Crazy is the Name of My Game

( 2 ) I'm not stupid.

Yay! You reached the second chapter! Virtual cookies for you!

Erica Santos

"What is the meaning of this?"

I didn't notice that our World History teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, was talking to me – until she pulled the wireless earpiece off my right ear.

I blinked in surprise and automatically let out a sheepish, apologetic smile towards the thin, redheaded woman. She sighed impatiently, waiting for my response.

"Er, what?" I asked.

She waved the white piece of paper in front of my face like a flag. I blew my bangs off my face out of habit, trying to control my building irritation. I hated being interrupted while I'm listening to music -- and I hated it more when it's the teacher who interrupts me while I'm listening to music.

All I wanted was to be invisible in class. Was that too much to ask? Couldn't they leave me alone? But I guess that was impossible to wish, especially when all eyes stalked me. After all, I am the enemy #1 of the school's Captain Ball. Uh, perhaps of the whole faculty too?

I wasn't causing trouble while inside the classroom. Honestly, I was being good, as in goody-two-shoes good. What's wrong with listening to music? It's not like I'm making noise.

With a grunt, I read the sheet of paper in one swift motion, scanning my handwriting thoroughly. I raised a brow in confusion, letting my sharp black eyes pierce into her carefully-made teacher mask. "What's the problem with my exam?"

My classmates snickered, with the exception of Greene's lackeys who insulted me with snide comments. I stifled the impulse to throw my desk to them, but then, it might not be worth the effort. They're idiots.

I was getting nervous with the unwanted attention right now, unlike that time in the cafeteria. This time, it's with an authority. Teachers needed to be taken care of with caution.

The least I wanted was a detention -- not to mention the issue with my scholarship.

I knew my writing career alone was insufficient to support me. The one column in the local newspaper barely covered my meals. I haven't even officially started my novel. There were still bills to pay, the rent for the apartment, the grocery list, and here I was thinking I could spend a few dollars to buy myself a jar of cookies.

Oh right, I almost forgot. I needed to buy them at the sale later. Noted.

That made me feel hungry. I hoped that there were lots of chocolate cookies. Chocolate-coated cookies... Yum yum. Choco gives me rashes though. COULD YOU BELIEVE THAT? On the other hand, oat-meal cookies taste like crap. Maybe I should buy ice-cream instead. But sugar gives me a toothache. Unlike bananas. Huh? Bananas?

Wait. What was I thinking again?

The exam. Yeah, right. I gulped at the obviously fuming woman standing in front of me.

"Would you see me in the office, Ms. Santos?" she scowled.

I cleared my throat, letting out my honey-coated voice in a soothing tone. "But I don't understand why, Mrs. Jenkins."

"First, you're not listening to the lesson. Second, you're ignoring me --”

"I'm not, madame." I smiled ruefully, tucking my black hair behind my ears. "I'm just having a headache. That's all. Perhaps I'll go visit the clinic?"

The lie was so smooth and perfectly-delivered that I almost believed it.

"And is that headache the reason why you doodled over your test?"

"Oh." So that's what the fuss was about. I tried very hard not to smile, but failed. "Those are my answers."

"Since when do you answer essays in a matching type?" she hissed, acid leaking out from her mouth in buckets.

"Madame," I said, emphasizing my point. "That's because the answer was not in the choices."

Her face got redder, angrier. "Are you telling me you're smarter than the books?"

"History books are not perfect facts," I replied casually, allowing myself an easy smile. "For example, they said that the Portuguese Fernando Magallanes, with his crew of Spanish sailors, discovered the Philippines in March 15, 1521, am I mistaken?"

No one spoke. Everyone stared at me like I was some specimen of an alien from another planet speaking in Pig Latin. Only the teacher and a couple of students gave me an exasperated but knowing look.

I continued in a bored tone. "But technically, it should be March 16 since they passed the IDL -- International Date Line -- on the way to search for the Moluccas. That aside, people already resided within the Islands even before the Spaniards came. A 40, 000 year-old homo specie was discovered in their caves. Even the Chinese held records of a place named Ma'i in as early as the 1100s, a place currently called Laguna.

 "So, does that make Mr. Magallanes its discoverer? No. And is he the first person to circumnavigate the world? The answer is no too. He died in the Philippines, died in a battle against the natives, so he only made it halfway! That makes the book wrong, ain't I right?

"In Greek mythology, they say that Phoebus Apollo is the god of the sun. Isn't it supposed to be Helios? The name is not only the issue there. I could mention a thing or two more, if you like, but you wouldn't like me wasting your precious time. Why is there an inconsistency? I believe they're not minor errors.

"What's my point? Ancient history as we know it may or may not be true after all. Documents can be fabricated, artifacts misinterpreted. So why should we study something subjective, something uncertain? And if history is something we're not sure of, doesn't that mean that the questions you gave us had no exact answers?

"Don't you agree madame?"

The atmosphere inside the room was priceless. I swore that their noses were bleeding - figuratively.

Mrs. Jenkins gaped at me, her hands hanging on her sides. Instead of poking through the loopholes in my statement -- believe me, there's none -- she left the room. Just like that.

I felt a little sorry for her; I know she didn't fully deserve what I did, but it felt good. My pent-up stress was released. I left on the verge of laughter as the bell rang. I bet no one ever pulled off a stunt like that. I wondered idly at what kind of rumors would start circulating. Never mind.

As I walked towards Calculus, passing by the glass windows, I stiffened. I blinked furiously at what I was seeing.

What the heck?!

There was this guy -- a blonde, green-eyed boy in boring jeans -- scouting the school campus... from the top of a tree?