20: Initiation Day 4

The Initiation Day finally came. It was truly a festive day. Halos excited ang lahat na pumunta ng Grey Academy. They even dressed up going into school.

Except for Emy. Light color ang dress niya ngayon at napakasimple lang. She also just let her hair loose. After all, she had a mission to do and had to look normal today in order for her to not caught any attention.

She even had a huge hat na kapares ng dress niya. It could cover her face well kaya hindi muna niya ito isinuot ngayon dahil kailangan muna niyang harapin ang pamilya niya.

"Akala ko matatagalan ka na naman eh." Sabi ni Franco kay Emy ng pumasok na ito sa great hall. Gaya noon, batok na naman ang inabot niya mula sa Mama niya.

"Are you okay, Emy?" Alalang tanong ni Feng.

"Opo."

"Don't be too nervous later ha. Kayang kaya mo naman gawin kung ano man ang mapili mong topic eh."

"Thank you po."

"Sayang nga at hindi ako ang top student ng Level Three. Kung saka sakali, magvvolunteer na ako para makalaban mo. That way, hindi ka masyadong mapahiya kapag natalo kita."

Emy rolled her eyes. "That's why you are not at the top."

Nagtawanan naman ang mag-asawa ng marinig nila ang retort ni Emy sa anak. They were secretly happy dahil close na close na ang dalawa. Noong una kasi ay akala nila magiging awkward si Franco kay Emy dahil hindi ito sanay na may babae sa bahay maliban kay Feng at sa mga maid.

Pero tingnan mo naman siya ngayon. Balita pa nga nila ay nakikipagdate na ito.

"Franco, suportahan mo ang pinsan mo ha. Hindi yung puro babae ang iniisip mo." Tukso ni Francis sa anak na agad na ikinapula ng tenga nito.

"Anong babae?"

"Di ba, nakipagdate ka kay Lucy nung isang araw?" Dagdag pa ni Emy.

"Hindi nga sabi date yun. I just treated her to lunch para sayo."

Emy shrugged but she had this expression na nagsasabing 'whatever-I-don't-believe-you-anyway'.

Ngali ngali niyang inakbayan ang dalaga saka niyakap ang leeg nito. Bigla naman siyang hinampas ni Feng ng pamaypay.

"Franco, I told you many times. Stop doing that to Emy."

Agad naman niyang binitawan ang dalaga.

"Tch, pasalamat ka..."

Emy just sneered at him.

Napailing lang siya bago ay napangiti.

"Tara na nga."

"Aalis na po kami."

Hinatid ng mag-asawa sa may carriage si Emy kasama ang mga maidservants niya. Gaya naman ng dati, Franco rode his horse.

***

The moment the five of them rode the carriage, Emy's plan had started.

Grace immediately went into action. Tinulungan naman siya ni Anika na makapagpalit ng damit. She just wore an easy to change clothes today gaya na rin ng utos sa kanya ni Emy.

Sila Lia at Veronica naman ang tumulong kay Emy para makapagpalit din.

They did that silently and swiftly na wala man lang nakapansin sa ginagawa nila mula sa labas.

Matapos makapagpalit ay inayos na ni Grace ang make up niya. The four just watched her in awe. Even doing her own make up, gamay na gamay ni Grace.

"You're beautiful, Grace." Di napigilang sabihin ni Veronica.

"I can't be more beautiful than our Miss, of course."

Emy softly laughed. "Just accept the praise, Grace. You are indeed beautiful."

"Thank you, Miss."

She smiled at her maidservant saka niya isinuot dito yung sumbrero. Grace was surprised but she let Emy does as she wishes.

"Ayan..."

Si Emy naman ngayon ang tumingin sa salamin. The make up Grace did to her today was just very light. But she was still unsatisfied for having it.

"I need to remove my make up."

***

Hindi pa nakakababa ng kabayo niya si Franco ay nakababa na agad si Emy sa carriage. Suot na rin nito ang malaki niyang sumbrero. She must be really excited.

Napailing na lang siya saka bumaba na din. Nakita naman niya na nilapitan ni Lucy si Emy saka ikinawit nito ang braso sa pinsan niya.

"Hi..." Bati niya dito.

"Hello." Nahihiya pang ganting bati ni Lucy. "Pinatatabi ko sa akin si Emy."

"That's fine. Baka mailang lang siya kung sa amin siya tatabi."

"Then we're going first."

