Kabanata 4:The Weakest Section

Cassy's Point of View

THE moment I entered this room is the moment I knew this is the punishment I get from all the bad things I have done in my whole life. Well, technically, I hate being around with people, but I am still expecting na marami-rami ang classmates ko, kasi iyon naman ang expected normal setting ng school.

"Good morning!" a girl with blonde hair tied into pigtails, energetically greeted while waving with a big smile plastered on her face.

"Morning," I responded before I took the very last seat, which is far from them.

"Why are you sitting there?" tanong ng isa pang babae. She has this long wavy black hair. Her voice's too soft. So Angelic. "Sit beside us."

"Oo nga. Huwag kang mahiya, tayong lima lang dito, oy!" segunda ng lalaking may kahabaang kulay kapeng buhok na itinali niya.

"Tama. Ikaw ang fifth honor, haha! O, 'di ba, ga-graduate tayong may honor lahat!" the guy with a white hair, cheerfully said. His bangs are almost covering his eyeglasses.

"I'll sit here," malamig kong sambit. "I hate noisy creatures."

"Naks, naman, ang sungit ni ateng!" the white-haired guy said, dahilan para magtawanan silang lahat. "May dalaw, may dalaw?"

I stared at them blankly. I opened my hands in front if them and showed them how a small purple ball of force surrounded by black threads of lightning appeared. "I am serious. Don't irk the hell out of me or I'll destroy this building."

I expected them to get scared, but they just laughed. The two girls went near me with smiles on their faces. I looked away. I hate those kind of smiles.

"I'm Sapphire Clause," the girl with pigtailed hair said.

"And I am Alleyn Nightkiss." The girl with the black wavy hair extended her arms. "You are?"

I just stared at her hand and ignored what she said. Bahala siya sa buhay niya.

"Baka gusto niyang magpakilala rin kami!" the white-haired guy, speculated. "I am Evagne Articcus."

"Yo, I am Cristof Ebony," the man with a chocolate hair, said.

"Aren't you going to accept Alleyn's hand and tell us your name?" Evagne asked.

Damn. I hate it when people are looking at me with expectations. They seemed to be not scared of what I showed them, which is an insult. Tiningnan ko si Alleyn at napaiwas ako ng tingin nang matamis siyang ngumiti. Damn this! Damn!

"Cassy Aguilar, twenty," I answered without shaking hands with her.

Ibinaba niya ang kamay niya saka ngumiti. "We are all in the same age."

"Nice meeting you, Cassy!" they exclaimed in chorus while extending their hands in the air and shaking it.

"Tsk," I responded.

Nagsitawanan lang sila sa inasal ko. Biglang lumapit sa akin si Sapphire at hinila ako palapit sa kanila. Hindi na ako nakapalag pa nang hinila na rin ako ni Alleyn, pero nabigla ako nang may imaheng lumitaw sa isipan ko the moment she held my hand. Pero kaagad din itong nawala. Hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin. I just sighed in defeat bago ako umupo sa gitna nilang dalawa. Sa likod namin ay sina Evagne at Cristof.

Mabuti na lang talaga at dumating na ang instructor namin sa Advance Alchemy at tumigil na sila sa pangungulit sa akin.

"That's Miss Elvy, an Alchemist," bulong ni Sapphire. "She's good."

Hindi ko na siya pinansin, dahil pinapakinggan ko ang sinasabi ni Miss Elvy. She's teaching us how to turn mettals into gold. "But, please remember that using this method for your own advantage is considered a violation. You may get punished by the authorities of Maho Concilium," she reminded.

Hours passed swiftly, and I did nothing but to ignore Evagne and Sapphire who keep on talking and talking. Alleyn and Cristof on the other hand, are listing the importang things that Miss Elvy said during the lecture.

"On our next meeting, I will let you conduct an experiment. Please spend a lot of time studying the method I presented. Nakasalalay ang grades niyo roon," she said as she bid goodbye.

Nang makalabas si Miss Elvy ay biglang tumili si Sapphire dahilan para magulat ako. "Break time na! Tara na sa cafeteria!"

Nagsitayuan na sila. Alleyn and Cristof brought their notebooks with them while Sapphire and Evagne brought nothing but their money.

"Aren't you coming, Cassy?" Alleyn asked.

"Why should I?"

Napangiti na lang sila bago umiling. Nagkatinginan si Sapphire at Evagne bago lumapit sa akin at hinila ako. "Sama ka na sa amin, fifth honor! Malungkot ang mag-isa!"

