I don't know if it was because of adrenaline rush or I'm just simply foolish, but as fast as the lighting, I kept the note in my pocket before screaming for help. Panting and sweating, the door finally opened and revealed my savior.

Well, who happened to be Val herself, along with her ex roommate, Artemis.

I am so dead.

"Oh my god! Is that a freaking hand?"

"Kuina, are you okay?"

"Help! Help!"

•••

After that incident, a guard immediately arrived and kept the situation under control. And I just don't know if I should be glad about that or be wary about the fact that they're keeping it under control.

Keeping the crimes inside the school premises, burying corpses right in front of the mini chapel. No outside authorities and pretending like everything was fine the next day.

And to sum all of it, I just happen to find a note that says my roommate is a murderer.

Great.

Napabuga ako ng hangin at nagpatuloy nalang sa pagske-scetch para madistract sa mga pangyayari sa araw na 'to. A few more strokes, a few details, some highlights, and I'm almost done. A picture perfect piece with Valentine as my subject.

She's literally just sitting on her bed space in front of me, doing her skin care routine. And I can't believe I managed to look at her for a long time without being pissed. Just sitting on my bed, resting my back on the wall and giving her a deadpan stare.

"Are you gonna do that for the whole night?" Finally, she broke my bubble.

Napakurap kurap ako at niyakap lang ang mga tuhod. "Yes," medyo wala pa sa sarili kong saad ngunit sa pagkakataong 'yon ay napabuntong hininga na siya at nakapamewang akong tinitigan.

"Sira ulo ka ba?"

Tumango ako. Bahagya naman siyang natawa dahil doon at maya maya pa'y marahan na tuloy napabangon sa kama niya.

"So why didn't you give them the letter?" she sweetly asked.

In an instant, I froze, especially upon realizing that she's now closing the remaining distance between us.

"I saw you were hiding that note earlier sa restroom, so patago ko ring kinuha at binasa no'ng nagka time ako. So why didn't you tell anyone?"

Deep in my heart, I know she's not the killer of that severed hand, or even Odette. My gut feelings never failed me and I am indeed doomed if she ended up being the killer. But I know, and I hope, she wasn't.

"I didn't tell them about the letter because I don't want to sleep alone!" giit ko nalang at hinigpitan ang hawak sa sketchpad na nasa kamay. "And if they found out about this, then you'll go to detention!"

She chuckled. Casually sitting on my bed as if she owned it.

"So you'd rather sleep with the potential murderer than to sleep alone?"

Sa pagkakataong 'yon ay pinaliitan ko nalang siya ng mata. "Can you please stop. I know you're not the culprit." Sinubukan po pa siyang ipagtulakan paalis ka kama ko, kaso ang gaga hindi manlang natitibag!

"Look, Kendall was the owner of the severed hand. Her wrist has the same cuts, scars and carved words she used to hide with her long sleeves. I know that too well because Charlemagne also has those scars, in different pain. But I recognize them," seryoso ko nang saad kaya nawala na rin ang ngiti sa labi niya.

"And everyone from Spade Club who didn't attend the emergency meeting yesterday was present in today's meeting. Except for Kendall. So the murder might have happened last night, the same night Odette was killed."

"And what does that have to do with me, being innocent?" Nakataas ang isang kilay niyang tanong.

"Kasi magkasama naman tayo magdamag? Tho, hindi directly kasi mas gusto mo namang sumabay sa mga ka-level mo at magpanggap na hindi mo ako kilala. Pero nakikita naman natin ang isa't isa sa iisang kwarto. Palagi naman tayong nasa iisang lugar kahit magkaiba ang mga kasama. Kaya paano ka makakagawa ng ganyang krimen eh hindi ka naman nawawala sa paningin ko?"

" Oh my, did you just admit that you're my stalker?"

Agad ko na siyang sinapak ng sketchpad na hawak. "Sabi mo gawin kitang subject ng artwork ko tapos kung maka asta ka ngayon, parang kung sinong inosenteng tuta!"

Uulit pa sana ako, pero agad ring natigilan ng matanto ang bigat ng mga pangyayari. "But seriously, as a professional artist, I'm starting to familiarize you and the rhythm of your body because I'm practicing my sketches with you being the subject. Based on my sketches you don't possess the ability of being the culprit. You're not very good at hiding your emotion so you don't seem to have any flaws, visually. Kaya nga siguro salbahe ka, para hindi ka maging perfect," mahaba kong paliwanag na tinango tanguan niya naman.

"And by the way, I also knew you were a guy since the day I started focusing on you."

Sa isang iglap ay nalaglag ang kanyang panga.

"How the hell did you even know that?" Napasinghal ito at lumapit pa ng maigi sa mukha ko para walang makarinig.

Mapakla lang akong natawa dahil doon at iniwagli ang kamay niya. "Walang nakakatakas sa mga mata ko kapag naka focus ako sa isang bagay." Seryoso ko siyang tinitigan sa mga mata.

"But let me ask you these questions. Why were you crossdressing as a woman, and why are you here?"