My name is Kelly Wijaya.
The exhaustion from today's club activity had made me feel like I could fall asleep at any moment. After taking a relaxing bath that left me refreshed, I curled up on my bed. They say a young girl like me needs good skin treatment, so here I was, rewarding myself with a bit of luxurious bath time.
Everything seemed usual until I noticed a message pop up on my phone. Curious, I picked it up, and my heart sank as I read: "Elice's phone is in your bag!"
I stared at my bag, suddenly uneasy. I had been so caught up in the practices and camaraderie that I hadn't realized I could have someone else's phone in my possession. My mind raced—how could this have happened? Had I grabbed it by mistake?
Panic set in as I recalled her looking for it just after practice. It was unclear how it ended up in my bag, but there was no time to waste.
Surprised, I dug through my bag and, sure enough, found Elice's phone nestled among my things. How had this happened? My mind raced with questions, but there was little time to ponder. I noticed a missed call from an unnamed number on Elice's phone and decided to call it back on my own phone, hoping to clarify the mix-up.
"Hello?" came a boy's voice from the other side.
I murmured to myself, feeling slightly perplexed. Who could this be? "Oh, sorry. Is Elice there?" I asked.
"It's Kelly's voice!" I suddenly heard Elice's voice exclaim from the background, recognizing me immediately.
"Hey, Kelly! Is my phone with you?" Elice asked, her tone urgent yet familiar.
I knew I had to come up with an excuse quickly to ease the situation. "Yeah, sorry! I mistakenly took your phone when I finished at the club. I thought it was mine because you put it near my bag. Really sorry, Elice. I just noticed it now that I checked my bag."
"Oh, okay, if it's with you, I thought I lost it," she replied, relief evident in her voice.
"Once again, I'm really sorry," I said, feeling the sincerity in my words. "I can return it to you soon. Should I deliver it to the school dorm?"
"Yes, please! That would be perfect."
"Okay, I'll be there soon," I reassured her before ending the call.
As I hung up, a nagging sense of suspicion lingered. This whole situation felt off. I needed to find out what was really going on. I checked the number that had informed me about Elice's phone being in my bag, but it was inactive. Someone must be plotting something, but who, and why? How and when had they slipped Elice's phone into my bag? My curiosity surged—I had to investigate this further.
But first, I needed to return Elice's phone to her dorm. The distance from my house to the school was far, but it couldn't be helped. I'd have to borrow my brother's car to make the trip quicker.
As I drove through the quiet streets, my thoughts wandered back to my friendship with Elice. We had been classmates since the first grade at NKSA, back in 1-B, and both of us had discovered a shared passion for volleyball. In many ways, our love for the sport had cemented our friendship.
Elice was more than just a friend; she was someone I deeply admired. Her talent on the court was matched by her ability to face life's challenges head-on, and she often shared snippets of her life with me. She'd talk about how she occasionally rejected boys' confessions, a topic that always seemed to amuse her, and how people treated her as if she were on a pedestal due to her appearance and skills.
She often praised my short hair, saying it suited my energetic personality. We'd spend practice sessions not just honing our skills but exchanging stories about our days and dreams for the future.
Despite the admiration of many, Elice never let it get to her head. Instead, she was grounded, unfailingly supportive of her friends, and always ready to share advice or a kind word. We became besties naturally, our personalities complementing each other perfectly.
As I pulled into the school parking lot, I felt a renewed determination to uncover the truth behind the phone incident—not just for the sake of clearing any misunderstandings but to ensure that nothing would jeopardize the bond we had built over the years.
I stepped into Elice's dorm room. A wave of warmth and familiarity washed over me. Her room, though small, was impeccably tidy and decorated with personal touches that reflected her personality. The soft glow of evening light seeped through sheer curtains, casting gentle shadows on the walls adorned with photos of family, friends, and a few snapshots of our volleyball team.
Against one wall stood a small desk with her computer, still humming quietly, surrounded by neatly arranged notebooks and textbooks. In front of it, an array of makeup items lay organized, ready for Elice's precise hand, which somehow managed to balance beauty and practicality.
