Coming Back To You

7

Nicky was looking at me weirdly pagpasok ko
sa room. "Bakit ang saya mo?" she asked bago
pa man ako makapagbaba ng gamit ko. I did a
quick look around and most of my classmates'
faces were buried in cases. Huh. Buti na lang may Nathan Jameson ako. He literally saved me from damnation also known as Criminal Law class.

I shrugged. "Wala. I just feel happy."

"Seriously? Where's the Mari I know na stressed tuwing may lumalabas na bagong list of cases?" she asked, eyeing me. Tinawanan ko na lang siya. I was just in a really good mood! Sobrang ganda kasi nung digests na binigay sa akin ni Nathan. Kung wala iyon, I was pretty sure that I would have been up all night trying to remember everything. But with the digests he gave me, I was able to sleep before 11pm pa. And nakapag-advance reading pa ako sa Statcon!

"Santiago," Atty. Mercado called. I was sitting
pretty. I was confident. But also, this felt weird..
Ngayon lang ako naging confident sa lahat
ng class na napasukan ko rito. Ang lagi kong
nararamdaman ay nasusuka na nahihilo. "Intod v CA."

Biglang natigilan iyong classmate ko. Everyone
around me began to panic. Pang 8 pa iyon sa case! Tumalon si Sir! Hala!

"Fuck" Nicky whispered. "Bakit nagsskip?!"
she panicked. Clean desk policy halos sa lahat
ng classes ko. Bawal maglabas ng notes. Kung
ano lang ang naaalala mo, iyon lang ang pwede
mong masagot sa class. Kaya kapag ganito, may
nagagawa na akong list sa utak ko para maalala ko kung ano ang pagkakasunud-sunod pati kung ano'ng case ba iyon. I usually read around 80 cases a week, mababaliw ako kung memorized ko by heart lahat!

My classmate tried to answer, but she recited the wrong case. Tumawag ng bago si Sir. Same thing happened. Shit. Naaawa ako sa kanila. That's 65! Ang hirap bawiin nun!

"Cervantes."

I stood up. My heart was beating dangerously fast. Six of my classmates were called and none of them was able to recite the correct case.

"In the case of Intodv CA, Intod, Pangasian,
Tubio, and Daligdig went to Mandaya's house
and asked the latter to come with them in killing Palangpangan or else he would also be killed. Intod wanted to kill Palangpangan because of a land dispute between them," I began as I racked my brain trying to remember everything that was written in Nathan's digest. I continued reciting the facts
of the case up to the ruling. Even the littlest details, sinabi ko para alam ni Sir na nagbasa talaga ako! Alam ko kasi na kailangan kong bumawi dahil sa kapalpakan ko before.

My lips were quivering when I finished. I looked at Sir, waiting for any follow up question like before, but he only said, "That's enough. de Marco," he said

Pag-upo ko, sobrang lakas pa rin ng tibok ng puso ko. Gosh! I did it! I answered correctly! Mukhang hindi na badtrip sa akin si Sir!

"Thanks,"I mouthed when I saw Ares giving me a thumbs-up sign.

"Nice one," Nicky whispered. "Kabisado mo lahat ng case? How to be you?" she asked, but I just shrugged. How to be me? Dapat meron ka ring Nathan na namimigay ng digests.

My class ended earlier than usual dahil mukhang may emergency meeting si Atty. Mercado kaya instead na 9:30, 8:30 pa lang dismissed na kami. Dumiretso na ako sa labas. Alam ko na 8:30 din iyong dimissal ni Nathan tonight.

"Ms. Cervantes," Ares said.

"Sorry, nagmamadali ako," I said. I wanted to talk with him din naman kasi no doubt masayang kasama si Ares, but I really wanted to see Nat. I wanted to thank him for saving my ass. "Text me if it's important! Otherwise, see you bukas!" sabi ko pa bago nagsimulang tumakbo.

I didn't bother to look back. Diretso lang ako na
bumaba sa second floor. Pagdating ko sa room nila Nathan, nakita ko na nasa loob pa sila ng classroom. Nandun muna ako sa gilid halbang naghihintay. I was checking the group chat baka kasi may announcement or nadagdag para sa coverage namin sa Statcon tomorrow. Hassle pa naman 'yun si Atty. Galvez. Akala mo menopause baby sa sobrang sungit. 'Di ka lang makasagot agad akala mo ikaw na iyong may kasalanan ng global warming.