Condition
Avery's Point of View
Tyler and Edward pushed forward with the next part of the plan, and to my disbelief, it involved me once again. This time, ang role ko? Apparently, I'm the "pain."
Literal.
I was the bait. A distraction. The so-called trigger that would push Tyron and Elliot to finally put their pride aside and reconcile.
Honestly, I wasn't sold on the idea. I told them countless times, over and over, na wala naman talagang gusto sa akin sina Tyron at Elliot. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit lagi nilang pinipilit na ako ang "core issue" sa gulo ng dalawa. Ang sabi pa nila, kahit daw bulag, makikita ang tensyon. That even if I denied it, the truth was already written on their faces whenever I was around.
So, here I am, playing along.
Pero habang ginagawa ko ito, may parte sa akin na kumakalam ang loob. A strange heaviness that gnawed at me quietly. I don't know how long I can keep pretending. Kasi sa bawat sulyap ko kay Elliot, sa bawat pagtama ng tingin ko kay Tyron... I saw something I couldn't ignore. Eyes searching for answers. Hearts wounded, fragile, and restless.
They were hurting.
And the irony? I was hurting, too.
Pero kung ito lang ang paraan para matapos na ang bangayan, if enduring this role means reconciliation for them, then I'll do it. Kahit pa pakiramdam ko ay unti-unti akong nauupos, parang kandilang pinapatay ng sariling liwanag.
The truth? Hindi ko nga alam ang buong plano nina Tyler at Edward. They kept the details vague, maybe to keep me from overthinking, or maybe to protect me. Basta ang task ko lang ay magpatuloy sa pagpapanggap. Act cold. Stay detached. Treat them as if they didn't matter.
It sounded simple. But in reality, it was suffocating.
As I walked through the university hallway, tahimik ang paligid. The late afternoon sun slanted through the tall windows, casting golden stripes on the polished floor. The place was almost deserted as most of the students had already gone home or were scattered around the campus gardens. Only my footsteps echoed softly against the walls.
At first, I thought nothing of it. But soon, I felt it, eyes on my back. 'Yung pakiramdam na may nakatingin, even when you don't want to admit it. No big deal, I told myself. Maybe someone just happened to glance my way.
But as the seconds ticked, the sensation grew heavier, sharper. Like a weight pressing down on me. The air felt colder. My skin prickled. And then... I heard it. Footsteps.
My pulse quickened. Napabilis ang lakad ko, clutching my bag closer to my chest. Pero kasabay ng pagbilis ko, mas naging malinaw, mas naging distinct ang mga yabag na sumusunod. The rhythm was undeniable, like a shadow syncing with my every move. That was when panic truly started to set in.
I turned the corner and spotted a man standing at the far end of the hallway. He looked older, maybe a student or maybe not but I couldn't tell. Relief rushed through me like water. Finally, someone, a person na maaaring matulungan ako sa kung sino man ang humahabol saakin.
"Help!" I cried out, my voice trembling, chest heaving from the sudden rush of fear. I sprinted toward him, desperate to reach safety, to feel that I wasn't alone in this empty corridor.
But when I was just a few feet away, the man smiled. And to my horror, he lifted his hand only to exchange a casual high-five with the figure that had been following me all along.
My stomach dropped.
"Wait—what the hell are you doing?!" I screamed, backing away. My voice cracked, filled with panic.
The one wearing the cap and mask didn't answer with words. He only gave me a thin, almost mocking smile. And before I could turn or even catch my breath, his gloved hand clamped over my mouth.
The sharp sting of chemicals hit me instantly. A bitter, suffocating scent that burned the back of my throat. My body jerked in resistance, but my strength quickly began to fade.
"Shh. This is from Mr. ₩," the man muttered, his voice low and distorted.
I tried to fight, kicking, clawing, anything para lang manlaban but he shoved something small and heavy into the pocket of my jacket. I couldn't even reach for it. My limbs grew weaker, my vision blurred, my mind a swirling fog of confusion and terror.
Darkness crept at the edges of my sight, pulling me down. But before it consumed me completely, I felt it. The frantic pounding of my own heart.
And it wasn't just fear.
No... there was something else.
A sting of betrayal? A flicker of realization that maybe, just maybe, this was the price of pretending too much?
I couldn't tell anymore. All I knew was the sound of my heartbeat echoing, loud, desperate, and breaking until everything went black.
Elliot's Point of View
I was slouched in my chair, pretending to read notes I didn't even understand. Pero sa totoo lang, my mind was miles away, stuck on what Tyler and Edward had told me earlier that Avery had conditions. If we wanted her back in the dorm, if we wanted her to stay in our circle, then something had to change.
Specifically, ako at si Tyron.
