Chapter 29
I finished wearing my clothes, I just came out from the shower room.
I'm off to the meeting place all of us are going to meet. We are currently studying for the BAR exam.
Yes. We survived hell again. Napagtagumpayan namin ang law school. I think I wouldn't be able to finish those four years without the aid of my friends. We always got each other's back.
It was hard for us when Stacey almost failed third year. Buti nalang at nakayanan niyang ipasa ito. She kept on saying that it's fine if she's a year late than us but, I can see through her eyes, it was screaming pain. Tinulungan namin siya in all the ways we can.
Not only Stacey, but also Kate and Yaell. Both of them wanted to quit studying law. I can clearly remember how Stacey cried just to make them stay. I also asked them to stay. I can't imagine finishing law school without them. Sabay-sabay kaming nagsimula at gusto kong sabay-sabay rin kaming magtagumpay.
After all those challenge we've been through, our bond got stronger. We got closer to each other and we understand each other better.
I also had my own down times. I suffered financially. Everyone except me doesn't suffer financial problems. They are all well when it comes to money. My family can afford stuffs but, law school is just quite expensive, no... it's really expensive. They offered cash to me but I declined, sobra na kasi. Tinulungan nila ako sa pamamagitan ng pag-libre sa'kin tuwing may kailangan i-print at iba pang maliliit na mga bagay. They helped me a lot.
Nakita ko ang sasakyan ni Dave. Huminto ito sa harap ko at agad akong sumakay.
"Kanina ka pa naghihintay?" he asked.
"No too long." I answered.
Papunta kami sa isang public library. We often study there. It's a peaceful place and we can focus on what we're studying. We are not always studying with each other, just once or twice a week. We study by ourselves the rest of the week then meet-up once or twice to share what we learned and catch up to each other.
"Sasama ba 'yong girlfriend ni Yaell?" I asked Dave.
"Hindi ata. Wala naman siyang sinabi sa group chat."
Yaell got a girlfriend when we were on our fourth year of law school. She's currently at her second year studying law right now and she was just on her first year when Yaell and her became a couple. She's a cute Filipino-Japanese girl. She's a perfect pair for Yaell since Yaell is also biracial. Yaell is a Filipino-Chinese.
Hindi namin alam kung paano sila nagkakilala. Dinala lang siya ni Yaell at one of our group study session at pinakilalang girlfriend niya. We don't have an issue with her, mukha naman siyang mabait at nakikita naming masaya si Yaell sa kanya.
Only Dave and I are the one's who're not taken in the squad. Nagka-jowa si Stacey around second year at si Kate naman around third year. Tangina, minsan na nga nila kaming tinuktukso ni Dave na bagay raw kami. Gosh! Kung alam lang nila.
Nakarating na kami ni Dave at pumasok na sa library. Si Stacey pa lamang ang nakikita ko, Kate and Yaell isn't around yet. Umupo na kami at inantay ang dalawa bago magsimula.
"Jeni." Stacey called.
I don't know how and when they started calling me that way. Si Kate ata ang nagpasimuno.
"Oh?" sabi ko.
"Explain this." sabi niya ta pinakita sa'kin ang phone niya.
It's tweet that has photos and says.
MAZRO VILLANUEVA'S RUMORED GIRLFRIEND.
It was years ago. 'Yong issue no'n.
"Stacey." Dave said.
"It's fine, Dave." I said.
"What's up!" bungad ng kararating lang na si Kate. Yaell is behind her.
Umupo siya sa upuan na nasa gitna namin ni Stacey.
"Anong chismis 'yan?" Kate asked.
"I was stalking Dave's brother and found this." Stacey said and showed Kate her phone.
This is going out of control.
"Oh my God!" sabi ni Kate.
"He's my ex." I said.
"What?!" both of the girls reacted.
"Ambisyosa mo naman, Jeni-girl." sabi ni Kate.
"You can pass as a clown." Stacey said.
"I don't care if you will not believe me. Naging kami no'ng fourth year high school at naghiwalay kami around third year college." sabi ko.
"Dave." Stacey called.
Ayaw maniwala, ah.
"It's true." he said.
"No way! Kaya pala ayaw mo tuwing sa bahay ni Dave tayo mag-aaral." Stacey.
"Prove it." Kate said.
Ayaw talaga, ah?
I grabbed my phone and searched for Mazro and I's conversation. When I found photos of us, I showed it to them.
"Gago! Totoo nga! Bakit 'di mo sinabi sa'min?" Kate.
"We kept it as private as we can. Sikat kasi sila ni Trina no'n." I said.
"Bakit kayo nahiwalay?"
"Our communication faded." I answered Stacey.
They nodded. Both Kate and Stacey are looking at me with shocked eyes.
"You are Jeni and you are Mazro Villnueva's freakin' ex-girlfriend." Kate said.
[Gising na!] Kate's voice is so loud over the phone.
"Bakit ba? I'm so sleepy."
It's already nine in the morning. I binge watch a whole series last night and I just slept four hours ago.
[The results are out. My unit, now!]
"Ano?!" agad akong napabangon.
[Wala ng tanong-tanong. I already called everyone an they're already coming. Dadaanan ka ni Dave diyan at papunta na siya.] she said and ended the call.
Agad akong nagsipilyo at naghilamos. I don't have enough time to take a shower. I immediately changed my clothes and Dave knocked even before I get to finish preparing.
Hindi ako mapakali sa loob ng sasakyan ni Dave. Since Kate's unit is near mine, we arrived right away. We rushed to Kate's unit. Everyone's already around. Umupo kami sa table ni Kate kung saan nakapatong ang laptop niya.
"Go Kate!" Stacey said.
Kate opened her laptop and viewed the results.
Arida, Stacey Rey F.
Tiyeza, Kate D.
Santiago, Jenim Essa H.
Villanueva, Dave R.
Xi, Yaell S.
God...
How can I be so blessed?
I look around and everyone's jaw dropped.
I did it!
Tears fell off from my eyes.
Dave even made it to the Top 10 and he's at the fifth place.
No one released a single word.
We're so freakin' overwhelmed.
"We did it, guys!" I shouted.
^_^
