Case on a Silver Platter [Course 1]

Chapter 1: Ready, Set on Fire!

Kalliope

The fateful quiz arrived. And this is seemingly the predicament faced by my classmates as of this moment as our Mathematics in the Modern World instructor Ms. Bernadette Buendia passed on the test papers.

Cold sweat seemed to be noticeable on some of their foreheads. Ang iba’y napapahid muna ng kamay sa kanilang slacks o skirt para maalis ang basa nito. Halos daig pa nito ang major subject namin dahil sa pressure.

“Prayers lang ‘to, malakas ako kay Lord, eh!” my classmate, Mika, said from a seat in front of me in attempt to discard the nervousness attacking her system right now. Nag-sign of the cross pa ito bago huminga ng malalim.

Silent murmurs also ensued as Ma’am Buendia continue distributing the papers, now on the third to the last row.

Tila pare-pareho ang hinaing at problema ng lahat: kung paano maka-survive sa quiz na ito. Lalo pa at kilala si Ma’am Buendia bilang terror at masungit na instructor dito, na base sa chismisan ng mga kaklase ko ay dala na raw ng katandaan.

“Pre, usog ka ng konti rito ha, ‘di ko masyadong kita eh.”

“Pst, Faye, pagaya ako ha! Wala akong review!”

“Kaya ‘to, clutch lang!”

“Guys,” pagtawag ng atensyon saamin ni Lorenzo na nasa aking kanan habang nakatingin sa kaniyang cellphone. May space sa pagitan namin dahil naka-one seat apart kami ngayon. “Alam niyo ba na in a test of 100 items, for example, with 4 choices, may 25% chance tayo na mapili ang tamang sagot bawat item. Therefore, ang probability of score na pwede nating makuha ay 50%!”

“Wow, ang galing mo! Saan mo na naman nahagilap ‘yan?” sambit ni Mika na ngayon ay nakaharap na saamin.

With a grin on his face, Lorenzo waved his phone in front of her. “Sa internet, s-in-earch ko.”

“Sabi na, eh. Imposibleng sa’yo manggaling ‘yan! Akala mo talaga nagkamilagro eh, ‘no? At saka sayang ka sa load,” muli na itong bumaling sa unahan at nagpatuloy sa pagdarasal.

“Basher talaga kahit kailan. Hindi na madadala ng orasyon ‘yan ngayon. "On the other hand,” he flashed a mischievous grin at me and clutched his phone. “I know something that is much more effective and will ensure my survival.”

Mukhang may kutob na ako sa binabalak niyang gawin. With his naughty grin, I can sense that he would resort to something. . . illegal. Well, with Ma’am Buendia on watch, pulling that off would be near to impossible. Kahit nakasalamin ito ay matalas pa rin ang paningin nito tuwing quizzes at tests. I gave him a wry smile and a “Good luck.”

Aktong ipuposisyon na nito ang hawak sa may hita nang magsalita si Ma’am sa unahan.

“No phones, reviewers, or any kind of notes allowed,” she reminded the class, which sounded more of a threat with those menacing eyes. “Keep them or keep your things and leave the room.”

Lorenzo pouted as he kept his phone in his bag, disappointed that his plan was botched. Instead, now motioning a sign of the cross, copying Mika earlier and murmuring “Kaya ‘to, multiple choice naman, alternate na lang!”