The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

19

Drakon Da Vinci
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Another semester had ended, and the results were in—I was a president lister again. It should’ve been a moment of pride, something worth celebrating. I worked hard for this, juggling student council duties, academics, and a bit of a social life in between. But when I got home, the excitement faded.

Everyone was busy. My parents were caught up with their own work, and my younger sibling, Manuel was deep into their own studies. I announced the news during dinner, but all I got were quick nods and half-hearted congratulations before they went back to their routines. It wasn’t that they didn’t care—at least, I don’t think so. But it still stung.

As I sat alone in the living room that night, I felt the disappointment creep in. Tampo. That was the best word to describe what I was feeling. It wasn’t like I expected a grand celebration, but something more than a passing Congrats would’ve been nice. The house was quiet, with only the sound of papers shuffling and the occasional clatter of a keyboard in the background.

I sighed and grabbed my phone, scrolling aimlessly through social media. Just as I was about to put it away, my phone buzzed with a message from Renz.

Renz: "President lister ka na naman, Pres. Congrats! Pero bakit parang malungkot ka?"

I stared at the screen for a moment. How did he even know? Then I remembered—news like this always traveled fast in our circle.

Me: "Thanks. I’m fine."

Seconds later, my phone buzzed again.

Renz: "Sure ka ba? Mukhang kailangan mo ng treat. I’ll come get you. Be ready in 15."

I rolled my eyes. Typical Renz—always pushing, always pestering. But a part of me didn’t really mind. At least someone was acknowledging my achievement.

Sure enough, 15 minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Renz standing there, grinning like he always does.

“Ready ka na? Or are you just going to sulk here all night?” he teased, hands stuffed in his pockets.

I crossed my arms. “I’m not sulking.”

“Yeah, right. Let’s go, Pres. You deserve a night out. I know just the place.”

Before I could protest, he was already leading me to his car. “Where exactly are we going?” I asked, reluctantly getting into the passenger seat.

“You’ll see,” he said, flashing me that irritating grin again. “It’s a surprise.”

As we drove through the city, I found myself relaxing a bit. The cool evening breeze coming through the window was refreshing, and for a moment, I forgot about the quiet house, the busy family. Renz kept the conversation light, asking me about my grades, the student council, and other random things. It was… nice.

After a while, we pulled up to a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city. The view was stunning, with lights twinkling below and a faint hum of activity in the distance.

“Wow,” I muttered under my breath as we stepped out of the car. “You really went all out.”

“Of course,” Renz said, walking beside me. “President listers deserve the best treatment, di ba?”

We took a seat at one of the outdoor tables, and Renz ordered food without even asking me. “Alam ko na gusto mo, Pres. Don’t worry, I got this.”

I raised an eyebrow but let him do his thing. “I swear, if you ordered something ridiculous—”

“You’ll love it,” he cut me off with a wink. “Kilala kita.”

As we waited for the food, Renz leaned back in his chair, his usual smug expression still in place. “So, ano bang nangyari sa bahay? Bakit parang walang celebration doon?”

I shrugged. “Everyone’s busy. You know how it is. I guess I just expected… I don’t know, more.”

“Ah, family stuff,” he said knowingly. “Alam mo, Pres, sometimes people don’t realize how big of a deal things are until you point it out to them. But hey, at least you have me to celebrate with, right?”

I couldn’t help but smirk. “And what a celebration it is.”

“Uy, don’t be sarcastic. This is top-tier treatment, Pres. You’ll thank me later,” he said, leaning forward. “Besides, sino ba ang naglaan ng oras para i-treat ka? Ako lang, di ba?”

“Okay, fine. I appreciate it,” I admitted, though I couldn’t resist adding, “Even if you’re annoying.”

“Annoying but effective,” he quipped, flashing another grin.

The food arrived shortly after, and to my surprise, Renz actually ordered all my favorites. We ate in comfortable silence for a while, with the city lights twinkling below us. For once, I felt like I could just breathe and enjoy the moment without worrying about responsibilities or expectations.

After we finished eating, Renz leaned back in his chair again, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, Pres, what’s next? With school, council, life?”

I thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know. Just keep going, I guess. Make it through another semester.”

He nodded, but I could tell there was something more behind his gaze. “Alam mo, Drakon, you don’t always have to carry everything on your shoulders. You’re allowed to take a break, to celebrate your wins—even if no one else does.”

I looked at him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. “Since when do you give out actual advice?”

“Eh, minsan lang,” he said with a chuckle, but his eyes softened. “I’m serious, though. You’ve earned this.”

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Thanks, Renz. I guess I needed to hear that.”

He grinned again, the teasing back in full force. “No problem, Pres. Just remember, the next time you need a break—or a reminder of how awesome you are—ako ang bahala sa’yo.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep that in mind.”

As we finished the night, I realized that maybe having Renz around wasn’t the worst thing after all. Sure, he was a pest, but he knew how to make things better—even if his methods were a little unconventional.

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