Lance Vernon's PoV
***
After the incident all she did was to take care of Lacey. We told her to go back to her dorm, but she said she promised Lacey that she'll stay.
And that's one of the reasons why, I never had anyone after her.
I hope you'd forgive me soon, Valiant.
"Lance?" she called me.
"Yes? You need anything?" I asked.
"Uh, I'll leave first. I'll just take a bath then, I'll come back." she said as she stand up.
"You should take a rest, bukas ka na bumalik. Ako na ang bahala kay Lacey." I stand up.
"No, I'll come back." she insisted.
"Trust me, Architect. Trust your Engineer." I said.
"No. The last time I trusted you, you did something inappropriate. So, I insist. Babalik ako for Lacey." she smiled fakely and left.
I sighed and looked down. I sat beside Lacey and held her hand.
"Lace, can she really forgive me? Will she even forgive me? O, baka naman it's really the end?" I asked my sleeping twin sis.
I looked up when she suddenly cupped my cheek.
"Of course, kuya. Si Ate Riley pa? Eh malakas ka doon eh. You just need to give her time to think. I know you never wanted to hurt her the way you did, couple of months ago. So, prove her that you deserve another chance. Continue proving that you didn't wanted to do that. Prove her that you still love her and that your loving her even more. You still have a lot of time to prove that, Kuya." she said and then she slapped me and laughed.
"Yah! Ikaw isang minuto lang ang tanda ko sa'yo, pero kung maka-kuya at maka-sampal ka wagas!" asik ko.
"What? You're overthinking things kaya, you deserve a slap." she said as she roll her eyes.
"Oh and by the way... uh, about the case that Riley wants you to reopen, did she told you why?" I asked.
Inabot niya muna ang chips sa katabing lamesa bago nagsalita. "Wala naman, but ang sabi niya lang is yung file na yun ang makakatulong sa atin pagdating ng araw. That's what she said." sabi niya tsaka kumain.
"Anong laman ng file?" I asked.
"MOP?" she asked, and I hissed.
She never change, nasaksak na lahat lahat kuripot pa din. Mode of Payment, Mode of Payment pang nalalaman.
"Fine. I'll let you use my credit card for a month. Ayos na ba yun?" I said.
"Hmm.... kulang pa eh, that information is a historical information." saad niya.
NAPAKA-KURIPOT, KATITING NA IMPORMASYON LANG YUN PERO KULANG PA ANG CREDIT CARD KO BILANG KABAYARAN?!
"Tsk! Fine! My villa in Tagaytay, yun, ibibigay ko sayo." sabi ko.
"Sigurado ka?" she asked while smiling widely. "Sige. I'll tell you."
She started the story telling at ganoon nalang ang gulat ko sa mga narinig ko.
"Kaya pala." I said while nodding.
"Hey, don't you ever spill any beans Lance Vernon." she warned me and I nodded.
"Hey? You're awake, I brought you some food." Riley said as she enter the room.
Her hair is kind of wet, and she's wearing her peated skirt partnered with her halter top and cardigan sweater and her sneakers. She's holding a plastic, no, plastics of food.
I came to her and helped her with the foods. I started opening the food while she's talking with Lacey.
"The Doctor said, you can be discharged tomorrow morning. I already talked with your professors and asked them to give you the copies of your missed classes. Kunin mo nalang daw kapag pumasok ka." I heard her say that.
"Thank you, ate Riley. You should've not done that, nakakahiya naman you were here in the past three days taking care of me tapos gagawin mo pa yun." Lacey said, pa-humble.
"Nope, I also needed the copies of my missed classes last month. May mga absents din ako dahil sa mga death threats— I mean, uh, wala." she said that made me stop and look at her.
"Death threats? Did I heard it right?" I asked.
"And, so what?" she asked me back.
"You should've told us! Hindi mo dapat sinisikreto yun sa'min." I said trying not to get mad.
"You act as if you care. And wala na yun, I can manage myself." she insisted while rolling her eyes.
"Whatever." I hissed and turned my back.
"Tss, since when did he had his guts to listen to other people's conversation?" mahinang tanong niya sa sarili niya na ikinatawa ni Lacey.
"Excuse me? Naririnig yata kita ano?" I said sarcastically.
"Kita mo na? Napaka-chismoso niyang kapatid mo. Tch." sabi niya ulit.
"You should eat now, Lace. Maaga ka pa bukas. It's already 8PM, eat up." I said while pushing the table to the side of Lacey's bed.
"Here, I bought your favorite Sushami and Tempura." she said while putting the food on Lacey's plate.
