A LOVE FOR ETERNITY

Chapter 17

Si Dawn ang unang nakatapos ng exam nila, ipinasa niya ang test questionnaire at exam booklet niya sa professor nila. Pagkabukas niya ng pinto ay nagulat siya dahil nasa labas si Calix na akmang kakatok sana, halata din sa mukha nito ang gulat.

"Oh, Mr. Espiritu, is there something you need?" Tanong ni Mrs. Bartolome, nagsitinginan naman ang mga kaklase niya. Sinaway ng professor ang mga estyudante niya at lumapit kina Dawn.

"Good morning ma'am, may pinapasabi po sa inyo but it seems that there is no need since Miss Dawn Santiago is already done with her exam." Sagot ni Calix.

"Anong meron kay Dawn?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Mrs. Bartolome.

"Pinapatawag po siya sa Dean's office, pinapatawag daw sila ni Mister Levine." Sagot nito na ikinagulat niya.

"Oh, maybe it is regarding that matter." Mahinang usal ni Mrs. Bartolome. "You can go, Dawn. Tutal tapos ka naman na sa exam mo." Sambit nito sa kanya.

"Thank you, ma'am." Sambit niya at matipid na ngumiti, kinakabahan kung bakit gusto siyang makausap ng may-ari ng unibersidad.

Tahimik na naglalakad sina Calix at Dawn sa hallway nang binasag ng binata ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila.

"Don't worry, Uncle Levine is kind." Sambit nito.

"Uncle?" Kunot noong tanong niya.

"Yes, he's a close friend of my parents." Simpleng nito.

"Ah..." That's all she can say, first, it's awkward talking to him; second, they are not close.

"Why are you not partaking on quiz bee competitions?" He asked making her flinch.

"Didn't you hear?" She just asked.

"Hear what? The rumors?" She nodded making him sigh. "When the news escalated that you've cheated, I was really surprised. I thought to myself, how can someone like you cheat." He said making her heart flutters.

"And how can you say that?" Tanong niya.

"Well, naging magkalaban tayo noon sa quiz bee, final round na ýun and we've been catching up to each other. We ended up draw for the final round, and our professors created on the spot questions." He said,

"And you won." Nakangiting sambit niya. Naalala niya ang araw na ýun, the the final round comprises of 10 questions but they ended up with 5 on 5. The final round is interesting to watch and there is still time, so their professors decided to make on the spot questions. Ang dapat na 10 questions ay naging 21. Their scores are too close, but at the end it was Calix who won with 1 point.

"Yeah. That was an interesting match." He said while smiling na ikinagulat niya. She always sees him with a serious face, rumors said that Calix only smiles around his group of friends, kaya naman nabigla siya. "And I hope we can compete with each other again. A match with you is something I look forward." Sambit nito na lalo niyang ikinabigla.

"I guess that will never happen again." Malungkot na sambit niya.

"Why?" Tanong nito habang nakakunot ang noo. "If it's about that cheating incident, you don't have to worry about it, there are more people believing in you. I heard that the professors are persuading you on joining but you declined."

"I don't really care about how people see me, dahil alam ko naman sa sarili ko ang katotohanan. There is another reason why I'm not active anymore." She bitterly smiled. "I also enjoyed the match I had with you, for me that was the best quiz bee I've ever joined." Sambit niya. Magsasalita pa sana ang binata pero nakaabot na sila sa dean's office at sinalubong sila ng secretary ng kanilang dean.