Beneath the Two | Academy Series #1

Prologue

Two.

Some people say numbers don't exist. They are just an illusion to measure things because it's easier that way. The answer to the question 'How many numbers are there?' is none. Zero.

There are also people who say there are ten numbers. The counting starts from zero to nine. They are combined to make the existence of other numbers possible; whether it's as small as ten or as big as one hundred.

But most people believe it's infinite . . . which means there's no end to it.

Whether there's none, ten, hundred, or infinite numbers, I've always wondered . . . why it has to be two.

Why couldn't it be zero? I could've not hoped.

Why couldn't it be ten? I could've hoped a little more.

Why couldn't it be infinite? I could've . . .

"Essentialism is the view that objects have a set of attributes that are necessary to their identity... who can explain this in simplest words?"

How lame it is to define the already definition. Sumandal ako sa backrest ng armchair at pinanood ang mga kaklase kong mag-open notes para kunwari ay maghanap ng maisasagot kay Sir Avez.

Umiikot si Sir sa buong room kaya lahat sila nakatungo. Some are just scribbling at the back of their notebooks, pretending to take notes. Flames, eww!

I'm an exception. I'm sitting comfortably as I watch him walk back and forth.

The words explain for itself already, they just have to make it brief. Kaya kong sumagot kung gusto ko, pero tinatamad akong magtaas ng kamay. He wouldn't call me anyway.

"Walang may alam? Hindi na naman kayo nagbasa. Last week ko pa kayo sinabihan na ito ang topic natin ngayon, tapos wala ni isang makapagpaliwanag sa inyo." Huminto ang guro sa harapan at nakapamewang kaming pinasadahan ng tingin.

"Kung magquiz na lang kaya tayo ngayon at wala naman pala akong magiging kausap sa discussion. Gusto niyo 'yon?"

Nagtanong pa siya. As if naman ia-acknowledge niya kung sasagot kami ng 'ayaw'.

Some of the boys frowned just by hearing the word quiz. Anong lason ba ang mayroon sa salita na 'yon at nagiging banal lahat kapag naririnig?

"Lord, basbasan niyo ng kabaitan si Sir, please," bumubulong na dasal ng babae sa harapan ko.

"Sir, si Jackson alam daw." Tinuro ng isa ang kaibigan niya.

"Gago!" He cursed. "Sir, hindi. Pumasok lang po talaga ako para sa recess."

"Ayan! Diyan kayo magaling, sa mga kalokohan. Baka nakakalimutan niyo, Senior High School ang tutulong sa inyo para maging ready kayo for college"

Good for me, I won't attend college. I don't need to pay that much attention to my studies.

Mamatay din naman ako, bakit pa ako magpapaka-stress? Wala naman sigurong entrance exam sa langit. Iyon ay kung doon ako mapupunta. Miracle, miracle, how possible are you?

"Ano na? ABM? Magtititigan lang ba tayo dito?"

Naglabas na ng index card si Sir Avez but still no one dared to raise his hand. Sa halip na magtaas ng kamay, their synchronized heads faced me.

What motherfvckers? You can memorize math formulas but can not read a short definition? Ganito niyo rin ako pinapahirapan sa General Mathematics. Mga hangal!

I made a bitch face and raised a middle finger secretly. Sa akin na naman nila iaasa ang discussion ni Sir. Araw-araw sa nagdaang dalawang linggo, ako at ako ang sumasagot sa subject na 'to.