🎭THERESE

Walang kaalam-alam si Tiffany sa nangyari sa group chat kagabi. Bago pa man kasi kami makarating dito ay pinagbawalan muna namin ang isa't isa na banggitin ang nangyari kagabi. We don't want to ruin her party. This only happens once in a lifetime, it should be memorable for her.

Isa ako sa mga pinagpipiliang patayin. I hope no one vote for me. But... At the same time, I'm guilty if they won't vote for me. That's a sign that they'll vote one to the remaining four. It's just sad that only four of us can be save. Kung sana kaming lima na lang ang maligtas. Ang hirap kasi... Ang hirap na may malalagas na namang isa sa amin.

The theme of her debut is midnight sky. Nakasuot si Tiffany ng off shoulder gown. It is made with sparkly fabric and tulle mesh. Ang sa parteng dibdib naman nito ay pa-heart. It was a black and blue dress-- midnight blue, to be specific. Her hair was tied into a bun, some hair strands were loosen purposely. It's making her more elegant.

Kami namang mga bisita niya ay shade rin ng blue pero pinagbabawal sa amin ang sparkly. I get it why they didn't allow us.

I, on the other hand, was just wearing a simple satin bodycon dress, ending below my knee. It has a slit in my right thigh. I let my below-shoulder-length hair flow.

Tiffany was escorted by a handsome man whose probably a year older than us. He's tall and hot. He looks angelic underneath that spectacles. He looks manly wearing that tuxedo. Looking at their height difference, I can say that they look good together.

Tiffany is faking her smile, I know. Gusto ko tuloy tumawa ng malakas. Mukhang naiilang kasi siya sa ka-partner niya. Mukhang hindi niya rin yata kilala ang taong 'to. Akala ko nga si Andrie ang escort niya pero hindi pala.

“She looks alluring,” Margaret commented. Her eyes are full of admiration while watching our friend made her way.

“She's always been,” Anya smiled.

She's been having a hard time lately. All of us are having a hard time, specifically. Someone just played with our lives.

Tiff's parents give her a messages and advices. I can see how much they love their daughter. Nagbiro pa nga ang Mama niya na tumaas na raw ang edad ni Tiff, pero ang height, hindi pa rin. Of course, we laughed at that remark because it's true though.

Britney, Clyde, and Andrie were part of her 18 roses. Mukhang pinsan niya ang iba. Her father was the 18th roses.  Kasunod naman nito ang 18 candles. At ang malas...ako pa talaga ang nauna!

Ano ba 'yan, hindi ako nakapag-search ng sasabihin!

“Uhm...hi,” I awkwardly laugh. Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko. Kung sana hindi ako ang nauna, I could have composed a message. “Hindi ako ready so hindi ito magiging mahaba,” they laughed. “I may not be expressive but deep within my heart, I love you so much. I am so grateful that I got to know and befriend with you. No... You're not just a friend. You're like a sister to me.  I only had one wish for you though. I hope you will find the love of your life. I think it's just around the corner? 'Yung escort mo? Bagay kayo!”

Nanlaki pa ang kaniyang mga mata sa sinabi ko. Nagsitawanan naman ang mga tao dahil dito. Napasulyap naman ako sa escort niya, he smiled at shook his head gently, mukhang hindi makapaniwalang sinabi ko 'yun sa harap ng maraming tao.

Sumunod naman si Jamaica na kahit sa pagbibigay ng message ay lutang pa rin. Mukhang hindi rin siya handa. Bakit ba naman kasi nauna pa kaming dalawa. Sina Anya, Marga, Ayesha, Meghan, at Mikha lang yata ang may maayos na message. Mukhang nakapaghanda sila.

Bawi na lang ako sa debut ni Meghan.

It's around 11:00 in the evening. Hindi pa rin nakalapit sa amin si Tiff dahil nakasunod siya sa Daddy niya na pinapakilala siya sa mga co-businessmen nito. 'Yun tuloy nang pumunta na si Tiff sa amin ay nakasimangot na siya.

“Sorry, hindi ko kayo na entertain. Si Daddy kasi,” he glanced at his Dad who's talking to Welvin's father. Of course, small world. “Sa beach ang after party. Punta tayo ro'n. Bihis muna 'ko.”

