" P R O L O G U E "
•~•~•
"Ms. Brillin, hindi mo ba talaga mapipilit si Mr. Viere? He's falling behind at pag-hindi naagapan 'yun ay mawawala siya sa listahan ng scholars and for the worst scenario, he will be removed from those who are aiming the spot as the valedictorian. I know, you don't want that to happen, right?"
Wait, why would I hate it?
Seryoso ba si sir sa sinasabi niya? Shawn Viere is one of my competitors tapos hindi ko pa gusto na matanggal siya sa listahan?
I'm currently at the Dean's office. Pinatawag ako ng Dean dahil sa sitwasyon ni Shawn and honestly speaking, I really don't know why am I here. Hindi ba dapat magulang niya ang ipatawag?
Ano ba ang kinalaman ko sakaniya?
We don't have effin connection!
I'm going to admit that he's a hard competitor. Bukod kasi sa matalino, he's also an athlete which adds for his possibility to be the valedictorian. While me? I'm also as smart as him but I don't have any sports pero tumutulong ako sa library para magbantay, mag-linis at mag-arrange ng mga libro.
That's good, right?
But I don't know what happened to Shawn. He stopped showing up on his classes and even his friends can't contact him. Medyo naiinis na rin ako at ako na lang lagi ang inuutusan para pilitin siyang mag-ayos at pumasok since magkalapit lang kami ng room at iisa lang ang tutor namin.
But still, I can't find him anywhere! I can't even browse his social media accounts nor I have his contact number! We are not close!
"Sige po sir. I'll try po uli." Bagsak balikat kong sagot. I don't have any choices anyways pati isa pa, kailangan kong magpakitang tao para lang maka-graduate na may title. I have no time to let my pride overcome my dreams.
I need to hold on to it kahit ayokong ayoko na sumunod!
Napangiti naman yung Dean sa akin at pinaalis na ako. Pagkatapak ko sa labas ng office ay napataas ang isa kong kilay nang makita ang isang pamilyar na mukha. Isn't this the guy who's always with Shawn?
Padabog akong naglakad papunta sakaniya at hinigit ang damit niya. Annoyed, he removed his earphones before looking at me, "What?" Iritado niyang tanong sa akin.
"Where's your friend?"
Napataas pa siya ng isang kilay at parang iniisip pa kung sino ang tinutukoy ko bago napa-tango bahagya, "Oh! You must be pertaining to Shawn. What's with him?"
"What do you mean 'what's with him' when you're friends with him?! Alam kong alam mo kung bakit siya absent ng ilang linggo na!"
Now, the more I think about it, the more it's pissing me off.
Bakit ba hindi na lang nila tawagan magulang niya?!
"Damn woman. Hindi halatang mag-vavaledictorian ka ng ganiyang ugali." Asar nito sa akin at ngumisi pa. Hinampas ko ng malakas ang braso niya dahilan para mapahiyaw siya.
"Don't test me Shawn's-uglyass-friend! I'm being disturbed from my studies because of him! I need to find and drag him here!"
Napabuntong hinga siya bahagya, "I'm sorry to tell you this. Kung magulang nga niya hindi alam kung nasaan siya, ako pa kaya?"
"And the name's Bryson, not Shawn's-uglyass-friend," dagdag niya pa na ikinairap ko. But wait, Shawn is missing?
"Look, don't tell anyone about it but his parents already contacted me and he has not been in his home for weeks now. No contact as well and we don't have any clue where he is but there's this one student who told us that the last time he saw Shawn.."
"Where?"
"Sa puso mo."
Hindi ko natiis at tinadyakan ng malakas ang binti niya kaya bahagya siyang napaluhod. Damn it! Damn this guy! Nakakabwisit! Sinayang niya ang oras ko sa gawa-gawa niyang kwento! Napaniwala ako!
"Ikaw na lang sana ang nawala! Bwisit ka!"
Akmang aalis na ako nang pinigilan niya ako sa pamamagitan ng pag-higit ng pulso ko. Tiningnan ko siya ng masama at inagaw pabalik 'to, "If you're going to waste my time again then cut it. I have so many things to do—"
"N-no wait. Totoo sinasabi ko. Shawn has been missing for weeks at huli siyang natagpuan sa isang computer shop na pinagtatambayan niya."
"Saan ang computer shop na 'to?"
I went out the school at hinatid naman ako ng delubyong kaibigan ni Shawn dito pero hindi na niya ako sinamahan pa sa loob since mayro'n raw siyang duty na gagawin.
While walking towards inside the said computer shop, I suddenly felt uneasy dahil puro lalaki ang nakikita ko at karamihan pa ay nakatingin sa akin which just doubles what I'm feeling right now.
Bakit ba wala akong makitang babae?
Habang naghahanap ay napalingon ako sa bakanteng dulo at parang natamaan ako ng kung ano dahil sa nakita kong bag na nakapwesto sa upuan.
It's Shawn's!
Dali-dali akong pumunta rito at nakita ang isang bukas na screen ng computer. Nakita ko ang isang parang game na nakabukas and I can't definitely be mistaken here. It's Shawn's account dahil nakapangalan ito sa character niya. And the virtual character itself..
.. looks like him.
I was stricken with panic when it suddenly logged out on its own. Damn! I don't know about these kind of things! Kusa ba 'tong naglolog out pag matagal na hindi nilalaro?
Pati, bakit bukas ang account niya rito?
May biglang nag-popped out na tab bigla sa site. I was about to ignore it nang makita ko ang nakasulat sa itaas nito.
" Are you here to
fulfill your destiny? "
Sign up for one last premium slot!
Username:
Email:
Password:
One last premium slot? Is that even possible for games? 'Di ba the more na may naglalaro, the more na kikita ka ng pera? Why would the developers decided to limit their players? This is ridiculous.
Wait, nawawala na ako sa focus ko. I should find Shawn immediately but where? Lumabas lang ba siya saglit? Why would he leave his bag here right? Pati bukas account niya rito 'di ba?
And damn, why did Bryson and Shawn's family can't find him for weeks kung nandito lang naman siya?
Username: Haisley_G
Email: haisleybrillin@bm.com
Password: *****
REGISTERED!
Welcome to Magic Island!
A realm where you're bound to play.
"What the actual hell?" Taka kong tanong nang makita kong nagkusa na naman ito and it entered my email automatically! This site is nuts! Paano nito naaadapt information ko when I'm literally not touching anything!
This time, pinakielaman ko na ng tuluyan 'to. I started moving the cursor around at para sana i-cancel ang pagloading ng site pero kahit anong pindot ko kahit saan ay walang nangyayari.
"I need to freaking call the shop owner! This computer is cursed!"
I was about to go when a bright light flashed on the screen. Nang lingunin ko 'to ay may nakapaskil na isang malaking sentence rito.
" Welcome, fragmented. "
•~•~•
END OF
P R O L O G U E
2020
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!