A Happily Ever After

Chapter One

JESSA

Binuksan ko ang cellphone ko at umasang makikita ang isang bilugan na chathead na muling lumitaw sa aking screen, ngunit nanatiling blanko ang screen at notification center nito. Goddamnit, I thought. Fifteen minutes na simula noong last nilang message. Makakapunta ba sila?

Normally, I would not be worried about this. This is research, our baby thesis, just what our English teacher had called. It's not that complicated yet than it was supposed to be.This baby research is our last and probably the biggest activity we would do in her subject. Malaki ang ambag ng baby research na ito sa grades namin kaya alam kong hinding hindi papayag ang grupo ko na walang magawa dito.

But for heaven's sake, as if the universe hates me, the sky decided to be in a bad mood. Very perfect, thank you so much. Dark clouds are outstretching across the horizon and I can tell the strong blowing wind from the outside just by the way it aggressively hits the closed windows of my room. A low, growling sound booms from the sky and it almost shake the ground.

Oo naman pupunta ang mga kagrupo ko. My one remaining brain-cell answered me back. Yes, they would come. My group mates will come and we will start this research.

Pero pa-ulan na, paano kung hindi nga? At wala akong choice kundi ikansela ang gawaan, at mahuli kami sa ibang grupo?

"Shit shit." Tumayo at muling binuksan ang phone ko, ngunit wala pa ring lumalabas na chat head o kung ano.

Kailangan na talaga namin masimulan ito dahil kung hindi, mahuhuli kami sa mga ibang grupo. Kami kasi ang huling in-approve ng title ni Ma'am kaya medyo late talaga kami kung tutuusin. Sinusubukan kong 'wag isipin na unfair ang distribution ng members, pero doon at doon lang din talaga napupunta isip ko. Kasi ba naman, may isang grupo na may tatlong honor students! May isang grupo na magagaling sa english at masisipag din mag-aral. Ayaw ko sabihin na hindi maasahan ang mga kagrupo ko, but if you compare us to the groups, we're the weakest.

Worried thoughts flood my brain, making the cold sensation cover my hands that are hugging my own arms. The bad weather is not helping at all with my worries. The sky darkens more with thick black clouds covering the sky with trees swaying from the threatening whoosh of the wind. My room is getting dimmer due to the lack of sunlight. Oh my God, it's going to rain. Where the hell are my groupmates?

"'Wag kang uulan, please. Papuntahin mo muna mga kagrupo ko dito." I touch the frigid window as I gaze up in the sky as though it would answer me.

And the sky seems to answer me, because a small bead of rain loudly tapped on the window in front of me. Then followed by another, and another, and another, until the sky finally gave in and showered everything in a loud and heavy rainfall. Pupunta 'nga ba mga kagrupo mo? It seemed to mock me as the thunderous growl resounded. Or you'll just worry about it the entire day?

Para namang tuluyan nang bumagsak ang puso ko. Paano kung mag-brownout pa? Kailangan pa naman namin ng internet para makapagsimula. Goddamnit.. Napalayo nalang ako sa bintana. Binuksan ko muli ang phone ko at tumungo na sa GC ng research group ko.

RESEARCH MUNA BAGO JOWA

1:49 AM

Jessa
Guys, nasaan na kayo?

Ang sectioning sa aming school ay nakabase sa grades namin. Out of twenty one sections, kami ay nasa pang-apat na section. So kung tutuusin kaming magkaklase ay nasa average lamang kumpara sa mga henyo sa section one. Pareparehas lang kami ng level of intelligence, which is both a good and bad thing. Good, kasi hindi ako nakakaramdam ng matinding inferiority sa seksyon ko. Bad, kasi pagdating sa mga mahirap na gawain na kagaya nito, mahirap makuha ang standards na gusto ko.