Third Person's POV
It was already 8 in the morning, maraming estudyante ang nagsimulang magdatingan. Kaitlyn Ortega, Linette's bestfriend, walked down the hallway. Her mind is in chaos and she may not admit it, but she is definitely troubled.
Dumiretso siya sa locker niya upang kunin ang librong gagamitin niya para sa unang klase niya sa umaga, pagkabukas niya sa locker ay bumulaga sa kanya ang larawan nila ni Linette habang may nakasulat na "bestfriends forever" nanginig ang kamay niya nang mapagtantong dugo ang ginamit bilang tinta.
Behind that photo, there is a voice recorder that suddenly played.
"Kaitlyn, why didn't you help me?" She trembled even more when she heard a familiar sob, "Why didn't you help your bestfriend?"
"N-No..."
"I thought we're bestfriends for life, we’re still best buddies right? If so, would that mean..." Kaitlyn heard a giggle, "...if I die, you die too?" Then, the recording stopped.
Kaitlyn dropped her books on the floor, she closed her locker and continue walking like nothing happen. Deep inside her, she knows whose voice it.
It's Linette's voice.
During the whole class, she was out of space. She's thinking about that recording and that picture that was on her locker. The bell rang and it's time for their science class, the whole class proceeded on the laboratory for their chemistry lessons.
While on their way there, they saw another class outside the lab, they are probably gonna share the same lesson.
Hindi sinasadyang magtagpo ang mata ni Kaitlyn at Ayashi, the sly girl smiled at her but that smile didn't reach her eyes. Her whole being turned cold when she saw a familiar figure behind Ayashi, Kaitlyn saw the figure of Linette.
Linette's eyes were all white, her hair is kinda messy, her uniform is being ripped into shreds, she opened her mouth and says...
"Kaitlyn, h-help m-me..." as she said those words, bigla na lang lumabas ang isang gallon ng dugo mula sa bibig niya.
"Kaitlyn, ayos ka lang ba?" Tila nag-aalalang tanong ni Rhea na naging dahilan upang bumalik siya sa ulirat.
"Y-Yeah, I'm f-fine.." Kaitlyn cleared her throat, "Why?"
"Para ka kasing nakakita ng multo." Natatawang usal ni Rhea bago siya pumasok sa laboratory, tumingin muli si Kaitlyn sa gawi kung saan niya nakita ang mukha ni Linette pero wala na siya doon.
She heaved a sigh amd shrugged her shoulders, she went inside the laboratory. She figured that she must have been hallucinating.
"Good morning class, so today napag-isipan namin ni ma'am Anne na ipagsabay na lang ang pagtuturo namin sainyo ng chemistry since same subject and same lesson lang din naman kayo." Paliwanag ni ma'am Cassandra na agad naman sinang-ayunan ng mga estudyante.
The class started and the students were advised to find a partner from the different class, Kaitlyn was about to find a partner when Ayashi suddenly waved at her.
"Hi, you must be Kaitlyn." Malumanay ang pagkakasabi ni Ayashi, "I'm Ayashi, I'm new here."
Nakipagkamay si Ayashi kay Kaitlyn, habang nakikipag-kamay ay napansin naman niya ang band-aid na nasa daliri ni Ayashi.
"Nagkasugat ka ba?" Pagtutukoy nito sa band-aid na nasa daliri niya.
"Ah yes, hindi ko kasi sinasadyang mahiwa ang daliri ko." Ayashi chuckled, "Alam mo namang may mga bagay na hindi maiiwasan. We make reasons to avoid bad circumstances to happen but the more reasons we make, the more it pulls us to that bad circumstances we wanted to avoid."
Natigilan si Kaitlyn pero nginitian lang siya ng matamis ni Ayashi.
"Y-Yeah, you're right."
"Can you explain to me what kind of substance is this? I heard that you have access in the school laboratory." May pinakita si Ayashi na isang maliit na container na may lamang isang liquid na kulay bughaw.
"Oh, that's—" Kaitlyn immediately shushed herself upon realizing something.
No one knows that she has access on the school laboratory except for Rhea and Linette.
Unti-unting tinitigan ni Kaitlyn si Ayashi sa mata, Ayashi continue smiling at her.
"Y-You..."
"I'm what?" Nakangising baling ni Ayashi sa kanya habang pinapanatili pa rin ang inosenteng ekspresyon sa mukha niya, "I'm just curious about what this substance can be. Do you know anything about it?" She emphasize the word it.
"You know something."
"Am I too sudden? My bad." Umayos ng upo ang dalaga, "Why didn't you help Linette that day? You ran, right? Was that the right way to ditch a friend?" Pinaglaruan niya ang liquid sa loob ng maliit na container.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Oh, I know particularly everything." She looked at Kaitlyn, "I even know what this substance do if you drink it."