"Hindi nga ako makapaniwala," bulong ko sa sarili ko, running a hand through my hair. "Of all things, kami pa ang magiging dahilan kung bakit siya mawawala."
The words replayed in my head like an annoying echo. Edward said Avery was serious. Na kapag hindi kami nagbago ni Tyron, kapag hindi kami kahit papaano nagkasundo, Avery wouldn't just walk away temporarily. She would walk out completely.
"No way," I muttered under my breath. It wasn't just denial; it was stubbornness. Hindi pa nga ako nakaka-recover sa lahat ng nangyari between us, tapos bigla na lang may condition na ganito? Ang bilis. Parang wala man lang breathing room.
And right on cue, dumating si Tyron. Nakasimangot, as usual. If looks could kill, I'd probably be a dead man by now.
"Antayin niyong pumuti ang uwak bago ako makipagbati r'yan," he spat, glaring at me like I personally ruined his entire life.
I clenched my jaw. Every nerve in me wanted to snap back, to tell him na siya rin naman ang may kasalanan. Pero bago pa ako makabuka ng bibig, Edward cut in.
"Seriously, anong mahirap sa inyong dalawa? You were friends," Edward said, voice firm. Kita sa mukha niya na pagod na siya sa kakasalo ng tensyon naming dalawa. "Kung hindi kayo magbabati, good luck explaining to Avery kung bakit tuluyan na siyang aalis."
And that shut me up.
Silence filled the room. Heavy, suffocating silence. Tyron didn't talk. I didn't talk. But deep inside, Edward's words dug straight through me.
Because he was right.
Ayokong mawala si Avery. Not again. She already left once, at ramdam ko pa rin 'yung kirot ng pagkawala niya. 'Yung pagpasok sa dorm at walang ngiti niya. 'Yung mga umagang wala akong marinig na pang-aasar niya. Nakakabaliw. The thought that she could walk away again this time, for good terrified me more than I was willing to admit.
I glanced at Tyron. He looked the same na quiet, brooding, but his fists were clenched. And I realized, as much as I hated to admit it, natatakot din siya. We were both scared of the same thing.
"Kung ayaw niyo pa rin, may plano kami ni Tyler," Edward continued, his tone more convincing now. "Acting lang. Hindi niyo kailangang maging best friends ulit. Just enough para hindi na siya mag-walkout sa buhay natin."
Acting and... pretending?
Childish, I thought. But maybe that's what we needed. Hindi ba't halos lahat ng ginagawa ko lately ay isang malaking acting game? Acting like I don't care. Acting like Avery doesn't matter. Acting like Tyron doesn't get under my skin.
Napatingin si Tyron kay Edward, then finally said, "I'm in."
I stared at him for a second, gauging kung seryoso ba siya o nananadya lang. But his eyes didn't waver. He meant it.
My face stayed neutral, pero inside, my thoughts were racing. This was it. No more hiding behind excuses. No more pride. If I wanted Avery to stay, I had to swallow my ego even just a little.
"Fine," I said flatly. "I'll do it. Just this once."
Tyler and Edward exchanged quick, victorious smiles, like they had just won a raffle. Para silang mga batang nakahanap ng panibagong laruan.
Then, Tyron stepped closer to me and extended his hand.
"May the best man win," he said, voice steady, almost challenging.
I looked at his hand for a moment. A part of me wanted to swat it away, pero hindi na pwede. I reached out and shook it.
"I'm not here to compete," I answered, firm. "I'm here to take back what's mine."
His eyes flickered, a mixture of irritation and amusement. But he didn't let go. His grip was iron, and mine matched it.
"Uyy, handshake! Bati na sila!" Edward's voice cut through, full of mock excitement.
"Gusto mo yakapin mo na rin, Elliot!" Tyler teased, laughing like this was some kind of comedy show.
I rolled my eyes, but a short laugh escaped me anyway. "Tangina niyo. Sige, basta sa leeg," I said, shaking my head. For a split second, the tension cracked.
And maybe... just maybe... this could work.
Pero habang nakahawak pa rin ang kamay ko kay Tyron, isang tanong ang hindi ko matanggal sa isip ko.
Were we really doing this for Avery? Or was I doing this for myself because I couldn't stand the thought of losing her?
My phone vibrated against the desk, a sharp buzz that sliced through the silence of the classroom. Unknown number. I frowned, hesitant. Sino na naman 'to? Spam? Wrong number? But something in my gut twisted. Something told me to answer.
"Hello?" My voice came out harsher than I intended.
"If you want her alive, go to the rooftop. Bilisan mo. Or she falls."
Click.
The line went dead.
For a second, my brain couldn't process. Alive? Rooftop? Falls? My heart skipped a beat. No, it crashed. Every word replayed in my mind like a slow echo. If you want her alive... That meant Avery. Sino pa ba? And that last word... falls. God. Were they saying she's literally one wrong step away from death?
