June 01, 20** Monday

Today is the first day of class of here in the Philippines and I'm quite not sure why I feel tensed coming to school. I've always thought of a reason as to how to calm myself down, because since I was still young, I was a person who was a bit shy and wanted to gain some attention, I would do that in way where I would always hang out with the famous squads because I've always felt lonely and I feel like I have fitted in with them if I do the things they would do.

"Anak!!!" my mom called me saying I should wake up because I might be late for school. I answered "Mom, I'm coming down, just let me find my charger" she replied saying, "What? I can't hear you! speak louder!" after hearing my Mom's reply, I went down the stairs 20 seconds later.

"Mom, have you seen my charger? I think Marina took it and probably abandoned it somewhere only your mother's instinct will know." Mom shouted "Nak, I'm so sorry but I borrowed your charger last night because my cord broke and I planned to buy a new one today." after hearing her explanation, I just let it slide because all of us do these type of shit that annoys other people, maybe it's bounded by karma and that our fate has already been sealed.

After eating my breakfast, I looked at my phone and saw that I had woken up a bit too early, because the time displayed at my lock screen was around 6:16. I saw my mom looking at dad with a very weird and suspicious look and up until now I'm still wondering as to how I could handle this tensed atmosphere without interfering the peaceful and calm morning mood. "Mom, I want to go to school early with you, is it okay?" "Sure, no problem Nak, I will drive you to school." she smiled while saying that. I could tell that Mom had already been trying to figure out who my Dad has been texting all the time, but my Mom just ignored all of these stuff because my Dad has an illness and his common reply would always be "It's my business partner" and Mom's worries has gotten worse and worse as each day passes by too quickly.

...

"Bye Mom, I'll see you later around 3 or 4 in the afternoon!!!" I shouted as I went through the gate with my prepared and at the same time nervous as to what might happen on my first day of class. A few moments later I saw my Mom running towards me while catching her breath, "Nak, don't be too careless you left your baon and lunch box at the car." my Mom scolding me while trying to gasp for some air, then I lended her my water bottle while responding with an awkward smile I said "Sorry Nay, I just forgot hehehe". She then looked me in the eye and said "Nak, what ever happens, know that I love you and you need to take care of yourself always... you got that?", I simply replied with a nod and hugged my mother tightly and said "I love you" as we parted our own ways for day.

Out of the blue came my best friend shouting our call signs, "PEANUT!!! WAIT FOR ME!!!", then I turned around shouting, "BUTTER!!! OH MAY GHADD CASSIE, why so early?" she then bumped her chest into my shoulder and we did our usual handshake since grade 1. She then clinged into my arm and asked "Me so early? how about you? it's still only 6:37 AM, like look at the time." Then I checked the time and it really was 6:37 then it quickly changed to 6:38 "wow what a coincidence" I thought to myself.

Since we were too early and the schedule said that the rooms open around 6:45, I asked my best friend, "Butter, want to grab a quick snack? I think my stomach's rumbling because I only ate a little breakfast because I wanted to come to school early." She then replied with a smile, "Sure, Peanut but it has to be my treat because it's our very first day." and I responded with a big "YES!!!"

As we went our way for the canteen, we got lost since me and my best friend just transferred from our past school because our school got affected in a terrorist attack and we've been able to go through those horrifying hours of being stranded while the fear of someone might bring a gun to the school and you might get shot or killed, was the only thing going through my mind back then.

After a few minutes, Butter saw a maintenance staff of the school and had an idea of trying to ask some directions since he knows his way around the school. "Ay, Sir, Good Morning, is it okay if we can ask a few questions since we lost our way and we're transferee students." the maintenance then answered "Sure, what would be your question?" Me and Butter then smile at each other and Butter asked, "Sir, do you know the way to the canteen?" He smiled and laugh while saying, "Kids, you just went by it" then, me and my best friend looked at each other with awe and laughed awkwardly and said sorry to the maintenance, and he gave us the instructions and we went our way.

...

Right after following the maintenance staff's instructions, we immediately saw a convenient short cut and thought, "We can head to the canteen much faster, if we go through this way." then Butter agreed with a nod and held my my arm while walking.

The short cut we took was like a small tunnel cutting through two buildings it wasn't that narrow the size of the tunnel was like a commercial airplane and it was a bit too dark. A few moments later I heard a vomiting sound and it seemed like it was coming from a girl, though I shrugged it off and just thought that maybe, it was just nothing. Then, I heard it again this time it sounded like a serious vomit and I suddenly felt disgusted, and then I heard it again as I heard it for the first time I was about to ask Butter if she also heard what I heard. Suddenly Butter stopped walking and just stood there and whispered in a very calm but also in a very freightening matter, "Did you just hear that right now?" then I nodded quietly and said "We should probably go, maybe she ate something or something happened to her." after I responded to her question she asked "Should we check it out?"