Nagpaalam siyang magbihis muna kaya nauna na kami sa rooftop. They owned this resort. Closed muna sila ngayon dahil sa importanteng event na 'to. Dito kami matutulog at ihahatid lang kaming lahat bukas ng umaga. Mabuti na lang at nagkasundo kaming mag cut classes muna sa morning. O baka nga ay whole day na. Ewan ko na lang kung ano ang magiging reaction ng teachers namin.

Maraming foods and beverages ang nakalatag sa mahabang lamesa. There are no chairs pero mayroong picnic mat na nakalatag sa buhangin. Kaming STEM-A plus Dani at Miah lang ang nandito. Err. Scratch that. Her escort is here too, together with his friends and some of Tiffany's cousins.

“Hey,” someone approached me. He has this grin on his face and I want to wipe it off using my fists. I didn't talk back, instead, I rolled my eyes. “Sungit. I just want to make friend with you though.”

“Really?” I sarcastically said. “Ako, hindi.”

🎭ZYRA

Habang nandito kami ngayon sa after party ay hindi ko maiwasang kabahan. Isa ako sa mga pinagpipiliang patayin. Natatakot ako na lamang ang votes sa akin. Ayaw ko pang mamatay.

Bantay sarado namin ang isa't isa sapagkat alam naman namin kung sino ang pinagpapapilian. Dapat maging alisto kami sa kung ano ang sunod na mangyari.

If someone will die tonight... then one or two of the STEM-A plus Dani and Jeremiah is/are the killer/s. Well, I think Jeremiah, Therese, Vahn, Cheska, and I are out of the list since we are the target victims.

Napalingon kaming lahat sa paparating na si Tiffany. She's now wearing a satin sparkly dress, ending above her knees. It hugged her body perfectly. Nakalugay na rin ang kaninang naka-bun niya na buhok.

Wala siyang kamalay-malay na dahil sa hindi pag respond niya sa group chat kagabi, isa sa amin ang mamamatay. Hindi pa namin pwedeng sabihin sa kaniya ngayon. We don't want to ruin her party.

Napaisip tuloy ako. Kung ako ang mamamatay ngayon, ibig sabihin ay hindi na ako makakaranas ng debut. I would be seventeen forever. I hate that idea so I tried to shrug it off by drinking root beer.

It was my first time drinking kaya hindi ko kaagad nagustohan ang lasa kahit flavored beer naman 'yun. Napamura tuloy ako dahil hindi talaga para sa akin ang alak.

“Tiff, sa aming anim na 'yung gift namin,” ngumisi si Welvin at nag peace sign pa kay Andrie. “Pero sana nga talaga bumili na lang ako ng regalo ko sa 'yo. Pa'no pa kasi, na-scam kami ni Andrie!”

“Kasalanan ko ba na nagpumilit ka na sa ating anim na 'yung regalo?” Andrie retorted. He's holding a glass with a liquor in it. I don't know what's that pero colorless siya. Mukhang tubig lang pero no, it's not a water.

“Siningil mo kami ng five thousand!” He dramatically held his chest. “Tapos magkano lang naman 'yung gift mo? Twelve thousand? O, lima kaming siningil mo ng tig five thousand. Lugi kami niyan par, may twenty-five thousand kana.”

Napailing na lang ako dahil nagmamaktol si Welvin na agad namang dinaluhan ni Ayesha upang ilayo kay Andrie.

Naguguluhan tuloy ako kung sino ang babae sa kanilang dalawa. Si Ayesha ba o si Welvin?

“Observe your surroundings, Zy. 'Wag mong tanggapin ang ibibigay nila sa 'yong drinks,” she whispered. It sent chills down my spine.

Nilingon ko si Tiff na hindi ko alam na nakalapit pala sa akin. Umawang ang labi ko pero walang lumabas na salita kaya tinikom ko na lang ulit. Nginitian niya lang ako at saka umalis upang i-entertain ang iba naming kasama.

Gusto kong tanungin si Tiff kung bakit niya sinabi 'yun pero hindi ko makapa ang mga salitang dapat sabihin. Bakit niya naman nasabi ang bagay na 'yun? Nabasa na ba niya ang group chat?

Did she purposely not respon on the group chat? No. She was offline all day yesterday. At isa pa, makikita naman namin kung sino-sino ang nagse-seen doon at wala siya.

“Zy, gusto mo ng drinks?”

Umakyat lahat ng dugo ko sa aking ulo nang marinig ko ang boses na 'yun ni Margaret. She's holding a glass of liquor. Nakangiti siya sa akin habang hawak-hawak ito. Not wanting to look rude, I smiled back and gent shook my head.