"Shit." I shot up from my seat, chair scraping violently across the floor. My chest tightened. My body moved before my brain caught up. Panic wasn't even the right word anymore because this was pure terror.
Edward and Tyler looked up, startled, then narrowed their eyes at me. Tyron raised a brow. All of them must've seen it. My pale face, my clenched jaw, the storm brewing in my eyes.
"Bro, what—" Edward started, but I didn't even wait. I bolted out the door.
They followed.
Each step down the hallway felt like a hammer slamming on concrete. My breathing came fast, shallow. I wanted to run faster, but no matter how hard I pushed my legs, it felt like the rooftop was miles away. My mind wouldn't stop racing.
Who was that voice? Lalake siya, kalmado, pero puno ng lamig. Parang walang emosyon. Parang sanay magsabi ng ganong banta. What if it wasn't a bluff? What if Avery really was up there, helpless?
I cursed under my breath. I thought about her, the sarcastic tone she used whenever she teased us, the way her laughter filled the room, the stubborn tilt of her chin whenever she was trying to act unbothered. And now, I was being told she could be gone in seconds.
Not again. Hindi na pwedeng maulit.
Finally, we burst through the door to the rooftop. The sunlight hit me hard, but my eyes found her immediately.
Avery.
She was there lying at the edge, wrists bound, body dangerously close to the ledge. One wrong move, and gravity would win. Her chest rose and fell faintly. She was awake, but weak, like she had been drugged. My heart dropped into my stomach.
Beside her sat a man wearing a mask and cap. Face completely hidden. Too calm. Like he had all the time in the world.
"Who the hell are you?!" I yelled, anger and fear colliding in my throat. "Let her go!"
The man turned his head slightly, and his voice came smooth, steady. "Shhh. Wala ka sa posisyon para magtanong."
Shhh? My fists curled. Who the hell says shhh when someone's life is literally on the line? That single word felt like a slap. Hindi siya nagmamadali. Hindi siya kinakabahan. Which scared me even more. Because only people who know they're in control act like that.
He continued, "May mensahe si Mr. ₩. Basahin mo 'yung nasa bulsa ng princess ninyo."
Princess.
The word hit like acid. My blood boiled. Princess ninyo? Was he mocking her? Mocking us? Or was that how their so-called "Mr. ₩" referred to her?
And the pocket... what the hell did he put there? Notes? Threats? A bomb? My mind spun with possibilities. Too many. Each darker than the last.
"Anong trip mo, ha?!" Tyron barked, his voice shaking with fury. His eyes were bloodshot, fists trembling.
I glanced sideways at him, and I knew we were both ready to fight. Ready to risk everything.
Meanwhile, Edward and Tyler crouched closer to Avery, trying to figure out if they could untie her without tipping her off the ledge. Every movement they made was careful, calculated.
Then the masked man spoke again. Calm. Almost entertained. "Hindi niyo ako kilala. Pero makikilala niyo ako... Soon."
His tone froze me.
Hindi niyo ako kilala... pero makikilala niyo ako.
That meant he was planning more. Hindi ito one-time stunt. This wasn't random. This was a prelude.
And "soon"—God, that word rattled me. When? Tomorrow? Next week? Was Avery the only target, or were all of us included?
Something inside me snapped. Enough of his cryptic bullshit. My fists moved before I could stop them. I lunged, punching him square across the jaw. The impact echoed.
"Para kay Avery, 'yan," I spat, shoving him back. My entire body shook from adrenaline.
But he didn't fight back. He didn't even fall. He just chuckled, low and mocking.
Then he said the words that lodged like knives in my ribs:
"Tama 'yan, Elliot. Galit... magandang simula 'yan sa kaguluhang paparating."
Galit.
My mind stuttered. Was he provoking me? Using my anger as fuel for something bigger? Was this his plan all along to make me reckless?
Kaguluhan.
What kind of chaos? A fight? A scandal? Something much worse? My chest burned with a sickening mix of fury and dread.
And then... he said my name.
Elliot.
Which meant he knew me. He knew who I was. He wasn't just some random psycho. He was watching. He had been watching.
I spun toward Avery, desperate to block out his voice, desperate to focus on what mattered.
But when I looked—
She was gone.
"Shit—Avery!" My voice cracked, raw with panic.
The space where she had been seconds ago was empty.
Empty.
Like she had been erased.
The rooftop tilted. My vision blurred. My heartbeat pounded so loud it drowned out everything else.
"No, no, no," I whispered, stumbling forward. "Not again. Please, not her. Not Avery."
For the first time in years, I felt a pure, unfiltered helplessness. And it gutted me.
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