ERALD

MADELAINE'S PHOTO was pinned at the center of our corkboard. She was, after all, the one who masterminded the fall of the student council president and vice president. And she couldn't have done such betrayal without help from her rogue allies.

Enter Torry's photo that I placed side by side with hers. Kahit na sinabi na noon ng K-OS Club na "fun" lamang ang habol nila, hindi ako basta-basta nagpauto. I suspected that they would be hatching a grand scheme that might change the course of Clark High's history. And that happened.

"According to the latest post ng Clark Clarion sa Facebook, tanging sina Madelaine Castell at Reign Imperial pa lamang ang nakapag-file ng certificate of candidacy," Charlotte shared, scrolling on her phone. "Mukhang wala ng ibang magtatangkang humabol."

"There are promising candidates before, right?" Clyde recalled. "But they got involved in some controversies."

Tila may bumbilyang umilaw sa ulo ko. Madali kong hinalughog ang file rack namin kung saan naka-store ang mga material na ginamit dito sa clubroom.

"Hey, anong hinahanap mo?" tanong ni Charlotte.

Hinila ko ang isang folder at sinilip ang laman nito. "Remember a few weeks ago? When we investigated the mole in the Clarion leaking confidential information to the Clark High Confessions?"

Napakamot sa kanyang ulo ang club president namin. "Sorry, I have recollection of such."

Oo nga pala. Na-reset ang memory niya kaya hindi na niya maalala.

"Noong kasagsagan ng isyu, may ipinakalat na tsismis ang Clark High Confessions tungkol sa iilang estudyante," paliwanag ko. "Some of those students are leader material, and people said that they might run for the student council next year."

"I understand, but why are they relevant now?"

"They got involved in rumors, just like Agnes and Bruce, and their image became beyond repair," sagot ko sabay bunot ng tatlong larawan mula sa folder. Isa-isa kong i-pin-in ang mga ito sa corkboard. "Para sa mga may balak humabol sa student council, parang nabunutan na sila ng tinik sa lalamunan dahil eliminated na ang mga posibleng banta sa kanilang candidacy."

"You are saying that that issue and this snap elections are connected?" Clyde pointed out.

I nodded. "I already suspected that my sister, who dreamt of becoming the president, was behind those mudslinging campaigns. Ang akala ko nga, maaga na siyang naghahanda para sa elections next year. Little did I know that a snap election would happen a few weeks later!"

Sumimangot si Charlotte. "I still can't believe the picture that you are trying to paint on your sister. Mukha kasing hindi niya magagawa 'yon."

"Looks can be deceiving, ika nga nila," tugon ko. "Hindi porke't formal attire ang isang tao, malabo nang makagawa siya ng panloloko. That person might be trying to put up a cover so no one will immediately suspect him of any scheme. The same can be said about my sister. She planned this from the beginning and allied herself with the K-OS Club."

"But everything that you said is just speculation," Clyde countered. "In the eyes of someone, posibleng isipin nila na sinisiraan mo lang ang ate mo dahil hindi naging maganda ang relasyon n'yo bilang magkapatid."

"That's why I want to request that we formally launch an investigation on the possible connivance between Madelaine Castell and the K-OS Club," I said, turning to our club president who has the power to decide. I was not a fan of following protocols, but this time, let me be different. "We delayed my sister from taking over the throne. Right now, she's only one step away from the coveted seat and only Reign stands in the way."

"If the connivance is real, then the K-OS Club might employ the same tactic they used on Agnes and Bruce against Reign," Clyde said, touching his chin. "And that will give us the chance to verify Erald's claim."

"Basta ang gusto ko lang, mapigilan ang power-grabbing streak ng ate ko," sabi ko sa kanilang dalawa. "At gusto ko ring ma-settle na ang score natin sa K-OS Club."

Tandang-tanda ko pa kung paano kami pinaikot ni Torry noong Student Grievance Committee hearing. Sariwa pa rin sa alaala ko ang istorbong idinulot nila sa akin nang dukutin nila si Charlotte noong leadership seminar.

"All I want is a clean election," Charlotte spoke after moments of silence. "Hindi natin masisigurong malinis ang snap election hangga't nandyan ang rogue club, tama?"

