The Ravages of Time

Kabanata 15

Kabanata 15

Hell Week

I haven't realized days pass so fast. Yes, midterms na namin next week. This whole November is so... frustrating and exhausting. Discussion, short quizzes, summative tests, performance tasks, oral recitation—fuck!

Mabuti na lang talaga at katabi ko si Tariq. He's quite a smart one!

"Hindi ka na naman magco-copy ng notes?" biglang tanong niya sa akin.

I faked a smile and shook my head.

"Para 'to sa midterms," he added.

"Then? I can just take a pic of it," I answered. What's the use of cameras?

He didn't answer me but instead, he grabbed one whole sheet of pad paper and a ball pen. He placed it on my desk.

"Magsulat ka," wika niya.

My forehead wrinkled. "Ayaw ko nga," pagtatanggi ko.

I am too lazy to copy. I have my book. I have my phone.

"Ayaw mo bang tumaas ang ranking mo?" he added.

"Syempre gusto, my mom will surely kill me kapag bumaba ang grades ko," I answered. Knowing that bitch? Higit pa siguro ang gagawin niya sa akin no'ng nag-away kami ni Graciella.

"Iyang nakalista sa blackboard, lalabas 'yan sa midterms," pagpupumilit niya pa.

I heavily sighed as I grabbed the pen that he gave me and started writing the notes down.

"Mabuting bata."

I rolled my eyes secretly after I heard what he said, and he even chuckled.

As if mag-aaral ako. I can take the test paper before the exam and memorize the answers. That's the thing people don't know, even mom. Kuya knows that. I steal the test papers before the exam and memorize them all.

And I can do that next week.

If the teachers caught me doing that, that ain't my problem anymore. Mom will surely make a way to solve that and in just a snap, the teacher that caught me will act like they didn't see anything.

After all, Mom just wants to make me smarter than everyone when in fact her daughter is just a stupid person.

That's the reason why I am not scared to fail.

***

"Do you need anything, Sonnet?"

I smiled as I secretly roamed my eyes inside the teacher's faculty and sat down on a chair in front of her table.

"I just want to ask about something in our lesson, ma'am."

Since Ms. Fernando is our class adviser and also our statistics teacher. She surely has a copy of the test papers.

We are the only two people in the faculty office because maybe other teachers have classes to attend.

Sinadya ko talagang puntahan siya malapit sa time kung kailan siya aalis dahil alam kong may klase siya sa ABM maya't-maya.

"I just need to borrow your book reference, ma'am. I know you used a different book for the discussion," I added.

I know she cannot resist me. She's been following mom's orders to her for fabricating my grades. Just a trivia, sa mga mahirap lang ako na subjects nag-ch-cheat.

That's why Mom needs to fabricate my grades for the other subjects. After all, they can't refuse mom. They are afraid and they're coward idiots.

"Of course, you can borrow my book, just return it anytime you want. Paki-kumusta ako kay Mrs. Vinco, ah?" she answered while smiling.