Play The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 08

"Hey..." Agad akong natigilan nang makita ko si Iñigo. He was standing outside the CR na para bang hinihintay niyang lumabas ako. "You okay?" he asked.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, bakit naman hindi?" He didn't answer, but I could still see the worried look on his face. I didn't want to dwell on this because we still had another class. "I promise, I'm fine."

"You know I'm here if you need to talk to someone, right?" he said.

I nodded. "Oo naman," I replied. "Nandyan na ba si Sir?"

Umiling siya. "Wala pa," sabi niya. "Yung kanina—"

I cut him off. "No. It's my fault. Na-overlook ko na naman siguro iyong cases."

"Hindi," sabi niya. "Nasa footnotes kasi iyong mga case kaya hindi mo lang siguro napansin. Kupal lang talaga si Sir na pati iyong pina-quiz," he said, trying to cheer me up. But it was no use. I was still beyond pissed nung nalaman ko na alam na nung iba iyong coverage samantalang ako halos maputulan ng hininga nang makita iyong items.

"Nasagutan mo ba?" I asked. Hindi siya naka-sagot. "See? Don't make excuses for my incompetence. It's my fault. I should've known."

Aalis na ako nang tawagin niya na naman ako.

"Wait," he said.

"What? Baka dumating na si Sir."

"If I tell you something, promise me na hindi mo ipagsasabi?"

I arched my brow. "Ano ba 'yang sasabihin mo?" I asked, curious, because for a second, Iñigo looked... frightened? It was not his usual look. Mas madalas kasing happy-go-lucky siya.

"I'll send you copies of old quizzes."

Umawang ang labi ko. Seriously?! Siya din?!

"Saan niyo ba nakukuha 'yan?" I asked. I didn't know what to feel yet. I felt so betrayed. All along, alam ba nilang lahat? Ako lang ba ang tanga na nagpapaka-hirap mag-aral tapos sila, alam na nila lahat?!

Iñigo looked around, as if he was making sure that no one was listening to our conversation.

"It's... it's from my frat."

"What?"

"I get materials from my frat. Old quizzes. Old exams. Basta. Iyong kanina, iyon iyong old quiz kay Atty."

I pressed my lips together. So... so, member ng sorority iyong mga babae kanina? So... hindi lang sa Statcon nangyayari? Sa lahat ng subjects?

Parang gago.

Ang daya.

"I'm disappointed," I told him, turning my back on him. I get that it wasn't his fault, but I felt cheated. Ang daya. Ang daya na nagpapaka-hirap akong mag-aral tapos may easy pass sila? Dahil what? Member sila ng frat?

Diretso akong naglakad papasok. I knew I shouldn't have snapped on him, but I was still reeling from the quiz, tapos malalaman ko na kaya pala siya naka-sagot dahil doon. I would apologize, but not now. I didn't want to talk to people when I was pissed. Baka kung ano ang masabi ko. Mahirap bawiin.

"Bad mood daw si Atty kasi dismissed daw iyong case niya sa RTC," Deanne said habang naghihintay kami sa pagdating ni Atty. Cruz. Tahimik lang ako. Badtrip pa rin ako sa quiz tapos ito na naman dadagdag. "May nasigawan daw sa unang class niya."

I was about to answer when we all stood up when the door swung open. The frown on Atty. Cruz's face was very evident. It seemed like the news was right. He looked like he was in the mood to chew someone.