Dating a Geek, Crimson Skye [find a book to read txt] 📗

Ang napakaingay na bulungan sa di kalayuan ang nakapagpakunot ng noo niya habang binabaybay ang daan patungo sa University ng sumunod na araw. Ano pa kayang mas lalala kung wala kang nahanap na trabaho? She was indeed ruined and penniless. Isang nakapanlulumong ngiti ang pinkawalan ni Paige and fixed her mind on the scene. Police were all over the entry. Siguro kadadating lang nila dahil bukas pa nga ang makina ng sasakyan ng mga ito. Students, professors pati mga tamang usyoso lang cluttered on the walkway. Halos karamihan sa mga estudyante ay may kanya-kanyang channel pero iisa lang ang topic as they lean on the imposing wall of the University. Nilampasan lang niya ang mga ito matapos sulyapan at nagtungo na sa umpukan. 

“I can’t believe he was dead,” a girl blurted, at mangiyak-ngiyak pa. Agad namang nagpakita ng sympathy ang mga kaibigan nito as they gently patted her shoulders. “I just saw him yesterday. A-At ngayon… he’s gone!”

Umarko ang kilay niya. Gone? Who’s gone? She took a quick pace and made her way through the group. Isang ambulansya ang mabilis na pumarada sa tabi ng umpukan at agad na nagsibabaan ang mga medical pros na sakay nito. Suddenly, a group of people came out of the mob, buhat-buhat ang stretcher kung saan naroon ang wala nang buhay na katawan ng isang estudyante na nababalutan ng puting damit. An elderly woman with her husband followed, weeping in grief. Isa na namang suicide incident. Paige gritted her teeth. She felt bad for the family of the student. Bakit nga ba nagagawa pa ng mga taong katulad ng mga ito ang ganoong bagay? It was sin to kill and so as to die with your own hands.

“Nathaniel Gray. It was him, right?” Narinig niya sa kanyang likuran. Nathaniel Gray? Hell, yeah. Paige covered her lips in terror. Classmate nya ito! Engot. Bakit nga ba hindi nya namukhaan ang mama nito.

“Nathan,” bulong niya, troubled sa narinig. She could not believe it. Napakabait pa naman nito sa kanya. Poor guy. Perfect na ang life nito but still... “I can’t believe this.” Yon na lamang ang nasabi niya. Windang pa rin sa nangyari.

Pinagmasdan ni Paige habang papalayo ang ambulansya. Sinundan naman ito ng police mobiles habang unti-unti namang nagsialisan ang mga tao sa harap ng University na parang walang nangyari. Normal na ata ang ganoong insidente sa kanila in some way. Everything went back to normal... perfectly. She took a deep sigh and shook her head. “Buhay nga naman…” She turned her back and continued. 

Nagsimula nang magdatingan ang mga classy na sasakyan at natural, nilampasan lang sya dahil hindi naman talaga siya kilala ng mga may-ari nito. Make sense naman di ba? Paige watched them at na-realize nya kung gaano kaswerte ang mga ito and yet, stupid. She noticed a guy stepped out of a white Porsche 911 luxury car. He was wearing a white shirt with a cool, black jacket and taupe denims. Matangkad, somewhat 5’11 in height and had a slender, manly built physique. Everything was quite perfect except for his huge backpack and a nerd-looking glasses which is a major turned off. Idagdag pa ang hairstyle nito na halos dinaig pa ang lolo niya. Paige smirked in silence. Transferee siguro ito or something. O pwede rin namang exchange student? Hmn. Who cares? None of her business. 

Napansin siya nitong nakatingin. Napaarko ang kilay niya ng bigla nalang itong ngumiti sa kanya. There was something in him that was odd in a more amusing way but she cannot exactly comprehend kung ano ba talaga ito. He turned to leave and was suddenly bumped into a group of good-for-nothing, social punks that was passing by.

“Pwede ba tumingin ka sa dinadaan mo!” singhal ni Christopher at tinulak ito patabi sa daraan nila. The others smirked and mocked at him. Si Christopher Gregory ay anak ni Mr. George Gregory, a multi-millionaire and noted shareholder of the University. Well, bukod pa dun… he was a total jerk. Sa kabila ng good looks nito at kayamanan, he had a rotten persona. Kung hindi dahil sa ama nito he was nothing but a haughty coward who spent his years bullying others and dating out the hottest girls in the campus, tulad na lamang ni Tiffany Cooper at iba pa. 

“Sorry,” the guy intoned, lowering his gaze at saka akmang aalis. Weird gestures and laughter followed. One of them raised a brow and jolted the man on his side, gesturing something only they could understand. Minamasdan lang ni Paige ang mga ito sa di kalayuan, arms crossed over her chest. Bullies. 

Isa sa mga kaibigan ni Christopher ang humaltak pabalik dito. “Missing something, four-eyed geek.” Nagsimulang magtawanan ang mga ito at pinalibutan ang lalaki. The guy suddenly smiled, isang pilyo yet innocent one. Iba talaga ang aura nito. Behind those freaky glass somewhat lies an intimidating character. Bigla na lamang kinuwelyuhan ito ni Christopher. “Anong nakakatawa, freak?”

Things might have gotten worse kaya si Paige like a heroine, came to rescue the geek in distress at ginawa ang kanyang unexpected entrance. “Hey! Nag-sorry na sya di ba? Now, leave him alone,” she said with an arced brow. Napatingin ang lahat sa kanya at napaismid ang mga ito. Isang mapang-asar na ngiti na lalong nakapagpainis sa kanya.

“What a brave mouse,” Christopher remarked and chuckled with an indecent tone saka itinulak palayo ang misteryosong lalaki. “Dearest Paige...” sabay hawak pa sa balikat niya.

