["PLAY THE KING" IS ACT TWO OF THE "PLAY" SERIES. PLEASE READ "PLAY THE QUEEN" FIRST.]
It's been four months since Priam Torres, the once unpopular president of the Elysian University Student Council, assumed office. Thanks to his chief-of-staff Cas...
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FABIENNE
VALERIA'S RESIGNATION was super unexpected! Busy akong nagre-review ng script nang ibalita sa 'kin ng Belle ang latest happening sa impeachment trial. I didn't wanna stress myself so much kaya pinili ko munang umiwas makasagap ng balita. Palagi ko ngang pinapatay ang phone ko kapag rehearsal na. I didn't wanna be distracted while delivering my lines. Baka kung ano pa ang biglang lumabas sa bibig ko. But a news that shocking was hard to ignore.
You know what's much more super unexpected? A call from a certain someone! Saktong-sakto pagkatapos ng rehearsal namin, matapos kong kunin ang phone ko mula sa bag na nasa locker, paulit-ulit 'tong nag-ring. Nag-flash sa screen ang isang unknown number.
Na-tempt akong i-ignore o i-reject ang call. But a part of me was curious kung sino ang tumatawag. Who knows? Baka opportunity 'to mula sa isang artist center.
"Hello?" sagot ko pag-tap sa answer call key. "May I know who's calling?"
"Fabienne? This is Valeria from USC. I got your number from the scholarship form you filled out before. Is this a good time?"
V-Valeria? Karirinig ko pa lang ng pasabog niya sa impeachment hearing, 'tapos ngayon kausap ko na siya? This was a surprise . . . and unusual.
"Sino 'yan, Fab?" kunot-noong tanong ni Belle habang inaayos ang gamit niya. "Bakit parang gulat na gulat ka?"
I shook my head and smiled at her para ipakitang walang problema. 'Di basta-basta tatawag ang kagaya ni Valeria sa 'kin para mangumusta. My instinct told me to quietly leave the backstage para walang maka-overhear sa sasabihin niya sa 'kin.
"Katatapos pa lang ng rehearsals namin," sagot ko. "Mabuti't napatawag ka?"
"Katatapos lang din ng meeting namin sa USC. I thought of calling you to . . . sorry, I'm not exactly sure why. But I want to have a quick word with you. Just so we're on the same page."
"Go ahead. I'm listening." Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad sa hallway. Dahil walang ibang kuwarto sa part na 'to maliban sa rehearsals, props, at costume room, wala masyadong estudyante na dumaraan dito.
"Have you read or heard what happened in the hearing today?"
Napatango ako kahit wala siya sa harapan ko. "Yes. I'm sorry to hear about your resignation."
"Don't be sorry for me. I only did what I thought was best for the USC. And for Priam."
Nakapaninibago ang tono ni Valeria sa call. Dati'y napaka-hostile ng approach niya pagdating sa 'kin. Ngayo'y ramdam ko na humbled siya sa pagka-mellow ng kaniyang boses. May times na nagkasagutan kami noon. 'Di naging maganda ang simula at takbo ng relationship namin dahil sa feelings niya kay Priam. She saw me as a threat. I didn't see her that way.
"Do you know the truth about the Chevy incident?"
"Yes, Yam told me."
Nagkaroon ng katahimikan sa kabilang linya. I checked my screen. Naka-connect pa naman ang tawag.
