Chapter 12

(THE CONTINUATION)

Xyrica’s POV:

Medyo may distansya sa pagitan namin ni mister Steinfeld kasi nauna siyang maglakad kesa sa amin ni mister Demsford. Ilang minuto na kaming naglalakad at hindi man lang sinabi ni mister Steinfeld kung saan kami pupunta at kung ano gagawin namin. Basta ang sinabi niya lang kanina ay sumama kami sa kanya.

“Where do you think are we going?” Pabulong kong tanong kay mister Demsford. Sinigurado ko lang na kaming dalawa lang ang makakarinig ng pinag-uusapan namin.

“Sa tingin ko sa field. Kadalasan kasi sa mga estudyanteng hindi nakapasok pero gustong-gusto talaga, kagaya mo, ay mabibigyan ng pagkakataong mapatunayan ang sarili. Kapag nakapasa ka sa test nila ay pwede nilang bawiin ang desisyong i-reject ka pero kung hindi… wala na talagang pag-asa,” pabulong na sagot ni mister Demsford.

Bigla akong kinabahan kasi isang pagkakataon lang ang kailangan ko para mapapayag sila at hindi ako pwedeng magkamali.

“Is your school as dramatic as this?” Pabulong ko ulit na tanong sa kanya.

I mean, hindi lang naman siguro ako ang nag-iisip ng ganito diba? May title naman ako dahil sa racing tsaka mayaman naman ako pero hindi pa rin ako natanggap kasi wala akong mga magulang. Ang arte masyado at hindi naman siguro ganito ang pamamalakad ng mga magulang ko noon.

“I told you my former school was way better than this,” pabulong at natatawang sabi ni mister Demsford sa akin.

I rolled my eyes then muttered, “Whatever.”

“We are almost there,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

-

Tama nga ang sinabi ni mister Demsford at nasa field kami. Medyo kakaunti nalang ang tao kung ikukumpara kanina siguro ay natutulog na.

“What are we doing here?” Tanong ko kay mister Steinfeld.

“Let’s just say I’m doing you a favor… to experience what it feels like to become one of us. You will play two games where my colleagues and I will evaluate your skills and abilities, we will judge you fairly according to your score. Do you understand?” Sabi ni mister Steinfeld sa akin.

I nodded but I can’t help myself but asked, “Can we at least do this in the morning or in the afternoon? Ang ibig kong sabihin ay bakit ako lang mag-isa ang magkakaroon ng test habang si mister Demsford ay magpapahinga?”

“That’s the reason why we wanted to have a background check, miss Dela Vega. Ang mga applicants na gaya ni mister Demsford ay hindi na mahihirapan sa mga ganitong bagay kasi alam na namin ang pinagmulan nila. Hindi mahihirapan ang mga kagaya ni mister Demsford para mag-adjust kasi lumaki itong may karanasan galing sa mga magulang nila,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

I almost rolled my eyes. Buti nalang at pinigilan ko ang sarili ko at sinabing, “But I think it needs practice and experience to be good at what you’re doing. Hindi naman tayo pwedeng umasa na dahil lang magaling ang mga magulang ay magaling na rin ang anak. Competence is not hereditary.”

“Sir, you need to forgive her. I think she’s cranky because she lacks of sleep,” sabi ni mister Demsford at tinitigan ako.

“I did not say anything wrong, mister Demsford. You’re just lucky because you got in easily,” sabi ko.

“He’s not just lucky. He earned his way up here because he is from the Azuma-Demsford clan. Top two in the World Trading Industries and top three wealthiest clan in the world. They own a lot of businesses around the world and he was top student in Gang-Ku-Fia Academy. Why would our academy reject a student who’s got it all?” Sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

Tumingin ako kay mister Demsford at sinabing, “Well, nobody mentioned that you’re wealthy. Lucky for you because they think you got it all.”

Lumapit si mister Demsfordat tinapik ang balikat ko sabay sabing, “I didn’t tell you because it’s not important. My parents are doing the job and not me.”

“What I said was a crucial information and your girlfriend didn’t know about it?” Nagtatakang tanong ni mister Steinfeld.

“He’s not my boyfriend. Why would be anyone’s girlfriend?” Sabi ko at umiwas ng tingin sa kanilang dalawa.

