This chapter is dedicated to @-Yunaxxaesthetics-. Hope you can check out her account as her books are great !!

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FLASHBACK

"Chanel..." Tawag ni Tiffany nang makapasok ito sa classroom. Sinabi kasi sa kanya ni Chanel na magkita sila roon. At first, Tiffany was skeptical. From all that was happening, to the video... the smuggling of university funds, Tiffany was hoping that Chanel can fix this.

After all, Chanel was like their mother.

"Oh my God... Tiff!" Natatarantang sabi nito at lumapit sa kaibigan. Chanel was obviously panicking... and she seemed that she wanted to say something very important. Tiffany was quick to read the situation.

"Anong meron?" Tiffany asked since napapansin niyang tumitingin sa paligid si Chanel. Mukhang pribadong topic ang pag-uusapan nila. Sinakto pa ni Chanel na makipag-usap kay Tiffany sa oras na halos walang students... very early in the morning.

"We have to do something about the video," Chanel said, trying to keep her composure kahit alam niyang pinag-uusapan na ito ng buong university. Tiffany froze for a moment before looking at her friend.

"I am not defending a cheater, Chanel!" Tiffany hissed kaya nagpakawala ng buntong-hininga ang kaibigan. Napanood ni Tiffany nang maayos ang video at kitang-kita niya paano nasarapan si Yves sa mga halik ni Achilles.

Sa barkadang ito, there were only two sides. The ones who believe that Yves is cheater and the ones who think that they were forced to have sex.

Chanel was obviously in the second one.

"Iimbestigahan ko ito," sabi ni Chanel kaya napataas ang kilay ni Tiffany. Both brains of the group were making a plan right now. Pacify first... before dealing with the authorities. They hoped na maging successful ito since everyone was looking at their group differently now.

"What's the plan?" Tanong ni Tiffany, nagbabaka-sakaling nakaisip na si Chanel ng plano agad since she as well, was desperate to finish the issues surrounding them. They were already referred to as criminals since people were accusing Dior of stealing the funds of the school.

"Wala pa akong maisip." Chanel sighed. "We need to act decisively. Bawal tayong padalos-dalos. We have to do it sa paraan na walang masasaktan."

Sana hindi nalang naniwala si Tiffany roon.

"Tiff, may kailangan kang malaman," dagdag ni Chanel as Tiffany immediately looked at her. Nanghina ang tuhod ng dalaga nang marinig ang kwento ni Chanel.

Indeed, they were all deceived.

END

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｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. HERMÉS

Apollo is a traitor.

I smiled bitterly at myself as I looked at Apollo's picture with Dior. They were in school and he was backhugging Dior as she smiled at the camera. I remember clearly how Apollo referred to the girl he told me that he likes as baby... Siya pala 'yon.

I looked at the I.D. lace. as my heart broke into a thousand pieces.

First year college pa kami nito.

All these time, sa mga araw na nagpapakalasing ako because of Dior's rejections, siya pala ang kasama niya?! Sa mga araw na nasasaktan ako because of how Dior dismissed my acts of service, ibang lalaki pala ang naisip niya.

Fuck you, Apollo!

Tumulo ang luha ko as I punched the wall. I felt numb physically... my heart commandeered my emotions. I hated giving in to my feelings pero hindi ko mapigilan ang pag-agos ng luha ko. Ang tanga tanga ko!

Sa mga oras na magkasama sila... when Apollo was beside Dior noong inalis ang susi sa kanya... the kiss in her forehead... may meaning lahat. When I did those things for her, she would just smile at me. Ang sakit isipin na her heart races when Apollo does the same things I did.

When we invited Apollo to hangout, he said he has a date. Looking back, he was going to Dior, huh?

I felt so betrayed, so weak, and so stupid. Magmula nang mapunta kami rito, I lost to Apollo several times. I thought that those were the only times. I hated losing to Apollo.

Napayuko ako nang mapagtanto gaano ako ka-pathetic tingnan ngayon. I lost to himself way before pala.

Apollo... truly met his match.

But, I did not expect na parehas kami ng minamahal.

Hindi ko lubos maisip how they found their way to each other. They both did not want commitments nor be in a serious relationship. They preferred playing around. Natamaan ba sila sa isa't isa because of the mutual things they wanted?

