CHAPTER 5: AZUL

[TRENT'S POV]

She was my ex-girlfriend, a daughter of my father's colleague. Her name was Olivia Gomez, a fucking cheater. Naging girlfriend ko lang naman iyon dahil tinadhana kaming ikakasal, soon. Don't get me wrong, I really do love her but if I didn't went to their school I wouldn't find out that she's cheating on me.

I gave her the things she want but I think that's not enough to please her satisfaction.

[FLASHBACK…]

"Trent, meet Olivia, daughter of my colleague, Mr. Gomez. Come on, tour her around the house." napilitan akong ngumiti sa harap ng matandang si Mr. Gomez at ang katabi nitong anak na si Olivia. 

Nauna na akong umalis, sumunod naman siya. Una kaming pumunta sa kusina kung saan nagluluto si mama ng tanghalian. Olivia approached her and did the traditional greeting of Filipinos to the elderly, ang magmano.

"What a polite girl. I'm making tinola, are you okay with that?" my mom. 

"Of course, tita. Actually, it's one of my favorite dish" answered by the girl. Me, who is sitting in the kitchen sink, listening to their chitchats about food but there is one thing that made me like her, she can make my mom laugh and smile.

"Trent, you continue to show her around. Olivia, keep in mind that my son is handsome but he's always cranky" my mom whispered but I can still hear her, Olivia looked at me before she giggle showing her beautiful teeth. 

We left mom and now we're heading to the backyard. As she opened the door, I saw that she was mesmerized on our backyard filled with pink roses. Mom loves roses, that is her hobby, checking and ordering online some roses.

"Wow, your gardener designed this?" 

"No, it was all my mother's handwork. She refused the help offered by the gardeners saying that she'll do it on her own"

"Oh wow, your mom is so cool"

"How about you, what does your mom do?" with that question her happy expression slowly turned into sad.

"I don't have a mom. She left me with dad after she gave birth to me" I felt guilt asking that question.

"I'm sorry  to hear that" I apologized and I saw her smile a little but her mood is still down. "Wait here" I said before running in the shed grabbing a gloves, hat, small basket and a pruner. I cut 30 pieces of pink roses while she's still in the area where I left her, showing her confused face.

After several minutes, I immediately organized the 30 roses in the basket before giving it to her. 

"Peace offering" I said while smiling. She just laughed shyly before accepting it. 

"You don't have to do that but thank you" she answered.

The whole lunch waiting for mom to finish her cooking, we were talking about nonsense stuff and a friendship was built that day.

[6 months later…]

"Hey babe, I'll fetch you at school" I inform Olivia via cellphone. I haven't seen her like ages though we saw each other last week.

"No need to babe, kaya ko naman" I really miss that voice. I was actually waiting outside her school, I came early to surprise her. I also told my driver to inform mom and dad that we'll be home late because I'm going to treat my girlfriend a dinner.

I was about to talk when I saw Olivia going out to their school gate with her hands clinging to another man's arm.

"Ummm, are you perhaps with someone?" I tried to ask calmly but my inner self is bursting out especially when she said that she's not with someone.

"Okay, I'll call you later, something came up" I didn't wait for her to respond. I saw disappointment on her face with the way I acted before keeping  her cellphone in her sling bag. She faced him before and talking that I cannot hear. While their busy talking, my hand pushed the camera video and the next thing I knew I was recording them.

They were laughing so I thought that they were friends but when I about to stop recording when their face slowly moving towards each other and their lips collided for like 5 seconds. 

With my heart broken in half, I stopped recording and command my driver to go home. I silently cry at the backseat while waiting to go home. As soon as we arrived, I run fast to my room, not showing my parents my crying face.

After a while, a soft knock echoed my room. I pretend that I'm asleep but got caught when my mom caressed my hair. I hugged her tightly saying the things I saw. I was like a baby at that time, while my father is busy talking to Mr. Gomez.

They knew what happened to me because my driver told them that Olivia cheated on me. So unlucky to my first relationship. After that, I played many girl's heart.

[END OF FLASHBACK…]    

Napamulat nalang ako ng mata when I felt someone's shaking my shoulder. I saw Blaine's face, her was expression were mixed confused and worried.

I regained my strength first, before getting up from the ground. As I stood up, I notice a big screen in front of us. What's this. I also looked around when I notice our location, we were surrounded by trees, tall tress. I roam my eyes around when I saw Blaine's four friends, and when I roam again my eyes, I saw her.

