Mr. Augusto Pier was a typical man in his 40s. I couldn’t see what the older women saw in him (remembering what Mrs. Joson once told me), but I could agree that there was something engaging in the way he stands and speaks.
Calvin and I had been taking turns for days in passing by his office. We took notes of all the things we could get from our short visits. Eventually, we learned about his schedule and the people who usually meet with him on a daily basis.
Yana had also been unknowingly helping us by answering my ‘I’m just curious’ questions about the tasks and responsibilities of the Head Administrator.
The plan was simple.
At 4:45 in the afternoon, when most of the staff were already preparing to go home, Calvin would call Mr. Pier’s office to tell him that someone named Rosita was looking for him. We were going to make it look like she wanted to meet him in private at the school’s Roof Deck to discuss something.
Of course, the old man had found it odd, but he was mostly shocked, as per Calvin’s account on how their conversation went later that day.
I, on the other hand, had to be in position at that time: inside a decluttered mop cabinet in the hallway. It was the best hiding place to spot Augusto when he came out of his office. And my job was to ensure that he would reach the Roof Deck with no interference.
At exactly 4:45 p.m., my eyes were already glued to the perforated cabinet door (that I admit was of my doing); a cellphone in my pocket, ready to notify Calvin once the target leaves the room.
My senses on alert, it was easy for me to hear footsteps coming towards the office. I peeked through the hole, wondering who could that be at this time of the day, when I saw a fluff of hair moving at a steady pace.
“Oh no,” I heard myself utter at the image getting closer to Augusto’s door.
“Yana!” I called out, stepping outside my hideout. The girl did a U-turn towards me in an instant.
“Rin, what are you doing here? I’ve been looking for—”
It was just a spur of the moment and before I realized what I had done, Yana and I were now crammed inside the mop cabinet.
“Yana, I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “I’ll explain later, but please bear with me for a little while.”
“I knew it! You’re hiding something from me, Rin Sebastian!” she said it so forcefully it didn’t even sound like a whisper.
I was about to reply when I heard the door of Augusto’s office open. Angling my body to the side, I turned my head and peeked through the hole. From there I saw Mr. Pier looking weary at the door, as if hesitating whether he should move or not.
“Could be a prank. Just a prank,” he thought aloud, and finally stepped into the hallway.
He already made a couple of steps when he hesitated again and stopped right in front of our hideout. I turned my eye away, thinking he might sense my presence if I kept on watching him.
I could already feel my muscles stiffen from pushing my weight away from Yana who was cramped to the wall. I thought it must be what it’s like to play newspaper dance when there’s even no paper at all, and no dancing; just a sweaty brow, and our bodies pressed against each other.
“Rin… he’s not moving,” Yana whispered to me. I could tell she was trying to read the situation as much as she could.
This is not really helping, I told myself, trying to steady my breathing. I felt like my heartbeat would give us away (or me) any minute.
I tried to straighten my back but the shelf behind me was on the way making me look like I was doing a wall plank. Just a little, I thought. Just to free a little space between us... But I guess Yana could sense my discomfort because she pulled me closer to my surprise.
“But you might get squished,” I protested, my lips almost touching her shoulder.
“No, I won’t... You can lean on me,” she whispered, a faint of her hot breath tickling my ear.
I let myself relax at that point, but only for a moment as the sound of footsteps resumed outside. I could feel Yana was listening too, and when we both agreed the coast was clear, I pushed the door open, letting us breathe fresh air again.
And when I was beginning to get comfortable on how she was enclosing me, I thought to myself.
“Now. Tell me. Everything,” Yana’s commanding voice rattled inside my ears, scaring away the cozy mood from earlier.
Of course, I gave in to that voice.
She kept on shaking her head as I told her the gist of the case. Her sharp glare was telling me I should’ve told her sooner, but sensing the urgency of the situation, she decided to spare me the scolding for now.
“I’ll get help. You stay here, okay?” Yana instructed me.
I couldn’t tell her I couldn’t. Calvin was at the Roof Deck. And I just couldn’t leave him there alone.
The moment she was out of sight, I ran toward the venue, hoping our plan would play out seamlessly.
The air was cooling my skin and I thought that being with Yana aside, it was quite refreshing to be out of that closet.