Magnanimous

Ch. 3 - "I'm trying to get a fresh start here."

Ateneo de Cagayan Junior High School concluded its eucharistic celebration for the feast of its patron saint. It was an annual tradition on the last Friday of July. While no formal classes were conducted that day, the rest of the morning was dedicated to honoring the patron saint followed by a lunch celebration per class.

August's plan with his class when he spoke to his class officers a few days before the program was to assign a "health check." While it was the responsibility of his class peacekeeper, he felt it necessary to divide the task among his class officers. His officers were to keep tabs on their assigned classmates and report to August of any concerns or misdemeanors they may have caused. While his class was still rowdy in general, the past few days of implementing his plan went well. He vowed to be decisive.

The rest of the morning went on without any untoward incident. August had a little bit of fun with his class while he sat back and let his class officers do a small program. Lunch was excellent, provided by a catering company, whose owner was August's college friend. On the downtime before dismissal mid-afternoon, some of his students huddled together to play a few rounds of Mobile Legends while others boasted their collection of characters from Genshin Impact. The quieter ones fiddled with Rubik's cubes or worked on their sketches. Some of them roamed around the hallways to chat with their friends from other sections. For once, August felt peaceful.

When it was time to pack up, the classroom was tidied: the armchairs were rearranged to their original positions, the tables holding the food were returned to the canteen (having borrowed them for the occasion), the floor was neatly swept, and the garbage were sorted and disposed. Having used an iron fist to come to an agreement with the class, He realized from this occasion that despite the seldom uncontrollable attitudes of his students, he could still manage the situation if he took control. When all was said and done, he praised his students for a job well done and would see his students on Monday before bidding them safe travels. On the way out, August high-fived his officers for their responsibility in helping him take care of the class.

It was his first advisory class, and August was either liking it or panicking in it.

Late in the afternoon, the excitement throughout the campus had fizzled out. The buzzes of laughter and fun in the building earlier in the day already carried to the school grounds, where students were frolicking in the school fields, carrying conversation on the gathering spaces, or waiting for their service shuttle or parents to pick them up from the waiting sheds. As August made his way back to the faculty room, he could see the school principal, Fr. Fernando Agustin, talking with some teachers in the interior school grounds. Together with his class president, Enzo, they carried the lunch's leftover back to the faculty room.

"I'll take them from here," said August once they reached the door. He received the rest of the leftovers, packed in some containers August brought with him. August would use the leftovers for dinner and breakfast for him and April at home.

"Thanks much, Enzo."

"You're welcome, Sir Gus," said Enzo courteously with a bow. "Have a good weekend."

"You too."

The faculty room was all smiles during lunch time as the teachers without advisory duty had gathered in the room and had a lunch gathering of their own. However, the environment now had turned from cheerfulness to desolation.

"What's going on?" August asked Jarvis once he got to his cubicle. Jarvis looked shocked like most others.

"Ma'am Castro," answered Jarvis weakly.

"Ma'am Castro? What happened?"

Jarvis sighed. "She passed away today."

For a second, August nearly dropped the containers of leftover food he was still holding. The tension throughout his body suddenly froze, then in a split second washed over him.