars? Typos? Nothing suspicious?" tanong ko. He gave me a copy of the message he sent at tinignan ko ito.

To: Mom

I'm sory for evrythng. I killled Mss. Mendeez.

Ibinalik ko na kay Renzo ang copy. Seeing the message I can see how he struggled just to send that text. Pero dapat sana tumawag nalang siya diba? It's really suspicious. Or maybe nag-eexaggerate lang ako.

"But why would he call Kate as Ms. Mendez? I often heard him calling her Honeybunch," takang tanong ni Renzo. Tinignan niya ulit ang messages and commented, "Weird."

Pumunta kami sa corner kung saan raw tumalon ang biktima. Renzo tiptoed at inakto ang ginawa ng biktima. I raised my right eyebrow.

"Magpapakamatay ka?" I asked. He glared at me and I just rolled my eyes. "You go, dude. I'll support you. I'm gonna buy some black panties for your funeral."

"And I'll hunt you as a ghost," he said and smiled evilly then whispered, "And I'll pull that black panties off from you."

"Sinabi ko bang susuotin ko ang panty?" taas-kilay kong tanong. I looked at him in disgust. "Nice try, jerk. You can't seduce me."

"I'm not seducing a stupid girl," sabi niya. He looked at me. "My w****s are better than you."

"Edi kainin mo sila ng buong-buo!" inis na tanong ko. He ignored me na mas lalong ikinainis ko. Hah! Mas pretty kaya ako sa kanila!

"Kahit mag-tiptoe ako it's still impossible for me to reach that part," sabi niya at tinuro ang lugar kung saan nakita ang bangkay ni Mr. Zamora. Medyo malayo kasi siya sa building na 'to eh. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Oo nga 'no?

"Considering that the victim is drunk and shorter than you," dagdag ko. Tumango naman si Renzo at nag-isip. Now I am acting like a real detective. Wow, never kong pinangarap na mag-ala detective!

"Unless someone helped him die," dugtong ni Renzo. Tumango ako. Maybe someone pushed him so hard kaya nahulog siya at umabot siya sa parte na iyon. Woah, bakit gumagana ang utak ko ngayon? May nakatago talagang talino sa katawan ko!

"The question is, who would do such a thing?" tanong ko. I am looking for someone na hindi takot sa mga gangsters or someone who hates him. Someone who has the guts to do it.

"What are you doing here?" napalingon kami sa likuran namin at nakita naming nakakunot ang noo si Officer Guevarra.

"Can we possibly check the CCTV cameras around here?" tanong ko sa kanya. Umiling naman siya na nagpakunot ng noo ko.

"You don't have to worry, the real culprit is dead so meaning the two of you are safe. Kindly get your ass out of here because you are not allowed to investigate," sabi niya. Renzo glared at him. Inirapan ko nalang siya. I really hate this officer!

"Get your ugly ass out of here too before I kill you," nagbabantang sabi ni Renzo. Napasapo na lang ako sa noo ko. Gosh, edi magmumukha talaga siyang kriminal sa ginagawa niya!

"Gusto lang namin malaman kung—"

"NO," matigas na sabi ng inspector. Wala na kaming nagawa kundi bumaba na lang ng building. Nakahawak ako sa braso ni Renzo while Renzo keeps on glaring at the officer.

"Are you thinking it's a murder?" tanong ko sa kanya. Tumango lang siya at naunang naglakad sa akin. Nagmadali na rin akong bumaba.

Nagulat ako nang bigla siyang huminto at humarap sa akin. Dahil nagmamadali ako, dumikit ang precious face ko sa dibdib niya. I glared at him.

"Ba't bigla-bigla kang humihinto diyan?" inis na tanong ko. Pero in fairness, ang bango niya.

"In case you want to confirm you are still my girlfriend," nakangising sabi niya at inakbayan ako. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko at mabilis na inalis ang mga kamay niya. I glared at him.

"In case you want to confirm I don't like you," inis na sabi ko at nauna nang maglakad. Akala niya gusto ko siya? Grr! I hate fvckboys!

"Ano na naman bang kailangan mo?" inis na tanong ko nang hawakan niya ang braso ko. His face went serious.

"I want.." his eyes scanned my body. Napalunok ako ng ilang beses dahil nakakatakot ang mga titig niya. A-Anong gagawin niya?

"W-Want what?"

"I want you—"

"SABI KO NA NGA BA MAY PAGNANASA KA SA AKIN!" I shouted at sinuntok siya sa tiyan. He blocked my punch using his arm.

"It's not what you thin—"

"Heh! Liar!" sigaw ko. Narinig ko naman siyang tumawa ng malakas.

"You really thought you are beautiful? Tsk. I just want you to cooperate with me," sabi niya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.

"Are you referring about this case? No thanks, I can work by myself," sabi ko. Being with him is the worst scenario ever! And I can't imagine working with him!

"Nakalimutan mo yatang alam ko ang sekreto mo? Take note, wala kang alam sa sekreto namin," sabi niya. I clenched my fist and glared at him.

"Then ipagkalat mo—"

Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang tawagin ang isang estudyante. Dahil may authority siya, mabilis niyang napalapit ang lalaki. Nanginginig ang lalaki habang hindi makatingin sa kaniya.

"You know this girl? May claus—"

"P-Payag na ako!" I exclaimed. Ngumisi naman si Renzo sa akin at inakbayan ako ulit. 

"No one can resist someone irresistible as me," nakangising sabi niya. All I can do is to curse this demon to death.

(end of chapter)