In Love With The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 01

After that, I spent the next few hours arranging my things. Thankfully, my Dad got me a full-furnished condo. It's a two-bedroom condo, so it's pretty spacious. May pakielam pa rin talaga siya sa akin... except that I didn't know anyone here in Manila! I studied college in Baguio. I didn't have friends here! Bakit ba kasi dito ko naisipan pumunta?

I wasn't even half done with arranging my things when I felt a pang of hunger consuming me. I quickly threw a new shirt dahil madumi na iyong suot ko. Dumiretso agad ako sa mall na malapit dito. I bought groceries and toiletries. Habang nasa supermarket ako, nag-isip na rin ako ng pwede kong gawin...

Maybe I could work, but what? I finished PolSci in college and I wanted to continue it in law school, but Pa suffered from stroke... Ginusto ko na alagaan na lang siya... but then that annoying Millie came into our lives.

Maybe I should try law school again? I mean, it's never too late naman to go to school...

I got excited kaya instead of going straight home, I searched for the law schools near my condo. The top result was SCA. I looked at my outfit, and I looked decent naman...

Dumiretso ako sa admin office. I got the requirements needed. Ugh. Nasa Pangasinan lahat ng 'to! But I didn't want to go home! Kakaalis ko lang! At isa pa, wala pa ako sa mood na makita si Millie. Baka kung ano magawa ko sa bwisit na 'yun.

"Why are you even here?" I heard a guy ask.

"I was ordered to make sure that you'll get enrolled."

"Ano ko, bata?"

"No, Sir Yago. You just have a history of not following through."

Umusod ako sa isang gilid. The other guy handed the other guy a brown envelope. May assistant pa, in fairness. But I wasn't raised to meddle with other people's affairs, so I ignored them, and focused on reading the requirements.

"Miss," I asked. "What if wala pa pong PhilSat?"

"If you pass the entrance exam, you can enroll, provided that you'll take the PhilSat in the next available date," the woman explained to me.

I nodded. "Can I see the schedule of the entrance exams?"

The woman smiled at saka inabutan ako ng papel. I sat down and looked at the sched. Four dates na lang iyong available. Bukas na iyong pinaka-maaga, and next week iyong last. Ano ba 'to. Ni wala pa akong nare-review! Biglaan naman kasi lahat.

I was doing a mental computation of how much time I'd need to study for the entrance exam, if kakayanin ko ba, when I felt someone sitting down beside me.

"You'll study here?"

Napa-tingin ako sa kumausap sa akin. "Planning to."

"You know, Brent's better. From what I heard, SCA's like the worst law school," he said, even shuddering.

I arched my brow. "Really? Then why are you enrolling here?"

He shrugged. "Let's say that everyone in the family studied here, so I have no choice but to study here, as well," sabi niya. Tumango na lang ako. 'Di ko na ulit siya pinansin. Masyado akong busy sa pag-iisip kung paano ako makaka-lusot sa entrance exam para pansinin itong lalaki sa tabi ko. "Tutuloy ka talaga rito?"

"Yeah," I said, my forehead creased. "SCA's the best school in the country. Bakit 'di ako mag-aaral dito?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Huh... you're one of those."

Agad na tumaas ang kilay ko. "What do you mean?" tanong ko dahil feeling ko na-insulto ako dahil sa hasty generalization niya kahit wala pang category siyang sinasabi.

He shrugged again. "Alam mo 'yun? 'Yung mga tao na pakiramdam kapag 'di sila nakapag-aral sa school na 'yun, parang katapusan na ng mundo? But it's not about the school. It's about the student. Doesn't matter if you come from the best school, if you're a shitty student, you'll most likely be a shitty graduate, too."

My lips parted.

"Wait, sino ka ba?" tanong ko dahil ang dami niya ng nasabi sa akin, 'di ko pa naman siya kilala!

He smiled, and offered his hand. "Yago. You are?"

"Rory," I said. I was about to accept his hand when his 'assistant' called him. Agad siyang tumayo at lumapit doon. Medyo napaawang na naman ang labi ko nang mapansin ko kung gaano kahaba ang legs niya!

I could see his side-profile from where I was sitting. Sobrang tangos ng ilong niya. His lips were a bit full on the lower part and a bit pinkish. He also had dimples near his lips. His hair's a bit wavy and a bit long. I watched as he brushed his hair as he looked frustrated with the guy he was talking with.

Wow... the first guy I saw in this school, ganito agad ka-gwapo? Maybe this was a sign...

"Miss, I'll take the exam next Sunday," I said as the lady instructed me on where I'd pay. I turned again to see if Yago's looking because I wanted to say goodbye, but he's still debating with the guy he was with.

Maybe we'd see each other again... After all, this school wasn't big enough for us not to bump into each other.

* * *

After my short trip to SCA, bumalik ulit ako sa mall. Dumiretso naman ako sa bookstore. I got myself some reviewers. I still had a week to cram the review. General lang naman daw ang coverage ng entrance exam, but I still couldn't be too relaxed. There's a reason why Yago said that SCA's like the hell in all law schools. Halos lagi kasing 100% ang passing rate dito. Alam ko na sobrang survival of the fittest ang mangyayari bago ako maka-rating sa fourth year.

I got two reviewers and some dark chocolate to keep me company while studying. Naiwan ko rin iyong earphones ko sa bahay dahil masyado akong inabala ni Millie nung paalis ako kaya bumili din ako ng bagong earphones.

Pagbalik ko sa condo, I initially planned on taking a quick nap lang, but I fell into a full-pledged sleep... And I was sure that I'd continue sleeping until I heard a banging against the wall...

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. I looked around in panic. My things weren't moving. Wala naman yatang lindol. Shit, buti naman! Iniisip ko pa lang na nasa 34th floor ako tapos lumilindol, hindi lindol ang papatay sa akin kundi ang kaba!

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo, hinahanap kung saan nanggagaling ang tunog...

Hanggang sa—

"Baby, oh shit, yes, there..." I heard a woman moan followed by another round of banging that resulted to my picture falling from the wall and the frame getting shattered.

Isa-isang nalaglag lahat ng mga isinabit ko kanina sa pader. Even the floating shelf that was structured there looked like it was on the verge of collapsing! How hard was he—ugh!

"Yago...yes, baby, there..."

Wait... Y-Yago? That Yago?