Chapter XXXI: The Best Friend
A bespectacled man walks through the pristine hallways of a newly built school, the sound of his footsteps echoing lightly against the polished tiles. The sign outside the main gate had read: Colegio de San Agustin. This isn't the same Colegio Metropolitana de San Pablo where he once studied. Instead, this institution, located in the adjacent town of San Agustin, near Ciudad Fernandina, has become his new academic home.
As he strides forward, students and faculty members greet him warmly. Some call him by name, others simply nod in respect. Adrian Pascual acknowledges them with polite smiles, adjusting his glasses as he navigates his way to the chapel.
A sudden rush of memories floods his mind. A flashback pulls him back to his junior high school years at Colegio Metropolitana de San Pablo—the days when he first met Bennett.
The classroom is lively with chatter and the shuffling of papers. Seated at the far end of the room, Adrian flips through a book, momentarily distracted by the loud clicking of a mechanical keyboard. He looks up and sees a boy, intensely focused on the screen of his laptop, his fingers darting across the keys as if in a race against time.
"Gaming enthusiast?" Adrian muses aloud.
The boy looks up, slightly startled. A moment passes before he grins.
"Yeah. Name's Bennett."
From that moment on, their friendship takes root. It starts with casual conversations about games but quickly deepens into a shared dedication to their faith. They find themselves serving together at the church—first as altar servers, then as choir members. During Mass, Bennett would often take his place at the organ, his fingers dancing over the keys while Adrian lent his voice to the hymns. When they weren't performing, Adrian would assist him in various tasks, strengthening their bond through their shared devotion.
Even during their toughest moments, they had each other. Adrian vividly remembers the days when Bennett was weighed down by depression. He had been there, offering support, pulling him out of the darkness. And then, there was Liz.
At first, Adrian had been skeptical. Liz was different from the girls Bennett had been close to before—fiery, impulsive, and materialistic. But over time, he saw how much Bennett cared for her. He saw how his friend changed, how his eyes shone whenever he spoke about her. Eventually, Adrian found himself supporting their relationship, hopeful that Liz would truly bring out the best in Bennett.
And then, one day, everything shattered.
Bennett vanished.
One moment, he was there, laughing, planning for the future. The next, he was gone. No traces, no messages, no explanations.
Adrian tried everything—calling his parents, reaching out to friends, even asking the church members. But there was nothing. The void left by Bennett's disappearance gnawed at him, a relentless mystery that refused to be solved.
The flashback fades, and Adrian finds himself standing before the school chapel's altar. He exhales heavily, staring at the flickering candles. In his right hand, he holds a cup of coffee, its warmth barely comforting against the cold weight in his chest.
"God," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper, "help me find him."
That night, Adrian falls into a deep slumber. And then, he dreams.
A thick fog surrounds him. Adrian's heartbeat quickens as he turns, trying to find something—anything—that makes sense in the endless mist. Then, as if responding to his silent plea, the fog begins to swirl.
Golden streaks of light carve intricate patterns in the mist, forming a recognizable emblem—the Augustinian swirl. A shadowy figure emerges, its presence both overwhelming and serene. The light brightens, forcing Adrian to squint as he takes a hesitant step forward.
"Who are you?" he asks, his voice steady despite his unease.
The figure shifts, morphing into a ball of flame, then reshaping itself into a burning heart. As the flames subside, a bearded man stands before Adrian, donned in a bishop's mitre and holding a crozier. The realization dawns upon him instantly.
"Saint Augustine of Hippo?" Adrian breathes.
The saint regards him with kind yet piercing eyes.
"Do not be afraid," he says, his voice both gentle and commanding.
"I may not be the saint of the missing, but do not fear, for I will shed light on the one you seek."
The moment the words leave his lips, his form blazes once more before vanishing into the void.
The fog dissipates, revealing a new setting. Adrian immediately recognizes it—it's Bennett's room. The familiar shelves lined with books and music sheets, the slightly ajar closet, the soft glow of the lamp on the nightstand.
And then, with a simple snap, Bennett appears.
Adrian stares in disbelief before breaking into a chuckle.
"Dude, you look like a Force ghost from Star Wars."
Bennett smirks.
"Not exactly the comparison I was going for."
