The High School Kids

THSK 4: The Watch List

[Klein]

I'm sitting on a couch while reading a magazine while Erika busy making some weird drinks. Tumingin naman ito saken sabay abot ng baso na may laman ng ginawa niyang drinks.

"Here, drink it." napakunot naman ang noo ko habang naka tingin sa kanya.

"What? Are you serious? You want me to drink that shit." inirapan naman ako nito sabay tayo at lumapit sa akin.

"Klien, just for once please listen to me! We both know that we're not close even friends but please, cooperate. Do you want to see Apryll, right? then fix yourself." inis nitong sabi habang hawak-hawak ang baso.

Tumingin naman ako sa kanya sabay kuha ng baso sa kamay niya. Nginitian naman ako neto sabay upo sa kabilang couch habang tinitignan ako.

"What? I'm gonna drink it. Okay!" sabi ko sabay inom nito. Ang pangit ng lasa nito.

Nagsimula na akong masuka sabay abot niya ng timba sa akin.

"That's it, isuka mo lahat ng drugs na tinake mo." sabi nito sabay ngisi. Tinignan ko lang habang sumusuka ako.

"You'll gonna feel better after that."naka ngiti nitong sabi.

"Shut up!" I shouted her. Inirapan naman ako neto.

-

[Jendel]

Natahimik naman si Fraucs habang nakatingin sa akin.

"What?"napakunot naman noo ko habang naka tingin sa kanya.

"You're a good man, after all what happen to Apryll your still accepted her and loved her. But I hope your relationship may not turn into a friendship." seryoso nitong sabi.

"It's our choice, I know it's hard for her... about what happened. I don't want her to suffer from her past, maybe she's not ready for a relationship. After what happened." na patingin naman ako sa kabilang table kong nasan si Jarvy, nginitian naman ako nito sabay tango sa akin.

Binalik ko naman ang tingin ko kay Fraucs habang kumain parin ito.

"We should go." tumingin namam ito sa akin.

"I'm still eating." reklamo nito.

"Okay, you stay here." sabi ko at agad na tumayo.

"Wait." sabat nito at tumayo na din. Tinignan ko naman siya at napangsi na lang ako. Sabay naman kaming naglakad palabas ng cafeteria.

-

"We should look for Apryll." tumango naman ito.

"I'll go here. You find her at locker room." napakunot naman noo niya.

"Fine." sabay lakad nito papasok ng building. Ako naman ay agad nag tungo sa field kong saan nagprapractice ang mga cheerleader.

Habang naglalakad ako ng may biglang tumawag sa pangalan ko.

"Jendel." napalingon naman ako kong sino ito. Si Jarvy. Tumakbo naman ito papalapit sa akin.

"Hey, why are you here?" tanong nito.

"I was looking for Apryll." tumango naman ito.

"I should go." sabi ko sabay talikod sa kanya.

"Wait, they know Klien accusing Zion about r****g Haviba but after Klien disappear and nowhere to found and Apryll stopped coming to school. You know, Zion just spun the whole story?" humarap naman agad ako sa kanya habang naka kunot ang noo ko.

"He said that.. Klien must be the one who r***d Haviba." nagulat naman ako sa sinabi nito.

"What? Then why would they think that Klien say all that s**t?"

"Zion said Apryll felt bad for cheating on Klein with him." seryoso nitong sabi.

"Such a f*****g asshole."

"So, maybe it's best that we.. just not to talk about it anymore, you know? and let's try to get things back to normal." napabuntong hininga naman ako.

"I don't think... there is a normal anymore." sabay talikod ko sa kanya. Nakalayo na ako ng konti ng narinig kong sumigaw ito.

"I know your secrets, brother." lumingon naman ako sa kanya sabay angat ng kamay ko at nag f**k you sign sa kanya. Ngumisi naman ito at kumaway pa sa akin.

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang paghahanap kay Apryll.

Almost one hour na akong naghahanap sa kanya pero di ko parin ito makita. Nang masalubong ko si Janna.

"Hey, Can I ask if you saw Apryll?" tanong ko rito. Nginitian naman ako neto.

"I see her in the girls room lately, why?" tanong nito.

"Nothing." sabi ko tumango naman ito sabay lakad ko papuntang girls room.

Nakita ko si Vella she smiled at me. Kahit na naiinis ako sa kanya. Nilapitan ko parin siya at kinausap.

"Vella, Can I get some favor?" tumango naman ito.

"Can you please check if apryll are inside the girls room." tinignan naman ako nito sabay lakad papasok ng girls room.

Ilang sandali pa ay lumabas ito sabay lakad papalapit sa akin.

"I didn't see her, Sorry."

"Okay, thanks." sabay lakad ko.

Palabas na ako ng building ng makita ko si Fraucs at Apryll. Naka upo sila sa bench habang seryosong nag-uusap. Lumapit naman ako sa kanila.

"You're here." lumingon naman si Apryll sa sakin.

"Yeah." she slightly smile. Tumabi naman ako sa kanya.

"So, what's going on?" tanong ko sa kanila.

"Alec's already given his statements on the court." sagot ni Apryll sabay abot sa akin ng laptop niya at pinakita sa akin ang blog site na naganap sa court kanina.

Napatingin naman ako sa kanila habang seryoso silang naka tingin sa akin.

-

[Alec]

"It's been a months since Haviba Castaneda killed herself. We never thought this trial would happen. We thought we could move on. But when I got called to testify, it made me realize we can't just move on. Life is different now. The truth is, everyone's still hurting. Some more than others. I tired not thinking about it. Some days I was able to shut it all out and live my life. Some days I wasn't. But then I got home last night and got news I wasn't expecting." huminga naman ako ng malalim habang naka tingin sa kanilang lahat.

"This trial going forward, it affects the whole life of us. We have to think about it all over again, How Haviba lived and how she died. And how it changed all our lives."

"It hurts and worse, you feel.. powerless. I know some people don't want us to talk about what happened... But if we don't talk about it, it's never going change. So, it's important for everyone to understand how it all happened. The whole story of Haviba Castaneda, because things at Hamelton are as bad as they've ever been."

"Part of me didn't want to come to court today. But I knew I had to be here. For Haviba, for her mom, for everyone who gets bullied while the Halmelton still lets them get away with it. Guys like Jarold Venidez, Gavin Costello and Zion Muchuelas."