"Thank you ate, kain ka na din po." Lacey said and started eating.
Riley started eating too, and as usual, Sushami at Tempura lang ang nagalaw nila. That's their favorite.
"Earth to Lance! Hey!" Riley yelled. "Why don't you eat? Eat up, I bought you your favorite Takoyaki." she added and continued eating.
I sat and started eating too. She never forget about my favorite foods, cute.
*knocks*
I stand up and opened the door.
"Shoo! You're blocking my way kaya!" Gwy said while pushing me on the side.
"Hey, what's up people of the world?!" Khallister yelled.
"Will you shut the fuck up? We're in a public hospital, not palengke!" Penelope said while playing her hair.
"We're in a public hospital, not palengke. Nyenyenye." Khallister said while copying Penelope's tone.
"Yeah, right." Ava said while shaking her head.
"Why the hell do you need to push me, Rayver Gonzalez?!" Vee hissed.
"What?! Me?! Si Rayven 'yun!" Rayver hissed.
"Yeah, whatever gurang!" Vee added.
"Hans, kunin mo nga 'tong isang supot ng pagkain! Walangyaka!" Ash said.
"Tss, tamad." parinig ni Gwy.
"What the fuck? Hindi mo ba kaya yan?" tanong ni Hans tsaka kinuha ang ibang plastic bags kay Ash.
"Kayo lang? Where's Sera? Si Oli?" Riley asked.
"Uh, kasi Rile... um..." sabi ni Vee habang nagkakamot ng ulo.
"Why? Nasaan sila?" tanong naman ni Lacey.
"Earth to you people! Where are they?" I asked.
"Eh kasi... kanina. When you left the academy around 3PM, there's a group of freshmen na pinagbububogbog at pinagtulungan sila Oli at Sera. T-that's the reason why we're here na." Gwy explained.
"Where are they?" Riley asked trying to calm herself off.
"They're on the other room lang, beside Lacey's. The doctor said they can be discharged soon na daw, and you know what? The cases of pagbubugbog is dumadami na. This week there are almost 90% of students brought here daw." Penelope said.
"Sino-sino ang nasa likod nito?" I asked.
"Hindi sino-sino, sino lang. There's only one person behind this, and there are also other people who's forced to do it." Riley said.
"What are your plans?" Ava asked.
"Let's send all students off." Riley said.
"W-wait ate. You mean? Like, classes will be suspended?" Lacey asked.
"Yes, the classes will be suspended until everyone who's involved here gets better." she said.
"Pero, Riley we're graduating already. We can't just make such decisions." Vee said.
"Vee's right, Rile. Class suspension is too much, what about excuse nalang muna sila? We're graduating." Khallister said.
"Which is more important? The diploma that we can all have when the right time comes, or the students' health? In this case, this is not just about our students' physical health. This is also about their mental health." Riley explained.
The room was surrounded by silence.
"The students involved here are physically, mentally, and emotionally hurt. And, I, as a student, as a person who have been on their position already, I already know how painful it is. And, this is the only way that I could help them ease their pain. End of conversation, classes will be suspended." she added and stood up.
"I, Vivienne Riley Takahashi, named as the Highest Majestic Alpha will take advantage of my position to suspend the classes. Wether you like it or not. Period." she said and left.
"I guess all we have to do is to follow her." Gwy said
"She's right. The students are in pain not just physically but also emotionally and mentally." Ava said.
"Can we go to Kuya Oliver and Ate Sera's room? Dalhin natin 'tong foods sakanila." Lacey suggested.
We agreed and left Lacey's room. They held all the foods while Ava and Gwy helped Lacey.
We arrived at Oliver and Sera's room and, I'm not surprised to see Riley there. But, this isn't the usual Seraphine and Riley.
They're both yelling at each other. And, Oliver tries to stop them.
"Why don't you just tell us, Riley, huh?! Ano ba talagang atraso mo kay Gokongwei?! Ninyo ng pamilya mo?! Why do we have to get involved?!" Seraphine yelled.
"Wala akong atraso sakanya! At mas lalong walang atraso ang pamilya ko sakanya o sa pamilya niya!" Riley yelled back.
"Then, why does she always mention you everytime that we get to see each other?! Why do I see anger on her face everytime you are mentioned?! Huh?! Iyan ba ang totoong walang atraso?! Tell us! Tell me, Riley! T-totoo bang ikaw ang pumatay sa kapatid niya? Totoo ba?!" Seraphine yelled while sobbing.
She did what?
Author's Note:
Malapit na. There will be a war... soon.