KISHA'S PoV
"Next month will be our paaralan's assessment exam," simula ko sa front ng mga classmates ko sabay circle sa isang petsang nakasaad sa calendar na siyang ikinapressure nila, well, their faces were telling so.
"Hays, na naman?"
"Taon taon nalang lagi."
"Ayoko pa namang ma-kick out."
"Hays nakakapagod mag-aral," reklamo nila, petty.
"Sshh silence muna," I shut them up.
It's Friday at vacant day namin ngayon, every Friday kasi in our school is scheduled for extra curricular activities, reviews, making of projects and etc. so minabuti kong i-lead ang buong klase for our meeting regarding our upcoming school assessment exam. Ako lang naman ang pinakamatalino at pinakamabait nilang president kaya akin ang corona at spotlight ngayon.
After I'd forcefully coordinated with Jhared the other day, he told me all about the things that our adviser asked me to do so. Kung inaakala niyang magpapasalamat ako sa kanya for informing me, well, manigas siya. There's no way the 'great' Zaxisha Lurrhaine will be thanking him.
"We all know that the layunin of this examination is to assess the progress of our paaralan right? Although we gotta aim for passing score individually not to be kicked out, we should also alala ang pinakanag-ma-matter dito ay ang class average score. Basically, the average score of the class plays its vital role in determining our school's progress in terms of student knowledge. Kaya hindi pwedeng mag-settle tayo for less, let us aim for higher scores," I added trying to establish the agenda.
Si Jhared ay tahimik lang na nakikinig sa akin on his chair, si Shami naman ay ganoon rin. Better if they just shut up than butting into the spotlight which I hated the most.
"According to our adviser, matatataas naman yung level of intelligence ng class na ito but still she want our class to help contribute to the school's overall average, to achieve this goal ay dapat may gawin tayo," sabi ko pa na ikina-proud naman ng mga punyeta.
"So what's the plan?" tanong ni Harvey.
I turned to him smilingly, confident ako sa naisipko'ng idea for the class.
"I think mas preferable ang individual study para makapagfocus ang isa't-isa," I said but one of my brows raised into arc when I heard my classmates nagreklamo. Pressured much?
"O, ba't kayo nag-cocomplain?" I gave them my greatest glare.
"Hindi naman sa ganun Ms. Pres."
"We need help."
"Eh hindi naman kasi kami kasingtalino mo." okay, I like that one.
"Bonus nga lang samin na napabilang sa section na 'to."
"Oo nga."
"Tama!"
"Tama," reklamo pa ng mga kaklase ko, I just can't help it but mainis. Dapat idea ko ang masusunod at wala silang magagawa do'n. I closed my eyes shortly trying to control my patience but I just can't, I ended up gritting my own teeth.
"So, ano yung gusto niyong gawin ko, tutoran kayo? Aba'y dapat marunong kayo magstand by yourself," tinarayan ko na sila. Deep inside, I smiled upon seeing them na napayuko, I know, takot sila sa class president nila, that's me, at gano'n lang naman ako kabait.
"Ganito nalang kaya," I heard Shami butting in as I saw her stood up, by the way, she's the Vice-president of this class, petty, laging pangalawa sa akin.
"What about magtulungan yung mga top students sa klase in tutoring others. I mean, it'll be beneficial for us if we are really aiming for high class average," she suggested na halatang nagustuhan ng mga kaklase namin dahil napangiti sila at napatango-tango.
It's annoying.
'Bida bida.' I hissed deep inside.
"No," agad kong pangontra sa suhestyon ng pabidang Shami. I tilted my head a bit, raise an eye brow and crossed my arms.
"Hassle na yan para sa mga top students no. Matalino naman yang mga classmates natin, it seems like you're saying they can't stand alone. Are you pointing out that they're bobo?" tinarayan ko na siya.
Silence elapsed for a while, our other classmates did not utter a word. Tama nga yan, shut up nalang kayo kung ayaw n'yong may debating magaganap.
Later that moment, Shami broke the katahimikan.
