Panimula

MC.

"Em‚ may plano ka bang sumali doon sa sinabi nilang quiz bee?"

Napatingin ako kay Aspen. Kasalukuyan kaming nasa library at nag-aaral. Libro ang inaaral ko habang ang kanya ay pagkain‚ si Sienna naman ay pogi ata ang snack.

In front of our school library was a basketball court for our basketball players. At kasalukuyang may naglalaro ngayon kaya todo ngiti at tili si Sienna.

"Alin doon?" I asked her. I flipped the pages of my super thick science book. "Hindi ba kayo magre-review? May test daw."

"Nah‚ si Azi na ang bahala sa akin." Komento ni Sienna. She was smiling to herself as she looked at the basketball players who were currently playing on the court.

Malayo ang mga ito sa library ngunit kita naman dahil open ang space. Though‚ I don't even think that matters‚ basta lamang nakikita niya ang mga iyan ay sapat na para kay Sienna.

"Number 28‚ my bebe." Sabi niya pa.

I saw how Aspen's eyes disagreed with her. "Paanong si Azi na ang bahala sa'yo bobita ka?"

Kung gaano kasaya ang mga mata ni Sienna habang tumitingin sa mga players‚ nang bumaling ang tingin niya kay Aspen ay bored ang ekspresyon ng mga ito. See the difference?

"Boba ka ba? Syempre‚ kapag naging mag-asawa na kami‚ siya na ang bubuhay sa akin! Bahala nang may line of 8 basta may number 28!"

She giggled like a little kid.

May pa-suntok pa siya sa ere at tili kaya sinaway siya ng ibang estudyante, sinaway na rin namin siya bago pa man siya patalsikin ng librarian. Napanguso siyang umayos ng upo.

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa basketball court‚ andoon nga si Aziel. Vice captain ng basketball team. Hindi ko siya masyadong tanaw dahil napapalibutan ng babae ang court.

Wala bang ibang gagawin ang mga estudyanteng iyan at tambay lang sila?

"Bakit nga ba baliw kayo d'yan?" Aspen asked‚ I nodded because that was also a question of mine.

"Duh?" Sienna waved her hands at us in an annoyed way.

"Hindi ba maayos ang mga mata ninyo? Kailangan niya nang magpatingin!" She exclaimed at tinuro ang players. "Just look at that! Pogi‚ matalino‚ mayaman—ano pa bang kailangan? They're literally the dream of every girls."

"I get it‚ he's good. But the point is‚ kailangan pa talagang isa-isahin?" I defended and rolled my eyes.

It's not like our lives depends on them.

Although, I can't blame Sienna or say anything bad about how she looks at men as her inspiration. As much as how she loves to have crushes on men, I can relate, because the amount of her love for them was the amount of love I can give to books. Iba-iba nga lang ang hilig namin pero alam kong parehas kami ng nararamdaman sa mga bahay na iyon.

"Sabagay, inspirasyon ko rin naman si Mingyu." I whispered.

Sienna smirked.

"Meriah!" Someone called before we could even continue our talk. Nang tumingin ako sa pintuan ng library ay nandoon si Lev‚ our Student Council Vice President. Sinuway pa siya ng librarian sa biglaan niyang pagsigaw kaya mabilis siyang humingi ng paumanhin dito bago lumapit sa amin.

"Bakit?"

"Pinapatawag ka sa office. You heard about the upcoming quiz bee?" Lev wiggles his eyebrows.

"We were talking about it‚ may umepal lang." Aspen snorted‚ hindi ko alam kung si Sienna o si Lev ang ibig niyang sabihin.

Bumagsak ang balikat ko‚ "I still have some exams to take—"

"Exempted ka na daw agad‚" he cut me off. Hindi na ako nagulat pa.

Aspen beside me whistled. "Dadami na naman ang haters mo rito‚ bes. Exempted ka na naman sa exam."

Natawa kami. I was hated by other students dahil kadalasan ay exempted ako sa exam. I was the representative of some school contests‚ that's why. And they still find that unfair. Akala nila ay sila lamang ay naghihirap sa exams habang ako, I take the easy way to participate in that small contest just so I can't take the exam.

Tse‚ inaaral ko na nga ang ibang lessons para sa mga contests na iyan kahit hindi pa talaga isasali. And they still say I'm being selfish to accept all of those contests para lamang hindi ako makasali sa exam?

Well, forgive me. But I prefer taking exams than participating on quiz bees. Alam ba nila kung gaano kahirap ang mag-aral ng ikaw lang mag-isa? Kung hindi lang talaga nasanay ang mga teachers na ako ang inilalaban ay hindi naman talaga ako sumasali.

Self-studying also isn't a joke. Ang hirap kaya.

"Tara na?" Wala akong nagawa kun'di ang sumama kay Lev papuntang office.

I was busy overthinking things so I didn't realize we had reached the office. Basta na lang pumasok si Lev sa office nang hindi man lang kumakatok‚ and I just think those were SSG Council's privileges.

"Meriah's here‚" he announced. I bowed my head the moment I saw my teachers and our school Principal. Pagkatapos akong ihatid ay nagpaalam siya na may gagawin pa rin daw kaya iniwan niya lang akong mag-isa kasama ang iilang teachers namin.

"Ma'am Victoria‚ as you have known‚ this is Meriah Mendoza‚ one of the school's top student." My adviser introduced me to the Principal and the teachers.

I was feeling so awkward‚ my introvert side was kicking in but I managed to smile at them.

"I've heard of her. Magaling kang bata‚ iha." Miss Hattie‚ our english teacher smiled at me.

I thanked her happily.

Nanatili ako roon ng ilang minuto‚ they were explaining the basics of the contest to me. I've did these before kaya hindi na ako masyadong nahirapan.

