["PLAY THE KING" IS ACT TWO OF THE "PLAY" SERIES. PLEASE READ "PLAY THE QUEEN" FIRST.]
It's been four months since Priam Torres, the once unpopular president of the Elysian University Student Council, assumed office. Thanks to his chief-of-staff Cas...
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CASTIEL
I HAD been telling myself that I did not deserve this title. I was not fit to be the vice president of the highest governing student organization. I never dreamt of this moment. Ngunit gaya ng sinabi ni Priam sa akin, hindi ito isang reward. Isa itong parusa. I reluctantly accepted the burden despite some reservation from myself—and apparently from other people, too.
The Angle, official student publication of the College of Engineering and Architecture, published an opinion piece written by their contributor, Bellatrix Yalung. Hindi ko siya kilala, ngunit hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nabasa ko ang pangalang niya. She was also featured in two of The Herald's articles about the failed impeachment trial. Pinanawagan niya noon na mag-resign na si Priam at hayaan si Valeria na mag-lead sa USC. Ngayon, tinawag niya kaming "misogynists" dahil lalaki ang pinili ni Priam na vice president at nilaglag umano namin si Val.
Geez. Young people nowadays learn a word from social media and run with it. She knew nothing about what's going on behind the scenes, yet she was too brave—or too naive—to make these assertions. I heard that Rowan would debate her and that one columnist from the College of Criminal Justice Education. Ipauubaya ko na ito sa public information officer namin.
After today's classes, I packed up my stuff in my cubicle and brought them to the one on my left. Val's cubicle had been vacant for almost a week. But not anymore. Inilabas ko ang aking mga gamit at inayos ang mga 'yon. I placed a framed photo of me and Cassidy on my desk, just beside the monitor. It hurt me to see the version of her that was lively, compared to what she was right now—a sleeping princess. But that photo served as a reminder of why I was here and what I needed to accomplish.
Nang tapos na akong mag-ayos, napasilip ako sa katabing cubicle ko sa kanan. Now, my old cubicle was vacant. Hindi pa namin napag-uusapan ni Priam kung sino ang ipapalit sa akin. But I compiled a list of four names—four people whom we could fully trust from here on. Mahirap nang magtiwala sa ibang tao lalo na sa mga hindi namin kilala. Baka may mole pang makapasok sa USC at isabotahe ang mga effort namin.
Knock! Knock!
Lumingon ako sa entrance ng cubicle kung saan nakatayo at nakaabang si Priam. I failed to notice him entering the office.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Vice President," he greeted me.
"Good afternoon, Mr. President," I greeted back.
"How do you find your new cubicle?"
"Just the same as the old one."
"Make yourself comfortable." He checked the time on his wristwatch. "Today's your first day as presiding officer of the LEXECOM, right?"
"Yeah," I lazily replied. My tone could clearly tell how excited I was for my new gig.
"Good luck. Make sure you put Alaric in his place." He knocked on the wing panel again before walking back to his cubicle.
