🎭 TIFFANY

Welcome to Mallory Academy!

Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak ko sa strap ng aking bag. Today is my first day being a grade 12 student. Finally, last year of being a high school student.

School really makes me crazy but my friends somehow keeps me sane. Sila na lang yata ang dahilan kung bakit gusto ko pang pumasok ng paaralan.

I couldn't imagine my life in college. A life without my friends. I'll surely have a hard time to adjust the new environment. Hindi pa naman ako sanay makipagsocialize. I am contented with my friends.

As much as possible, I don't want my circle to grow larger. Hindi naman kasi lahat ng tinuturing mong kaibigan ay kaibigan din ang turing sa  iyo.

A friend to all is a friend to none.

I imprinted that quote from Aristotle in my mind. He is right, though. I wonder if he experienced that thing real bad.

“Hey, President!” I was greeted by Clyde's annoying face. He was holding his phone horizontally, probably playing some online games. He has this annoying smile which made me roll my eyes. “Chill. First day na first day, ang sungit mo kaagad.”

“Shut your mouth, Clyde. President mo mukha mo,” sadya ko siyang tinabig kaya napangiwi siya.

Ano? Ako na naman ang ino-nominate nila bilang class president? Since junior high pa ako naging class president, kailan ba nila 'ko balak pagpahingahin?

“Kaumay, paulit-ulit na lang ang mukha ng mga kaklase natin,” naiiritang tugon ni Therese nang makaupo ako. They reserved me a seat just like before.

Totoo naman. Paulit-ulit ang mukha ng mga kaklase namin. Kaklase ko na ang mga 'to sa junior high school, pati naman ngayong senior high. Some of my classmates from junior high took different strand, that explains why we're not classmates anymore.

“Seryoso, wala tayong bagong kaklase ngayon. Sila pa rin last school year. Well, except kay...”

Hindi ipinagpatuloy si Zyra ang kaniyang dapat sabihin nang napatingin ang ibang kaklase namin sa kaniya. They knew who Zyra was referring to. Her name is like a profanity and we're in a Catholic school, bawal sabihin.

Napailing na lang ako nang maalala ang mga nangyari noong nakarang taong pasukan.

Natahimik tuloy si Zyra nang suwayin siya ng isa pa naming kaklase. Ako naman ay kinuha na lang ang cellphone ko para ma-distract ang sarili kong isipin ang mga nangyari noon.

What happened in the past should stay in the past. We shan't bring it to the present.

🎭ZYRA

Damn. I almost said her name. What the fuck. I cringed upon remembering what happened last last school year. That was... Ugh! I don't want to remember it.

Maya-maya lang ay dumating na ang guro namin. She's only bringing a folder. It's probably for the seating plan. Since first day naman ngayon. Ewan ko na lang talaga kung magpapa-quiz siya kaagad.

“Good morning, class. Settle down,” she gestured us to sit down. “Since you already know each other dahil kayo-kayo lang din naman ang magkaklase noong nakaraan, you're not going to introduce yourselves anymore. It's just a waste of time.”

Nakahinga kami ng maluwag doon. Lalo na ako!

“I will give you a vacant time for now,”and then she strode her way out of the room.

Ang kaninang tahimik na classroom ay naging maingay. Some of them are glancing at me, probably annoyed that I almost mentioned that girl's name. I couldn't help but to feel creepy.

“Oh my God, Zy. Please, kung wala kang magandang sasabihin, fucking shut your mouth na lang. Nakakasira ng first day of school,” April gave me a deadpan look.

“Kaya nga tumahimik, eh.” I rolled my eyes, annoyed. Nakita naman niyang tumahimik na nga ako, hindi ba? Ano ba ang ikinagagalit niya?

I went out of the classroom to inhale some fresh air. Nasa third floor ang classroom namin kaya tanaw na tanaw ko ang mga estudyanteng naglalakad sa ibaba. Most of them are by groups. Pero syempre hindi rin nawawala ang mga loner.

Mallory Academy is not your typical academy. There are some students who wanted to study here but got rejected. They think that this school is that school since it has a good review. But in reality? It's actually not.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit isa ito sa mga tinitingalang paaralan gayong ang pamamalakad naman dito ay hindi maganda. Yes. Mallory Academy is a prestigious school but it's not  like how others pictured it to be. Ni hindi nga namin alam kung bakit maganda at ang taas ng review sa school na 'to when in reality, it is full of barbaric students.

I sighed.

Money can really buy everything, isn't it.

Hindi ko rin maintindihan ang mga magulang ko, namin, kung bakit hindi sila nagpapaniwala sa mga pinagsasabi namin tungkol sa paaralan na 'to. They think so highly of this school which made me want to puke.

I was so happy that I became  Mallorian back then, when I was young and naive. But now? I really want to get out of this school. Ayoko ng manatili rito.

Everything's not right.

Imagine not giving justice to those students who died because of their fellow students. They just debunked everything. Thinking that one will shut up if money takes over.

Does justice really preserved for riches only?

I cringed at that thought.

I hate everyone here. Well except for my friends. They're an exception.

Just when I thought my last year would be the best year of my high school life...

It was this moment I know STEM-A messed up. So bad.

My phone vibrated inside my pocket. Napakunot ang noo ko sa natanggap kong text message. It was from unknown number.

From : Unknown Number

Are you ready to play with me, STEM-A?

Oh, you cannot say no because the only choices here is yes or yes.

Are you guys ready to play bloody games?

– death after life

Huh? Death after life? Isn't it life after death?

I blocked the number bago ako pumasok sa loob ng classroom. Everyone is holding their phones, too. Kunot na kunot din ang kanilang mga noo.

“Did you guys receive a message, too?” I felt shivers down my spine when they nodded one by one.

We received the same message. It only means one thing : someone is playing with us and I could sense that it's no good. The sender must be crazy. He or she maybe just want to pull a prank. Well, hindi siya nakakatuwa.

Maya-maya lang ay tumunog nang sabay ang cellphone namin. Halos mawalan ako ng dugo nang mabasa ang text message na na-receive ko.

Putang ina? I already blocked this number!

From : Unknown Number

Get ready, STEM-A. I will get even. I will put the justice in my hands. I have enough of your fucking games.

Oh, wait. Killer? Hm... Maybe it's better to say KILLERS.

Better hide yourself well, fucking killers ’cause I will fucking kill you like what you fucking did to Zoe.

I felt shivers down my spine. It has been a long time since her name was mentioned.

Zoe.

Our classmate who died two years ago. She was poisoned according to the autopsy report.

Her death didn't have a justice because of their family status, I guess. And now someone wants to put the justice in his/her hand.

Who might be this person threatening us?

Who is who?

Who is the killer or should I say killers amongst you?

🎭🎭🎭

📜 Hi! I'm not really good in writing especially mystery and thrill so please bear with me.

Thank you for reading!