The Usual

Chapter 2

"Okay, so kung ano yung number nyo, yun ang magiging group number nyo for today's activity. Tumayo lahat ng number one yung naka assign na numbers." Our 21st Century Literature subject teacher instucted.

And so the numbers of groups were also settled. At nagstart na kami sa activity ng subject.

The month of June was a fresh and a new start for the school year. This school year was the most unusual year sa loob ng high school years ko. For this year, I have to deal and fight for survival on my own, without dependeng on my close friends.

Nasanay kasi ako na every school year, may babae akong nagiging close friend. And since then, kami na yung laging magkakasama for the rest of the school year. Unlike for this year, wala akong masyadong makakapang babaeng classmate na pwede kung dalhin kahit saan, na kumportable talaga ako at kadalasang magkapareha kami ng mga gusto.

Since most of the students in our STEM strand were boys, one forth of the population of the section lang ang mga babae. Kahit na parehong mga babae, still, we have a diverse personality. Okay na din ito as a starting point since magco-college na ako sa susunod.

"So, sino yung facilitator ng group natin?" tanong ni Jeck.

Magkagrupo kami ni Jeck, sayang at hindi kami magkagropu ni Rina. It would be a great combination for a group.

"Ikaw na, automatic na yan." saad ko habang tumatawa.

"Bakit hindi ikaw?"

"Hindi ko feel maging responsible ngayon. So, ikaw na talaga, ako nalang yung taga sulat ng names." I volunteered since mas magaang trabaho iyon.

He smiled and I started to write the names. Pagkatapos ay ibinigay ko sa kanya yung papel para maisulat na ang sagot ng grupo.

Nagsimula na kami sa paggawa ng aktibidad. It was about who should be the national hero of the Philippines, if it is Andres Bonifacio or Jose Rizal. Jeck shared his thoughts about the topic in our group and I can't help but to oppose his thoughts.

"Para sa akin, the national hero should be Bonifacio. Alam naman natin na ipinaglaban niya ng literal ang ating bansa. Bloods and sweats were produced para lang makamit natin ang kalayaan na karapat dapat sa ating bansa." And he discussed and explained more.

"But I think Rizal deserves to be labelled as the national hero. He's the kind of hero na walang pinatay, unlike the usual heroes." sambit ko habang tinitignan siya ng dalawang segundo at binaling ang tingin sa mga kagrupo ko upang malaman ang kanilang mga masasabi.

Matagal tagal siyang nakatitig sa akin na para bang may malalim na iniisip. Baka mas pinalalim niya ang pag-iisip sa sinabi ko.

"Yes, that's right."

Nagulat ako dahil hindi siya komontra. I was expecting a debate. Akala ko ku-kwestonin niya yung sinabi ko kasi initial thought ko palang yung nasabi ko. Di ko pa na explain ng maayos yung sinabi ko. Madami pa naman sana akong sasabihin about it but I kept it in myself.

I smiled, and he wrote Rizal as the national hero on our group's paper. And passed it on our subject teacher.