Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

11 | In Love

11 | In Love

“Grabe, ang hirap!” Faye said when we went out of the room. “Minadali ko na sa last number. Wala na talaga ‘ko maisip!”

I tapped her shoulder. “May finals pa naman.”

“’Buti ka pa . . .” Lumabi siya.

“Anong ‘buti ka pa?’” natatawang reaksyon ko. “You’re better because I left it blank!”

“Holy—seryoso ka?”

Mas tumawa ako at tumango-tango.

Hindi ko na nasagutan iyong last item dahil wala nang oras. Nanghihinayang din ako. But one thing I learned in this life was that if it’s already beyond you, why worry?

“Uy, nandito na rin sila!” pakli ng isang kaklase namin pagkakita sa amin ni Faye.

The next minutes, my classmates spent it talking about our midterm exam. Some got worried and few were grateful that they got the correct formula. Ako naman, inabala ko ang sarili sa social media.

“Iñara?”

Inangat ko ang tingin. Agad akong tumayo nang napagsino iyon at ngumiti.

“Hi! Bakit po, Ate Anya?”

Napakurap siya. “You know me?”

“Opo,” maagap kong sagot, nagtataka sa reaksyon niya. “You’re the candidate for magna cum laude of our college this year. Of course, I know you po.”

Her mouth formed a soft circle and she combed her hair as if she was embarrassed. “Hindi naman . . .” Sinulyapan niya ang mga kasama kong abala pa rin magdagdag ng mga alalahanin sa buhay. “Gusto ka sana naming kuning kandidato para sa partido namin.”

“’Kandidato’?”

“Oo, dito sa college natin.”

“Ah . . .” I trailed off and let out a one-syllabic laugh awkwardly. “Ano po bang posisyon?”

“President sana.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. “President po? E, nasa First Year palang po ako.”

She smiled, her pretty eyes turned into slits. “You got what it takes to be a leader, Iñara. Hindi ba’t president ka rin sa mga naging school mo bago ka nag-college? When you led your classmates in the intramurals, you were really amazing, too. Plus you’re a model student. You are qualified, believe me.”

Napatitig ako sa kanya nang ilang segundo, hindi alam ang sasabihin.

She tapped my shoulder softly before she continued, “You don’t need to decide today. We’ll give you time. But I hope, we hope you consider this, Iñara.”

Should I or should I not?

My college life had been so busy so far. I promised myself that I would only focus on studying once I got here. Extracurricular activities would eat a lot of my time just like before.

But should I or should I not?”

“Go for it!” Kuya Iñovyz encouraged as he noisily sipped that chocolate drink with its straw. “You’re good at leading, ‘di ba? Kaya push mo ‘yan.”