Book Of Unknown

CHAPTER TWO

Bellia’s Point Of View

Binuksan ko ang locker ko at ipinasok doon ang mga libro kong bitbit mula kanina. Nang naipasok ko na ang mga ito ay may napansin akong isang linyang kulay pula rito. Sinubukan ko itong burahin gamit ang maliit na pirasong papel, ngunit ayaw itong mabura.

“Miss? Baka lalo lang kumalat yan, better stop removing it using a torn piece of paper.” Said the male student with a wet handkerchief in his left hand.

Kumunot ang noo ko, “Alam mo ‘to? Are you the one who did it? If you are, were you out of the blue that’s why you did this?” I accused as I grabbed the key to my locker and just left him where he was.

I heard his footsteps running from my direction. “Woah, miss, I don’t know what you were talking about, and I don’t even know you. We also didn’t interact, so why would I do that? Also, I’m not in the middle school to do that, and that kind of act is forbidden here in the University. I know what are the rules and regulations that they set in here, okay?”

Hinayaan ko lang siyang magsalita sa harapan ko.

“I’m not the one who did it on your locker.  I was supposed to remove it, but I saw you opening it, so yeah, it’s yours. I’m sorry? Now I would like to say that you should calm yourself down.” Pagtutuloy niya habang nilalaro ang panyo niyang basa.

Dahan-dahan akong tumango at sumulyap sa kanya. “Okay. Sorry. I mean, I’m sorry. I uh... I thought you’re the culprit. I’m sorry.”

Ngumiti siya sa harapan ko. “Yeah, that’s alright. So, we are cool now?”

I nodded and adjusted my bracelet. I was about to leave him but he suddenly held out his hand in front of me. “Logan. Logan Tuan, son of Mrs. Isabelle Tuan. I bet you know my mum.”

Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya dahil hindi ako makapaniwala na mayroon palang anak si Mrs. Tuan, hindi ko rin mamukhaan ang kanyang ina sa kanya. Ang mga ngiti ni Mrs. Tuan ay malayo sa mga ngiti niya, ang mga kulay ng mga mata, ilong, labi, hugis ng mukha at lahat-lahat ay wala siyang nakuha sa sarili niyang ina.

Tinanggap ko ang kamay niya. “Bellia Laurent.”

Tumango siya at tumingin sa kanyang ilalim. “I can call you Lia, right?”

I nodded, “Uh-huh. I gotta go.” Pagpapaalam ko sa kanya.

Kaagad naman akong lumayo at naglakad-lakad, “So, where should I go now?” I asked myself.

When I noticed Gabriel enter the library I quickened my walk to accompany him. When I entered, my two eyes searched for him and I smiled when I saw him.

I took an empty seat and then sat down in front of him. “Hey, Gab.” 

Tiningnan niya ako ng masama, “I’ve been looking for you, where have you been? Why you took so long?” aniya at hinablot ang kamay ko. “And what’s this red coloured on your palm?”

Kinuha ko ang kamay ko sa kanya at tiningnan ang sinasabi niyang pulang kulay. Nabigla siya sa mabilis kong pagkuha rito. Hinaplos ko ang pulang kulay sa palad ko at sinubukan alalahanin kung saan ko ito nakuha.

Umiling ako na lamang ako dahil maliban sa kinamayan ko si Logan ay wala na akong ibang hinawak pa. “Wala. May nakausap lang na estudyante, siguro hindi ko napansin na may pintura siya sa palad niya.”

“Mmm,” aniya at isinandal ang kanyang sarili sa inuupuan niya, inabot niya ang librong makapal sakin. “Ibalik mo roon.”

Muntik akong mapanganga sa sinabi niya. “Seriously?”

Sinalo niya ang baba niya at tinitigan ako, “Go on,” aniya.

I no longer complained because he was serious. I stood up and picked up the book he was returning and walked over to the many books on display. I put it everywhere and also looked through the book that contains about human’s disorders.

