Pahina ng Pag-ibig

Ika-apat na Pahina

"Kianaaaaa~" That's Gindel's voice echoing from the corridor.

"Ito na naman po siya." Naibulong ko sa sarili.

"Thank God, Kia, nandito ka na. Patulong naman dito sa written ana—"

"Can't you see? I'm busy." Pagpapanggap ko rito.

"Please, Kiana?"

"No."

"Sige na, nahihirapan ako e!"

"Oh, shut up, Gin! Ihahampas ko 'tong libro sa mukha mo, tignan mo." Tinalikuran ko siya, bilang pagpapanggap ko, tanda ng hindi ko pagsang-ayon sa gusto nito. 

"Please?"

"I said no, Gin." Say the magic word, my dearest friend.

"Sige na kasi... o kaya ililibre nalang kita! Dali na.." Got you! Unti-unting sumilay ang isang ngiti sa aking labi't  hinarap ito.

"Ng?" Maganda na yung naninigurado.

"Iced Choco? Hot Choco? Name it." Mayabang nitong sabi.

"How about lunch?" I smiled broadly.

"Abusado!"

"Okay, fine." Bumaling ako sa president. "Pres, paki-collect na yung mga output sa--"

"Oo na, sagot ko na lunch mo!" Kakamot-kamot ito ng ulo. I chuckled as I helped him with one of our outputs.

Luckily, the proctor arrived just in time after I finished it.

Siyempre, tuwang-tuwa na naman ang kaibigan kong 'to. Abot langit ang ngiti ng matapos kong gawin e. Lucky genius, getting grades handed out like candy. Might as well place an extra order of lunch later. I laughed at that thought.

The proctor gestured for us to put away all our notes, a clear indication that the exam was about to begin.

After completing the first set of test, my brain feels drained from the profusion of historical dates. Of all things, our first exam had to be History!

Glancing at my papers, I couldn't help but admire my classmates who consistently perform well in exams. Their high scores are a testament to their dedication, and they truly deserve the fruits of their hard work.

Many students endure pressure and stress due to strict parents setting high standards, pushing them to invest extra effort in their grades, often resulting in restless days and sleepless nights. Fortunately, I'm grateful for my parents who accept whatever I can achieve without imposing such pressure, even if I'm not at the top. While I may not have the highest grades, I consistently excel in other subjects, maintaining a place on the Dean's List and running for Cum Laude.

I'd miss out if I don't make the most of my school life. Once college is over, I can't bring back the time that I should've enjoyed, because after the school phase, we'll be facing the real world – career and a heap of responsibilities.

Nang matapos ang unang subject, walang pahi-pahingang nagdistribute muli ng new set of test paper ang proctor namin.

"Grabe naman si Ma'am! After a solid two hours sa history dates, agad transition to calculation! Not even a brief 5-minute break!" Reklamo ng katabi kong naka-ipit na ang ballpen sa tenga.

Nagkibit-balikat lang ako. Wala naman akong magagawa sa reklamo niya.

"Get one and pass. Same rules apply; read the directions very carefully, looking at your seatmates is already considered cheating. You may start now. You have two hours to solve."

Lumunok ako bago nagsimula. Number one palang, parang hindi na ako papasa.

I squinted at my wristwatch after I calculated everything I can. There's still 20 minutes left, yet I'm already too eager to leave.