✓ | The Clandestine Memoir (Fate's Transgression Series, #1) [UNDER REVISION]

Chapter 5

~•[Chapter 5]•~

SEISHA:

The school's installed speakers gave off a buzzing sound. The last subject for today is finally over as the BSLA-3A students started closing their laptops and cleaning their tables. Our professor for the subject Computer-Aided Design & Drafting for Architecture also turned off the presentation.

"Alright, third year. Don't forget to finish your tasks in this subject for the month. Ayoko na deretsaan kayong gumagawa ng gawain at sabay ipasa. It will burn you out, so better finish the templates and don't just pile them."

Nasundan iyon ng tawa mula sa mga estudyante. It may have looked like Archt. Kevin Ross was just teasing, but he literally meant that. Nagsimula ang batch namin na may 67 students sa unang semestre ng klase, nalagasan iyon ng pito sa pangalawa, at labing-apat ng kasunod na school-year.

Every semester, nababawasan kami at halos isa, dalawa o wala talagang bagong estudyante. This year, we are currently 27. Ang pag-aaral ay patibayan ng mentalidad. Being a college student is like surviving in a warzone, it will make you become a warrior.

"Isa pa, your last CAD templates were already recorded. Sad to say, isa lang sa inyo ang muli na namang nakakuha ng 100 points," pagpukaw ng propesor sa atensyon ng mga kaklase ko.

Hindi ako tumingin sa kanya at nilagay lamang ang dala kong laptop sa lalagyan nito.

"I already brought this up a lot of times. Third year na kayo and being attentive to details is a must. Look at how Miss Martinez made her template: detalyado, pantay ang lahat ng mga anggulo at spotless. You should be as attentive as her. Hindi porket okay na ang gawa mo hindi na kailangan icheck ng paulit-ulit." Ramdam ko ang titig ng ilan kong mga kaklase, tumingala na lamang ako para salubungin ang mata ng aming propesor. "Ever since you've come here, you have never disappointed us. Good job, Seisha."

I let out a forced smile. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. After Archt. Kevin Ross went out, so did the students. Umiwas akong makasalubong sila palabas kaya hinintay kong humupa ang tao.

I do not know if that was a compliment, it felt like a dagger that pierced through me, reminding my weary hands and brain cells to do better next time. Being told that I am excellent is not something I am proud of, it is my fear.

That constant fear to be better so that the tide won't change. Natatakot ako na magkamali kaya halos wala rin akong tulog habang ginagawa ang template na iyon. I spent hours, days and weeks making that template spotless.

I could say that the time and effort paid off, but it didn't. I did it to supplement them, to not fuel their aggression towards me, to avoid triggering disappointments. Ayoko madisappoint sila, kaya ginawa ko kahit halos wala naman akong napapala.

"Seisha~"

Napangiti ako dahil sa boses na narinig ko. Lumingon ako kay Gwen habang papalapit ito sa akin. Nasa harapan ito lagi umuupo, at nasa likurang bahagi ako ng classroom. "Congratulations! Dahil ikaw na naman ang nangunguna, manlibre ka naman!"

Napakamot ako sa batok ko. "Pasensya ka na, Gwen. Gipit ako ngayon, hindi pa dumadating ang scholarship allowance ko. Sa susunod na lang."

Mabilis na sumilay ang nakasimangot na ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha. Gwen Hernandez was one of the few people who dared to talk and befriend me. Since I Studied here for already 3 years, wala akong ka-close maliban sa mga nasa BSLA Department. Ang iba pa diyan ang pa-plastic.

"Promise 'yan ah?!"

Sabay kaming lumabas ng classroom at nakisabay sa ilang mga estudyante palabas ng university. Pero bago paman ako tuluyang makalabas ng gate, nahagip ko ang isang pamilyar na itim na kotse na nakaparada. Hindi ako nagkamali ng pagkilala sa kotseng iyan dahil iyan rin ang halos sumusundo sa akin noon.