KING OF TORMENTS [Completed]

CHAPTER 11

In all honesty, I'd never thought that Chaos University was very strict when it came to academics. Considered it stereotyping or what, but my expectation with this school was more on violence, endless frat wars, warfreaks looming around, students partying from night until dawn, numerous killings and mysteries. Pero ang aking mga nakita ay sapat na para sabihing maling-mali ang panghuhusga ko sa paaralang ito.

Students here specifically the Superiors were too competitive. Parang ginawa na nilang agahan, tanghalian at hapunan ang pag-aaral. Berrington High was an elite school with lots of students who were grade conscious, pero hindi naman umabot sa puntong halos buong section na ang nag-iiyakan sa pressure.

The only hierarchy who seemed chill and relaxed were the Delinquents. They were not into intellectual aspects, but I was certain their skills in killing were scary.

Maybe, I could survive with this school without being killed, but the subjects and the academic standards here would surely be the death of me.

I lazily looked at the books scattered in my bed. Then, my eyes drifted back to the book I was holding.

Halos magkaduling-duling na ako sa aking binabasa. I have five subjects this day at kailangan kong pag-aralan ang tig-aapat na lesson sa bawat subject. Kanina pa ako nakaharap sa libro at halos wala na akong naiintindihan sa binabasa ko.

Letters were dancing, numbers were duplicating and I couldn't even understand a single thing. Ilang minuto na akong pabalik-balik sa pagbabasa sa isang paragraph pero tila wala na sa tamang wisyo ang pag-iisip ko para maintindihan ito. Pakiramdam ko pinipiga na ang utak ko, pero kahit anong pagpiga ay wala nang nangyari kasi matagal ng natuyo. Can someone showered me with both patience and a little bit of additional IQ?

I could stilll remember how my lips parted in both shock and fear when I saw the piles of books being handed to me. I was literally speechless. I almost faint when I started to check it one by one. Ang kakapal ng mga libro na kapag siguro isinampal ko sa mukha ng isang tao ay paniguradong babawian siya ng buhay. These books could kill whether physically or mentally.

I yawned. Napatingin ako sa wrist watch ko. Nine thirty na pala. The longest time I'd actually study. Pagod na ako. Tuwing napapatingin ako sa kama pakiramdam ko kumikindat na ito sa akin while mouthing 'Come on. I know you want me, baby.'

Napabuntong hininga ako. I fucking need to attend that damn initiation rites! Pagod na pagod na ako sa kakaaral, dumagdag pa ang initiation rites na iyan!

Can they fucking give me a fucking break? Damn it!

***

MALAKAS NA party music ang sumalubong sa akin sa bungad pa lang ng hall. Maraming mga estudyante sa loob at mukhang nagkakasayahan. So this was the night life of every Chaos student? Totally different from the gloomy atmosphere during class hours.

Nakita ko sa hindi kalayuang table ang grupo nina Amber. All of them were throwing dagger looks at me. Nang mapansin nilang wala akong pakialam sa klase ng pagtitig nila ay tila may choreo na sabay-sabay tumaas ang mga kilay nila na sinamahan pa nila ng ngisi. Can you imagine how horrible those combinations were? Their fake eyebrows were highlighted disgustingly.

Naghanap ako nang mauupuan. May nakita na sana akong walang nakapwesto pero nahinto ang plano kong paglapit dito. May sumalubong sa aking isang nerdy look na lalake.

"Doon po raw uupo ang mga newbie." He was fidgeting while looking at me.

Like seriously, dude? Did I look like I was going to swallow you alive?

Tumango na lang ako at naglakad sa itinuro niya. Nasa gitnang bahagi ito ng hall. May malaking round table na nakapwesto. Malapit nang ma-occupied ang lahat ng upuan at tila iilan na lang ang kulang. So I am presuming that they were the newbies. Mahahalata rin kasi sa mga kilos nila na naiilang, kinakabahan at hindi sanay sa lugar. Most of them looked tensed.