["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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FABIENNE
FINALLY! TAPOS na rin ang circus na impeachment trial. Nakahinga na rin nang maluwag ang USC. I could barely imagine kung ilang sleepless nights ang dinanas nina Priam dahil do'n. I was so happy they could finally leave it behind and move forward.
But Priam wasn't a hundred percent happy about it. Halatang-halata sa itsura at aura niya no'ng nagkita kami nitong gabi. Kitang-kita ko kung gaano kapilit ang kaniyang ngiti kahit gaano pa kalawak i-stretch ang labi niya. He won the battle, but at what cost, right? Kinailangan pang mag-resign ni Valeria para ma-save siya at ang USC. 'Di ko alam kung gaano sila ka-close, pero malamang nasaktan at nalungkot siyang iwan ng kaniyang VP.
Instead na sa maingay na food hub o sa busy na arcade sa mall, sinuggest kong pumunta kami sa campus park, malapit sa man-made lake. Magandang mag-stroll at tumambay ro'n lalo na't sariwa ang bumubugsong hangin dahil sa mga puno. Maybe he wanted some peace and quiet after everything that had happened. Gusto ko ring mabigyan siya ng time na mag-reflect kung kailangan niya. Walang problem sa 'kin kung uupo lang kami at 'di mag-uusap hanggang sa mapagdesisyonan naming umalis na.
"It's a Pyrrhic victory," he said out of the blue. Nakatulala siya sa lawa, tila pinanood ang paggalaw ng naka-stuck na tubig ro'n. "We did win the trial, but it dealt so much damage to us that it gave me the feeling as if we have also lost."
"But a win is still a win, right?" I glanced sideways at him over my shoulder. My palms laid flat on the bench while my feet swung. "Don't deprive yourself of the joy of the victory. You know what the optimists always say? Look at the bright side."
Napaik-gik siya bago yumuko at bumuntonghininga. "You're right. Nothing will happen if I sulk in a corner. What's done is done anyway. Ang dapat kong gawin ngayon ay magpasalamat dahil naka-survive kami at ipagpatuloy ang laban. I know that's exactly what I have to do, but maybe I need someone to tell me those words." Lumingon siya sa 'kin at nagtagpo ang mga mata namin.
I wouldn't forget the time that he comforted me lalo na no'ng down na down ako. He was there during my most challenging days. He became my beacon of warm light in the cold, depressing darkness. He even went out of his way just to reassure me and protect me. Kaya kahit may rehearsal pa kami ngayon, nagpaalam ako sa production manager na mag-e-excuse muna ako. Nataon na wala si Direk at 'di totally required ang presence ko kaya puwede akong pumuslit.
I caressed his back and beamed at him. "I know you know what you have to do. Pero just in case na kailangan mong marinig: Some things are beyond our control, and sometimes they happen for a reason. Valeria resigned dahil alam niyang 'yon ang tamang gawin at dahil gusto niyang magpatuloy kayo sa inyong ginagawa. What's important right now is to put this behind you and move forward. Malamang gano'n din ang gusto niyang gawin mo."
Muling yumuko ang ulo niya at nagbato ng pagilid na tingin sa 'kin. "I'm trying."
Valeria and I might have some misunderstanding in the past—and it was mostly one-sided—pero 'di ko naiwasang malungkot na malamang kinailangan niyang umalis sa USC. She probably didn't want to do it, but she had to. She might have an unreasonable beef with me, pero alam kong isa siyang competent student-leader. Priam wouldn't have chosen her as his runningmate kung 'di siya gano'n kagaling.
