["PLAY THE KING" IS ACT TWO OF THE "PLAY" SERIES. PLEASE READ "PLAY THE QUEEN" FIRST.]
It's been four months since Priam Torres, the once unpopular president of the Elysian University Student Council, assumed office. Thanks to his chief-of-staff Cas...
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FABIENNE
PRIAM'S ANNOUNCEMENT of Castiel being his vice presidential pick would have upset me. Dapat pinarurusahan ang lalaking 'yon, 'di binibigyan ng reward o promotion. Pero bakit 'di ako nainis, nagalit, o nagtampo? Because I saw it coming. In fact, alam kong siya ang pipiliin ni Priam bago pa ang press briefing niya no'ng isang araw.
How? Let's just say I was witness to it.
"Sorry for being late," Priam greeted me at the campus park. He told me na male-late siya nang kaunti dahil kinausap niya muna ang chairperson ng CAMP-CSC. What's her name again? April, Avril, or something.
"Don't worry, I didn't wait that long." Tumayo ako para salubungin siya at makipagbeso sa kaniya. May ibang estudyante sa paligid namin kaya dapat in character pa rin ako bilang First Lady ng USC President. They might find it weird kung magbabatian kami, 'tapos 'yon na 'yon. I would've gone for a hug, but that might be too much. Public display of affection was highly discouraged on campus, pero wala namang malisya kung makipag-cheeks to cheeks ako sa kaniya. Both female and male students had been doing it all the time. "So what's up?"
"I asked to meet you because of two reasons," tugon niya. "First, I want you to be a witness. Second, I feel like I owe you the need to be informed about something important."
"Ano 'yon?" Kumunot ang noo ko. Ang seryoso ng tono niya, ah? Inalala ko kung may atraso ba siya sa 'kin, pero parang wala naman. Naayos na namin ang gusot dati. How about the witness thingy?Saan ako tetestigo?
"Do you mind if we go somewhere else?" tanong niya bago tumango sa malayo. "Just a few minutes' walk from here?"
"Sure!" game na game kong sagot. Mamaya pang hapon ang rehearsal namin kaya free ako ngayong umaga. I could come with him wherever he wanted.
Naglakad kami patungo sa greener area ng campus. Saan ba kami papunta? Teka, papuntang golf course 'to ah? Mabuti't may dala siyang payong kaya 'di kami masyadong nainitan. I locked my left arm with his right para feel na feel ko ang pagiging First Lady. May mga nakasunod kasing tingin sa 'min at kumukuha pa ng pictures.
Do'n ko muling napansin kung gaano siya katangkad kaysa sa 'kin. Lagpas six feet ang height niya habang ako'y nasa five feet and eight inches. Ibinaba niya nang kaunti ang kaniyang hawak sa payong para siguradong 'di ako tamaan ng araw.
"You've read or heard about the search for the next USC vice president?" Sumulyap siya sa 'kin. Ramdam kong maingat niyang ino-open ang topic. "Some call it veepstake, an portmanteau of veep which is short for vice president, and stake because of the high stakes."
"Yeah." Mariin akong tumango bago halos tumingala sa kaniya. "Meron ka na bang napili?"
"I already have someone in mind."
"May I know who?" I sensed the need to ask permission dahil ang mga gano'ng bagay ay posibleng confidential at exclusively para sa kaalaman ng USC officers. I didn't wanna cross the line.
