Saved by Time's Sand

Chapter 4: Unanticipated Distractions

Xierra's POV
The rest of the first day went by smoothly, but it wasn’t without its surprises. After lunch, I headed back to the classroom, feeling more settled than I had in the morning. I took a seat near the front, ready to tackle the last few subjects of the day. Our next class was Organization and Management, one of our major subjects for the ABM strand.

As the bell rang, signaling the start of the class, our teacher, Mrs. Perez, walked in. She was a tall woman with sharp features and an air of authority that demanded respect. Her expression was serious, and she immediately captured the attention of everyone in the room.

"Good afternoon, class," she began, her voice firm and no-nonsense. "I’m Mrs. Perez, and I will be your teacher for Organization and Management. This subject is crucial for those of you in the ABM strand, as it forms the foundation of your future studies and careers in business and management. We’ll start with some basic concepts, but don’t expect me to go easy on you. We have a lot to cover, and I expect everyone to keep up."

I sat up straighter in my seat, knowing this was going to be a challenging class. Mrs. Perez wasted no time diving into the lesson, introducing the basic principles of management and how they apply to real-world scenarios. As she spoke, I could feel the weight of the subject matter settling in. This was no longer just about memorizing facts; it was about understanding concepts that would be essential for our futures.

After about half an hour of lecture, Mrs. Perez paused and looked around the room. "Now, to see how well you’ve been paying attention, I’m assigning you a group activity," she announced. "You will be grouped into five, and each group will be given a specific management concept to discuss. You’ll need to define the concept and give real-life examples of how it’s applied in business. You’ll present your findings at the end of the class, so work quickly and efficiently."

The class buzzed with excitement and a bit of nervousness as Mrs. Perez started assigning us into groups. I found myself grouped with four other students. To my surprise, one of them was Rivera Gabriel, who I had heard about but never spoken to before. Gabriel was known for her strong personality and a bit of a bitchy attitude, but she was also charismatic and kind once you got to know her. I was curious to see how she would be in a group setting.

Our other group members were three boys: Montefiero Artaniel, Lireiro Jayzell, and Valmarana Loi. Artaniel was someone I recognized from our graduation ceremony. We had sat two seats apart as we both received the highest honors. He had a serious demeanor that made him seem intimidating, but there was no denying that he was attractive. Many girls in school had a crush on him, and I could see why. He had that brooding, mysterious look that made him stand out.

Jayzell, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was funny, kind, and easy to get along with. He had a lighthearted personality that made everyone around him feel comfortable. He and Artaniel were friends, though they couldn’t be more different.

Then there was Loi, short for Loise, who was the class clown. Loi was gay, super friendly, and always ready with a joke. He had a way of making everyone laugh, and I knew he would bring some much-needed humor to our group.

As we gathered together to start our activity, I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by the group’s dynamic. Gabriel immediately took charge, her assertiveness shining through as she started assigning roles.

"Okay, huwag na nating sayangin ang oras," Gabriel said, her tone commanding. "Ako na bahala sa definition at explanation ng concept. Artaniel, ikaw ang maghanap ng mga real-life examples. Jayzell, ikaw na ang mag-organize ng presentation. Loi, tulungan mo si Jayzell sa visuals, at Xierra, sa'yo na ang introduction at conclusion."

I nodded, feeling a bit relieved that I had been given a manageable task. We quickly got to work, each of us focusing on our assigned parts. Gabriel was impressive, taking the lead with confidence and ensuring that we stayed on track. Despite her reputation, she was easy to work with, and I found myself admiring her strong personality.