"Hey, Kelly!" Elice greeted with a broad smile, her eyes lighting up as she gestured for me to sit down on her bed. "Come in, make yourself comfortable. Thanks for coming all this way."
"No problem at all," I replied, returning her smile as I made my way over to the bed, which was covered with a soft, quilted duvet. "Your room always feels so welcoming."
"Thanks! I try to keep it cozy," she said, closing her laptop gently. "I was just catching up on some assignments. You know how it is."
I nodded, handing her the phone with an easy, practiced gesture. "Here's your phone. Again, I'm really sorry. I must've grabbed it thinking it was mine."
Elice waved it off, taking the phone gratefully. "It's no big deal. Honestly, I was just glad to hear it was with you and not actually lost. Thank you for bringing it back."
I watched her relief flood in as she powered on the screen, checking her messages. It made me feel better, knowing the matter was resolved. "I did get a call earlier from someone on your phone," I remarked, trying to sound nonchalant. "Who is that?"
"Oh, that was Hamza," she replied with a grin. "He was helping me look for the phone after practice."
"Oh, Hamza," I repeated, filing the information in my mind. A little suspicion lingered—nothing concrete, but the odd sequence of events hadn't escaped my notice. However, without evidence, there was no sense in jumping to conclusions just yet.
"Isn't he the boy who always hangs out with that Filipino girl?" I asked, trying to gauge her awareness of the dynamics surrounding Hamza and Elta.
Elice nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yeah, that's Elta. They've gotten pretty friendly, but Hamza is nice to everyone. I think he's still adjusting to everything."
"Interesting," I said, trying to piece things together. "It's good to see him fitting in. Did he seem helpful today while you were looking for your phone?"
"He jumped right in to help without me even asking," Elice replied.
"So, what do you think of him?" I asked, curious about whether Elice saw anything beyond the surface.
She tilted her head, contemplating. "I think he's a genuine person. He cares about getting better, and he seems dedicated.
My interest piqued. "Really? That's good to know. I'll have to pay more attention to him—especially with how things ended up today," I said, making a mental note.
"Anyway," I said, steering the conversation back to practical matters, "I should probably get going."
"Hey, why don't we talk a little more? You just got here," Elice said, her eyes lighting up with the suggestion.
"No, no, really. We can do that next time. My brother will be mad if I took too long," I made excuses, attempting to sidestep any lingering tension from earlier.
Elice's expression softened with understanding. "I get it. Family comes first! Just make sure to let me know when you're free again."
"Absolutely! I promise I will," I replied, forcing a smile, although I felt a twinge of regret for not wanting to stay longer.
As I walked down the hallway, my mind began to spin with thoughts. I never took my phone out of my bag today; I had only left it in the locker room during practice. That meant whoever took Elice's phone must have entered the locker room. Since it was a girls' locker and changing room, the culprit was most likely a girl.
But who?
I considered the possibility. Could it have been someone I knew? If Hamza had been around, maybe it was Elta who did it? Yet, something told me that Hamza was blameless in this—he genuinely seemed to want to help Elice.
A wave of doubt washed over me. Without solid proof, my suspicions felt speculative and unfounded. The locker room, with its changing area, lacked any CCTV, making it impossible to confirm anything. The culprit could have slipped Elice's phone into my bag anytime during the transition from practice.
If I told Elice the truth, I could only imagine how much more complicated things might become. It could sow seeds of distrust among the volleyball club members, and that was something I wanted to avoid. They were a close-knit group, and I didn't want to disrupt that camaraderie.
I resolved to be careful—especially around Elta and Hamza. But I also needed to be cautious with everyone. I simply didn't know what their motives were, and the thought that something similar could happen again loomed large in my mind.
As I made my way home, I understood one thing: I had to keep my eyes open and trust my instincts. Whatever unfolded next, I needed to be prepared, sharpening my awareness of the people around me.
The last thing I wanted was for any of this to jeopardize the friendships that had started to blossom at school.