Be the First

34 : The Aftershock

THE PRINCIPAL and my Dad were in the same school way back in college. Kaya nang ipatawag na naman ang parents ko sa school, si Dad naman ang pumunta this time.

He did what he could. So he pulled some strings and donated some money to make sure I don't get expelled.

Pero may ilang kondisyon.

Una, hindi na ako mako-consider sa student ranking kahit pa taasan ko ang grades ng current rank one. Tampering school records is a serious violation of the school code, at talagang expulsion na dapat ang hatol sa akin.

But since my parents made a way, instead of getting expelled, tinanggal ng principal ang eligibility ko sa maraming bagay kapalit ng pananatili ko sa school.

So kahit na ang final grade ko ng Second Quarter ay 97.00 na mas mataas kaysa kay Izrajel, siya pa rin ang naging rank one.

Since they thought me to be the main culprit, I was suspended for a month.

I was removed from the Pilot Class.

Dumaan naman ako sa due process. Dumaan sa tamang investigation ang nangyari. But I've been seriously framed up. How?

Phil turned himself in and lied about me being the mastermind. Ayon sa confession niya, I threatened him to give me the key to the faculty room. Sisirain ko raw kasi ang play nina Stella noong gabing 'yon kung sakaling hindi raw siya sumunod.

Strange enough, there was a CCTV footage outside the faculty room. At sa footage na 'yon, ako lang ang nakitang umakyat ng building at pumasok ng faculty.

Walang record na nagpunta doon si Phil, Izrajel, o maging si Airen. It's like the cameras were rigged to only work once it's me who walked in.

May footage rin silang nakuha na hinahabol ko si Phil papalabas ng theater room noong gabing 'yon.

I was set up.

Airen got suspended for a month as well. At dahil doon, pinauwi muna siya ng parents niya sa London. Hindi na siya nag-deny na nanakit siya ng guard dahil proud na proud pa siyang nagawa niya iyon. Typical Airen.

And Izrajel, when he was being questioned, he maintained that it was Phil who set me up. Parehas lang ang statement namin dahil iyon naman talaga ang nangyari. He was suspended for a week.

Because all the evidences were pointing to me. Ang galing galing nina Stella at Phil para gawin nila ito. Pinaghandaan. Pinag-isipang mabuti.

In just five days, nawala sa akin ang lahat.

It all happened so fast.

I could've just followed Dad's advice na lumipat na lang ng school. But I chose not to. Because I belong here in Brighton.

--

"TABLE TWO, anak." Nilingon ko si Miss Cora, ang supervisor ng main branch ng steak house namin. Isa siya sa mga loyal employees nina Mom at Dad, at siya ang umaalalay sa akin sa pag-duty ko dito sa restaurant.

"Okay, got it. Thanks po." Sagot ko sabay buhat ng tray at nagumpisa na komg mag-serve ng order sa table two.

Working here while I'm under suspension was Mom's idea. Okay na rin ito dahil nalilibang ako. Hindi ako matutulala at iiyak na lang sa kwarto.

At may isang buwan ako para maghanda at magplano.

"Thank you, you look so young to be working." Nagtatakang sabi ng customer nang ihain ko ang mga order nila. "How old are you, hijah?"