Great, this guy is rich but he’s was tolerating me and my temper. Humingi pa ako ng tulong sa kanya tapos nasampal ko pa siya kanina at ang sasabihin niya lang ay ang mga magulang niya ang mayaman at hindi siya.

Mister Steinfeld laughed a little bit and said, “If I were you, I’ll keep her. Madalas lang ang mga babaeng palaban. Well, not here in Gangster Academy kasi lahat ng babae rito ay palaban.”

“Gusto sanang itanong kung anong test ang gagawin ko?” Sabi ko para maiba ang usapan.

“I’m still waiting for my colleagues while the students here will prepare all the things you will need. You will play two games that will showcase how flexible can you be,” sagot ni mister Steinfeld.

Hindi ko alam kung paano pero hindi ko naman siya nakita o narinig man lang na may kausap kanina kaya paano niya nasabihan ang iba tungkol sa test na gagawin ko?

“What is the first game, sir?” Tanong ni mister Demsford.

“It would be archery,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

Hinila ako ni mister Demsford papalayo kay mister Steinfeld tapos tinanong, “Marunong ka bang mag-archery?”

I shrugged and he almost went pale.

“You don’t know how to play archery?” Tanong niya sa akin, ramdam ko ang kaba niya kaya napatawa ako.

“You need to chill. How hard can it be?” Sabi ko nalang sa kanya.

Sa totoo lang, marunong naman ako pero hindi ko sinasabing magaling ako.

“How can you say that with confidence? Okay lang ba sa iyo na ma-reject sa pangalawang beses?” Nag-aalalang tanong niya.

“Just trust me, okay? I will do my best,” sabi ko sa kanya.

I didn’t lie when said it to him because I can’t waste my time anymore and I won’t let this test stop me.

“Do you want me to take your place? I’m really good at it,” sabi ni mister Demsford.

I rolled my eyes then said, “Shut it. I know you’re not trying to brag but it feels like you are.”

“I’m sorry. I just want you to ge in,” sabi ni mister Demsford.

“I know they wouldn’t go easy on me just because I’m a nobody to them. I think that by being a nobody is their reason why they wouldn’t go easy on me so they wouldn’t have to let me in,” sabi ko.

-

Halos tatlumpung minuto naming hinintay ang mga kasamahan ni mister Steinfeld bago makapagsimula. Limang tao kasi ang hinintay namin ng opponent ko kaya may oras pa akong obserbahan siya at ang paligid.

“Places everyone,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

“Good luck,” sabi nitong opponent ko.

I believe her last name is Reilly or maybe Findlay? I forgot. She’s way taller than me with a pretty auburn-colored hair. I think this girl is a natural red-head from Scotland. By looking at her posture while fully-equipped, she must be an expert.

“I don’t need one,” pasimpleng sabi ko sa kanya.

“You only need one shot and the first game will be over,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

Nauna si red-head kaya pinagmamasdan ko lang ang bawat galaw at bawat hininga niya. Hindi ko alam nararamdaman kong may mali sa ginagawa niya pero syempre aatupagin ko muna ang sarili ko.

She aimed her arrow and released it after waiting for the signal. The distance between us and the target is seventy meters because we’re basing the Olympics but something is wrong about what she was doing, siguro matatamaan niya lang ang eight or nine.

Then a man ran towards the target the shouted, “Nine!”

I smirked then mumbled, “It’s your loss for going easy on me,”

It was my turn, I relaxed and imagined myself aiming for my ultimate goal. Hindi ko ginaya si red-head kasi may mali sa ginawa niya kanina, hindi ko lang talaga alam kung ano. I released the arrow after hearing the signal then waited for the man to say my score.

“Ten! It’s a ten!” Sabi ng lalaki.

Tumingin ako kay red-head at nakakatawang tignan ang mukha niya parang naiinis na hindi makapaniwalang natalo ko siya. Hindi niya dapat ako maniliit porke’t baguhan ako, alam kong alam nila na na-reject ang application kasi kung hindi ay hindi na sana ako naglalaro ng ganito.

Naglakad si red-head papalit sa akin at sinabing, “Beginner’s luck.”

I just smiled and said, “We’ll see about that.”

“You did it, you passed the first test!” Masayang sabi ni mister Demsford.

“I told you I will do my best,” sabi ko at ibinigay ang bow sa kanya.

