Do You Know Where I Should Go?

Chapter 2

And again, the wind knocked out of me. 

I cannot breathe. 

"Seryoso ka?" I looked at Mr. Anderson standing in front of me, amusement plastered on his face- as usual. 

"Oo nga!" his lips curved. 

"Today's not the time to joke around, you know. Isusumbong kita kay Kuya James." I uttered. Pertaining to my cousin who works in the same department and is also a friend of his. 

"Eh 'di isumbong mo. 'Yan kasi, puro ka press room, radio room, a-attend ka na nga lang ng klase mo, puro major pa, exemption pa ang klase ko-" 

"Kailangan nga ako do'n! Just so you know, I'm the captain of the broadcasting club." I pointed out, nearly pissed by our conversation. 

He raised a brow and let out a soft sigh. "Tapos yung debate mo pa next next week. Ni minsan hindi ka bumibisita sa-" 

"Oh, please! Kaka-umpisa pa lang ng klase ganiyan ka na agad? Awat naman Sir Neil, oh." 

He shot his brow higher. "Kunin mo si Martin sa team para ma secure niyo iyong place niyo sa quarter-finals." 

Now what I'm seeing is a nightmare...

Feeling overwhelmed, I exhaled sharply and brushed my hands through my face, trying to push away the mounting stress. "Pa'no ko siya kukunin kung hindi raw siya pumapasok?" 

He giggled. "Ikaw. Choice mo. Be a FLIP Debater at UP Los Baños or..."

I tapped my foot impatiently and clenched my jaw. Every small sound seemed amplified, grating on my nerves. I let out a frustrated sigh, running my hand through my hair and rolling my eyes as I struggled to keep my composure. "Hindi ko nga siya makuha-kuha na maging anchor sa foundation day, 'yan pa kaya? So, no thanks. Kaya ko nang wala siya." 

His lips stretched, his smile reaching through his eye. "So, you've met him?" he noted. 

"Yes. And I am not having someone like him with that kind of attitude in my team." 

He laughed. I looked at my watch and glared at him. "Alright," he stated, still smiling. "The decision is all yours." He was about to go, but stopped beside me. "I'll meet him at the courtyard." 

I know who is he pertaining to. But the question is, is Severo really worth begging for? Was Severo really the best choice? Would he uphold our team's reputation in the fiercely competitive debate circuit? More importantly, could I convince myself that he was worth pursuing for our victory, or was there another candidate who could lead us to triumph without compromising my principles? 

Deep in thought, I stared at dancing trees weighing the pros and cons, knowing that the decision I'll make would shape our team's future in the coming debates.

Would it be worth it? Would I have regrets? 

Regret what? Having him or not having him? 

I sighed defeatedly and went to the courtyard only to see Sir Neil and Severo in a table. They were facing a book, both of them seemed intensely focused, discussing something that looked important. Their serious expressions and animated gestures made it clear that this was no ordinary chat. I paused, intrigued by the scene, wondering what they were talking about and if now was the right time to approach him.

I decided to take a sit four tables away from them, trying to look inconspicuous as I pulled out my notebook. From here, I could observe them without being too obvious. Severo leaned in, his voice too low for me to hear, but Sir Neil nodded thoughtfully, occasionally interjecting with her own points.