｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. TIFFANY

I stared at the camera I'm holding. Hindi ito maaari... How can I convince them when the evidence is not here? Pinagloloko ba kami ni Crow? Even my mouth was not enough to tell them of the real situation, tapos mawawala pa ang kaisa-isang bagay that will get us out of here.

But then, I remembered the words of someone I know.

We'll fix this decisively.

I almost scoffed at that. Gusto ko rin ito ipangalandakan sa mukha niya. Tingnan mo tayo ngayon? Para tayong mga manikang pinaglalaruan... And I'm at fault too.ㅤ

"Love..." Tawag sa akin ni Ares. I smiled at him and examined his face. Hindi naman siguro ikaw ang may kagagawan nito, love?

It felt so weird... That I even became wary of my boyfriend too.

"You keep staring at that camera," he pointed out. Of course, mapapansin niya. He is the father of the group, after all. "May alam ka ba rito? Is it familiar?"

I hope I didn't knew anything but you look like you know something too.

Umiling ako at pinagpatuloy ang paghahanap sa photo album. Ano kaya ang laman noon? Probably the slambook or diary Yves owned?

She liked keeping diaries so baka roon nakalagay kung ano ang mga nangyari sa kanila ni Achilles. Baka ayon na rin ang susi para ma-expose ko ang kababuyan niya.

Yves.

Oh, she was our sunshine.... The light of our days. I remember how Yves and Gucci were. They were almost inseparable and I knew it also broke Gucci when she died. Sila ang mga bunso namin. Well, pati si Zeus but he doesn't act like it.

Almost giving up on the search, pinanood ko nalang maghanap ang mga kaibigan ko. What Apollo hid on his pockets did not escape my eyes. Napakunot ang noo ko. He just made me suspicious of him.

I will find out about that.

At this point, akala ko alam ko na ang lahat ng nangyari. We're all the same pala. Lahat kami ay mayroong tinatagong sikreto sa isa't isa.

I stared at my boyfriend. Ano kaya ang sikreto niya?

I wanted to talk so bad pero I'm stuck with this. I feel so powerless. Dati, sa akin pumupunta ang lahat para sa mga problema nila. Pero ngayon, wala na akong magawa. Even if I'm the smartest, I felt like the fool now.

I then stared at one of them. Oh, I know your secrets so bad. Kung bibigyan lang ako ng pagkakataon, I'd gladly expose the secret immediately. Dumi mo lang ang gusto kong ilaglag dito.

Pero tama ang boses na nasa isip ko. I should act carefully.

Nalulungkot ako... Na ganito ang inabot ng barkada namin. We were so happy, we were each other's safe haven. How I miss Yves and Achilles so bad too. Gusto ko lang naman maibalik ang dati.

However, it seemed like we were all broken way before that happened.

Hindi ko rin maiwasang mapaisip. How many and how deep are the secrets were we hiding from each other?

"Tiffany." Lumapit si Hermés sa akin kaya napangiti ako para i-acknowledge siya. "Can I see the camera?"

Tumango ako at binigay sa kanya ang camera. Pinanood ko siyang suriin ang bawat parte noon pero hindi siya nagsasalita sa mga naiisip niya.

He's like me. Calculated.

"Do you think this is the one that filmed Yves and Achilles?" He asked. Tumango ako sa kanya. I cannot see any other reason bakit ito pinapahanap sa amin.

"We are also told to find a photo album," sabi niya kaya natigilan ako. "What if this camera captured the photos na pinapahanap sa atin?"

I wanted to tell him na baka screenshots of the scandal video ang nilalaman ng photo album. Why? To give conscience to the killer.

"It's impossible that the video will be showed." Para bang nababasa niya ang nasa isip ko. "Crow said that these are clues. I doubt he'll show what we already know."

May point siya. So, it's useless for me to sulk on the lost memory card.

"Thanks." Binigyan niya ako ng bahagyang ngiti bago siya lumapit kay Dior na naghahanap sa ilalim ng mga upuan. Sabi niya kanina baka raw may nakadikit.

Napagpasyahan ko na puntahan si Hades na inaalalayan si Prada ngayon pero bigla akong nakaamoy ng masangsang na amoy! Napatakip tuloy ako ng ilong ko. The fuck... Ano 'yon?! Ang baho!

"Putangina, ano 'yon?" Reklamo ni Hades na tinatakpan ang ilong niya gamit ng isang kamay at 'yung isang kamay naman niya ay pantakip sa ilong ni Prada.

"Amoy kanal, kuya," sabi ni Gucci at sumiksik sa yakap ni Zeus. Natatakot yata ang bunso sa mga pakulo ni Crow.

"Huwag mong sabihin na bangkay nina Yves at Achilles ang ipapakita mo, Crow," Ppagbabanta ni Dior. Ayun lang naman ang sinabi niya pero bakit lahat kami ay nanigas?

Were we all related to their death?

"Ikalma niyo," singit ni Apollo. "Utot ko lang 'yun."

