The Heartbeat of the Walls: A Symphony of Silence

Part 1: Asher Storm (The Price of perfection )

"Ash, nag-review ka? May quiz pala tayo mamaya kay Ma'am Agustin," my friend said, interrupting my gaze out the classroom window.

"Oo, magdamag akong nag-review kasi alam kong mahirap magpa-quiz si Ma'am. Ikaw ba nag-review ka?" I asked back, already dreading the inevitable.

"Naks, ang sipag! Panigurado ikaw na naman ang pinakamataas ang score sa quiz. Ako, hindi nakapag-review, tinamad ako kagabi eh, napa-scroll kasi ako sa TikTok hahahaha," she chuckled, shaking her head.

"Pag ikaw bumagsak, sige ka," I warned, trying to sound lighthearted, but my heart pounded with a familiar anxiety. She laughed, but I knew she wasn't taking it seriously.

Just then, our terror professor entered the room. "Okay class, quiet! All the things in your chair na hindi naman kailangan ay ibaba at itago na especially ang mga reviewer at cellphone." She spoke, her voice sharp and commanding as she distributed the question papers.

I put away my things and waited, listening to the hushed whispers of my classmates.

"If you have a question, ask me, not your classmate or seatmate. Makita ko lang na bumulong oh lumingon ka sa tabi ng classmate mo walang salita, pupunitin ko ang papel at hindi na makakapag quiz. Maliwang!?" The echo of her voice in every corner of our room is like a crackling fire, threatening to consume any whispers of dissent.

"Yes!" we all responded, our voices barely a murmur.

The quiz was grueling, and I felt my confidence slipping with each unanswered question. When the time was up, the silence in the room was deafening. I could feel the weight of everyone's expectations pressing down on me.

"Raven, Luis 25/50."
"Roann, Jane 15/50."
"Sunny, Suzy 30/50."
"Scott, Mary Grace 45/50."

When my friend's score was announced, I sat up straighter, knowing mine was next.

"Storm, Asher 28/50."

The world seemed to shrink. It was like a punch to the gut, the air knocked out of my lungs. I heard whispers, murmurs of disbelief, and my friend's voice asking, "Ay, si Grace ang mas mataas ngayon, akala ko si Ash ulit."

"Bakit ang baba ng quiz niya, himala ah."

"Ash? Are you okay?"

I couldn't look at them. My eyes stung with tears, and I felt a familiar tightness in my chest. I grabbed my paper and walked out of the classroom, a hollow shell of my usual confident self.

I walked out of the school, numb and lost. My feet felt like lead, and the world around me blurred. Then, a hand grabbed my arm.

"Ash! Wait lang. Bakit anong problema?" Grace asked, her voice filled with concern.

I didn't answer. I couldn't. The pain was too raw, too overwhelming.

"Dahil ba 'to sa score na nakuha mo kanina? Ayos lang naman Ash, bawi na lang tayo sa susunod." She tried to comfort me, but her words felt empty.

I pulled my arm away, the anger rising within me. "Bawi? After you got an almost perfect score? You said you didn't review? Are you lying?"

She looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. "Look, hindi ko din alam kung bakit ganon nakuha kong score. Nahirapan nga ako sa quiz kanina eh."

I scoffed, my anger escalating. "Talaga lang ha? Hindi ka nag-review? Hindi mo naman kailangan magsinungaling sakin. Ang ayoko sa lahat ay yung pinagsisinungalingan ako!"

I could see the hurt in her eyes, but I didn't care. My frustration had reached its breaking point.

"W-what? Nang dahil lang don nagkakaganyan ka? Ang sakit mo naman magsalita, parang hindi mo ako kaibigan Asher ah." She looked close to tears, but I turned away, unable to bear the sight of her distress.