The Unseen Trial [Ace Lucifer's Series Three] ON GOING

Twenty Ninth Trial

BRYSON 29

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADE 11

"January pa lang, pero 'yong pagod natin, pang December na." Macey puffs a breath, making her full bangs flew a little above her fore head. Namamawis na sila pareho pero patuloy pa 'rin sila sa pagkilos. Both of them are doing different things, but of course, they chose to be together para kahit papaano ay hindi nakaka-bored.

"Ganda niyan robot ah." Nguso ni Macey sa ginagawa niya. It's just finishing touches, and so far, for the past weeks that she lost her interest in doing art, little by little, it came back. Magmula nang maka-bati na niya ang tatlo. Not that her passion in arts revolves around them. Honestly, it's not, but at some point. At isa pa, the main reason she lost appetite in doing arts was she's doubting herself if she can still do it. O kung magaling...at may kakayanan ba talaga siya.

"Sayang, wala si Diane. Di ko makikita kaniya. Talunin sana natin..." bulong ulit ni Macey. "Mo, pala. Taga-cheer lang ako."

"Sa inyo, wala kang ka-kompitensya?" tanong niya. Malamang siguro, meron but knowing Macey's attitude, even she was aloof, she knows her best friend doesn't have any negative energy around her to make the competition a bad one like what happened to her, and Diane. It turned out to be some sort of insecurity.

"Meron. Ang daming magaling sa science, at full blown talaga...mahigpit 'din ang science dept ng ZNL, in fairness..." napanguso si Macey. "At medyo nahihirapan 'din ako, pero wala namang mukhang galit sa akin, tsaka madalas silang magpatulong sa'kin, and vice versa... so parang naging bonding na 'rin..."

Napatango na lang siya bilang sagot. She continues what she was doing, and she's supposed to submit at the end of the day. This week had been a though ride for them dahil katapusan na ng January, and it's their hell week. Performance task week where in, there would be no exam on the way but a series of practical exam that they have to go through.

And it's ending today.

"Si Bry, anong oras ang balik?" tanong ni Macey kapagkuwan.

"Lunch o baka uwian na..." sagot niya. Bryson on the other hand was busy on his own performance task too. Ngayon 'din ang last day nila, and they also have a series of tasks to do. Bryson had been memorizing, and practicing every day since it's all about different kind of public speaking. Madalas pa nga ay sa harap niya si Bryson nagp-practice habang busy siya sa ginawa niyang performance task, at nagsisilbi siyang audience ni Bryson. Judge even.

"Tagal... may mga panalo ba, ganon? O performance lang talaga?" tanong ni Macey ulit. "Ba 'yan. Wala akong sagap, busy kasi."

Nilingon niya si Macey dahil sa sinabi.

Macey grinned. "Sa inyo ba, may masasagap?" tanong nito ulit.

"Wala." Sagot niya at umiwas ulit ng tingin. Sa totoo lang. Wala naman talaga dahil busy sila, and Bryson gave her enough time to think. Hindi siya minadali ni Bryson. Kahit ilang lingo na ang lumipas simula nang magpalit ang taon, wala siyang narinig kay Bryson.

And most of the time, it's his action that speaks louder for him. Wala naman siyang problema doon. From the very start, Bryson always follows her lead. Siya palagi ang nasusunod. Hinihintay siyang magsabi palagi. No pressure. No anything. Just at her own pace. Always.

"Ba't wala?" Macey asked. Parang nakulangan dahil walang nakuhang chika mula sa kaniya.

"Kasi wala." Sagot niya pa 'rin.

"Weh," tuluyan nang nadismaya si Macey. "Sayang..."

"Di naman..." sagot niya sapat na para mahirapan marinig ni Macey pero mukhang bagong linis ang tenga nito at narinig pa ang sinabi niya.