I grabbed a book and opened it and stroked each page. I noticed that someone was looking at me in the direction where I picked up the book, I turned to it and I saw nothing. I just went back to Gabriel and I's table.

"How long have you been, how many men have you seen there?" He said as I sat down.

I ignored what he said because I was looking at where I had placed the book earlier. “Something’s strange in here, Gab.”

I can see in his face that he has no idea. “Mmm-kay? So, about what? I mean, what’s up? Are you not feeling well right now? Do you want me to carry you to the clinic room? ” He put his two arms on the table and looked at me from my two hands to hair.

Umiling ako. “I don’t know. I can not say. It was as if something was holding me back not to say anything about it.”

Kumunot ang noo nito. “Huh? May pangit ba na demonyo ang nakapasok sa ‘yo?” 

I looked at him badly, but as I looked at him my vision gradually darkened and I could not hear what he was saying. Gabriel just disappeared in front of me, only dark every corner of the library I could see. I couldn’t get up from my seat when I saw something red approaching me.

“Gab?” Just came out of my mouth.

Not even a shadow of Gabriel or anyone inside the library could be seen by me, only the red color approaching me was visible to my two eyes. Whenever it approached my direction, I realized it was a female student but I couldn’t see her face, only her color was red.

My eyes became bulging. “Who is that? And what's going on? Why are the surroundings so dark? Gab? Where are you?”

It is silent. When I looked at its feet, I also made sure it was not walking, it was floating like a cloud. My heart beat faster, with each speed of my heartbeat the floating student approached me faster.

I dug something into my pocket and I dug a ballpen, I picked it up and the faster it approached me. I closed my two eyes and pointed the ballpen I was holding in her direction. I felt the ballpen I was holding sink into her.

When I opened my two eyes I saw Gabriel, his left eye bleeding where the ballpen I was holding sank.

Loud shouts I heard and huddled inside the library. My body lost energy at Gabriel’s fate, I let go of my grip on the ballpen. Gabriel was weakened by what happened.

He slowly glanced at me with one eye, “J-jo…” He said and slowly his body gave up.

My lips trembled, stuttering but no words came out of my mouth, not knowing what to do and bewildered by what had happened.

I felt a hold on my hand, I looked at it and my tears were already flowing. I felt his hands holding me by my chin and lifted to look at me. “Belle? Belle, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

When I glanced at it I saw Gabriel, standing and worried about me. No ballpen in his eye, no blood or anything. I rolled my eyes inside the library and realized that what had happened was just imagination.

I stood up and hugged Gabriel, he caressed my back and let go of our hug, “What happened? You were almost stupid for fifteen minutes, now tell me, what happened? You have been acting so strange lately, ”he said and helped me to sit up.

“Something’s really strange, Gab. It... It bothers me,” I said, trembling. “Earlier, when you were speaking, I could not hear you, it was getting dark around me and I saw a student without a face, she was only red, from head to toe, only red. She’s not walking, she’s floating.”

Tumango siya habang nakatingin sa lamesa. “Okay? That’s unnatural and creepy, and then? What happened with the red student?” 

I shook. “My heart beat faster with fear, and she approached me faster. I was holding a ballpen, it sank into her as she approached me. But when I opened my eyes, I saw you, the ballpen I was holding sank into your eyes.”

Seeing in his eyes his shock, I did not let him speak. “I couldn’t speak when I saw you, I didn’t know what to do. But you said something, I don’t know if what came out of your mouth meant anything.”

Kumunot ang noo niya. “Ano ang sinabi ko?”

“You said jo. I know it sounds nonsense, hearing that word when you are daydreaming? It’s bullshit. It’s clueless, right?” I adduced.

Umayos siya sa pagkakaupo, “Yes, It’s clueless, you are right. But,”

“But? What?”

“Let’s go to the clinic, maybe you’re just having a headache.”

Umiling ako. “No. Hindi masakit ang ulo ko. It’s an imagination for you, but I think it has meaning, Gab.”

He stood up and grabbed my arm. “Let’s go.”

Nagkita ang aking kilay at napailing sa sinabi niya.