Tumango ako. "That's why we have to deal with them, stop them from any attempts of meddling and make them confess that Maddie had a hand in forcing the former president and vice president to resign."

"Bukas na ng hapon ang eleksyon," dagdag ni Clyde. "Sooner or later, they will be executing their plan. If we don't do anything, K-OS Club will win again and slap us with another loss. What do you recommend, Erald?"

Napakrus ang mga braso ko. "May naisip na akong paraan upang masiraan ko si Maddie at mabawasan ang suporta sa kanya. Meron na rin akong naisip na plano para hindi makialam ang K-OS Club."

"Wait," Charlotte raised her hand. "Does this mean that we will be supporting Reign in his bid for the presidency? Siya lang kasi ang estudyanteng makakaharap ng ate mo bukas."

"The one you should be supporting is not him, but me," sagot ko.

Confused, Charlotte shot me with her eyes narrowed into slits. "I don't understand."

"Ipapaliwanag ko mamaya." I don't wanna spoil my plan to her at the moment. The point is, for me to effectively destroy my sister in the eyes of the public, I needed the proper platform. And there's only one way where I could accomplish that goal.

"How about the K-OS Club?"

"I have a complex plan in mind." Nagpalakad ako sa harap ng corkboard. "We know that Torry is the head of that good-for-nothing group. He is the brain. Imagine what would happen to them if we remove the brain. They won't be able to act immediately."

"I hope you are not implying na papatayin mo ang lider nila?" tanong ni Charlotte. "No matter how serious our situation is, we must not resort to barbaric means."

Ano ang tingin niya sa akin, isang murderer? No, no. I have no plans of dirtying my hands with Torry's blood. Ang naiisip ko ngayon ay isang komplikado pero delikadong plano. Kung hindi ako magiging maingat, maaari akong makulong. But again, my plan would not involve murder, okay?

"Would you share it with us or do it on your own?" tanong ni Charlotte. Bigla siyang napahawak sa kanyang ulo at tila lumukot ang mukha niya sa sakit.

Kaagad na lumapit sa kanya si apat-na-mata. "Are you okay? May masama ba sa pakiramdam mo?"

Charlotte shook her head. "Ah, wala naman. Parang may naalala lang akong bigla. Parang may ganito na rin tayong discussion dati. Erald went on his way to solve the problem by himself without consulting us."

"That did happen more than once," Clyde replied. "But Erald now knows better. He won't keep us out of the loop, especially if our club is involved. Right, Erald?"

Kainis! Pinapangunahan ako ni apat-na-mata. I would be rude if I tell them that I wanna keep the plan to myself and not involve them. Ayaw ko naman talaga silang madamay.

Napabuntong-hininga ako. "Fine. I will tell you. Plano kong dukutin si Torry at dahil siya sa isang isolated na lugar."

"What? Are you out of your mind?"

"Hear me out muna!" I argued. "Gaya ng sinabi ko kanina, si Torry ang utak ng K-OS Club. Bukas na ang snap election. Kapag sandali siyang nawala sa eksena, hindi basta-basta makakakilos ang kanyang grupo. Pwede ko ring gamitin ito para paaminin siya sa iba pang insidente na kinasangkutan niya. Don't worry, papalayain ko rin siya kapag tapos na ang eleksyon."

"Have you developed a knack for abducting people?" tanong ni Clyde. "Ganyan din kasi ang plano mo para magkaaminin na sina Agnes at Bruce noong leadership seminar."

Which was an obvious mistake. Nagamit tuloy ito ni Maddie para sa grand scheme niya. If I had known her motive back then, I would have begged Charlotte to not accept the case.

"Meron naman akong ibang alternative," sagot ko. "I can drop a pot on his head from the second floor and send him to a hospital or I can ask someone to run over him and also send him to a hospital. Aling method ang gusto n'yo?"

"But is that really necessary?" Charlotte asked. "Concerned ako sa mangyayari kay Torry, pero mas concerned ako para sa 'yo. Hindi ba't krimen ang illegal na pag-detain sa isang tao?"

"Maybe we can resort to more peaceful means," Clyde seconded. "'Yong tipong hindi na natin kailangang gumamit ng komplikadong plano para matanggal siya sa eksena."