Saglit akong natigilan sa sinabi ni Evagne. No, he is wrong. Masayang mag-isa. It's peaceful and quiet. Wala ka ring inaalalang iba. It's the best thing in the world. Really.

"See? Sasama ka rin pala," nakangiting sabi ni Cristof.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko bago tumigil sa paglalakad. What the heck am I doing? Why are my feet walking on their own without me knowing?

"She's blushing! Cute!" untag ni Sapphire bago pinisil ang pisngi ko. "Ang cute mong mamula, Cassy!"

"Nangangamatis na ang mukha niya," segunda naman ni Evagne.

"Tigilan n'yo na 'yan. Hindi n'yo ba nahahalata? Cassy's feeling a bit awkward now," awat sa kanila ni Alleyn.

Bit awkward? What the hell is she talking about? I am completely feeling awkward here. I am not comfortable with this!

"You're too noisy. It's irritating," komento ko bago naglakad mag-isa.

"Sungit talaga ni fifth honor!" saad ni Evagne at nagtawanan silang lahat.

"Hayaan n'yo na. She'll give in soon. Nag-a-adjust pa lang ang tao. Maybe she's not good in socializing. Intindihin na lang natin," pagpapaliwanag ni Cristof.

Hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin at tiningnan ang mapa sa likod ng prospectus ko. Now, where's the cafeteria? Hmmm.

I SAT down at the farthest corner of the cafeteria. I can't believe its this big. It's an oval room with the counter put in the middle under the big luxurious chandelier. The cooks and crews are mixed normalis and worker elves. I chose the table behind the big pillar, para maitago ko ang sarili ko. I don't know why, but this has been my habit ever since.

I stared at their mouthwatering blueberry cake and freshly squeezed orange juice. Time to dig in! I was about to eat when I heard some familiar voices. Oh crap!

"Cassy!" tawag sa akin ni Sapphire. "There she is, guys!"

Lumapit sila sa akin nang nakangiti at hindi na nagtanong pa kung puwede bang umupo. Inilapag nila ang pagkaing binili nila, and I'm surprised that we bought the same kind of food and drink.

"Matchy, matchy!" Sapphire giggled.

"I'm glad that you reserved seats for us," sambit ni Alleyn.

"This has always been our table ever since," Evagne said but in a low-tone voice. Why the hell his energy suddenly dropped low?

"Yeah. Imagine, guys, it's been three years since we all met, well except for Cassy. At sa three years na iyon ay wala pa rin tayong improvement! Last sem na lang at mukhang ga-graduate tayong pagtatawanan," masiglang sambit ni Sapphire, but I can feel her sadness.

"What do you mean?" Hindi ko na napigilang magtanong. "No improvement, why?"

"Noong first year namin as collegium, marami pa kami. We are thirty in the copper section. But as the finals of the first semester came, nabawasan kami. Most of our classmates managed to move up. At hanggang sa matapos ang buong taon ng pagiging first year students namin, everyone, except the four of us moved up," kuwento ni Cristof. I even saw how sad his eyes were. "At kaming apat na lang talaga ang natirs. Solid hanggang ngayong huling taon namin sa collegium."

"Bakit hindi kayo naka-move up?"

"We are the weakest of the weakest. We fail all the time during exams, both intellectual and physical exams. We have difficulties in absorbing the magic particles in the air , too, causing us to be unable to wield our mana," Alleyn answered.

I somehow felt sad. Sa academy kasing ito ay kahit na bagsak ang isang estudyante ay hindi ito pinapa-back subject. They should move up whether they like it or not, para iyong mga susunod na batch naman ang maturuan ng subject na iyon. In a simple manner, it's either you graduate strong and full of learnings or graduate weak with no improvements.

"You're not weak. You just need practice," saad ko dahilan para mapatawa sila.

"Nako, iyan ang palaging sinasabi sa amin ng instructors namin!" natatawang sambit ni Evagne. "Parang sirang plaka na 'yan sa pandinig namin."

"Yeah. At isa pa, sanay na kami. We are considered as the weakest of the weakest and the laughing stocks of everyone," untag ni Sapphire.

"What do you mean by laughing stocks?"

Hindi na nakasagot si Sapphire dahil bigla na lang siyang namutla. Ganoon na rin ang tatlo. And they were are looking at the same direction-at my back.

I turned around and saw a group of three students with arrogant looks on their faces. "Well, well, what do we have here? A new laughing stock, ey?"

I grinned when I smelled excitement. Damn, this will be fun.

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