Nanginginig si Kaitlyn habang nakatingin sa hawak niya.
"To be honest with you," Ayashi made this cute face like an innocent little girl, "I want you dead."
That made her breathings heavy.
"I want to stab you in the neck and just throw your body in the dumpster until your body rot." Kaitlyn gulped, "I want to drown your body in a barrel full of acid, it would be a lovely sight to see you in pain."
"Y-You're crazy..."
"I know."
Kaitlyn quickly turned her back and went outside the laboratory, she started walking to make her heart calm down. It's still a mystery for her why Ayashi knew everything.
"Did Linette told her about it?" Hindi mapakaling usal niya habang patuloy pa rin sa paglalakad.
"Kaitlyn, this is me being kind to you." Kaitlyn was frozen into place when she heard Ayashi's voice and so as her footsteps.
"S-Stop..." lumingon siya sa gawi nito, “...stop following me!!"
Ayashi smirked.
"I'll give you two easy choices."
Kaitlyn's breathings became heavy again.
"It's either you justify..." there is no smile in Ayashi's lips, "...or die."
Ayashi patted her shoulder.
"Think wisely." She then started walking into another direction.
Out of the blue, Kaitlyn started crying nonstop. Her heart throbbed in pain as she remembered her memories together with her best friend, Linette.
Sa isang tabi ay may babaeng nakatago habang nakikinig sa usapan ni Ayashi at Kaitlyn, she took out her phone and dialed someone's number.
"Hello boss."
"Yes, Rhea?"
"Ayashi knows something."
"Ayashi what?"
"Ayashi Vixen Yamamoto." The other line went silent before it was followed by a loud evil laughter.
"My, my, Yamamoto's never learn their lesson. It seems like his daughter is walking on the same path just like him, she'll definitely die the same way too."
"What should we do about her? She will surely sabotage the research that took 10 years for the whole team to make."
"Let me take care of that pest."
Ayashi's POVI scratched my nape before I carry my bag with me, Calvin approached me the sooner the bell rang. Hawak-hawak niya ang bag niya habang nangungulangot pa.Calvin okay ka sana, medyo dugyot ka lang."Don't slid your finger on your nose in public, mangulangot ka kapag walang tao sa paligid." Inis kong panininghal sa kanya, "Wala ka talagang hiya ano?"Ngumuso siya."Alam mo Ayashi—""Hindi ko alam at wala akong balak alamin.""You're just so mean to me.""I'm not mean, I prefer the word honest, gets mo?""Ewan ko sa'yo."We went outside the classroom, I don't want to approach Kaitlyn this morning but I really have this weird part of me that would do such things I never plan on doing."So Ayashi—""Ehehem, nakakalimutan mo yung title ko." Umirap at ngumuso si Calvin."Master Ayashi," pagtawag nito sa akin, "natapos mo na ba yung kaso ni Linette? May resulta na ba? Pwede ko
Ayashi's POV"So guys, I want you to meet Ayashi." Pagpapakilala ni Calvin sa akin sa dalawang kababaihan na nakatayo sa harapan naming dalawa."Hello Ayashi, I'm Fiona Banao, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot of rumors about you." A lady with plain black hair said."More like bad rumors you say," siniko naman siya ng babaeng nagngangalang Fiona."Don't be rude.""Fine, fine." She rolled her eyes, "I'm Phoebe Stone Valliant and by the way, it's not nice meeting you."I looked at her from head to toe."Don't worry, the feeling is mutual." Bahagya kong pinitik ang band aid na nasa noo niya, "It's not nice meeting people who is quickly hurt by something that can be easily avoided.""Are you purposefully making fun of me?" Bakas ang inis sa tono niya."No," I smirked, "that's just how the way I speak." Pumagitna naman agad sa amin si Calvin.Fiona laughed awkwardly."So yeah, welcome to the school publication.
Ayashi's POV"Ayashi, you good? Bakit nandiyan ka sa kitchen sink?" Calvin asked."Nothing." I smiled, "I was about to get Fiona a glass of water but it seems like she's fine now.""Balik na tayo sa office.""Sure.""Comeback again," Atashia waved her hands at us. The door was finally locked again before it got replaced by a plain white wall. Calvin is still accompanying Fiona since she's still feeling dizzy."Punta lang muna kami sa clinic, Phoebe. I'll message you guys later. Fiona will get better, I hope.""I told you, I'm Fiona and I'm fine.""That still doesn't makes sense, now shoo, bring that sick girl to the infirmary."Calvin and Fiona left the office just a few seconds after the student council president showed up unannounced. Giovanni looked at Phoebe as he started talking, he didn't seem to notice me."Did you happen to know where Kaitlyn Ortega is?" He asked politely, kinunotan siya ng noo ni Phoebe.