There was still pressure‚ though. Hindi naman iyon mawawala. Saka, alam ko kung gaano kalaking tulong sa grades ko kapag sumali ako sa mga ganito. So since I am already competing for grades, might as well win it.

At kahit naman sinasabi ng iba na magaling ako, na kaya kong manalo sa mga ganitong klaseng paligsahan ay hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang kaba.

"Oh, right. You'll be working with one of our dean's lister." Principal Victoria stated. My thoughts flew away as I looked at her with questioning eyes.

This was the first time that they've ever gave me someone to work with. At hindi ko naman maipagkakaila na excited ako dahil gusto ko rin maranasan ang pakiramdam na may kasamang kabahan sa quiz bee.

Napatingin siya sa may pintuan‚ "And'yan na ba si Mr. Galvez?"

"Po?" Galvez was Azi's surname. Although‚ hindi lang naman siya ang Galvez dito‚ but he was the only Galvez na dean's lister‚ as far as I would know. Saka, hindi naman masyadong kilala ang iba pa niyang ka-apilyedo dahil pangalan naman niya ang palaging tumutunog kapag Galvez ang pinag-uusapan.

My guts weren't wrong. Azi entered the room with a small towel in his hands‚ drying his hair. Mukha lang siyang nasa bahay‚ he wasn't even wearing a school uniform. If I wasn't wrong, he had just finished playing basketball at pagkatapos ay dumiretso rito.

"Hey‚" he greeted. Mukha pa siyang nagulat nang makita ako‚ pero agad ding nakabawi.

"What's up?"

I was a bit shocked because he was talking so casually with the teachers. Ganito ba kapag isang athlete na dean's lister? Wow, the privilege.

"Kayo ni Ms. Mendoza ang ilalaban namin para sa quiz bee. You've heard of this‚ right?"

Napatigil siya, hindi ko alam kung namamalikmata lang ako ngunit dumaan panandalian ang saya at pananabik sa kanyang mga mata. "Sure—what date? I have an upcoming game this month. I'm not sure if I can participate."

I can see his passion for basketball was really that huge. Mahal na mahal niya ang sport. Of course, he wouldn't make it to the varsity if he didn't worked so hard.

"Don't worry‚ we've adjusted your schedule." Our teachers gave him assurance. "Hindi magiging sagabal sa paglalaro mo ang quiz bee na ito. Saka, this will last two weeks of studying with each other. We're sure that won't take all of your time."

"Oh‚ okay." He threw a glance at me and smiled at Principal Victoria. "I'm in."

Saglit kaming pinaupo para pagsabihan kung ano ang mga dapat asahan sa magaganap na quiz bee. As I've said, I've done this so many times already kaya't hindi na naging mahirap sa 'kin ang umintindi sa mga paliwanag nila. Miss Hattie also said that she will provide us some reviewers, puntahan nalang daw namin sa office niya.

"You should've said you don't want to‚" sabi ko habang naglalakad.

Azi who was walking beside me stopped. After the long explanation and briefing para sa quiz bee‚ the teachers had finally dismissed us.

Hindi ko nga lang alam kung bakit siya sumabay sa akin.

Not to mention‚ magkaiba naman kami ng building dahil magkaiba ang strand namin. I was taking HUMSS, as a dream of being a Lawyer soon. And if I can remember it, nasabi ni Sienna na STEM ang kinuha niya.

"Why? I thought you need to enter such competitions?" He asked. Nasa bulsa ng pants niya ang dalawang kamay.

I raised a brow at him‚ "Saan mo naman nalaman 'yan?"

He shrugged. Wala naman siyang matinong sagot.

I sighed. "I want to take our exams." I told him.

As much as it would be better not to‚ mas gusto ko pa din. Saka, nakakasawa na ring marinig ang mga hanash ng mga kaklase ko.

As much as possible, I wanted to show them that I am also capable of doing what we're supposed to do without taking the easy way.

Nakakainis dahil palagi lang silang may nasasabi sa tuwing nakikita nilang may nakamit na naman akong achievement.

I mean, we all knew how hard I worked for it. Hindi nalang ba nila kayang maging masaya para sa 'kin?

Palagi pa namang sinasabi ni Aspen na sa akin na naiinggit lang talaga sila. And I'm also entertaining that thought, too. But still, do they think that the envy they are feeling is enough to say some harsh words?

Napabalik ang tingin ko kay Aziel.

"Oh‚" he blinked. "I can just back—"

"We've already agreed. Ang pangit naman kung magback-out pa tayo." Pagputol ko sa mga sasabihin niya. "Saka‚ it is already decided. Wala naman na tayong magagawa. It's just that sayang lang. But it's fine."

"Okay‚ okay." He nodded‚ nagulat ata siya sa dami ng sinabi ko.

"I'm sorry‚" I snapped. Ngayon ko lang din napagtanto na ang dami ko nang sinasabi. Napalabi ako, I just really wanted to take exams. . .

His eyes widened. Napakunot ang kanyang noo. "Why are you apologizing? There was nothing to apologize."

"I think I talked too much." I bit my lower lip and squinted my eyes.

He smiled and chuckled at my reaction‚ "That's fine‚ you can do that. Have you had lunch?"

I slightly pouted at him‚ "We're still not friends‚ though. Only my friends can invite me to lunch."

His mouth gaped open slightly. Maya-maya ay natawa siya. May nakakatawa ba sa sinabi ko?

"Can we be friends‚ then?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot at katulad ng ginawa niya kanina ay nagkibit-balikat lang ako. I continued walking.

"I mean, come on‚" he nudged me. "Huwag kang masungit‚ we'll be working with each other from now on. Hindi magandang asal ang nagagalit sa kapwa."

Ang epal naman neto para sermunan ako.