Merceline Cinco's High School Survival Guide By: Rose Tan (COMPLETED)

Chapter 21

ANXIOUS, PAKIRAMDAM NI AYENG AY MAY BOLANG BAKAL SA MGA PAA NIYA. Na pabigat nang pabigat habang papalapit siya ng papalapit sa fourth floor. Tumingin siya sa relos. 6:55 AM. Pihadong nasa room na ang mga kaklase niya. Isa ba sa mga naroroon na si Declan? Babatiin ba siya ng lalaki? Would he even look at her? And the rest? Would they behave like in Facebook, like everything was okay? She sure hoped so.

Paano kung hindi? Sigurado naman siya na kahit parang balewala lang sa mga kaklase ang ginawa niya, hindi ang mga iyon nakakalimot. She was absolutely sure, her classmates and schoolmates were talking about her privately. Maybe all the time.

"Hi, Ayeng!"

Luminga siya. Sina Tanya at Tricia, kambal ng 407. Wonder Twin ng volleyball. Both were tall and big-built. May dalang bola si Tanya...o si Tricia. Most of the time, she could not tell who was who.

"Happy new year." Wika pa ni Tricia. O Tanya.

"Happy new year." Bati rin niya, pilit ang sigla sa boses.

Nilampasan na siya ng kambal sa hagdan, base sa narinig ni Ayeng na comment as the twin hurried up the stairs, they were discussing a certain coach.

So, uh, maybe NOT everyone was thinking and talking about her. Tricia and Tanya surely didin't seem to care. But...were they even at the Christmas program? Ang mga varsity, minsan ay exempted sa mga ganoong activities.

Her hopes fell again. And she was ON the fourth floor. Nanlalamig na ang palad niya. She felt like throwing up her heavy breakfast---mas maasikaso si Aling Linda kesa kay Tita Meng.

Nagpasya siyang dumaan muna sa CR.

Wrong move. Kasalubong niya sina Dominique at Elysse. Nagkagulatan sila. Naunang makabawi ang dalawa, greeted her with a smirk. Eksaherado pa siyang binigyan ng daan sa pintuan. Then they giggled and made sure Ayeng heard them.

Now, those two were definitely talking about her nonstop.

Gusto na niyang umuwi. Mas tama ang una niyang desisyon na huminto na at maghanap na lang ng ibang school. Kasehodang ulitin niya ang grade 10.

Sana biglang may bomb threat. Dismissed tiyak ang klase.

Sana lumindol. Sana may sunog.

She couldn't stay in the comfort room forever. Sana nasa classroom na rin si Arvy. The thought allowed her to cross the hallway to 401. Sa unahang pinto pa siya pumasok. Kanya-kanyang grupo ang mga kaklase niya. Nagtatanungan. Nagdidiskusyon.

Oh, yeah. She had totally forgotten. They were a Cream Class. They take exams SERIOUSLY. They STUDY. Habang kasing ingay rin naman sila ng nasa ibang classrooms, iba ang pinagmumulan ng ingay nila. Hindi nagbibidahan at nagkukulitan ang mga kaklase niya. They were debating on the nature of the exams, they were discussing what's included and what's not, they were tutoring each other, they were posing possible question and trying to give the best answers.

Right that very moment, Ayeng could swear, no one in 401, except Doms and Elysee, was thinking of what she did.

Being in a Cream Class has its advantages.

"Hi, Ayeng." Bati ni Marvis sa kanya. "I finally got it." Isang papel ang ipinakita nito sa kanya, "YouTube."

"Really?" The knowledge lover in her took over. Hindi naman siya mapupunta sa cream class kung hindi rin siya obsessed sa Math problems. Kagabi ay nag-post ng calculus problem sa Fb si Marvis: GUYS, SOLVE THIS. IF WE FIGURE IT OUT WE'LL ACE THE TEST.