Empire Series 2: The Empire's Soldier

Chapter 5

Killian's Point of View:

As an ABM student and an athlete it is very difficult for me but when I remembered what my mom told me, na bibilhan niya ako ng sariling kotse ay mas gusto kong mag-aral nang mabuti. Everyone here is thinking that we’re bad people because we’re Sandoval and Buenaventura. That we must not be approached because we are one of the people who are higher than them. There was no problem with us, but I thought, it’s good that they knew that they couldn’t touch us.

“If you’re asking how many subjects we have here in ABM, it covers 15 core subjects, 7 applied or contextualized subjects, and 9 specialized subjects at 80 hours per semester, except for P.E. and Health, which are 20 hours per semester for four semesters in the senior high school.”

Each subject has a book and a module that is given to us. Kailangan naming pag-aralan ang mga ‘yon dahil minsan nagkakaroon ng surprise quiz ang mga teacher. Matagal na naming pinag-usapan na ang kukunin namin ni Scarlet ay ABM dahil may mga business kaming kailangan tapusin. 

“ABM strand—seeks to prepare the young business leaders of tomorrow. ABM strand paves the way for business-related college degrees. It teaches the basic concepts of financial management, accounting, and corporate operations. Kaya kailangan alam niyo ang pinasok niyong subject at alam niyo na kaya niyo ang strand na ito.”

“Yes, Miss Monica…” sabay-sabay na sabi namin. 

Every first day of school, we don’t do much because the first thing they tell us is what to do. There are professors who teach immediately, and there are professors who are lazy. After we finish the second subject, we have our break again. I sighed and immediately arranged my things. 

“Come on, Jamillah and Jonathan,” tawag ko sa mga kaibigan ko. “I’m hungry.”

“Wait lang,” sabi ni Jamillah. "Lagi ka na lang talagang nagmamadali. Sus, gusto mo lang makita mga babae mo.” Pang-aasar na dagdag niya.

“Shut up,” iritadong sabi ko. She chuckled and made a peace sign. 

Bumuntong hininga ako at agad s’yang hinintay at nang matapos s’ya ay agad kaming lumabas. We walked towards the locker room para ilagay ang iba pang modules dahil mabigat. Nahinto lang ako nang makita ang babae na muntik ko ng mabangga. Nakita kong may bandaid ang kaliwang tuhod niya kaya napalunok ako. 

“S’ya ‘yung nabangga mo ‘di ba?” malakas na tanong ni Jamillah. 

Napapikit ako nang makitang napatingin sa akin ang babae. Gulat rin s’yang napatingin sa amin ngunit kalaunan, umiwas ng tingin at agad na binuksan ang locker niya. 

“Is she okay?” tanong ni Jonathan. 

“She said she's fine,” malamig na sabi ko. “Ayaw niyang pumunta sa clinic kaya hayaan na natin.”

Lumakad ako palayo at agad na pumunta sa cafeteria. Nakita ko kaagad si Lucius sa kabilang table kaya napangisi ako nang makitang nakatingin s’ya kay Scarlet na nakapila sa counter. Pumunta agad ako sa tabi niya at napatalon s’ya kaya natawa ako at tinuro ang kapatid ko. 

“Baka matunaw ang kapatid ko,” nakangising sabi ko. “Nga pala nagpa-tattoo na ako sa batok ko ng butterfly. Ikaw?”

“Kapag ba niligawan ko ang kapatid mo, papayag ka?” lutang na tanong niya. Tinignan niya ang batok ko. “Sa dibdib ako.”

I smiled and tapped his shoulder. “Kung papansinin ka ng kapatid ko.”

I stood up immediately and when I turned around I bumped into a woman. I quickly pulled her arm and pressed her to my chest. Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya na nakapikit ang mga mata. Napalunok ako at agad na lumayo ng kaunti sa kanya.