Chapter 19 — Viral
AUDREY hesitantly stepped out of their car when she noticed that many students were passing by the gate. She looked at her wristwatch; it was still early. She should have entered much earlier, so there were a few students only. But she overslept and wouldn’t get up if her mother did not knock on her room. Audrey heaved a sigh as she watched her unfamiliar schoolmates walked back and forth of the road.
“Aren’t you going to go inside, Miss Audrey?” Her driver asked awkwardly.
Audrey looked at him. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror, and the man looked away with a jolt as if it startled him. Audrey wondered why the old man acted like this whenever he drove her to school, just like she wondered why she still had a driver to get her to school at the age of twenty.
She leaned back in her seat. “I don’t want to get out now. There’s a lot of people there,” she said shyly with a sigh. “I don’t want to cause trouble—” She paused and looked again at the man. “Sir Tonio, can I ask you a question?”
The man hesitantly looked at her in the rearview. “Sure. What is it, Ma’am?”
“May I know why Palma resigned as my nanny?” she asked, hoping she could get answers from him because he was the husband. “I asked mom last night, but she didn’t give an exact answer.”
When Audrey asked her mom if the reason her former nanny resigned was because she hurt her, her mom didn’t answer. She immediately changed the subject and even told her to go to her room and have a rest. Just like what she’s always telling her whenever she’s asking about her dad. With Audrey’s unanswered questions, her curiosity to know the truth about her childhood is getting stronger. For every avoided question, awkward stares, and startled reactions she’s getting not only from her mother but from all the people surrounding her, the small voice inside her head asking for the answers was getting louder and more straightforward.
“M-My wife resigned because…” The old man hesitated. “Because she’s getting older and wanted to take care of our children.”
Audrey’s brows furrowed, making the driver swallowed hard as if scared of her. Audrey started to question why he was afraid of her? Has he seen Althea? How come? Althea came out from her just recently, unless…”
“Sir Tonio, can you please be honest with me?” she asked, trying to sound soft and persuasive. “I forgot a lot of things in my childhood. That’s why I’m asking about Palma.”
“I can’t give you the answers, Ma’am Audrey,” the old man answered. “I have no idea too why she suddenly went home, saying that she has resigned in your family as a nanny.”
“Is that so?” Audrey blew her breath. “Can I speak with her? Can I get Palma’s number?”
The man looked at her; the shock was all over his face. “H-her number?”
Audrey nodded. “Why? She also doesn’t want to talk to me?”
The man took out her phone and showed her Palma’s number. “She’s a bit busy with the house chores and taking care of the children; I’m not sure if she can meet you—”
“I’ll visit her one of these days,” she cut off and smiled. “Thanks for this, Sir Tonio. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Audrey got out of the vehicle and walked towards the school’s entrance with her head low. But she could still feel that all eyes were on her. Audrey has a feeling that this might be about the commotion yesterday. Justin told her that there were many students at the arcade when Althea attacked the woman that approached them and pissed her off. Audrey is starting to get nervous as the crowd begins to gather around her and blocking her way.
“Oh, look who’s here?” said the woman and stood in front of her. “Hey, kiddo. I didn’t know that you were also a student here at Stateson University.”
Audrey looked at the woman. She’s not familiar with her. “E-Excuse me, I’ve got classes—”
“She’s stuttering, girl,” the other girl next to the woman interrupted. “She seemed like a coward rabbit now because she’s alone.”
The students around them laughed at her. Audrey felt embarrassed, and she didn’t like what she was starting to feel now. She looked around, hoping she could see Rose or Justin, but she didn’t. Audrey heaved a sigh and put in her EarPods. Before the woman spoke again, she continued walking.
“Hey, don’t you dare walk out on me,” the woman shouted and followed her. “Do you think I’ll just let you pass after flirting with my boyfriend?”
Audrey didn’t know what she was talking about, but she pretended that she can’t hear them. She went straight to the toilet and stepped inside on one of the cubicles. Audrey thought they would stop her, but she was wrong. The woman that blocked her shouted inside the toilet, startling the other students inside.
“Hey, bitch! I know you’re there,” she said slowly. Her voice sounded creepy, but what’s more dreadful is the persona that would get out of her consciousness if they didn’t stop her.
Audrey leaned on the wall and silently wished them to stop before Althea awakened. “Please, leave me alone!”
“Leave you alone?” the woman asked. “Okay, but not until I get even to you.”
“Whatever I did to you, I-I’m—” Audrey paused and hesitated to continue. It wasn’t her this woman encountered, why would she say sorry. ‘J-Just leave me alone—Ah!”
The woman splashed water on her. “That’s just first, bitch!” Then she threw dirty rugs inside the cubicle where she’s in. “That’s what you deserve for stealing Justin.”
Audrey heard laughter from outside. She doesn’t know why this woman is accusing her of stealing Justin…wait for a second. Is she Justin’s rumored girlfriend? Before Audrey could answer her question, they splashed water again at her. This time the water was dirty.
“Please, stop!” Audrey cried as she begged for them to stop. “Please…”
“Audrey?”
Audrey stopped crying and looked at the shut door. Is that Justin?
“Audrey, it’s me, Justin,” he said, followed by knocks. “What did you do to her?”
A smile of relief formed on Audrey’s lips when she confirmed that it was Justin. But she doesn’t want him to see her like this. “J-Justin…?” She slowly opened the door of the cubicle and peeked outside. As soon as she saw the man, her tears streamed down her cheeks. “Justin…”