"Pucha, tumae ka ba kaninang umaga?" Tinanong ni Ares habang naglakakad papunta sa akin.

"Kanina pa siya natatae," sagot ni Hermés. "He's looking for a bathroom."

Nakita ko na tumatawa sina Prada at Chanel pero walang sound. Tumaas ang kilay ko nang marinig sina Hades at Apollo.

"Luh, pre. Tinatawanan ka nila, oh," pang-aasar ni Hades sa kanila at bahagyang tinulak si Apollo. "Mukha ka raw kasing tae."

"Wow, inasar ang ex." Natawa si Apollo. "Asarin ko nga na mag-comeback kayo."

"Baka mapa-BGC ulit tayo, pre!" Humalakhak si Zeus. "Bigyan natin ng black label para magka-label ulit."

Nakita kong umiwas ng tingin si Chanel at napamasahe naman sa sentido si Dior. Oo nga, nakaka-stress sila.

"Pwede bang magfocus muna tayo rito?" Galit na sabi ni Gucci. "Magbiruan tayo after we get out of here."

Natakot ang lahat sa sinabi ng bunso kaya muli kaming nagkalat at pinagpatuloy ang paghahanap sa photo album at cloth.

"I found the cloth," anunsyo ni Hermés kaya nagmadali kaming lumapit sa kanya. The cloth looked oddly familiar... as if it was still fresh on my mind.

Yet, it looked so wrong.

"Anong kinalaman nito?" Tanong ni Zeus.

"I think the killer wore this cloth before," ani Ares at sinuri ang tela na hawak-hawak ni Hermés. "Does this cloth look familiar to you?"

Napansin kong nandilim ang mukha ni Apollo pero agad din siyang ngumiti nang makitang nakatingin ako sa kanya. May kinalaman siya rito.

"Love..." Napalingon ako sa jowa ko na may hawak na box. "Is this the photo album?"

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. PRADA

"I found the photo album." Nagmadali akong nag-walk papunta sa kanya as Hades followed me. For some reason, I'm kinakabahan. It felt like Crow knew each and every one of our secrets.

As if we were stripped naked.

"You have found the photo album!" Napa-jump ako sa pwesto ko in shock! Crow's making gulat kasi. "Each photo belongs to someone. It will help you in your investigation. Meet together and give me a name sa kung sino ang tingin niyo ang killer! I'll give you an hour. Ciao!"

Oh, how I want to strangle him so bad.

"Umupo tayo," Ares ordered so sumunod kami. We all sat in a bilog where nakatabi si Hades sa akin and Gucci was on my other side. "We'll do this activity calmly and carefully."

"Ate Prada..." Tawag niya sa akin so I smiled at her. "Are you okay?"

No. But tumango ako to assure her na fine lang ako.

Unti-unting in-open ni Ares ang box and we watched as his face turned shocked. Napatakip din sa mouth si Tiffany as if naman makakapag-talk siya!

When I saw the first photo, doon ko narealize why ganoon ang reaction nila. Oh my God... Who? Do those belong to us?

It was a picture of a positive pregnancy test.

What... I looked at Hades and he was looking at me worriedly. I looked around to see everyone's reactions and they were as gulat as I am. How... Who... Who gave him this picture?!

The next picture was a boy and girl. They seem to be running away. Sila ba ang mga killers? I thought isa lang.

I was stunned when the next picture showed a blueprint... of the university. All of my friends' faces were the same, full of confusion and shock.

Napatakip ng bibig si Gucci at the next picture. It was a photograph of a sex room with full of BDSM instruments. Zeus had to cover her eyes at that. After all, she was still our bunso.

Napayuko kaming lahat at the next picture. It was a picture of a video recorder. We all know too well the story behind that. It was the living proof of our downfall.

I saw how Dior's fists tightened at the next picture. Pera ang nakuha sa picture. Dior was accused of smuggling the university's funds. Hermés held her hands and kissed it to comfort her.

The next picture was an image of a silhouette in front of a fire. Nagiging confusing na ito. I thought... What... My mind is going crazy right now!

Napa-gasp ang lahat at the next photograph. It was a picture of a dead fetus. Nakita kong napapasuka si Chanel at that kaya cinaress ni Apollo ang back niya.

I was left even more confused. I was sure to whom those photos belonged... But as we uncovered the rest, para bang nagkakagulo-gulo na ang lahat.

Zeus scoffed at the next picture. All of us were solemnly looking at the picture. It was the picture of Yves and Achilles... Yves is so beautiful. And Achilles... my love.

The world was so unfair. I was already contented with the relationship we had. I was going to settle with that... As long as malapit ako sa kanya. But no, the world had to take him away from me.

The last picture made all of our worlds stop. Para bang lahat kami ay binalot ng goosebumps. It was so grotesque and our faces looked like we can't believe that one of our friends can do such a thing.

It was a silhouette holding a chopped head of a girl.

Napahawak ako kay Hades. I was nanghihina and all the information is draining my energy. All of us sat in silence for a few minutes.

