"Toxic people create chaos,
point fingers, shift blame,
and avoid taking responsibility."

●●●

Jade's Point of View.

Nakakabinging katahimikan ang namayani sa aming tatlo habang pauwi kami sa kanya-kanya naming boarding house.

Si Mike, Daniela at Kyle ang magkasama ngayon sa morgue para ihatid ang katawan ni Eireen. Nagkalabuan na rin at hindi na nagpansinan si Brylle at Daniela nang makalabas kami ng Red Apartment. Si Hana na rin ang nagdrive sa kotse n'ya. Krista and Alden went back together dahil nasa iisang dorm lang naman sila sa loob ng university nakatira.

Christine stayed quiet, alam n'ya naman siguro ang sitwasyon namin ngayon dahil sa sinabi ni Sy kanina sa harap naming lahat.

And I admit that.

"Iliko mo lang diyan, Jade. Dun na lang ako baba," biglang sabi ni Christine na nasa backseat nakaupo.

Tinuro n'ya ang kalsada papasok at dun ko na lang inihinto ang sasakyan.

"Dito na lang. Salamat sa paghatid," aniya at ngumiti.

Napatingin s'ya kay Sy na balisa pa rin ang itsura hanggang ngayon. Hindi rin ako makapagsalita dahil sa kawalan ng gana.

"Aalis na ako, Sy. Kita na lang tayo bukas," sabi n'ya at sinara agad ang pinto.

Mabilis kong pinaandar ang kotse para ihatid ang isang ito. Wala akong panahon para lambingin s'ya dahil wala akong gana.

"Where should I take you? Condo n'yo o bahay ko?" tanong ko pero nanatiling nasa labas ng bintana ang kanyang tingin.

"Ayaw ko pang umuwi," walang gana nitong sagot.

Marahas akong napabuntong at dinala ang sasakyan sa bahay namin. Napatingin ako kay Sy na hanggang ngayon ay walang tigil sa pagdanak ang mga luha. I started unbuckling my seatbelt.

"Let's just stay here for a while."

Tumango lang sya at hinubad na rin ang seatbelt. Naglakad sya papunta sa loob ng hindi man lang ako nagagawang pansinin. I have no other choice but to bring all the bags inside alone.

Alam kong malaki pa rin ang galit niya sa akin dahil sa sinabi ko sa kanya noon. She always tells me how she couldn't sleep well at night hearing our dead child's cry. Kaya madalas syang lumalaklak ng sleeping pills kada gabi.

Sumunod ako sa kanya papasok sa loob. We remained silent while walking. After what happened in the apartment, malabong bumalik sa dati ang lahat. Now that everyone know about our deepest horrible secret.

Agad na sinusian ni Sy ang pintuan. I followed her inside when I saw someone standing behind the walls. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad to make sure that I saw someone when she suddenly called me.

"Jade, sino ang tinitingnan mo riyan?"

"W-Wala naman."

"Tara na. Gusto ko na magpahinga."

I shake my head as we both enter the house. Bigla akong ginapangan ng kaba dahil dun. Pero paano naman sya makakarating dito? Namamalikmata na ata ako dahil hindi ako nakatulog ng maayos kagabi. I really need to sleep for ten hours. Agad akong naligo at nagbihis ng damit. She was focused on her phone when I got out of bath.

"Hindi ka ba maliligo?" I asked, drying my hair.

Hindi nya man lang ako pinansin. Her eyes were fixed on the screen. Hindi nya magawang tanggalin ang paningin nya doon. I tried grabbing her phone but she immediately hid it behind her.

"Maliligo na nga."

Tumakbo sya papasok ng banyo. Hindi nya man lang iniwan ang kanyang phone. Maybe her dad's calling or texting dahil hindi kami nakauwi kahapon as what the consent said.

"What was that for?"

Naupo ako sa kama matapos magpatuyo ng buhok. I took three sleeping pills in order for me to get some sleep. My phone pinged and read the message from an anonymous sender.

My jaw clenched after reading the text.

It was a dare.

Hana's Point of View.

"Brylle, talk to me please," naupo ako sa kamang katabi nya.

I called dad at sinabihan ko sya na I'll spend the night in Sy's condo but the truth is, andito talaga ako ngayon kasama si Brylle. I have a feeling that he needs me now more than anything. Now that Daniela smashed his foot, hindi lang buto ang kanyang dinurog but also his dreams and scholarships.

"I just need to rest," he said, rolling his body in bed. "I need to sleep."

Hinalikan ko sya sa labi at ngumiti pagkatapos. "Sleep well. Andito lang naman ako if you need me."

Pinisil nya ang pisngi ko at kasabay nun ang paghalik nya ng malalim sa akin. He pulled away from me, smirking.

"I love you so much. Tandaan mo yan."

"Sounds like you're cheating on me," I joke.

He only gave me a weak smile. Kasabay nun ang pagdahan-dahang pagpikit ng kanyang mga mata. Naglakad ako palabas ng kwarto nya and saw Daniela outside. Tahimik syang nakaupo sa isang mesa habang nagyoyosi.

She looked at me when she saw me, she throw her cigarette on the ground. Inapakan nya iyon para mawala ang apoy nang makita ako na naglalakad palapit sa kanya. She's smoking, it only means one thing.

