DOLLHOUSE

Dollhouse 065

Java doesn't want them to witness her downfall. It's one of her fears, actually. She fears that one day, they will finally watch her, and she will lose the game.

"Java, smile!" sigaw ni Flame.

Ichiro is busy taking pictures. Sila Claude at Echo ay may winawagayway na banner na may pangalan niya. Sila Hera, Dorothy at Babe naman ay nagch-cheer. Si Gunner  naman ay katabi ni Alpha at tinatawag din siya.

Her eyes landed on Alpha and she smiled bitterly.

Her family is nowhere to be found.

She sighed. Another sad birthday.

"Go, Java! Pamilya mo kami!" sigaw ni Gunner bigla.

"Mahal ka namin!" dagdag ni Alpha.

"Java! Java! Java! Java!" sigaw ng mga kaibigan niya. Si Ichiro na abala sa paglitrato ay natawa nang mahagip niya sa camera sina Echo at Claude na naguntugan kakasigaw.

Right.

Decagon is her family.

"No one left behind."

Ngumiti siya nang totoo saka lumaban nang mas komportable. Alpha smiled from the crowd and whispered, "Now that's a real smile."

"Ikaw ba?" tanong tuloy ni Gunner.

"H-huh?" nautal si Alpha.

Umiling na lang si Gunner at natawa.

"Wala. Wala."

That night, she won again.
 
 
    
"Your group is failing in my subject. Puro late ang pagpasa ng reports, assignments, at bagsak na exams. I already advised your friends, Hera and Alpha, to encourage you all to study but nothing is working. Pati iyo ay bumababa na din. What's your plan?"

Ganoon na lamang ang lumo niya nang marinig ang sinabi ni Prof. Azazel. She's failing? Did she focus too much on her pageants? Or with Alpha?

"Your group needs to do something, Java. I want an improvement. I don't want to fail students in my class, everyone knows that. If your group is interested, I have after school lessons for students who is willing to catch up. Let them know."

"Okay po, Sir." sagot na lang niya.

She's aware that Prof. Azazel is a bit terror and strict to his students. He's that kind of teacher who's not afraid to drop someone from his subject. Everyone likes him, specially the girls, but they fear him when it comes to giving grades. Students are comfortable with him during lessons because of his sweet words but definitely not during exams. He can give the worst numbers to students record.
  
 
"Hoy. Babagsak daw tayo. Ano plano?" tanong ni Java sa mga kaibigan pagkalabas niya ng Lancaster.

"Self-review lang ako. May date ako mamaya," sagot ni Claude na abala sa pagtetext. Pasimpleng nangiti. Normal na 'yon kay Claude at nasanay na silang lahat.

Claude is a chick magnet and almost all the girls know him. Matamis magsalita. Maharot. Mabilis pumatol sa mga nagkakagusto sa kanya. Kaso nitong nakaraan, napapansin nila na bihira na ito mag-hotel. Lagi na nasa dorm at nangiti mag-isa kapag may kachat sa phone.

He's one of the most protective guy in Decagon. Alam niya ang amoy ng mga katulad niya. Weird but he doesn't want his friends to meet someone like him. Hindi siya tatay sa Decagon pero siya ang nambabakod.

"Ops. Ops. Bakit ka lalapit?" Lagi niyang bungad sa mga lalaking lalapit sa tropa niya, na gagatungan nila Echo at Ichiro.

"May bayad bago lumapit. 150." ani Echo saka nilahad ang kamay sa lalaking akmang lalapit kay Hera.