Bare (Royal Society #2) COMPLETED

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Rebuttal

"I'm sorry, I can't do anything about your situation. We have to abide the Upper Clan, Miss De Guzman."

"No, I can't give you consideration, Miss De Guzman. Rules are rules!"

"Try asking that to Upper Clan, Miss De Guzman, because I won't risk my name for one student."

"Miss De Guzman..." Professor Esperanza's voice brought me back to reality.

I look pitiful in her eyes, I can say. The tone in her voice says it all.

I raised my head and smiled. Smiled, dahil wala naman akong magagawa. Ito ang pinasok ko dapat harapin ko ang epekto ng desisyon ko.

"It's okay, Professor. I was just wondering but I understand where you stand. I guess Regium... is all just a physical entity."

Because it lacks empathy.

Because it doesn't give consideration.

Because it is deaf to pleas.

It is just a physical body that is built to follow the rules set by the Upper Clan which is to mold the students to be great leader of their clan because after all, they are Royalties and they are bound to lead their clan  in the future.

But how about us? Kaming mga naiwan. Ganito na lang ba kami? Sasabay na lang kami sa agos at magpapatangay dahil sino ba kami para manghingi ng tulong? Sino ba kami para mapakinggan ang hinaing namin? Sino ba kami para pagtuunan ng pansin?

We are just... commoners. People like us live to serve the Royalties, to be of help to the Royalties, and to be the shadow of the Royalties.

Unfair because we also want to live for ourselves.

Unfair because we aren't just servants, we are human beings but we aren't treated as one.

Unfair because we never got to have an identity for ourselves.

This cycle of the Society, I wonder when will it stop? Kailan kaya kami makikita? Kailan kaya kami matuturing na tao? Kailan kaya kami pwede mabuhay sa paraang gusto namin? Yung hindi na namin kailangan sumunod kung kanino, hindi na namin kailangan i-prioritize ang ibang tao, at hindi na namin kailangan isipin ang kapakanan ng iba kundi ang sarili lang namin.

Ang daming tanong pero wala akong masagot at yun ang pinakamasakit dahil kahit anong pagbabago ang gusto mo, hindi magagawa. 

I wiped my tears in frustration habang pilit na tinatapos ang mga module na binigay sa akin na dapat matapos ko ng isang linggo. It is their exams next week and I have to take that shit again simply because my efforts were not credited in here. 

"Hey," I glared at the person who sat in front of me with his annoying grin.

Buti pa siya masaya. 

I rolled my eyes and focused my attention on writing my paper. Hindi naman mahirap pero sa sobrang dami niya, pakiramdam ko matutuyuan na ako ng utak.

"Come on, why are you ignoring me? Are you still mad at me for last week?" Pangungulit pa niya.

Hindi ko alam kung bulag ba siya o sadyang hindi niya lang napapansin na ang dami kong dapat gawin. Humarot na lang siya sa iba dahil busy ako... at ayaw kong mapunta sa sitwasyon na pinakainiiwasan ko.

"Arlaise..." 

I sighed and looked at him. His head is rested on his palms like he is trying to be cute in front of me. "We are outside of the Clan's premises so I won't be formal with you," I said and he nodded multiple times.

"Are you blind? Can't you see the pile of works I have to do? Izaac, I don't have time to play nice to you and I don't have any bit of intention to be your entertainment. Find your own clown, Izaac and leave me alone."

Silence enveloped us both. I continued writing my paper and was about to grab the reference book beside me pero wala akong makapa. Confused, I looked up from my paper and realized that it was gone because the man in front of me took it.

He is reading seriously while writing some notes on the paper beside him. He isn't looking at me so I can see how his brows furrowed while reading. Tuloy tuloy ang pagsulat ng kamay niya kahit hindi siya nakatingin doon, it was like his hands automatically writes whatever he reads.

"What... what are you doing?" I can't help but ask. 

That was the time he stopped working and looked at me. He pursued his lips and looked at me intently. "I don't want you to think that I was just using you for my own entertainment," he said.

"It's just you caught my attention," he whispered, enough for me to hear before looking away.

"Is it because I'm new? You find me interesting? I piqued your curiosity, is that it?"

He looked at me again, this time without any hind of smile on his face. "Is that what you think? I'm just bothering you because of temporary interest?"

I nodded with honesty. He should know that by now that I am honest and I hate faking my emotion and responses. Hindi ako ganon. I know some people uses a mask to conceal their feelings but I ain't one. 

I don't find it helpful because it will only complicate things later. You'll fake now and suffer on your own afterwards? Isn't tiring? Mas mabuti nang maging totoo ngayon para hindi sayang sa oras ang pagmumukmok magisa.

However, I don't invalidate their feelings because I know we all have different levels of pain. Hindi ko rin naman alam ang istorya nila kaya sino ba ako para manghusga? 

And we are all different. Sila ganon, ako ganito. But it doesn't mean one is less than the other. Sadyang magkakaiba lang talaga ang mga tao na pilit ginugusto ng iba na maging pare-parehas.

"Because if it wasn't for that temporary attention, then why are you here, Izaac? Did you expect me to play along with your antics? Or did you expect me to give in and reciprocate the way you treat me? Which of the two, Izaac? Because I don't believe that you are here for no reason."

"Hindi ba pwede na nandito ako dahil gusto ko lang makipagusap sayo? Na nandito lang ako dahil gusto kita makita? Na nandito lang ako dahil nandito ang presensiya mo?"

I stilled at his rebuttal but I managed to give him the answer that suits our situation.

"Hindi."

He exhaled. Kitang-kita sa mata niya ang pagkabigo dahil sa sagot ko. Ano ba ang dapat kong isagot kung ang lahat ng iyon ay isa ang pinapahiwatig? Hindi naman ako tanga at hindi rin naman niya tinatanggi kaya bakit pa kami maglolokohan at magkukunwaring hindi namin alam ang totoong sitwasyon?

I got his attention and he got mine. But there's all to it. It must be.

"You are brutally honest, Arlaise Dawn Miranda," he said and gave me the peace that I wanted.