Infernio Academy 1: Touch of Hell

Chapter 23: Young and Relentless

Featured song: Against The Current - Young and Relentless

⪼ D A N N A H

It's been two days since Ford and I's conversation.

No, actually we didn't talk properly.  

"Nagsorry nga lang siya." Nakakunot ang noo ko nang sagutin ko si Blake. Dalawang araw na rin niya kasi akong kinukulit tungkol rito. Sabi ko naman sa kaniya ayaw ko ng maalala 'yon. 

"Bakit naman parang disappointed ka?" Para siyang nang-aasar.

I sighed. "Hindi."

"Disappoint ka, e!" Inagaw niya ang basahan at siya ang nagpunas sa bintana. "I know you're expecting more than an apology." Napatingin na tuloy ako sa kanya at nawala na ang pagkakakunot ng noo. He's dead serious. He's not playing around now. Mukhang nababasa niya nga talaga ako kaya ayaw niyang magpatalo.

"Siguro." Sagot ko na lang.

Siguro nga disappointment 'tong nararamdaman ko. Ilang araw siyang iwas sa akin tapos gano'n lang ang matatanggap ko. Hindi naman sa pag-iinarte dahil hindi niya naman obligasyong kausapin at pansinin ako araw-araw pero kasi... ewan. Ang weird sa pakiramdam na nagmamatter ng sobra para sa akin ang presence niya.

"See? Alam mo hindi ko alam kung tama ang grammar ko pero sure ako sa pinaglalaban ko." Tumawa siya kaya naman nakurot ko ang kaniyang tagiliran. Tingnan mo 'to, kanina lang sobrang seryoso tapos ngayon magiging siraulo na naman.

"Dami mong alam, magtrabaho na lang tayo para matapos na. Tingnan mo! Ang laki na ng progress." Nakangiti kong pinagmamasdan ang paligid. Lahat kami ay hindi umattend sa klase ngayon, well except doon sa mga nakaaway nila Blake, kahapon pa sila wala. Sabagay parang wala lang rin naman sila rito kasi mga hindi naman tumutulong. Halos kaming sampo ang gumagawa ng lahat.

"Nabanggit ni Newt na sabay-sabay na raw tayong magpintura mamaya after lunch." Tinanguan ko ang sinabi ni Blake. "Excited na akong malaman kung sino naman ang magtatalo-talo mamaya." He grinned, but the tone sounds sarcastic.

"Tayo, gusto mo?" 

"Ah, gusto mo away?" Inangat niya pa ang magkabilang kamao na para bang ready na makipagsuntukan. 

Sometimes I wonder what traits do we have in common, sobrang kabaliktaran ko siya. May mga times nga na feeling ko mas magkapatid pa sila ni Dale dahil mas may hawig sila at parehas rin ang takbo ng mga utak, minsan nga feeling ko nagshashare lang sila ng isang utak.

Tinawanan ko lang siya at hinagisang ng glass wiper. "Maglinis ka diyan."

I'm actually thankful for this punishment, nagiging distracted ako. I really don't want to be alone with my thoughts so as much as possible, I always keep myself busy, doing something, whether it's productive or not.

⪼ T H I R D  P E R S O N ' S  

Few hours has passed after they started painting the walls again, and you could really tell there's a progress. Sweat dripping on their foreheads, drenching their shirts. It's quite surprising to see that they're working together silently, without any of them picking fights.

Another three hours went by and they all passed out. Lahat ay dala ng pagod at gutom. Some are already lying on their floor despite of the other students passing by. At this case, they don't care anymore.

"Alam niyo hindi tayo dapat nagpapagod ng ganito kasi pasko ngayon." Gumapang si Hadley patungo sa bottled water na nasa tabi ni Newt. She even sat beside him, and that's what fatigue can do to a person. 

"Ako din, kauhaw." Newt snickered, grabbing the bottled water from Hadley's hand, and that's what thirst can do to a person.

Shaiala smirked at the sight of two sharing the same bottled water while seating next to each other. She picked up her phone and scroll through her playlist. Pop rock or alternative metal, that's her thing.

"Against The Current?!" Dannah's eyes lightened up when she heard a familiar intro. Nilingon siya ni Shai at tinanguan. "That's my thing! Blake introduced that band to me." Tumayo si Dannah at umupo sa tabi nito sabay silip sa playlist.

"Did I just heard Against The Current?!" Sigaw ni Hadley kaya lumawak lalo ang ngiti nila Shaiala at Dannah. Napangisi naman si Ford bago simulan ang kanta.

"Sleepless night~" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Dannah nang marinig ang malalim na boses nito.

"Bloodshot morning~" Pagpapatuloy na lamang niya sa kanta nang makabawi sa pagkagulat. Nagkatinginan sila ni Ford at nagbigay ng tipid na ngiti sa isa't isa.

"Runway lights~" Risei softly sang the second line while scrolling through her phone, but the truth is her attention is on them.

"London calling~" Blake stared at her.

"We could be any place, any time, in any moment~ It's a race to the line~" Newt also sang. Nang tingnan niya sila Hadley ay ngumisi ito. Nilibot ang tingin niya para hanapin ang kung sino mang magtutuloy ng susunod na linya.

"Break away from the life that they sold ya~ Pack a bag, say goodbye~" Well, he guess he didn't have to look around anymore since it was Hadley who decided to sing the next time.

"All we know is go, go, go~" Denver 's voice rolled over and it's quite deep.

"All we know is go, go, go~" They could easily tell Shaiala is the best singer there. It sound like a power rose up in her throat yet it managed to sound graceful.

"Chorus na! Sinong kakanta?!" Masiglang tanong ni Hadley. She even clapped making Newt cringe. Pansin niya rin kasing kanina pa ito nakangiti. He's used at seeing Hadley happy, but not to this extent. The smile on her face seems like it genuinely came from her heart.

"We got, we got the life unbelievable~ Sleep when we're dead~ Live like we're invincible~" Sapphire sang unexpectedly and it sounded beautiful. Umangat ang tingin ni Silver at naramdaman niya ang pag-angat ng isang sulok ng kaniyang labi.

"Ohh~! We're young and relentless~!" Sabay sabay nilang sigaw. Maski ang mga tahimik na sila Ford, Denver at Risei ay nakisabay na rin.

"Hoy, Silver! Ikaw na lang!" Sabi ni Newt na sinang-ayunan naman ng iba. Pinilit nilang pakantahin si Silver pero hindi ito nagsasalita. Susuko na sana sila kaso sa hindi inaasahan ay ipinagpatuloy niya ang kanta, dahilan para maghiyawan ang karamihan.

"Get up, get out your mind 'cause you never know~ No way to hit rewind once your eyes close~"  

"Ohh~! We're young and relentless~!" The different color of their voices raised together to form one sound. 

"We go, go, go! We go, go, go!" Sa pagkakataong ito, isinigaw na lamang nila ang mga huling linya at pagkatapos noon ay nagkatinginan sila at sabay-sabay pang nagtawanan.

_