CLASS WITH A MISFIT: Along with the Beauties

Session 10

-THE ONE WHO WEARS DECEPTION-

CHARRE

"It seems you finally accepted the fact about which class you truly belong," I said. Nagkataon pang nagkita na naman kami ni Kevent ngayon sa loob ng mall kung saan kami dating matinong nagkausap.

'Matino ba 'yon?' napaisip ako.

"I have to," matabang naman niyang sabi habang namimili ng mga snacks na bibilhin. His eyes were back to purple.

"And about overtaking the other class, since when were you planning about it?" I asked. Natigilan siya at tumingin sa akin saglit bago muling binaling ang tingin sa mga pinipiling produkto.

Mahina lang naman ang mga boses namin kaya natitiyak kong kaming dalawa lang ang nakakarinig sa aming usapan.

"Simula noong nalaman kong sa Class E ako napadpad at napiling class leader."

"So it means you already know that much about that school system even before the start of the class huh. That you already know there was no error in your sectioning, it just happened that you think an overachiever like you would be on Class A." Hindi ko man siya tinitigna'y dama kong muli na naman siyang natigilan sa sinabi kong 'yon at naglipat ng tingin sa akin. Hindi siya kaagad nakasagot.

"And why you seem so diligent in getting high grades and doing well in class," sabi ko pa. Bumalik pa nga sa isip ko ang naging reaksyon niya noong nakita ang individual point na nakuha niya sa unang linggo ng klase. That face of disappointed from a confident overachiever like him.

"That's out of the question." Rinig na rinig ko ang inis sa boses niya bago muling bumaling sa mga bibilhin.

"I know you saw my face that time I only got five points for a week of class." Seryoso ang mukha niyang sinabi 'yon. "I know you already know my thirst about going on top."

"Yet you did not see things going out of hand coming. Hindi mo inaasahang may mas lalala pa sa dating curriculum system na danas natin noong nasa junior high school pa tayo," sabi ko naman habang namimili rin.

Mapakla siyang natawa, sarcastic as it sounds. "Well, what do you expect from the most prestigious senior high school in the country that boasts a 100% college entry and employment rate? A senior high school that's trackless but already combined all the strand subjects in a single trisemestral curriculum?"

"An academy where getting on top is the new facade of bloodlust." I cut him off.

Nagkatakbo na ang paningin namin.

Everything went awkwardly serious but I already cracked a laugh and went ahead.

"Ang seryoso mo naman," tinawanan ko na siya, but he keeps on looking at me sternly. "May kung ano ba sa sinabi ko? Luh!"

"Anyway, mauna na ako. I still have to meet a friend. And thank you pala for being not so twitchy at me today. Kitakit bukas!" I flashed him a grin, it seems like we're starting to get along even better. But even so, nanatili pa rin siyang taimtim na nakatingin sa akin hanggang sa aking pag-alis.

Pero... wala akong pakialam.

Papunta na ako sa elevator upang umakyat sa mas mataas na palapag habang nakatingin sa cellphone ko. And finally, nakatanggap ako ng notification from the person I'll be meeting, si Ezhka. Siya kasi ang naunang nagyaya sa akin dahil may mahalaga daw kaming pag-uusapan.

It's actually been days since I last heard of her until today kung kailan siya nagsend na naman ng message, to -again- meet me. Personally, ito pa ang una naming pagkikita dahil nitong nakaraan ay hindi siya nakasipot sa usapang meet up namin doon sa parke Kaya heto ako ngayon, nasa mall kung saan marami pa ring estudyante ang masamang nakatingin sa akin. But hindi na iyon bago, in fact, nasanay na nga ako. At mabuti ngang wala nang mga bigla-bigla nalang na nampra-prank sa 'kin. Marahil mas maingat na sila sa mga kilos nila after the first result of weekly assessment. Well, I'm sure they already heard about what happened to Class E's ranking.