Adrian's laughter fades as he takes a step closer.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Bennett exhales, shaking his head.
"I wish I could explain everything now, but you'll understand soon."
"That's not an answer," Adrian insists.
Bennett places a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.
"They'll find me. And you're going to help."
Adrian frowns.
"Who's 'they'?"
Bennett grins.
"She whose heart's on fire, determined and lovely as I admire, with a company blessed to be with her, whose change has gone far as better."
Adrian blinks.
"Okay, you're sounding cryptic now."
Bennett chuckles.
"You'll figure it out. Just wait for a notification"
There's a brief silence before Adrian smirks, extending his fist.
"You better not be leading me on a wild goose chase, man."
Bennett meets his fist with his own, the familiar gesture bridging the gap between them. "Trust me, it'll all make sense soon."
As the dream begins to fade, Adrian holds onto those words, his mind racing with possibilities.
When he wakes, he knows one thing for certain—he is going to find Bennett. No matter what it takes.
At the Colegio Metropolitana de San Pablo, Liz walks into the classroom with Wyn by her side, both ready to tackle another day of lessons. The chatter of students fills the room as they settle into their seats. Liz stretches her arms and lets out a small sigh, glancing at Wyn, who nudges her playfully.
"Another day, another lesson to survive," Wyn jokes.
Liz smirks.
"At least we're in this together."
Their first few subjects go by in a blur, but when they reach their Religion class, their teacher introduces an interactive activity: "Think, Pair, Share." Each student must pair up, discuss the given topic, and then present their thoughts to the class.
"Find your partners!" the teacher announces.
Liz and Wyn exchange a look before pointing at each other.
"I guess we're stuck with each other," Wyn teases.
"Lucky me," Liz replies with a grin.
Their assigned topic is "Sin."
"Wow. Heavy topic," Wyn remarks, twirling her pen between her fingers.
Liz nods. "Yeah. Where do we even start?"
Wyn goes first, sharing a minor personal experience.
"Well, one time, I lied to my parents about where I was going. It wasn't anything serious, but still, it was a lie." She shrugs. "They found out eventually, and I felt guilty about it."
Liz listens intently before taking a deep breath.
"Mine's a bit... different." She pauses, gathering her thoughts. "Back when I met Bennett, I told him I had a lot of brothers and sisters, and that my dad was this wealthy guy who was ten years younger than my mom. I made up this whole story about my family."
Wyn raises an eyebrow.
"Whoa. Did he believe you?"
Liz shakes her head.
"No. He figured it out almost immediately. But what got to me was that he didn't react. He just let it slide, like it didn't matter."
Wyn tilts her head, intrigued.
"Maybe he knew you had your reasons for saying that."
Liz shrugs. "Maybe. But I still felt bad about it."
Their discussion continues until it's time to share their insights with the class. Once the activity concludes, the teacher dismisses them for the day.
As Liz and Wyn pack their things, a sudden voice echoes in Liz's ear.
"My best friend will lead you. Ask him."
Liz freezes, her heart pounding. She glances around, but the classroom is nearly empty.
Wyn notices her expression.
"Hey, you okay?"
Liz nods slowly.
"Did you... hear that?"
Wyn furrows her brows.
"Hear what?"
Liz swallows hard.
"A voice. It said, 'My best friend will lead you. Ask him.'"
Wyn's eyes widen slightly.
"That's... eerie. But also kind of helpful? Maybe whoever it is wants you to reach out to someone."
Liz exhales, trying to steady herself.
"Yeah. But who?"
Wyn taps her chin thoughtfully.
"If we assume it's about Bennett, then maybe it's someone close to him. His best friend, maybe?"
Liz nods slowly, pulling out her phone.
"It's worth a shot." She quickly types out a message, unsure of what to expect.
Meanwhile, across town, Adrian's phone vibrates. He picks it up and sees the notification. As he reads the message, his eyes widen in realization.
He chuckles softly, shaking his head.
"Oh, Bennett, you sly dog," he murmurs. "It was her all along." He quickly types a response.
Liz's phone buzzes. She and Wyn huddle over the screen.
"I am the one he said I am. I will guide you both. Don't worry, let's help each other find him."
Liz exhales sharply, exchanging a look with Wyn.
"Well," Wyn says, "this just got interesting."