Our eyes met after a year without seeing each other, she was also shocked. She rushed towards me and hugged tightly like there is no tomorrow. When I looked back to Blaine, she is now talking to her friends, ignoring me like she saw nothing.

"I'm so sorry about what happened, just hear me out" masaya nitong sabi habang yakap-yakap parin ako. Mabilis akong kumalas tsaka hinawakan ang magkabila nitong balikat.

"Liv, please, we broke up" I said before leaving her with her eyes open. I was about to return to Blaine's circle of friends when the enormous screen turned on.

An anonymous person wearing a mask appeared, it was using a voice changer, obviously.

"I'm Azul, the person who's responsible in abducting all of you. Welcome! You must be confused right now. 50 people in one location, weird, isn't? Nasa isang lugar kayo kung saang malayo sa iyong pamilya kaya useless ang pag-track nila sa iyong cellphone"

Speaking of phones, minadali ko ang kinapkap ang bulsa ng pantalon ko pero walang cellphone ang nagparamdam. Muli na namang nagsalita si Azul.

"As you walk through the thick forest, you'll find a dorm of this abandoned school. Doon muna kayo matutulog, magpapahinga at magpa-plano while finishing this game. Questions?"

Tumaas ang isang kamay ng isang babae na sinundan pa ng isang lalaki "What do you mean by game?" asked by the girl. Sunod naman na nagtanong ang lalaki "What are really doing here?"

Azul just sighed and asked the two person to step forward in front of the screen. The two followed but as we watch the next thing Azul will do, a sound of two consecutive gunshot filled the area. The ladies screamed, while the men was shocked including me.

The next thing we knew, there are two dropped bodies in front of the big screen. 

"Wilma and Darren are dead, so there's only 48 of you. Let me repeat, do you have any questions?" we shake our heads immediately, afraid that we'll be the next after those two. 

"Well then, you may now proceed to your dorms." 

Sasabay sana ako kay Blaine sa paglakad nang may lumapit na isang lalaki sa kanya, hindi nalalayo ang built ng katawan niya sa akin at medyo mas matangkad ako ng unti, moreno ang binatang ito but who the fuck is this?

 Nang makarating kami sa sinasabing dorm, isa na namang big screen ang pumarang pero ang mas pumukaw sa atensyon namin ay ang pangalan na nakakabit sa dorm.

[BLAINE'S POV]

'Ayaguza Dorm' iyan ang nakapangalan sa dorm kung saan kami titira. Tama nga ang hinala ko, alam ko ang location na ito. Hindi ko lang napansin ang location kung nasan kami kanina pero ngayon alam na alam ko na.

Ito ang school na ipinamana ni lolo kay daddy na ipapamana naman ni Daddy sa akin. I only saw the old pictures of this school.

"We're at our property" bulong ko muna sa sarili ko. Muling bumukas ang big screen and Azul showed up. "Yes, you're right. Welcome to Ayaguza's property. A school beloved by student in the 70's but as the government establish more school, this school went bankrupt. Isn't that right, Blaine?" 

Nagulat ako ng binanggit niya ang aking pangalan, luminga-linga naman ang mga tao at tinutukoy kung sino sa amin si Blaine. Hindi ipinahalata ng limang nakakakilala sa akin, nakisabay din sila sa paglinga ng mga tao. Nanatili namang tikim ang aking mga bibig, takot na baka iba na naman ang tingin ng mga tao. Muling nagsalita si Azul.

"Mayroong limang palapag ang dorm na iyan, tig-sampong kwarto ang bawat palapag. Sa labas ng pinto ay may mga pangalan na nakakabit doon at sa loob ng kwarto rin niyo makikita ang mga role niyo sa laro nating ito. Hindi niyo maaaring ipagkalat ang role niyo kundi isang bala lang ang tatama sa kokote niyo at palantandaan na hindi kayo maaaring pumasok sa kwarto ng isa't  isa maliban kung tag-araw. Go to your rooms, sleep tight, and survive the game tonight." nagsara na ang naturang tv.

Hindi parin namin maunawaan kung ano ang pakay ni Azul. Lingid sa kalooban namin ang pumasok at hanapin ang kwarto namin sa loob ng dorm. Una akong naghanap sa unang palapag pero wala akong nahanap na pngalan ko. Sumunod naman ako sa ikalawang palapag pero bigo parin. Sa ikaapat ko nahanap kwarto, pinagitnaan ng kwarto nina Wilma at Clementine. Kasama ko rin sa palapag sina Reece, Preston, Jeremy, Chance, Stephano, Nicole, at Verdan.