The silence was not comforting. Pinaparamdam sa amin how much have we changed because of what happened. Before, we trust each other with our lives. Now, ang he-heavy na pala ng mga secrets namin.

"Ganito ang gagawin natin," Hermés started. "You'll point at your picture then we'll talk."

Tumango ang lahat pero none were able to speak at the moment. This must have been the moment na nag-sink in sa kanila na someone turned into a killer amongst us.

"Ito ang akin." Nanguna si Dior at tinuro ang picture with the money. Of course, it's hers. Everyone knows that so well.

"No comment," sambit ni Gucci. "Agree ako sa'yo, ate."

"How about you, Chanel?" Tanong ni Ares at binigyan siya ng ngiti.

Chanel pointed at the third picture. The blueprint of the school. It must have been because architecture is her course. I saw how our friends acknowledged but their expressions were still hesitant to believe her.

After all, it seems that we could not trust anyone anymore.

"Akin ito." Our eyes widened when Apollo pointed at the sex room. Hindi man siya nahiya!

"Tangina, ang kalat mo talaga." Hades laughed at him.

Well, Apollo has an active sex life. Actually, same sila ni Dior. Nakikipagkumpitensya pa nga sila sa isa't isa... Paramihan daw ng makaka-sex. Commitments do not work for them — kaya sila best friends, e.

"Wow..." Para bang hindi makapag-talk si Ares. "How about you, Hades?"

Oh, I know his photo.

Tinuro niya ang dead fetus na ikina-shock ng lahat. Ares looked at Hades so worriedly.

"I-I'm sorry, Hades." Cinaress nito ang back ni Hades. "You could have been a great father."

"Condolences, Hades," sabi ni Dior and sumunod ang others sa kanya. Hades just gave them a small smile.

"Ikaw, Prada? Ano iyo?" Tinanong na ako ni Hades and I pointed at the picture of a silhouette in front of a fire.

Nagulat silang lahat and I know that they want to talk to me about it, if only nakakapagsalita ako.

"May kinalaman ka?" Zeus asked and I shook my head. I can see through him... Na gusto niyang malaman who killed Yves. After all, they already had plans together.

To dream and live the rest of the lifetime together.

Zeus said to me before, "This lifetime of mine is for Yves."

"Mine." Zeus pointed at the picture of Yves and Achilles. I heard the buntong-hininga of my friends who had no choice but to nod.

Among us, he took this the hardest. First, he found out that Yves cheated on him. The next thing he knew is she was already dead.

"How about yours, Ares?" Dior asked and baka ako lang ang naka-notice, Ares looked like he was caught off guard.

Ares pointed at the picture of a girl and boy running away. Napataas ang kilay ko sa kanya. I believe that that picture shows na the killers are running away.

And, he says it's his.

"Where were you when the murder happened?" Tanong ni Hermés. Napatingin kami sa kanya. Hermés looked like he was already theorizing something.

"Kasama ko si Tiffany," sumagot siya. "May date kami."

Tumingin kami kay Tiffany to get her confirmation and she nodded her head. This is... getting more confusing. Hindi ko na alam sino ang paniniwalaan.

"Here's mine." Hermés pointed at the picture of a video recorder.

"Bakit iyo 'yan?" Tanong ni Gucci. "That was the recorder that filmed Yves and kuya Achilles."

ㅤ

"They lived with me," simpleng sagot ni Hermés. "I saw that recorder in their room before the video went viral."

Huh?! Mas lalong sumasakit ang head ko! I thought I knew everything... but then I did not pala.

"Love, what's yours?" Nakita kong napangiwi sina Apollo at Hades sa malambing na tanong ni Ares kay Tiffany.

"Hoy, mamaya na landi!" Saway ni Apollo sa kanila.

"Bitter mo naman, pre." Natawa si Hades sa kanya. "Ako ang lambingin mo."

Apollo shoved a middle finger in his face.

Tiffany pointed at the picture of a positive pregnancy test kaya nanlaki ang mga mata naming lahat. We want to ask her so bad pero just like me, she can't talk.

What shocked all of us was that Gucci pointed to the picture same as mine, the silhouette in front of a fire, as hers. Wala na akong maintindihan.

"I thought that picture belongs to Prada," Hermés said.

"I was burning the pictures of me and Yves," malamig na sagot ng bunso namin na ikinagalit ni Zeus.

"Akala ko ba kaibigan mo siya, huh?" Tanong ni Zeus na akmang lalapit kay Gucci pero pinigilan ni Apollo.

"Akala ko rin she was your girlfriend," sabi ni Gucci. "Pero iba pala ang boyfriend niya."

I saw how each one of my friends fill their heads with theories on the killer. And, I also saw how they tried to fit the pictures on the story they know.

None of them picked the silhouette holding a chopped head. However, I know too damn well sino ang mga nagsisinungaling sa kanila.

"Now that the hour is done, let the crows kiss your death!"