My heart ached when I saw another picture. It was only a solo picture of Dior... on Gucci's debut. Habang nasa photo booth kami nina Ares, habang hinahanap namin sila, they were... enjoying each other's company.

I asked her to come with me on a date that night.

Sana sinabi nalang ni Apollo sa akin. I would be wrecked, of course, but I knew makakapagmove-on ako. I continued pursuing Dior dahil umaasa akong may chance ako. Turns out I was out of the picture way before.

Ang sama ko sigurong tao para magalit sa kaibigan ko, 'no?

The last picture was Apollo and I. I remember this one. Nasa amusement park kami and he had his arm slung around my neck. Mapait akong napangiti sa sarili ko dahil I trusted him. Sana hindi nalang pala.

Naluha ako... ang sakit magalit kay Apollo.

I trusted him more than anything else in my life. He did not mind the riches my family had and how I was referred to as the senator's son, he saw me for me alone.

Noong una kaming nagkakilala, I was the quiet student while he was the friendly and loud one. Sikat ang mga kaibigan niya... Ares, Hades, Zeus, and Dior. Pilit niya akong kinakausap noon because he thought wala akong friends. Wala naman talaga... and I did not have plans on having one.

Kaso ang kulit niya.

He saw me being abused by my father, tiring myself out just for high grades, and pressuring myself to be the best. The sleepless and crying nights... he witnessed those. Nakita niya ako at my worst, and, he became a great part of me since then.

My life had greater meaning nang ipinakilala niya ako sa tropa niya. I admit that most of us were pretty awkward with each other at first but next thing we know, nagtatawanan at nag-iiyakan na kami. We wanted to grow old with each other.

Ang hirap magalit. However, gusto ko maging impulsive. I did not want to calculate anymore. Just this once, I wanted to surrender to my own feelings.

I would bring you down, Apollo Keisuke Andigre.

Pinakalma ko muna ang sarili ko bago lumibot ang tingin ko sa kwarto niya. Despite having a messy life, malinis ang kwarto niya. It was pleasing to look at.

My eyes darted to a bottle on his bedside desk. Napakunot ang noo ko as I took it. Several theories clouded my mind nang basahin ko ito.

Sleeping pills.

Why would he have these? Nakakatulog naman siya nang maayos. Madalas nga tulog siya, e. May namumuo nang assumption sa isip ko but I knew that I had to look for more clues to confirm it.

To be honest, I was already suspecting him as the killer.

Why? When he gets mad, ibang Apollo ang makikita. He was known for being a chill and very patient person kaya tila parang bulkan siya kapag napuno. Maybe to the extent that he can kill someone.

But, why the hell would he kill Yves and Achilles?

Natigilan ako nang maalala ang araw after Achilles' death was reported by the news. Apollo did not come to school that day. Ang sabi ni Dior ay masama raw ang pakiramdam niya. Fuck... kinilabutan ako sa naisip ko. Can Apollo really kill someone?

And if my assumptions were not enough, napangisi ako nang makakita ng white shirt sa sahig. The white shirt was full of blood. Slowly, all the questions in my mind were being answered.

Apollo did something very wrong.

The night when Achilles was murdered... Apollo told me that he will stay in the university late dahil may ipinapagawa raw sa kanya ang prof niya. Plus, he said that he wanted to use the law books in the library.

I had the CCTV camera of the library... and I did not see him there.

Napaawang ang labi ko nang mapagtanto that Dior must have been with him that time. Nagda-date siguro sila so may kinalaman siya about this. I'm sorry, my love... but I think you just witnessed the murder.

All of my theories were slowly aligning with each other.

I felt that I have the upper hand now. This time, I would not be losing to Apollo. The advantage given to me was also very handy. Sa paraang ito, I was able to know the whole truth. I had to prove to them that I was still the brain of this group.

They were focusing heavily on Yves' death... Why not Achilles first?

"Crow," I spoke, nagbabaka-sakaling may speaker dito. Muntik akong mapatalon nang may tumunog na parang microphone.

"Are you ready to pick your next room, Hermés?" Tanong nito. I nodded, feeling triumphant of what is happening right now. Reality hit me when I realized that I was acting like a jerk now. Na para bang hindi ko sila naging kaibigan.

