Unexpected Classmates in Twenty Third Section

CHAPTER 111

"Time's up." Sabi ni Kayden maya-maya, binaba niya ang cellphone niya tsaka tumingin sa 'kin.

"Ang bilis naman? Isang minuto pa lang yata ang nagdaan eh! Dinadaya mo yata ako. Dalawang minuto pa— ouch!" Sabi ko na lang ng tampalin niya ang noo ko gamit ang palad niya.

"Kanina ka pa reklamo ng reklamo, your ten minutes are over. Let's start." Aniya tsaka sumandal sa kinauupuan.  "What do you want to review first? Chemistry or math?"

"Or."

"What?" Pinagtaasan niya 'ko ng isang kilay. "I'm asking you so you'll answer correctly. ‘Wag mo 'kong pagtripan."

"Hindi naman kita pinagtitripan! Sige, yung chemistry na lang."

Tumikhim siya. "Okay. Number 1—!"

"Teka! Hindi ka magbabasa ng libro at tignan do'n yung mga pwedeng itanong?"

"I don't need it."

Yabang mo!

"Dapat madali lang ah?"

"Number 1. It is an essential chemistry resource."

"The periodic table of the elements." Sagot ko.

"Number 2."

Yes! Tama ako!

"...He was the first scientist to create a periodic table of the elements similar to the one we use today."

"Wait lang!" Sabi ko tsaka sumenyas. Isip-isip! Pangalan 'to eh, hindi pa naman ako magaling pagdating sa pangalan. "Dmitri Mendeleev." Sagot ko tsaka ko siya tinuro.

Tumango naman siya kaya naman napapalakpak ako. Achievement na para sa 'kin 'yon, oy!

"Number 3. Why was the Periodic Table Created?"

"Hala! Bakit may pagan'yan? Bakit may explanation pa?"

"Answer me. I mean my question. Lahat ng mga tanong mo ay sinagot ko kaya dapat gano'n ka rin."

Hindi 'to review! Torture 'to, torture!

"Many elements remained to be discovered in Mendeleev's time. The periodic table helped predict the properties of new elements. Tama ako 'di ba? Di ba?!"

"Yes. Kaya tumahimik ka muna kahit saglit lang, ang daldal mo." Reklamo niya tsaka minasahe ang sentido. "Number 4. Why was the table changed?"

"Kasi sira na yung lamesa kaya pinalitan na!" Taas noong sagot ko, ang dali naman no'n.

"Tsk! I'm referring to the table of elements." Sabi niya tsaka ako inirapan.

"Eh, hindi mo naman kasi nililinaw! Teka lang ha! Wag kang magmadali." Sabi ko sa kaniya. "In 1914, Henry Moseley learned you could experimentally determine the atomic numbers of elements. "

"And before that happens? Complete it for number 5."

"Before that, atomic numbers were just the order of elements based on increasing atomic weight. Once atomic numbers had significance, the periodic table was reorganized."

"Good. Next. Number 6. Rows of elements are called what?"

"Periods."

"Number 7. Columns of elements help define what?"

"Element group."

"Number 8. It is—!"

"Teka lang!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya tsaka ko tinakpan ang bibig niya.