Pursuing My Nemesis

Three

Chapter 3

Sophomore year. CADBE month.

There was this major contest for design making and floor plan sketching that I joined in out of peer pressure. Pinagtulakan ako ng mga block mates ko na sumali. Nawalan ako ng pag-asa na mapilit silang iba na lang ang ilista nila para contest. Sa huli, I find myself sitting on one of the contest tables with my laptop and art materials.

"You can do it, Nemmie!" was all they told me.

I know I can do it. I believe in myself. Matataas naman lahat ng mga grades ko sa mga plates na ipinapasa ko sa majors namin. Even our professors were complimenting my works. This contest shouldn't be something that I could be scared of.

But who was I kidding?

Noong nalaman ko na galing sa mga international construction and design firms ang magiging hurado sa contest ay nagsimula na akong pagpawisan. Mas lumala pa iyon nang ibalita sa amin na ang mananalo raw ay may chance na maging exchange student sa isang sikat na university sa ibang bansa. Of course, I don't want this chance to get away of my hand. Nandito na ako. Kailangan ko na lang galingan para manalo.

But my confidence were torn down when I saw who sat on the empty chair beside me. My sweat became visible and my cheeks were turning red.

"Good luck," Aniel said to me with a small smile. Napalunok ako at pilit na ngumiti sa kanya pabalik.

Okay pa kami noong mga panahong 'yon. We casually talked sometimes at minsan nga ay nagsasama pa sa mga group activities. Hindi ko lang maiwasang makaramdam ng tension at awkwardness kapag katabi ko siya because since the start of the school year last year, naipagkukumpara na kaming dalawa.

The profs were enjoying it when Aniel and I are debating about something in class. Mind you, sa minors lang kami magkaklase. We like to contradict each other's opinions to the point na nauubos pa namin ang isang buong oras na kami lang ang nagsasagutan sa klase.

Siguro dahil sa spotlight na nagagawa naming dalawa noon, doon nabuo 'yong invisible boxing ring na kinatatayuan namin ngayon. The profs like us debating. Our block mates like us competing with each other during extra curricular activities. Akala ko noong una, normal lang 'yon. Na ayos pa kami. Kasi sumasama pa naman siya sa amin nila Channing at Freeda.

Not until this contest happened and I won.

"How could she possibly won when she clearly cheated?" He started voicing out in front of the facilitators, and the judges. Nakatayo sila sa tapat ng stage kung saan naka-display ang mga gawa namin.

"Mr. Felan, please don't accuse someone without giving us proof—"

"I was beside her the whole contest proper, Ma'am. She finished her work in just thirty minutes. How do you think is that possible?" He didn't stop. "You gave us three hours to do our drawings for a reason."

"Let's talk about this inside my office, then. Nakakahiya sa mga taong nakakakita," the president of the university said.

Nagsi-alisan ang mga instructors at facilitators. Inaya nila ang mga foreign judges para pumunta sa admin office.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as he looked at me.

Nakatayo lang ako roon, nakatitig sa gawa ko. I did a great job. I know I did. Hindi ko naman makukuha ang first place kung pumalpak ako.

"Bakit kailangan mong magsinungaling?" tanong ko, nakatingin pa rin sa harapan.

"You know that I didn't lie. It's impossible for you to finish the whole drawing in just thirty minutes."