Third Person's POVA nurse walked on the silent hallway of the hospital, there are only few patients outside and the hospital is extremely quiet.May isang nurse ang tumigil sa paglalakad upang batiin ang kapwang nurse na kasalubong niya, tumingin ang nurse sa name plate ng dalaga."Bago ka ba dito, Ariel?" Malumanay na tanong ng nurse sa kanya, ngumiti naman ng matamis si Ariel."Ah oo, akala ko nga hindi ako makakapasok sa hospital na ito dahil sobrang daming nurses ang nag apply.""Mabuti naman at nakapasok ka, welcome nga pala sa hospital iha.""Salamat ho." Napadako naman ang tingin ng nurse sa chart na hinahawakan ni Ariel."Saang room ka papunta?""Ahh, sa room 8. Si Fiona Banao yung pasyente, ichecheck ko lang sana yung kalagayan niya.""Ah sige, mauuna na ako." The nurse then walked away, Ariel started walking on the hallway once more.Miles away from the hospital, there is someone who is looking at Ariel
Ayashi's POVNagpaalam muna ako sa kanila na kakausapin ko muna saglit ang doctor, lumabas kami sa kwarto at pumunta sa parte ng hospital na walang medyong taong dumadaan. Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapairap nang maka-ani ako ng masamang titig mula sa pekeng doctor na nasa harapan ko."Galingan mo naman ang pag-arte Cooper, napaghahalataan kang espiya eh." When he heard what I said, he scoffed in disbelief."Wow, sa lahat-lahat ng mga salitang pwede kong marinig ay yan pa talaga ang pinili mong sabihin." Bakas ang sarkasmo sa boses niya, "Grabe Ayashi, nakakagaan sa pakiramdam grabe."Nginitian ko siya ng peke."Whatever Cooper." Kinuha ko ang isang maliit na papel at ang maliit na container mula sa bulsa ko, "Study this substance and give me the report tomorrow morning."Kinuha niya yun mula sa kamay ko."I thought bukas mo pa ibibigay sa akin ang mga ito?""I changed my mind since you're already here in front of me naman," namuls
Ayashi's POVThe days passed by so fast, it's already Friday. Fiona got discharged from the hospital, she went back to normal by then. Umabsent ako ngayong araw sa kadahilanang hindi ako mapakali sa isipang hindi ko agad mareresolba ang misteryong nakapaloob sa dormitoryong yun.And Linette's ghost started bothering me again and I took that as a sign that she's getting impatient about the progress I'm making."You kept on looking on the waffles in your plate, hindi mo pa kinakain yan." Sabi ni Tita Ysabel na kakalabas lang mula sa kusina, nilagay niya sa mesa ang bagong timpla niyang kape bago siya nag-umpisang magbasa ng diyaryo.Gusto ko sanang tumingin kay Tita kaso hindi ko kaya dahil si Linette lang din naman ang nakikita ko at wala ng iba. It’s not like I am scared of her, it’s just that I am so sick looking at her from time to time.Nakakainis na."I'm not feeling well today, I'm gonna skip school." I said, she didn't seem
Ayashi's POVNakarating na ako sa destinasyon kung saan ako patungo, I parked my motorcycle a few meters away from the dormitory. Luminga-linga ako sa paligid upang masiguro na kung may tao ba o wala, it seems like the street isn't that busy today.Nilagay ko ang earpiece sa tenga ko bago ko tinignan ang screen ng phone ko, I was immediately connected to the school publication's office. Nakita ko naman agad si Fiona at Phoebe na nakaharap sa screen, si Phoebe ay abala sa pagtitipa ng kung ano sa keyboard."Calvin and the others doesn't know what we're going to do, we will get screwed up for sure." Naiiling na usal ni Phoebe, Fiona smiled brightly—she's spreading too much enthusiasm."Well, it'll make things more fun you know." Fiona's expression became serious, "All CCTV cameras are already off, I reviewed the blueprint of the dormitory and I figured out that there is a veranda in one of the rooms, pwede ka doon pumasok. It's a vacant room."
Ayashi's POV"They are the ones who is digging near the garden," Shannah said, "I don't know what they want but I do know that their intentions isn't good."I bit my lower lip before I put my phone back to my pocket."Fiona and Phoebe, I need to stay here until three in the morning. I'll be needing the both of you by then." Humiga ako sa malambot na kama, "But for now, you can go back to your classes and please inform Tita Ysabel that I won't be home.""Are you insane? You'll stay there until tomorrow?""No one will know, trust me and besides, this is the only way to catch the culprit.""Fine, I understand. We'll see you tonight."Third Person's POVDumaan ang ilang mga oras ay panay cellphone lang si Ayashi, minsan naman ay nakikipag-usap siya kina Shannah at Linette.Hindi pa rin siya sa makapaniwala sa nadiskubre tungkol kay Shannah, her story is mind blowing. Lahat ng mga ilaw sa loob ng dormitoryo