She's stress.

"How's Brylle?" she asked.

I sat beside her. "Okay naman. He said he needed to sleep and rest muna."

"I'm sorry about that Hana," she sighed, holding back tears from her eyes. "I didn't mean it. Nakita ko sa papel ang dare ko. I couldn't risk my own life to protect your boyfriend. I need to do it or else ako ang mamamatay."

"It's okay, Dan," matabang akong ngumiti. Walang gana, walang meaning. "I'm just glad that you did."

She was shocked, confused, and surprised at tbe same time.

"W-What do you mean by that?"

"I mean if hindi mo iyon ginawa, may mangyayaring masama sayo. I don't want to lose a friend like you," I said, smiling. This time, I meant what I smiled for.

Hinaplos ko ang gilid ng kanyang tenga. She's staring at me, confused. I know your secrets Daniela. I know everything about you and Brylle. I know it all ever since. Akala mo ba talaga hindi ko malalaman ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga tingin niyo sa isa't-isa?

I know it all but I choose to ignore everything kasi alam ko na hindi rin kayo magkakatuluyan. Brylle loves me more, he needs me more. And now, you've done it to him. When you crushed his feet, it only means that you had also crushed his dreams. You stole it away from him.

"I don't want to lose you both."

"Thank you, Han," she smiled and suddenly gave me a hug. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for being a good friend to me."

I grinned.

Hinaplos ko rin sya sa likuran. My phone loudly rang. I pulled it outside my pocket only to see Sy's number. Sy never calls me and after what happened kanina sa apartment I think it's better if I shouldn't answer a call from an evil mother who killed her own child because someone told her so.

"Is that Sy?"

Tumango ako. "I can't face her. Not like this. After knowing what she's done to her child, bigla na lang nagbago ang tingin ko sa kanya."

I slide the red button, ending her call but Danie's phone rang. Sinagot nya iyon agad knowing that it's Sy. Danie never hated anyone, alam ko iyon. But I hated her more than anything in this world.

"Hello, Sy, what's wrong?" she asked to the other line. "Bakit ka umiiyak?"

I could even hear how horrifying her cry is. Rinig na rinig ko dahil sa sobrang lakas at mukhang nawawalan na sya ng lakas.

"Hana didn't answer my call. I need help, Danie. S-si Jade kasi, oh my god. Danie si Jade!" natataranta niyang sambit.

Nagtataka kong tinignan ang cellphone, waiting for her to spill the beans.

"Bakit? Anong nangyari kay Jade?!"

"Patay na si Jade, Daniela. Patay na siya," hagulhol nito.

Danie unintentionally loosen her grip dahilan para malaglag ang kanyang cellphone sa lupa. Nanigas akong nakatitig sa kawalan habang pinapasok sa kokote ang sinabi ni Sy kanina.

"That can't be..." I whispered, tumulo na lang bigla ang luha ko.

"Puntahan natin siya," hinila ako ni Daniela at agad na pinaandar ang sasakyan.

I called her to ask if nasaan sila ngayon. And so we went to Jade's house where he died. Naabutan namin ang nakahandusay na si Jade, walang malay, bumubula pa ang bibig at nakatirik na mga mata. Napasigaw ako dahil sa gulat at napapaluhod na umiiyak sa kanyang bangkay.

He's damn freaking dead.

"A-Ano ang nangyari?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Daniela habang niyugyog ang balikat ni Sy. "Anong ginawa mo, ha? Please tell me that you didn't do it!"

"Hindi ako," hagulhol nya.

She covered her face using her cold hands. Nangingitim na ang mga mata ni Sy. Hindi sya nakatulog ng maayos and she looks really tired and weary.

"Naliligo ako sa banyo noon when I heard a loud thud. Akala ko kung ano kaya I went to check outside at baka may nalaglag lang na malaking kahon," she said in between her sobs.

"But when I got out. N-Nakita ko si Jade, nakahandusay, bumubula ang bibig, may hawak siyang sleeping pills."

"Sleeping pills?" sambit ko. "Why would Jade take sleeping pills?"

"Hindi ko alam. Tumawag na ako ng ambulansya. Paparating na sila rito agad. Kailangang mabuhay ni Jade!" niyakap nya ang bangkay nito.

I could see myself at her position when Eireen died. Pero hindi maalis sa isip ko ang magduda. Why would Jade take sleeping pills? He never took one before. Bakit ngayon lang? But I also believe Sy's words. She couldn't kill him, she wouldn't kill him, and she will never kill him. Mahal na mahal niya iyong tao. What really happened here?

Nakita ko si Daniela na pinakealaman ang cellphone ni Jade. Kumunot ang kanyang noo nang mabasa ang isang mensahe mula rito.

"It's a Dare," nanginginig nyang sambit. "I-I think, alam ko na kung bakit siya namatay."

Pinakita sa akin ni Danie ang text mula sa isang anonymous sender. This is the same number na nagtext sa amin sa apartment na iyon.

Napalunok ako ng mabasa ang mensahe.

Dare for Jade:

Drink a cup of poison.

"Jade poisoned himself," bulong ko.

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