As Thalia entered the classroom, even from the doorway, she could clearly hear the laughter, chatting, and arguments of her classmates. She just sighed.
She was still in junior high school. Thalia is already in grade 10 and is about to move up to senior high school. She studies hard for her family.
She quietly entered their classroom and sat in her proper seat. She scratched the back of her neck because their classroom was so noisy early in the morning. Thalia studies at a private school, which is why she is so determined to finish her studies, because she didn't just enter any ordinary school; the tuition here is expensive.
She wonders about her sibling and why she is being sent to this school where she is now. It's enough for her that she is studying in a public school.
Sigh! Only an exclamation in her mind.
"You're already here, Thalia!" She immediately greeted her with a slap on her arm. She looked at it.
"Ruth, good morning." She greeted her.
"Good morning, Thalia," she greeted her warmly.
Ruth immediately sat beside her.
"I heard we're going to have a camping trip." Ruth told her.
"Where?" She asked her companion.
"Over there where two bodies were found a few months ago? Are you talking about the siblings who were killed? Our camping trip is close to there." This is what Ruth said.
Thalia glanced at Ruth, possibly in jest. "Oh?" That's far from here, right?" She asked her companion.
Ruth only nodded at her. "But not too far; I can hear it." She approached her as if to whisper.
"I heard that the two siblings are haunting that place, right where they were killed." Ruth added.
Thalia raised her eyebrow when she looked at Ruth. She gauged whether she was joking with her or being serious about what she was saying.
She was about to answer when their adviser entered, carrying a piece of paper. So, all the students fell silent; the two of them also quieted down.
Their teacher looked at them first. Their teacher is a man, and he's good-looking too. She knew that Ruth had a crush on their adviser, so Thalia nudged Ruth back then.
Their adviser just smiled at them. She heard some of her female classmates giggling.
"Good morning, class." He greeted them.
"Good morning, Teacher Jake."
"Please, take a seat…" He said to them.
"Here is the permission from your parents before going to our camping next week. Please ensure that your parents or legal guardian have signed it. Please also write down the phone number of your parents or guardian." While this is busy obtaining their parents' consent.
She is praying that her brother won't allow her to go; she doesn't want to join because they can't afford the expenses of the camping trip either.
"Remind you, students. It's compulsory." The teacher emphasized the word compulsory to the students.
Thalia just sighed and hid the parents' consent that his adviser handed her. It seems her mind is saying that something unusual will happen on the camping trip. She's not afraid of ghosts; she trusts his natural instinct more.
Until now, she doesn't know how to tell her older brother about their camping trip. Thalia knows the behavior of her older brother. Whenever a parent consent is shown, he immediately agrees and signs right away.
Thalia didn't realize that she had already reached their house. The siblings grew up living a simple life. They were completely orphaned; the only one supporting them was their older brother, who had many side jobs to lift them up and ensure they could eat three times a day.
"Oh, you're here already. Tata." It was said that they are preparing their meal again tonight.
"Yes, I will." She immediately greeted her brother Felix.
"Is there a problem?" He asked her, immediately noticing her worried face.
"Ah, nothing." She only just sighed at that time.
"What is that sigh of yours? Do you have a problem with your studies?" Thalia is being asked about his sibling.
Thalia immediately obtained the parents' consent. "We have a camping trip next week." She said, honestly, to her older brother.
"Then?" He asked her while taking the parents' consent from her hand.
"Brother, that camping trip is too expensive." She immediately said.
His brow furrowed. "If that is part of your studies, I will probably allow it, no matter how expensive it is." He said.
"Brother, you're not just sending me to school. Even if it's Sister Jenny, she probably has many bills to pay right now because their midterms are almost over." Thalia was trying to convince her sibling.
Felix just laughed at Thalia. "I've already paid your older sister's tuition, right? Next, you'll probably suggest saving for your youngest sibling's education as well. Well, I have already saved some for that, too. You know, Thalia, you shouldn't be worrying like that." Her older brother said to her.
"Brother, why don't you just give that to yourself? Because you only focus on us." Thalia just scratched her head while talking to her sibling.
He just laughed at her. "There, I've finished signing your parental consent form." This is what he said.
"Study hard; the only thing I can share with you is education. Even though I didn't finish my studies, what's important is that you all graduated." He said it with a big smile on his face.
"Oh, come on, get dressed, because when your sibling arrives, we're going to eat now."
Thalia didn't argue with her sibling anymore; she didn't know how they managed to budget their needs as siblings. Her brother has taken on many jobs; even though he didn't finish his studies, he is resourceful in life. If she thinks about it, her older brother is already in his late twenties; if their parents hadn't passed away, his situation would probably be much better now.
"Thalia, by the way, where is your camping trip?" He suddenly asked her.
"Oh, far away, brother. Close to the crime where those two sisters were killed." She said.
Her brother just nodded and thought. Thalia still hopes that the tide of this decision will change and she won't be included.
"I'll just call you when your sister gets here." Her brother said, and she only nodded.