“I thought you said you’re not great in playing archery?” Tanong ni mister Demsford.

“I’m not but right now, it feels like my body remembers how to play it. Nakapaglaro na ako noon ng archery kasama sina Michiaki kaya alam kong marunong ako pero hindi ako magaling. I don’t know what happened earlier but I’m glad things are working on my way,” sabi ko kay mister Demsford at tinanggal ang suot kong equipment.

“Congratulations on passing the first test and I just want to inform you that the next and last game will be The Survival,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld na kakalapit lang sa akin.

“Dean Steinfeld, don’t you think it’s dangerous for an applicant to play that game?” Tanong ng isang babae na kakalapit lang din sa amin.

“Bakit gising ka pa?” Tanong ni mister Steinfeld sa babae.

“Bakit nga ba? Halos ang test na ito ang laman ng groupchats namin kaya narito ako,” sabi ng babae.

“I’m sorry. This is Van Zheaney Jung-Ludwig and she is the academy’s top one,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld sa amin.

Mister Demsford shook hands with her and introduced himself while I just smiled at her. Hindi ko na inabala ang sarili ko na makipagkilala kasi hindi naman siya ang makakatulong sa akin dito.

“Why didn’t you tell us about this?” Tanong ulit ni Van kay mister Steinfeld.

“Why should we? Hindi naman namin kailangang sabihin sa inyo ang lahat ng gusto naming gawin sa paaralan na ito,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

“Pero alam mong delikado ang larong iyon. Nangako kayong ititigil ng paaralan ang larong iyon pero bakit ninyo gagamitin ang laro para sa kanila?” Sabi ni Van na ang tono ay nasasaktan.

I think they’ve got some issue that needs to be resolve here. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nakaraan ng babaeng ito pero parang nagmamakaawa na siya kay mister Steinfeld dahil sa isang laro. Halata naman na walang alam si mister Demsford sa laro kasi wala naman akong reaksyon na natanggap sa kanya hindi katulad ni miss Ludwig.

“Mister Steinfeld, why is she saying that the game is dangerous?” Tanong ko.

“Why don’t we talk about this later? Let’s not be rude and let her finish her test first,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld kay miss Ludwig at umalis naman ito. Tumingin si mister Steinfeld sa amin at sinagot ang tanong ko, “For the last game, we want you to choose your opponents. The first option is that you will fight against one robot. The robots were designed to be the deadliest robots there is. The second option is that you will fight fifty boys and fifty girls at the same time. All of the students are from

top A,

one to three. It means that their abilities are about two-thirds of one robot.”

“Mister Steinfeld, don’t you think it’s too much? She’s a girl and she can’t fight them all at once,” sabi ni mister Demsford.

Para lang akong walang narinig galing kay mister Demsford at sinabi kay mister Steinfeld ang desisyon ko, “I’ll pick the robot.”

“Miss Dela Vega, no. You should think about it carefully,” nag-aalalang sabi ni mister Demsford.

“I’ve made up my mind, mister Demsford. I want to win,” sabi ko.

“Rushing your decision will not guarantee you to win. Think about it carefully,” pabulong niyang sabi sa akin.

Hindi na ako nagsalita at tinignan lang si mister Steinfeld. Hinihintay ko kung ano ang susunod na gagawin para makapaghanda dahil kahit anong pagpupumilit pa ang gawin ni mister Demsford ay hindi na magbabago ang isip ko. Gusto kong patunayan sa kanila na karapat-dapat akong maging estudyante sa paaralang ito kahit wala akong mga magulang.

“Come with me and I’ll take you to our fighting room,” sabi ni mister Steinfeld.

It sounds fancy pero hindi na siguro bago sa kanila kasi malaki naman ang paaralang ito. Nakakamangha kasi may room talaga para sa mga ganyan.

“I hope you’re prepared for it,” sabi ng isang boses babae.

Napalingon ako pero wala namang tao bukod kay mister Demsford. Wala naman sigurong multo rito kaya hindi na ako mag-iisip sa ganyang bagay at paghahandaan nalang ang laban.

Ilang minuto rin ang nilakad namin papasok sa isang building at nagulat ako sa sinabing ‘fighting room’ ni mister Steinfeld kasi ang lawak at puno lahat ang upuan.

“Holy crap,” I mumbled, “What kind of trouble am I up to?”