Yun lang at umalis na agad sila. Nangunot ang noo niya kay Emy. Ni hindi man lang siya tiningnan nito para magpaalam. Tch. Talaga yung pinsan niya na iyon. Nakakita lang ng kaibigan ay nakalimutan na siya.

Napailing siya at pinuntahan na ang mga kaibigan niya.

***

"Where is she?" Bulong ni Lucy kay Grace.

"She's with Lia."

"Will she be okay?"

Grace smiled at Lucy. "Yes, M-, I mean Lucy."

"Okay. I guess we just have to wait for her.

Naupo silang magkatabi. Habang sila Anika at Veronica naman ay tumayo sa malapit sa kanila.

***

Nang sumapit ang isang oras ay nagpaalam si Grace na magbbanyo lang. Agad naman siyang sinamahan ni Veronica.

Isang oras ang binigay ni Emy sa kanila bago magpunta sa banyo kung saan sila ulit magpapalitan ng damit. Kaya naman nagmadali talaga sila para makapunta doon.

Agad na pumasok sa isang cubicle si Grace saka naghubad na.

Maya maya lang din ay dumating na si Emy. Quickly as she could, nagpalit siya ng damit. Then Grace put her make up.

"You know where you are going to stay, right?" Emy asked her.

"Yes, Miss."

"You did well, Grace. It's now time for Lia to make her move."

Agad silang bumalik sa multi-purpose hall and waited.

***

"Emerald Hans..."

That was the name of the next transferee na sasalang sa initiation ng Level Three.

Diana sighed. Kanina pa siya nandoon sa stage. Yes, she was one of the top students ng Level Three. Kung hindi nga lang siya nirequired ng teacher niya, hindi siya pupunta.

Mas may mahalaga pa siyang bagay na dapat gawin kesa dito.

"I'd like to do chess."

Napatingala si Diana when she heard the transferee said that.

Siya ang magtetest para sa chess kaya naman nacurious siya sa kung sinoman ang pumili sa kanya. So far kasi, chess ang pinakamahirap sa pagpipilian. Bukod pa doon, these people who were also "top" students as her pale in comparison to her intelligence.

Anyway, the new students could choose between Qin, Painting, Poetry or Chess. At madalas ay yung unang tatlo ang pinipili nila.

"I am a talentless person po kasi kaya magchchess na lang ako." She heard the girl said nang tanungin siya nung teacher kung sure ba siya.

Napangisi na lang sa sarili niya si Diana. She said "magchchess na lang..." The girl must have thought na kaya niya si Diana.

Well, if that was the case, then might as well she entertained herself with this girl.

She watched as the girl slowly made her way up to the platform kung nasaan siya. Napakunot nga ng bahagya ang noo niya. The girl was graceful. Sa kabila ng normal na damit na suot nito ay nagagawa pa rin nitong makakuha ng mga mata upang tumitig sa kanya.

"Senior..." The girl acknowledged her ng makarating sa harap niya.

Agad namang nagsetup ng malaking chess board ang mga staffs upang doon ipakita sa mga manonood ang laro ng dalawa. It was a magnetic board at ganun din ang mga chess pieces. Dahil paumpisa pa lamang ang kanilang laban, all of the chess pieces on that large chess board were on standard positions, reflecting the one in front of the two ladies.

Diana just nodded at her saka pumwesto na. Ganun din naman ang ginawa ng dalaga. Soon enough, they were already facing each other.

Emy chose the white pieces as she knew na palaging black pieces ang kinukuha ni Diana. Both of them put their pieces on the board.

"White begins first." Sabi nung magiging tagabantay nila na teacher.

Immediately, Emy started her move.

***

"What is she doing?"

"She could have chosen Painting instead. Kahit paano, she will be saved kahit stickman lang ang gawin niya."

People around them sneered and ridiculed Emy. She was losing badly. Halos kakaumpisa pa lang nila but half of her pieces were already taken down by Diana.

Veronica, however, felt like she needed to defend her Miss. But Anika just held her arm.

"Don't do anything reckless now. Miss won't appreciate if you do."

"But..."

Anika smiled at her. "What are our Miss' hobbies?"

Nangunot ang tanong ni Veronica sa tanong ni Anika. But she answered her anyway. "Reading books, sword fighting and... playing chess."

Saka lang niya na realize kung anong ibig ipahiwatig ni Anika. The latter gave her a smile saka tumango. Siya naman ay napayapa saka bumalik sa tabi ni Anika. They both watched their Miss.