[Jow Ylliard Hayle]
"A ghost? Are you losing it?" Clay snapped, brows furrowed in disbelief. "You've been acting off lately—now you're telling me there's some haunting on campus?"
We were alone in the clubroom.
Just the two of us hanging out.
"I'm serious. I saw her. A girl in a white dress. She walked past me in the hallway. I swear I froze, like getting hit by a freeze spell in Clash of Clans. I watched her go up the stairs... to the rooftop."
Clay yanked my hair. "You're spiraling from the breakup, bro. You seriously need to chill."
"I don't need a break. I'm over it. I don’t care anymore."
"Weh?"
I pulled her hand away from my head.
"I'm telling you, what I saw was real. There’s really a girl roaming around. This is the Supernatural Club—we have abilities, don’t we? Why not investigate it? Maybe we could even ask the ghost about that mysterious old man."
She raised her eyebrows at me, one after the other.
Damn. What a waste of talent.
"You go ahead. If someone sees us, they’ll think we’re crazy." She slumped into a chair with a dramatic huff. "Besides, are you really that brave? The fanboys will come for your head if they find out we're hanging out like this. Lyndon’s barely surviving as it is, and that's just because Maryam’s in this club too."
I pushed myself off the tiled floor, brushing imaginary dust from my shirt.
Damn this popularity circus.
I started walking toward the door.
"Fine. I’ll investigate on my own."
I glanced back at her.
She was staring at me, and for a moment, I caught a strange look on her face—was that... concern?
I scratched the back of my head, unsure of what to say.
"Clay, listen... What I saw was real. And maybe... maybe it’s not just strings I can see. Maybe I can see ghosts too."
Then I left the clubroom.
I headed straight to the rooftop.
*Get ready, you creepy ghost. I skipped class just to find you!*
---
I waited. And waited...
The bell rang. Morning classes were over. It was lunchtime.
I pulled out my phone and opened Facebook.
A message popped up.
It was from Clay.
> Wait, weren’t we just together in the clubroom? What the hell?<
I read her message and rolled my eyes.
(*Ugh, Jow! Are you sleep-deprived or just plain stupid? You ruined the competition I set up—to see who’d message first. And now it’s me! I lost to myself! How annoying!*)
> Same here! You’re such a clown!<
I told her I was on the rooftop. To my surprise, she was still online and replied instantly.
(*Good luck finding that ghost.*)
I didn’t reply. Just left her on “seen.”
Minutes passed. Boredom settled in.
I took out my lunchbox and started eating.
I had barely taken a few bites when I heard heavy footsteps echoing up the stairs to the rooftop.
I froze, spoon halfway to my mouth.
Then I saw her.
The same girl in the white dress.
The ghost I saw before.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake it off.
But no, she was there. Right in front of me.
She stomped toward the rooftop railing, clearly annoyed, and gave it a frustrated kick.
"This is so annoying! That Sandugo guy is such a pain to hang out with!!" she shouted.
Sandugo?
I stood up, cautious but curious, and stepped closer.
That name… it was the same one as that guy I met on the bridge.
"Hey. Who’s Sandugo? Are you a student here? Why aren’t you wearing a uniform?"
The girl turned to me. Her eyes widened in shock, jaw slack.
“Y-You can see me?” she stammered, voice trembling.
“Obviously. Are you a ghost or what?”
She backed away slowly, disbelief etched on her face.
“This can’t be happening…”
When she turned to run, I instinctively grabbed her wrist.
And then I saw it.
A black string of fate trailing from her hand—just like that guy’s.
“You... your string of destiny is black.”
She slapped me. Hard.
And when I didn’t let go, she kneed me in the stomach.
I collapsed, hands clutching my gut.
"You..."
She bolted.
I could only groan in pain as her footsteps faded.
Who was that girl?
And those strings… she had two.
One tied to her right pinky, the other to her left. Both jet-black.
Pain exploded in my head, sharp and blinding. My eyes started to burn. My vision blurred.
I didn’t know what possessed me, but I opened Facebook and messaged Clay.
I told her to come to the rooftop.
I didn’t even get to read her reply—my vision was already fading, my phone screen stained with tears mixed with blood.
My sight went completely dark. My eyes throbbed in agony, like they were being yanked deeper into my skull.
---
I fumbled for my face towel and felt around for my phone on the ground. I tried wiping the blood off the screen.
Heat radiated from my eyes.
My breathing quickened. I couldn’t control it.
Panic rose like a wave.
I wasn’t used to this.
I was scared. Scared of going blind. Scared of never seeing the broken, ugly, beautiful world my parents gave me—a world still full of color.
"Jow\... oh my god, it’s real!!"
Clay’s panicked voice rang out as the sharp clacking of her heeled shoes rushed across the rooftop.
“You okay?” she asked, kneeling beside me, grabbing my phone and towel. “Here, let me...”
“You came?”
“I did. Jow, your eyes... there’s so much blood.”
“It’s a lot, huh? I told you. This already happened once before.”
I could hear her panting, the clatter of her heels echoing in the silence.
“What are you doing with your shoes?”
“You can’t see me, but I’m squatting and stomping my foot. I’m trying to calm down, okay? I’ve never seen anything like this before. Want me to take you to the clinic?”
I shook my head.
“It’ll pass.” I chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because I bet your face right now is priceless!”
She smacked me lightly on the head.
“Ow! That hurt!”
“Sorry. But damn, you’re seriously crazy. I was actually worried about your eyes, you idiot!”
“It’ll stop soon. I’ll see again.” I leaned back on the tiles.
“Don’t sunbathe like that, baka lumala pa. Let’s go sit in the shade—come on, I’ll help you.”
“No thanks. And by the way... don’t you have class?”
“Why would I leave you here like this? I’m cutting.”
“Sorry…”
“You should be! Next time you show up to the clubroom, bring me those sweet anchovies.”
“Huh? What’s that?”
“You know, the anchovies wrapped in sweet cheese or whatever? They’re red?”
“Why that? And where the heck am I supposed to find it?”
“Then let’s look for it together.”
“Okay.”
She helped me to the shaded benches.
“Yuck, you didn’t finish your food and just left it there?”
I laughed under my breath. “I’ll clean it up later.”
She guided me to lie down on the bench.
“Clay... you should go. I’ll be fine here.”
“No.”
“Go. I’ll explain later. About everything that happened.”
She wiped my face gently with the towel, then slipped my phone into my pocket.
“I’ll stay here for a bit…”
“But—”
> What’s this? This isn’t the usual weird, playful Clay...<
“Alright then… take your time, Madam President.”
“Thanks.”
> This woman’s sitting right beside me on the bench. And she just spat on my face while talking!!<
I yawned.
Sleep tugged at me fast.
To be continued.