"Nakalimutan n'yo na bang ang K-OS Club ang kalaban natin?" I reminded them. "You are telling me to play by the rules. We did, and you know what happened? We failed to get a step closer to him. Common detective methods may no longer work against them. Kailangan na nating magbago ng strategy."

"But your plan is—"

"I know the risk," I interrupted before Clyde could finish his sentence. "Hindi ko pwedeng iasa 'to sa ibang tao. Alam n'yo naman, trust issues. I have to do it personally. I can be sent to jail kapag pumalpak ang plano ko. Kaya kailangan ko ang kooperasyon n'yo."

"You want our help to abduct Torry?" four-eyes asked.

"That's my job," I jerked my thumb toward myself. "What I need is an alibi. Kapag nawala na si Torry, unang hahanapin ang mga taong posibleng dumukot sa kanya. I don't know if a friend or an accomplice of him knows about my beef with him, but if they do, they might accuse me of being the kidnapper."

"So you want to create an illusion that you were somewhere else by the time that Torry is abducted?" Clyde was quick to follow my thoughts. "Sa gano'ng paraan, pwede mong i-dispute ang akusasyon nila na ikaw ang dumukot sa kanya."

Tumango ako. "As long as I have an alibi, they can't pin the crime on me."

"But how about Torry?" Charlotte raised. "He knows how you look and how you speak. Hindi malabong ma-identify ka niya kung sakali."

"Aside from the alibi, plano ko ring i-disguise ang itsura at ang boses ko," I explained. "The Drama Club has a collection of wigs, costumes and props na pwede kong gamitin. My greatest defense is going to be my alibi. Hangga't hindi nila nababasag 'yon, wala silang hawak laban sa amin."

"How exactly are you going to make that alibi?" Clyde wondered. "Clearly, you can't duplicate yourself. Meron ding CCTV camera sa ilang bahagi ng campus."

"Apparently, I can." Humarap ako kay Clyde. "With your help, of course."

"Care to explain?"

"You will help me forge my alibi by dressing up like me," tugon ko. "You don't have to look exactly like me since I am more handsome than you are. Kailangan lang na may semblance tayong dalawa. You can start by removing your eyeglasses and putting wax on your hair."

"Is that it?"

"Well, you also have to log my name in an official record para legit ang alibi ko." Kinuha ko ang copy ng application form ko sa file rack. "Pinagyayabang mo ang databank mo, 'di ba? You can use your sharp memory to remember the look of my handwriting and signature. All you have to do is replicate them."

Hinila ni Clyde palapit sa kanya ang papel at sinuri ang nakasulat dito. "You are asking too much of me. I can identify whether a handwriting is yours or not using my databank. But to actually reproduce it?"

"Don't tell me that you are letting us down?" paghahamon ko sa kanya. "That's one way you can make good use of your skill. I prefer the library as the perfect scene for creating my alibi. Meron silang logbook doon, meron ding CCTV camera. Once you are in, kailangan mong mag-stay roon hanggang sa matapos ako kay Torry. Got it?"

Reluctantly, Clyde gave me his nod. "I hope your plan goes well. Damay rin ako sakaling pumalpak ka."

"Maybe Charlotte can help you with the make-up." Hinarap ko ang club president namin. "Meron ka naman sigurong make-up kit diyan."

Charlotte squinted her eyes, observing Clyde's face and mine. "Kailangan sigurong lagyan ng eyeliner ang pilik-mata niya para mag-match sa 'yo. But first, we have to fix his hair."

"Good, good!" I rubbed my palms together. "Once our problem is Torry is solved, I will deal with my sister. Without any assistance from the K-OS Club, she would be powerless."

"Wait, you haven't answered my question whether we would support Reign's candidacy or not," Charlotte said. "If we don't want your sister to win, we have to vote for the other candidate. And since there are only two of them, Reign's the alternative."

"Sinabi ko na sa 'yo, 'di ba, na ako ang dapat na suportahan n'yo?" nakangisi kong sabi.

"But you are not—" Charlotte's mouth froze midway, her eyes widening as a realization hit her.

"There's only one way where you can have the platform that you need," Clyde smiled, realizing probably the same. "Tomorrow morning, there's going to be a meeting de avance where the candidates will debate."

"That's right." My smirk grew wider. "I will run for the student council presidency."