Pumasok na ako sa loob at magarbong higaan, isang closet at isang shelf ang umagaw sa atensyon pati narin ang isang box sa taas ng higaan. Lumapit ako sa dito ng mapansin kong may computer din pala dito at sa tabi nito ay makapal na libro, ito'y pinamagatan na "PLAYERS". May isa pang pinto doon at alam kong doon ang cr.

Nang makalapit na ako sa kahon ay dahan-dahan kong itinaas ang takip nito. Ang laman nito ay ang aking role card at isang necklace na ang pendant ay hugis alarm light. Muling akong tumingin sa role card ko, "What the fuck does this mean?" tanong ko sa sarili nang mabasa ang profession ng role ko.

Itinabi ko nalang ang mga ito at tumingin sa wall clock. Alas-10 palang ng umaga. Nakadarama ako ng gutom kaya dumiretso ako sa pinto palabas pero hindi na ito mapihit at parang may naglock sa labas. 

Umalingawngaw ang tunog ng isang siren sa loob ng kwarto, ito'y mula sa isang speaker na nakakabit. Masakit ito sa pandinig kaya naman napatakip nalang ako ng tenga. Matapos ang nakakabinging huni na iyon ay boses ni Azul ang sumunod. 

"Hindi muna kayo maaaring lumabas sa kadahilang inaayos namin ang lugar kung saan kayo maglalaro. May mga pagkain sa loob ng shelf, maaari rin kayong matulog at hindi kayo magagambala sa pag-aayos namin dahil naka-soundproof ang bawat kwarto. Hindi niyo kami maririnig sa labas at hindi niyo rin maririnig ang nagsasalita sa loob ng kwarto."

Wala nang nagsalita kaya naman mindali kong pinuntahan ang shelf at binuksan ito. Amoy pagkain ang loob nito, may chips, soda, tubig, at biscuits. Nagtaka ako kung bakit walang ulam at kanin. Kinuha ko nalang ang isang biscuit at yung tubig bilang panulak. Naiiyak akong kumain, hindi ko alam kung bakit nasa ganito kaming sitwasyon at hindi mawala-wala sa isipan ko ang pagkakabagsak ng dalawang katawan kanina.

Itinapon ko na sa basurahan ang pinagkainan ko at binuksan naman ang closet, mga damit ang mga nakalagy doon. Pagkuha ko ng isang damit ay nagulat ako ng magkatugma ang size ko sa size ng damit. Isinawalang-bahala ko nalang iyon at muling bumalik sa higaan para umupo. Inisip ko ang kalagayan ng mga kaibigan kong nasa iba't ibang kwarto. 

Sa tuwing nag-iisa ako, andyan si Trina na sasamahan ako at ikwekwento ang mga kagagahan na ginawa niya sa buhay, itinago niya daw iyon sa akin dahil alam niyang palaging nadudulas ang dila ko kapag magulang na niya ang kausap ko. Ikwekwento rin niya at iingitin ako sa mga lovey dovey moments nila ni John. Naaalala ko nalang na pagkatapos ng kwento niyang iyon ay binabatukan ko siya.

Sa tuwing umiiyak naman ako ay andyan si JG na pwedeng sandalan. Kapag umiiyak ako dahil relate ako sa pelikula ay nakikiiyak din siya. Matapos kaming umiyak, tatawa lang bigla-bigla na parang tanga. Hilig din namin kumain ng ice cream kapag kaming dalawa lang ang magkasama dahila ang bruhang si Trina ay may date sila ni John. Tagapayo ko din itong si JG tungkol sa isang pakikipagrelasyon at naging lucky boy nga ito kasi natipuhan siya ni Anton na sumakto sa type niya.

Sa tuwing malungkot naman ako ay andyan ang happy pill kong si John. Ang palabiro sa aming lahat kaya nga nahumaling sa kanya si Trina. Kahit anong lungkot ko ay talagang napapangiti lang ako nito kahit walang ginagawa. Ang panget kasi ng mukha parang clown.

Sa tuwing nahihirapan naman ako, andyan ang matulungin kong kaibigan na si Anton. Tamad ang tatlo na turuan ako kaya kay Anton naman ako nagpapatulong ng mga bagay-bagay tulad ng pagbubuhat, mga hindi alam na lesson at lalo na sa pagpapauwi kay JG tuwing lasing.

Ngumiti nalang ako habang iniisip ang mga araw na masaya kaming lima. Sa ngayon ay ramdam ko ang takot at kaba ng mga tao sa loob ng dorm na ito.

END OF CHAPTER 5…