ONE - THE TRAITOR

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"I will miss you all! Keep in touch, okay?"

I sucked in a deep breath, shoulders stiffening and eyes widening, as I rove my gaze around. Familiar faces clad in royal blue graduation gowns and caps occupied the four corners of the cream-colored walls of the room I found myself standing still at the very back, watching them silently. Clutching my pounding chest, my brows furrowed at a certain thought that came to me.

I think I've seen this one before.

"Come over here, Celestine!"

I flinched instinctively on the spot, looked at the petite lady across the room, and pointed a shaky finger at myself. "M-me?

To my surprise, she burst into tears. Numerous sets of eyes trained on me instantaneously, followed by relentless teases of how I made her cry easily.

"That's all right. I'm fine. I understand how hard it was especially for you."

I blinked my eyes, briefly baffled by what she meant by that. Seconds took me to understand the depth of her words. And as she burst into tears again, I couldn't help but smile halfheartedly.

I stopped breathing for a moment. My throat constricted. It was as though an invisible hand had my heart in a freakin' vice grip. I couldn't move; I couldn't speak. Piercing static sounds rang next to my ears, gradually dwindling to naught as my lungs ached for air.

A friend of hers standing nearby patted her back. I looked around, feeling emotional as well as I roved my gaze around, trying to imprint on my mind every single moment I had left with them. Despite the emptiness in my chest, I couldn't help myself from giggling softly at the smiling yet tear-filled faces of my fellow girl blockmates, while the guys were laughing their hearts out as they teased our block governor for the make-up running down her face due to crying.

A sight to remember.

Tears of joy, some would say. But I knew better. I knew more than anyone else in this room.

Now I remembered what it is today.

The university graduation rights was just over half an hour ago, and I was lucky enough to make it through this day. The last few months of this year were hellish . . . and I was glad it was finally over. Finally.

Suddenly, I could feel a huge lump in my throat, blocking my airways as a picture of a month ago event came rushing into my mind, making me almost retched. My hands instinctively reached out for any nearby sturdy thing to keep me steady. And I did . . . only to realize it quite too late that besides from me, holding onto something, a pair of strong yet gentle hands were snaked around my waist from the back, effectively holding me in place. I darted my eyes down to the arms holding me. Masculine . . . a man.

"You okay?"

I almost flinched at our proximity. More so since it wasn't just someone else, but him. With my back pressed against his chest, feeling its rumble as he spoke, I stiffened. Thoroughly tongue-tied, I simply nodded my head with stiffness and carefully stood upright which he thankfully took as a cue to let me go.

"Thank you," I said without looking at him, silently thanking Him up there for not stuttering. After all---

"No problem."

I strained myself from flinching as to not give away the anxiety nipping me slowly from insides.

Even I couldn't see it, I knew he said it with a smile. Yes, I was sure he did, just like that day.

This was the best time to talk to him. If only I could muster a---

I must have been too absorbed in my thoughts to hear him bid his goodbye. When I finally came to my senses, I just saw him walking out of the room---his silvery white hair seemed to bounce in every step he took.

I missed my chance yet again.

Wait.

He walked out of this room?

Before I could ponder over it, our block governor called everyone out for a class picture. As I walked over the front, looking for my apt position and smiling faintly at the camera as sincere as I could muster, a single thought came to me.

It doesn't matter anymore.

The camera's shutter snapped at the same time I blinked my eyes. And once again at its next resounding, a scream tore the peaceful atmosphere of the classroom as I scrambled into the floor, eyeing wildly at the pitch black, hollow eyes of the two pale ladies standing across the room where I was. Behind them, written in spurts of dripping blood on the wall, was the word that haunted me since that day.

Traitor.