Mirror Academy

Chapter 28: Ranking

Chapter 28: Ranking

❇ ❇ ❇

= Paige =

"What. The. Hell. Happened. To. You?!" pag-aalala ko na may bahid ng galit sa kakambal kong ngayon ay nakahiga sa higaan sa infirmary. Alam kong hindi ko dapat siya hinahampas sa lagay niyang 'yan pero nagawa ko na.

Of courses alam ko kung ano ang nangyari sa kanya. Lecheng Lodestone 'yun. Ilang taong malapit saakin ang pineste. Si Marco, si Austin, at si Luke.

Ito ang unang beses naming madalaw ang mga boys dahil kinailangan rin naming magpa-check at ayusin ang sarili namin. Hiwalay pa naman ang infirmary ng mga lalaki sa babae.

But fortunately, nasa iisang kuwarto lamang si Marco, Grae, Austin, at Luke. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang gumamit ng "charm" nila para makuha ang gusto pero okay na rin ito. Para isang kuwarto lang ang bisitahin. Less hassle.

"Ouch. You should take care of me instead of hurting me." sabi naman niya habang hinaharangan ang lugar kung saan ko siya hinahampas.

Hindi ko naman intensyon saktan siya pero nadala na ng bugso ng damdamin. Galit na galit ako sa lecheng Jackstone na 'yun. But I also prefer the nickname Austin has given him.

COW ON STEROIDS. How can a cow be on freaking steroids?! But it made sense though.

"When are we gonna get out of here? Honestly, I prefer our messy dorm than this all white room." pahayag ni Austin na may makapal na benda sa ulo. Well, at least it's safe to say that he's not dead. Or worse in a coma.

I know. I need to sort my priorities.

"Yes, so you could lost yourself from all your trash in there?" pahayag naman ni Aria.

"Well, that's part true." singit naman ni Luke. "My sides way cleaner than Austin's"

"Sige lang, Luke. Ipahiya mo pa ako. Na-appreciate ko. Really." sarcastic na pahayag ni Austin.

"You're welcome, then."

Hayy.

= Blythe =

Dalawang linggo na ang nakakalipas mula ng makalabas na ang mga lalaki sa infirmary at kalalabas lang ng results ng ranking.

Hindi ko alam kung paano 'yun na-gradan pero nandun na. Wala naman kaming sinagutang exams or tests.

Pero whatever the reason is, I am proud of the rank I got: 268!!!

Damn. I know that this rank is nowhere near the top but I am happy as hell that I managed to pass other experienced students of the fourth year.

I am sure na hindi naman matataas ang mga grade na nakuha ko at hanggang first round lang naman ang inabot ko kaya isa lang ang rason kung bakit mas mataas ang nakuha kong rank sa kanila: they have did worse than I have.

Hindi naman masaya akong mas mababa sila saakin, masaya ako dahil mas mataas ang nakuha ko kaysa sa kanila.

Well, there's an exception: I was hyper when I heard this news, the leader bitch is directly below me. She ranked 269 and what's better is her alipores ranked even lower.

Paige ranked 9, Luke landed on 7, Austin on 126, Summer on 97, Aria ranked 12, Marco 243, and Grae on 198.

Yes, I may ranked the lowest of us eight but I still consider this as an achievement. It's my first year here and the first semester or whatever and I ranked 268!

Nandito kami ngayon sa cafeteria, pigging out because this is absolutely not stress eating. Masaya kami ngayon maliban na lang kay Aria at Marco na bumaba ang rank.
"Cheer up." sabi ni Paige sa kanila habang nilalantakan ang chocolate cake niya.

"That's easy for you to say because you didn't drop a single spot." sagot naman ni Aria.

"And I haven't gained a single spot either. I retained it. Speaking of our ranking..." tapos ngumiti na siya ngayon ng napaka-sweet at nakita ko si Luke na parang hindi alam ang sasagutin sa susunod na sasabihin ni Paige. "Why did you leave me on the my place."

It is not a question. It is a freaking statement. And now I know kung bakit hindi alam ni Luke kung ano ang sasabihin niya.

"Well, I can only guess that it has something to do with the combat results?" patanong na sabi niya.

Tiningnan na lang siya ng masama ni Paige pero alam kong sa kaloob-looban niyan, proud 'yan.

"Let's change the subject, so, Marco, why the hell did you freaking dropped 33 places?" tanong ni Austin sa kanya.

"Well, let's see. I've been knocked out on the first round, I have the worst grading potions master teaching me, and I am so not defending myself against the dark arts." sarcastic na sagot niya naman. Bad mood nga.

"So, how about you, Summer?" tanong naman sa kanya ni Paige sa kanya.

"It's great. I rose, like, 340 spots."

"I see. And I guess it's all about the combat. You managed to get to round four! And I am surprised that you didn't even made it to the 50's." natutuwang pahayag naman ni Aria sa kanya na pansamantalang nakalimutan ang mataas pero mababa-pa-rin-sakanya rank problem.

"Well, I suck at making projects on time."

"That's what they all say."

"Hey, mind celebrating later?" sabi ni Austin at alam namin may binabalak na naman siya.

"And what do you mean by 'celebrating'?" nakataas kilay naman na pangkikilatis ni Aria.

"You know, curfew, black, spray paint, chase?"

And there it is. Another rulebreaking. It's not that I am against it, but we were nearly caught the first time we did it. And the chase was not fun. And what happen after that isn't really good. And I am not blushing like hell. I just hate being treated like a pillow.

⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄

"We know what you mean. Rulebreaking. And I am so into it." excited na turan ni Grae. 
"You say 'celebrating',  I say 'not getting myself wasted'." sabi naman ni Marco. "I'm also in..."

"Paige?"

"In."

"Well, at least you loosened up a bit. I'm also in." hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Luke dahil hindi na nagdalawang isip ang kakambal niya. And also, hindi na nag-mother mode.

"Aria?"

"I forced you last time and my answer will not ch---"

"Are you in or not?"

"Yeah, fine. Whatever." bagot na sabi ni Aria dahil alam kong hindi siya sanay na nababalewala. Ulit.

"Summer?"

"What they said."

"And lastly, Blythe?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" napangisi sila at umiling ng sabay-sabay. "Then, fine." I don't really hate it, on the first place.