Isang masamang tingin ang ipinukol niya kay Christopher. “Wag mo nga akong mahawak-hawakan.” Agad niyang tinabig ang kamay nito. Her look was awful. Kahit kailan hindi niya pinangarap na makisalamuha sa mga ganung uri ng tao sa loob ng University unless she want to be expelled in no time, na muntik na ngang mangyari dati. However, things keep on occurring without her consent.

Christopher pulled a face and smirked, restraining his arm from touching her shoulders. “Hmm… I really like to date you.” Nagtawanan ang mga kaibigan nito. Imagining na ang kaibigan nila gustong i-date ang mas barako pa dito?

“Psh. Not a chance.” sabi nya and laughed with them in a more sarcastic way. Sarcasm was her wonderful way of enraging someone which in no doubt, brought her into a lot of troubles. Biglang naging seryoso ulit ang poker face nya saka sinabing, “Ano pang hinihintay nyo? Alis!”

Christopher sneered and instructed his pals to leave, peeved. Pakunwang susuntukin pa niya ang isa sa mga kaibigan nito na agad naman nitong ikinagulat at napaurong sa pagkabigla. They already knew her. She had been into a dozen of fights outside the University. It was definitely a dreadful manner for a girl to have pero hindi na uso sa kanya ang feminine style e. Lalo na’t alam niyang wala naman siyang prince charming na magtatanggol sa kanya. She pouted and rubbed the tip of her nose. “Jerks.” Pagkasabi nito ay akma na siyang tatalikod para umalis.

“Thanks.” The guy thanked her with a smile, showing his pleasing, white teeth. Agad naman siyang humakbang paalis saka itinaas ang kanyang kamay. Her one way of saying, No problemo amigo. Adios! 

The guy smirked. Impressive. There's a possibility na magiging exciting ang semester na 'to. Stephen pressed his glasses into a tight fit saka nagtungo sa ibang direksyon. 

With the sun high above him, mukhang napakagandang timing ito para mag-adapt sa bago nyang environment. Nasa rooftop siya as he surveyed the place. Hartford University was definitely a huge private institution. Broad walls surrounds the campus with a remarkable structure. Kahit yong building halatang gawa sa high-class machineries and equipment that made it stood still until now, enough to handle twenty floors na puno ng libong estudyante. The building in which he was standing was on the University’s southern part. It catered mostly yong mga technological courses at yong ibang palapag naman naka-reserved for computer-equipped facilities. Tiningnan niya ang blueprint ng University sa tablet nya, virtual architecture ng school ang nag-appear sa screen nito that was triggered with a touch. Sa east naman, dun makikita ang seventeen storey building, reserved for laboratories and other highly advanced courses. Botanical garden on the southeast at may hall for the archives sa gilid nito. He tilted the image. The University catered a café west of the archive. It was followed by another building, seventeen storey rin with a rooftop catered. Ang front office and the admission hall naman lies at the heart of the University. Parking garage was near the entry and surveillance cameras were all over the University, monitored by the security officers 24/7. He twisted the small rounded device beside the lens of his eyeglasses, zooming it for six times wide optical zoom. Mula dito ay kitang-kita nya lahat ng mga nangyayari sa loob ng campus. Some students were busy chattering on the corner, samantalang yong iba naman sitting pretty sa mga benches and some are… kissing on the hallway? He clears his throat and set back the magnification to normal. Some things are meant to be keep in private. Besides, nagwowork naman yong device. Bahagya siyang lumapit sa railings. Nababalot nito ang kabuuan ng roof top. Looking down, he could just barely see the students that was passing by sa taas nito. Talagang kung suicide at suicide rin lang ang hanap mo, in na in sayo ang lugar na ’to. He zoomed in the lens and saw some medical personnel decontaminating the area kung saan nakitang nakahandusay ang katawan ng biktima. He examined the railings. Bahagyang napaarko ang kanyang kilay. Scratches. Halatang bago pa ang mga ito. He was in the middle of inspection when his phone suddenly ring.

“Kumusta Stephen. Found anything yet?” tanong ng boses sa kabilang linya.

He twisted the device back. “Still under investigation.” May pag-aalinlangan niyang sagot. Alam niyang krimen ang pagsisinungaling sa isang superintendent pero hindi pa ito ang oras para mag-report ng kung ano mang haka-haka. He still needs evidence. Napasulyap siya sa mga marka sa nasabing railings. The victim might hesitate to jump at the first place. Kung tumalon ito, bakit nagkaroon pa ng marka sa railings? Free na free naman itong tumalon. Wala rin namang nakitang suicide instruments ang mga pulis gaya ng lubid na pwedeng mag-iwan ng ganoong marka. He narrowed his eyes. Something might be going on in this University. If he was not mistaken, it was murder not suicide.

“Bakit natahimik ka?”

Napansin na siguro ng kausap niya ang kanyang sudden reticence. Agad naman siyang sumagot. “Wala naman. It was just something.”

Narinig niya ang slight na pagtawa nito. “Oo na. Sanay na kami sa’yo. Anyway, who was it again?”

“Nathaniel Gray. Isang senior and he was currently taking architectural course,” he replied and shove his hand into his pocket as he look around his perimeter. “Namatay siya approximately 10: 45 last night. Suicide as they say.” Which he absolutely doubt.

“Suicide number twenty,” the voice said and smirked. “Tricky incident. Well, just notify me if anything happen, all right?” The line dropped dead with a beep. Napabuntong hininga si Stephen and place his thumb on his chin habang matamang pinagmamasdan ang mga marka sa railings. Something in here was odd. He took his phone and slid his finger for some shots.

***

Nakatanaw sa labas ng bintana ng kanilang classroom si Paige, resting a hand beneath her chin. Ang suicide story ni Nathaniel Gray ang major controversial