QED CLUB: the go-to place of students and teachers in Clark High whenever they have mind-boggling mysteries they want solved. For months, club president Loki Mendez has been managing it alone, but circumstances will force him to open its doors to ne...
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ALISTAIR
"WE'RE SAD to see you leave the halls of St. Bartholomew, Mr. Ravena," the headmaster said. "But we support whatever decision you've made and we wish you nothing but the best."
Not everyone would get the chance to meet the headmaster in his office. Kadalasan, ang mga estudyanteng may serious concerns ang iniimbitahan dito. I had done nothing wrong since I enrolled in this school, but I had been here at least twice already—the first being almost half a year ago, the second being today.
The day had come for me to say goodbye to my high school. Matapos ang ilang linggong discussion, nagkasundo kami nina mama't papa na mag-transfer ako sa Clark High. This was part of their plan to arrange my marriage with my childhood friend Lorelei. I told them that I could entertain the idea, and they recommended that I should be close to her so I could sort of my feelings and come to a decision. Besides, Clark High was one of the top performing secondary educational institutions in Pampanga. The education there might be on par with St. Bart's.
"I thank this institution for shaping who and what I am today," I replied with a smile. Everything that I had learned and almost everything that I had believed in, I owed them to this school. "Ayaw ko rin pong umalis sa school na 'to, but the circumstances have compelled me to make a drastic decision."
"You're one of our top achievers in Grade 11 and your classmates can say nothing but praises to you. You will be sorely missed, Mr. Ravena." The headmaster got to his feet and offered his right hand to me. "May you continue to live the Bartholomean values that this school has inculcated in you."
I rose from my seat and shook hands with him. "I will, Sir. Thank you."
Upon exiting the headmaster's office, I halted in the middle of the hallway. Iginala ko ang aking tingin sa paligid. The rooms, the corridors, the stairs, the buildings, and the campus field—I would surely miss everything here. All my teenage life, I had been in this school. Hindi naging madali ang desisyon na iwan ko ang mga ito para lumipat.
"Mukhang ine-enjoy mo na ang last day mo rito, ha?"
I turned around to see Lionel de Leon smiling at me, his hands deep in his pockets. His jetblack hair looked like a lion's mane. Some schools would prohibit male students from having long hair, but not this school. May crimson armband sa kanyang braso na may naka-print na "student council." Mas madali silang ma-identify dahil sa gano'ng accessory. Pagdating sa height, lamang ako nang ilang inch sa kanya.
He sauntered to me. "You're going to be sorely missed, Al. You may not be part of the student council, pero marami kang naitulong sa amin, sa student body. You're leaving some big shoes to fill in!"
"I enjoyed working with you," I admitted. Without a doubt, it made my student life here more worthwhile. "Kahit na lagi mo akong inuutusan, masaya naman akong nakatutulong sa inyo at sa mga estudyante. 'Yon siguro ang isa sa mga pinakamami-miss ko rito."
