Pagkagising ko kinaumagahan, unang pumasok sa isipan ko ang Code Game. Nakapasok kaya ako sa top 6? Pero dahil kailangan ko namang mag-aral, bumangon na ako at naligo kahit 4 AM na ako nakatulog kagabi.
Alam ko late na ako kaya naghanda na ako ng trash lines na isasagot sa teacher. But when I opened the door, nag-aabang na saken si Miss Clyde. She's wearing the expression she never wore before.
" Don't talk Miss Pierce. Listen to me."
Napaamang ako sa sinabi niya. Bakit parang ninerbyos ako? Hindi ako makakagalaw sa may pintuan.
" Ito ang answer sheet mo sa exam natin, diba? "
Binasa niya ang name ko dun.
" Class A -1, nakikita nyo ba ang score nya? " she raised my answer sheets on the air.
I balled my hands into a fist. Naranasan ko na 'to noon. Sinubukan ko ng magpakatatag. I tried to act tough but everytime they did this, I felt my heart's nerves being cut.
" See? 75! Do I look like a joke to you Katherine? I've studied abroad for 5 years. I got the highest honors. I'm on the highest rank. Tapos ikaw lang ang magiging estudyante ko? You're a disgrace I can't take Miss Katherine Pierce."
I studied my classmates' reaction. They all pitied me, even Kim. They are not laughing at me anymore but those eyes, those glances of unspoken comfort , make me want to burst out of tears.
" You don't deserve to be my student Katherine Pierce."
"Aaaah! " my classmates exclaimed as she tore my answer sheet into pieces.
Biglang nagbalik sa isipan ko ang ginawa ni papa noon. Nakikita ko muli ang test paper ko na unti-unting kinain ng apoy. The wounds I had, the scars that I thought were healed, bleeds again. It's fresh and it hurts.
Hindi ako iiyak. Wala na ako sa Elementary. High school na ako. Dapat matatag na ako. Hindi ako natatakot. Wala akong paki. Wala akong paki. Wala akong paki dapat.
Pero nagbalik lahat ng sakit na naranasan ko. Nalala ko lahat ng ginawa nila. At hindi ko kayang pigilan ang mga luha . Maybe I got tired of acting tough. Maybe I wanted to give up. Maybe I have to quit and____
I felt a warm hand on my shoulders. I look up and saw Chester , smiling as he met my gaze. This time, it's a genuine smile of comfort.
Binaling niya ang tingin niya kay Miss Clyde.
"Can you tell me the most difficult math formula?" tanong niya rito.
Confusion filled the room. Ano ba ang binabalak niya? He challenged her, the Pride of Zse Academy, and her pride won't let her down. Kaya hindi niya binigo si Chester.
She took a piece of chalk and showed us the formula I myself can't put inside my head. She explained it in a way that made us gasped in amazement.
I wasn't paying attention though. I was busy reading and predicting Chester's thoughts.
" Can you tell me all the theories of human's existence that wasn't written in the book? "
Napakasavage! There's nothing else left to say.
" Can you tell us about the history of periodic table and the names of the scientist who discovered the elements?"
I saw her smirked as everyone in the class clap their hands for her. She did what is asked. I myself was amazed of how an English teacher could impart to the class a knowledge beyond her field.
" Then, for the last Miss Clyde, can you please tell me what the word " RESPECT" means? "
Kay Chester lahat ng mga mata namin. Miss Clyde herself was speechless.
