Responsibilities That Ties Us

Chapter 1: Who This Guy Is Ba?

I can't feel the slightest joy with what my eyes are seeing.

Paulit-ulit kong binabasa ang board ng overall rankers ng STEM Sections, and seeing his name below mine doesn't sit right with me.

"Huh, napaka imposible namang umanggat siya ng isang grading lang," says Landon, tinuturo ang sariling pangalan habang naka tingin sa ikalawang ranko.

"He could be saving face? May usap-usapan naman mga marites na hinamon mo daw siya," ani Sophia, her arms folded over her chest.

I frowned. 

Sure, nakaka-proud makita ulit ang pangalan ko sa rank one, but nakakasira lang na naabutan at nahanapan niya pa ng paraan— managed to place second below me. 

OVERALL RANKERS OF THE STEM SECTION

1. Garza, K.A.

2. Calinao, N.

3. ...

4. ...

5. ...

"Uy, grabi pre, tumaas ka nga," someone chatters beside us, tone amused. I caught a glimpse of his jet-black hair in my peripheral vision at ang laking ngiting nakaplastar sa pagmumuka niya. 

Annoying...

"Diba ika-10th kalang last quarter? Grabe pag-anggat mo," sulpot ng isa pa niyang katabi.

His laughter echoed through the series of chattering; it made my ears ring and my frown deepen.

"Second rank..." he mumbles, but loud enough na maririnig ko. 

Is he taunting me?

Hindi ko sana papansinin, because I don't want to in favor of not satisfying whatever fun he is getting from... all this— but he turned and looked at me, ngiting abot langit; the crease by his eyes were faint but noticeable. 

"Diba?"

Silence befell the hallway, and soon the whispers surround us. He averts his attention to me— At ang lakas pa ng loob niya. Narinig ko ang pagpigil tawa ng isang hinayupak sa kilid ko. Even Vince's faintest sigh is audible, and he doesn't speak often.

Hindi ko hinarap— I tried not to, but I glared at his printed name, in hopes that bigla itong liliyab.

Bago ko pa matunton at mairapan iyong lalaking iyon, tumunog ang bell that's followed by our President's voice with reminders, indicating magsisimula na yung klase. Mabilis na nagsialisan ang ibang students as soon as it ended, habang ako'y naka-planta sa sahig and still glaring at his name; cursing him, wishing the ground would somehow find a way and bury him alive—

"Tara na Kam, baka mapunit pa yung board kakatingin mo diyan," si Landon na tumatawa at tinapik ako sa balikat. Lumakad siya paalis at sumunod si Vince, umiiling ang ulo at nakatingin sa librong kanina pa niya binabasa.

Someone else grabbed my arm and dragged me away. Nilingon ko ang salarin at nagkatinginan kami ni Sophia, whose joy was obvious kahit sinisikap niyang itago. I can tell much, that she's trying not to burst into laughter but making it obvious she wants to. 

"Let's go na, baka malate pa tayo." Lumakad kami papalayo habang hatak hatak niya ako.

"Ay, hindi ka pinansin... sad naman," I heard a classmate of his mumbled, chuckling. There was no response.