Symphonic Waves (Ciudad de Escalante #6)

Phase 21

My hands trembled while staring at my midterm test papers. After a week, the results finally came out. Gamit nang nanlalamig na kamay, kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at hinanap ang calculator. I calculated my grades right away. Mataas ang preliminaries ko kaya panigurado, mataas pa rin ang initial grades.

Numbers don't matter that much to me, but thinking about the possibility that my ranking and grade might drop, it's bothering me. I'm the type of person who likes to maintain and move forward, but never backward.

My heart pounded harshly after calculating my estimated grade. Hindi ko na-maintain.

Bumaba ng ilang points!

"Naka-post na sa Biology Society ang ranking sa midterms!" Mas dumoble ang kaba ko nang may sumigaw sa labas ng aming classroom. I gulped when everyone excitedly came out to see the results.

Habang ako, nanatili sa loob at nagdalawang-isip kung titingnan ko ba. I ranked first last time. Okay lang kung maging 2nd or 3rd, pero iba ang kutob ko ngayon. I have a gut feeling that I don't belong anymore in top three.

With an anxious heart and trembling knees, I headed out. In any ways, makikita ko rin naman an resulta kaya walang pinagkaiba kung ngayon o mamaya ko titingnan.

Mas nanlamig ang kamay ko nang makita ang mga estudyante at iilang blockmates ko na pinapalibutan ang monitor kung saan naka-flash ang rankings. Habang papalapit ako roon, mas sumisikip ang dibdib ko. I don't feel good about this, really. I don't know what went wrong. I know I did well, but it's not enough. My best, it downgraded.

"Congratulations, Ceres!"

I don't want to get my hopes up when my classmates congratulate me. Nakita nila ako na papalapit. Hindi ko pa nakikita kaya hindi ko masyadong na-appreciate ang pagbati nila sa akin.

"Thanks," I said dryly and darted my eyes on the screen.

Napalunok ako nang makita ang pangalan ni Sylvan sa pinakauna. I already expected that, so it didn't bother me that much. Ngunit nang ibaba ko ang paningin ko para makita ang mga sumunod, mas nanghina ako at tila nawalan ng dugo.

My eyes widened when I saw my name on the fifth row.

Top 5. From rank one to five!

Ceres, calm down. Grades don't define you. Remember that. They don't. You did great. But that was four steps backwards. Hindi man lang isa, o dalawa. Apat! I fell down so bad. Hindi ko matandaan kung kailan ang pinakaunang beses ko na bumaba nang ganito ang ranking ko. This is the first time. Where did I went wrong?

"Oh, what's with the long face?" panunukso ng isang boses sa gilid ko. I clenched my jaw when I recognized who it was. I prepared myself and became alert when Hyacinth moved a step closer to me. Ano'ng ginagawa niya rito? Our last interaction didn't go well, and I won't let that happen again.

"Ah, now I know," nang-aasar niyang sabi at tiningnan ang screen. "My baby is on top, as expected. He always owned that spot," she proudly stated while looking at Sylvanus' name.

"Huy, hindi kaya. Noong preliminaries, si Ceres ang Top 1," singit ni Deborah na nakikinig pala sa aming dalawa.

"Whatever, Deborah. Preliminaries lang iyon," maarteng sabi ni Hyacinth. Huminga ako nang malalim at umiling. Whatever her reason why she's here, I'm out. Without a second, umalis ako sa kumpulan ng mga tao at nagdesisyon na lamang na bumalik sa classroom.

"Hey, how dare you turn your back on me? Kinakausap pa kita," si Hyacinth habang sinusundan ako. I gasped in irritation. What does she really need, huh?

"I don't want to talk to you," malamig kong sabi at mas binilisan ang lakad. Wala ako sa mood. Mabigat ang loob ko sa ranking dahil disappointed ako sa sarili ko. I don't have time to entertain a conversation that doesn't concern me!