Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 24

#CTG24 Chapter 24

The next few days were hectic. Papalapit na ang finals pati iyong BAR month. Everyone seemed busier and there was no time to relax. The school was pressuring everyone to study hard because they didn't want a rerun of what happened last BAR—we failed to get a spot in the top 10. They didn't blatantly say that they're disappointed, pero halata naman dahil nagtaas sila ng maintaining grade. I just felt bad for the exam takers this year because the pressure must be so high.

"May duty ka ba sa hotel later?" Rory asked.

I nodded. "Yeah... pina-require sa Torts," sagot ko.

"Okay... Ayain ka sana namin mag-aral. May bagong bukas na study hub, e."

"Ayoko kayong kasama mag-aral," I said. One time, nahulog iyong ballpen ko kaya pinulot ko iyon... And I saw...things. Simula nun, hindi na talaga ako sumama mag-aral kina Yago at Rory. Tuwing magkatabi sila, hindi ko maiwasan isipin kung ano ang nangyayari sa ilalim ng lamesa.

Rory laughed. "Grabe naman 'to! 'Di naman kami ganoon ka-ingay!"

I merely stared at her, not wanting to tell her the real reason why I didn't want to study with them. Noise, I could drown... The other Rory-Yago things? I could not and did not want to know.

She laughed again. "Finals na kaya. Seryoso naman kami mag-aral," she said. "Hanggang what time ba duty mo? Sunod ka na lang. Ayaw din kayang sumama ni Jax sa amin! Sasama lang daw siya kapag kasama ka."

"Until 1am," I said. And even before she could insist some more, I added, "Didiretso na ako pauwi."

For the rest of the class, Rory looked at me as though I betrayed her. I focused on studying. Konti na lang talaga, matatapos na ang semester na 'to... And then after this, just one more sem and I could review for the BAR and then take it. I wanted to work already because I knew that my savings wouldn't last... And I didn't want to bother my father and my brothers. I got this.

In the middle of the class, natigilan kaming lahat dahil naka-rinig kami ng drums. We all knew what the meant... and our professor allowed us to come out.

"Punta tayo sa baba," Rory said and we all followed hanggang nasa main hallway na kami. Isa-isang lumalabas iyong mga bar takers for this year. They were all smiling so widely and I couldn't help but feel proud of them... Graduating from law school was already a feat in itself... I knew the struggles they went through and though I didn't personally know all of them, I was genuinely happy for them.

"Baby, umiiyak ka na naman?" Yago asked, laughing nang makita na naiiyak na naman si Rory. Mula 1styear hanggang 4th year, tuwing send off, umiiyak talaga si Rory. Couldn't blame her, though... Medyo nakaka-iyak naman talaga lalo na kapag nakikita mo iyong mga magulang ng mga barrista na umiiyak... So I made sure na hindi ko sila tinitignan dahil ayokong maiyak sa harap nila Yago.

"Congrats!" I said when I saw Rhys approaching. He was wearing a flower necklace. I forgot... magte-take nga pala siya ng BAR ngayon.

"Thanks, Cha," Rhys said, smiling, before he continued to walk.

Nang matapos iyong procession ng mga BAR takers, naglakad na kami pabalik ng room. Naunang maglakad iyong dalawang lalaki dahil may nakita silang professor na kinausap sila.

"Naks... 'di na kayo awkward ni Rhys?"

Hindi ko pinansin si Rory at binilisan ko ang lakad para maka-balik na agad kami sa room... pero hindi naka-ligtas sa akin ang malakas niyang pagtawa.

Nang matapos iyong class, binilisan ko iyong paglabas dahil baka tanungin na naman ako ni Rory tungkol doon. That was already a non-issue... but when Rory's bored, she'd make an issue out of nothing.