Hindi naman siya nagpumilit pa at umalis na. Ibinigay niya lang 'yun sa iba. Kapag 'yun nalason, si Marga ang pangunahing suspek.

Kung hindi ako binalaan ni Tiff, siguradong tinanggap ko na 'yun. But why Marga? Bakit sa lahat ng tao na nandito ay siya pa ang umabot sa akin ng inumin?

May balak ba siyang lasunin ako?

🎭MIAH

“Be careful and keen. Do not trust anyone in this party,” bulong sa akin ni Tiffany. “Do not drink anything from someone.”

Hindi niya ako hinintay na sumagot at umalis na. She gave me a meaningful look before blending to the dancing girls who surrounded the bonfire.

Ang lakas tuloy ng kalabog ng dibdib ko at hindi na mapakali. I saw Zyra, too. She looks uneasy. Napasulyap naman ako kay Therese na pasekretong binulungan ni Tiffany. Maging siya ay namutla at naging tahimik.

Therese, Zyra and I were being told something-- scratch that--- we were being told an important thing we must do right now. Si Cheska at Vahn na lang ang hindi ko nakitang nilapitan niya.

What the fuck is happening? Bakit alam niya na may mangyayaring hindi maganda sa amin? At saka, STEM-A, si Dani at ako lang naman ang Mallorians dito?

So ibig sabihin, isa sa amin ang killer?

I was anticipating for Tiffany's next move. Kinakabahan ako kung sino ang susunod na bubulongan niyang mag-ingat. She already said something to the three of us. Ibig bang sabihin no'n ay ligtas na kami?

“Bro, bakit ka ba nakatitig kay Tiff. May Meghan kana, ah,” siniko ako ni Dani. Umiinom siya ng alak. Namumula na rin ang kaniyang mukha, he's tipsy.

Inis akong lumingon sa kaniya. “Shut up,” then I looked at Tiffany again bt she's gone from where she was earlier.

Panay ang mura ko sa mababang boses at hinanap si Tiffany. Sino ang sunod na binulongan niya? Was it Cheska? Was it Vahn?

Para na 'kong babaliw dito. Habang ang lahat ay nagsasaya, ako naman ay hinahanap si Tiffany pero hindi siya mahanap ng mga mata ko.

Then I saw Vahn who's about to drink a glass of liquor. I ran towards him and tried to stop him from drinking that liquor but I'm too late.

He gulped everything in that glass. He even chewed the ice.

He arched a brow at me. “What now? Are you going to judge me, too?” Pain in his voice is evident.

I shook my head. For sure he's traumatized about what happened. He was judged by the whole Academy because of that single post. Ako? Hindi ko siya kailanman hinusgahan.

What's the purpose of living in a democratic country if we're going to control anyone's life?

We hold an eye contact for three minutes. Hinintay kong may mangyari sa kaniya. Hindi ko kasi nakitang nilapitan siya ni Tiffany kanina. Paano na lang kung siya pala ang may pinakataas na boto sa aming lima?

And the next thing I knew was someone shouted in horror.

“Cheska!”

My lips pursed upon hearing it. Para akong robot na lumingon sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Nagkumpulan ang mga kaklase ko at iba pang bisita ni Tiff na kasing edad din namin.

I swallowed my own saliva as I took walk towards there.

Then I saw Cheska, laying on the sand, lifeless. May liquid na nasa gilid ng kaniyang labi. Mukhang bumula ang bibig niya kanina.

Agad ako dumalo sa kaniya at hinanap ang kaniyang palapulsuhan. My heart took a leap when I didn't not feel her heartbeat anymore.

“She's dead,” I announced.

Kasabay na tumunog ang cellphone namin. Nagkatinginan muna kami bago sabay-sabay na binasa ang message.

Fuck.

From : unknown666

To : me

Subject : Terminated

Ooops. Someone is not able to reach her 18th birthday.

By the way, here's the list of Mallorians who voted Francheska Divina :

Alvarez Jacob Benedict

Borromeo, Marian Margaret

Cartalla, Meghan

Costin, Bradley Riguel

Cuesto, Patrick Janz

Diaz, Ayesha Glydine

Gonzalez, Jasmine

Hornada, Jamaica

Ibañez, Jake Gabriel

Lapiz, John Dani Divad

Medico, Zyra Elloise

Nuevo, April Grace

Francheska Divina, eliminated.

yours truly,

unknown666

_________