I felt that I was leaving my friends behind.

But, no... I'm solving this bullshit para makaalis kami. And, of course... to sent that fucking Apollo to jail. I would not tolerate what he did. Any friend would not.

"I'll pick Dior's," I said as the door in front me glowed na para bang nasa Monsters, Inc. ito. Hay nako, I watched that movie with Zeus, Yves, and Gucci since Ares told me that I should babysit them.

I opened the door and immediately sighed as I saw her polaroid pictures full of her and Apollo. Naawa ako sa sarili ko. She looked... so in love. Her eyes shone, something I never saw before.

Definitely not with me.

I looked at her photos and puno ito ng litrato naming magkakaibigan. However, she had more pictures of her and my best friend. Mas lalong namumuo ang galit sa puso ko habang tinitingnan ang mga ito.

One picture caught my eye.

It was a picture of Dior and I in a cafe. Inaya ko siya that day and she wanted to take a picture first... that was the first photograph of us together. Hindi siguro niya in-expect na I will confess to her about my feelings after that.

Mind you, alam ko na she did not like settling down nor committing to a serious relationship.

She liked moving, and that is what I loved about her. She did not like being tied down. She was so carefree and independent. Kaya noong nalaman ko na she was already committed, my emotions swirled like a rollercoaster.

That was the first time I got rejected. Kaso I still tried... wala naman kasi akong nakita na malakas na competitor. She treated her admirers the same... she did not give us any meaning on what she did.

Sadyang nagpakatanga lang ako.

Another photo captivated my attention.

It was a picture of her and Apollo in the park. Naka-couple outfit sila... they were wearing a shirt with half a butt. Kaya kapag pinagtabi sila, magmumukhang buo ang pwet. Based on their personalities, hindi ko alam kaninong idea 'yan. They looked like they would agree on this mutually.

Bagay nga sila... crackhead energy. Tangina, awit.

Bumuntong-hininga ako nang sumagi sa akin na I did not stand a chance anymore. Kaso, did I stood a chance to begin with? While many men were trying hard to earn her attention and love, she was willingly giving it to someone else.

To my best friend.

Hindi ko alam paano haharapin si Apollo after finding out about this. Basta ang alam ko ay I would let everyone know about what he did. It is high time we got out of this shithole.

I looked around her room, trying to look for something significant to the case. I was utterly displeased. Apollo's room was so neat and clean while Dior's was... straight up messy. Parang mahihirapan ako rito.

"The fuck?" Bulong ko sa sarili ko nang makakakita ng ziplock. Dahan-dahan akong lumapit at kinuha ito.

Inside it was a positive pregnancy test!

That bullshit Apollo even got her pregnant?!

Dahil hindi ko kayang tanggapin, naghanap pa ako ng kahit anong clue malapit dito. I sighed in relief nang makakita ng medical document. I would kill Apollo kung sa kanya ito.

Wait, what?

Kay Yves ito.

Yves was pregnant?!

Napaupo ako sa kama ni Dior habang binabasa ang medical document. Yves was three weeks pregnant... And neither among us noticed. Sumakit ang ulo ko nang ipilit kong tandaan ang mga nangyari nitong nakaraang buwan.

Fuck, it's been months.

Pero, ngayon lang ako nalilinawan sa mga nangyari. I was already piecing the puzzle together. Once we find out about Achilles' killer, it would be easy to know Yves'. Napangiti ako nang ma-realize na my theory was slowly becoming whole.

Achilles was the father of her child. Dior found out about Yves' pregnancy. Does this mean that Apollo killed Achilles because Yves was conceived by him?

And all these time, akala ko kay Yves siya galit.

I scoffed, knowing full well that I was able to turn the tables around with this information. Everyone has their secrets... I had my own too... but I knew I have the upper hand now. They mattered so much to me but these informations were blocking us from being free.

Since coming here, this was the first time I felt triumphant against Apollo. Bumabalik na ako sa sarili ko. I was becoming proud of myself again.

Apollo is the scariest when he's angry... but haven't they thought of the Hermés who only found that he was betrayed? I trusted Apollo with all my life, only to discover that he was betraying me.

I hoped the crows just kissed Apollo's death.