"Hindi naman sa ganun Zaxisha. I'm just opening up my suggestions, para lang naman ito sa ikabubuti ng lahat," kalmadong sagot ni Shami at napayuko, mahinhin talaga siya at sa sobrang kahinhinan niya ay nagmumukha na tuloy siyang isang pathetic pabebe ghorl.
"I agree with Shami." I was a bit surprise when Jhared spoke up and stood, napalingon kami lahat sa kanya.
Another pabida. Kahit kailan talaga Jhared tinik ka sa lalamunan ko!
On my peripheral vision, I saw Shami na napangiti. Mukhang sa kanya kumakampi ang mokong and I just can't help it but lalo pang mabad-trip kaya tuloy ay napakuyom na ako ng fist at nagpipigil sa self ko.
Putragis na angkan ni Jollibee.
"I think Shami's idea is much preferable here. We have different capabilities, own weaknesses and strengths," point by point concise supporting statements ni Jhared.
"Oo nga."
"Tama."
"Yes," pagsang-ayon at may patango-tango pang nalalaman mga classmates namin.
Gigil na gigil na ako sa totoo lang dahil mukhang majority ng klase ay kontra sa idea ko. Ow really huh? How dare they refuse such brilliant idea of mine?
'Mukhang pinagkaisahan nila ako.' I hissed deep inside.
"Shut up kayo!" tuloy ay napasigaw na ako. Agad na tumahimik ang mga kaklase ko, halatang takot. I know they're afraid of me when I turned into a beast, and right now I can say I'm about to turn into one. Hashtag, beast mode on.
"Ang noisy." Na-stress na tuloy ang bangs ko.
I tilted my head at chin up na hinarap sina Jhared at Shami, "I'm not sang-ayon with your suggestions Jhared and Shami."
"Your idea is pushing our classmates to be dependent. Dapat nga ay marunong silang tumayo sa self nila, kasi madadala nila sa college yan. Our classmates are not bobo in case you don't know," I pointed out, kung gusto nila ng prankahan well I can give it to them.
"I never mentioned anything like they're bobo or what, and you have your point Kisha but we are talking about the school assessment here, this context is different and it's better to help each other instead of standing alone," Jhared rebutted at napabuga na ako ng hangin because it seems like ayaw niyang papatalo sa akin. Well ganun rin naman ako, eh 'di pareho lang kaming dalawa.
"But Jhared magiging dependent lang sila niyan. 'Di ba mas maganda 'pag self sikap?" ganti ko naman sa kanya, naglipat ng tingin ang mga kaklase sa akin at tumango-tango. Go on classmates, I like that.
"No. It's not being dependent but rather being as a team. We are talking about the class here, we are aiming for the class and school average, mind you, if the individual scores are uniformly high, it would complement the higher probability of getting higher class average. To do that is to help each other." Kay Jhared naman naglipat ng tingin ang mga classmates namin at tumango-tango. Muntanga lang?
"Probability my foot Jhared. Kayang-kaya ng mga kaklase natin na makakuha ng mataas na scores no. And of course, they gotta slay the test if they don't wanna get that 'force kick out' card." Sa akin naman naglipat ng sight ang mga classmates namin. Pansin ko pa ngayong napapalunok sila. Dahil ba sa suspense ng argument? Nah, I don't know, all in my head is that dapat idea ko ang masusunod at wala na akong care kahit nangangamoy away na this.
"Kisha listen, let's just say ang pinakamataas na score ay always affected sa pinakamababa. Class average 'tong pinag-uusapan Kisha. Remember the quote 'a team works with teamwork'."
"Wag mo'kong madala-dala sa quote na yan!-"
"Um guys..." I stopped when someone interrupted, si Drake.
"What?"/"What?!" Both Jhared and I turned to that person na ngayon ay halatang napalunok sa takot na masangkot sa debate naming dalawa. I know, mahirap talaga 'pag maki-insert sa usapan ng matatalino.
Muli, our classmate spoke up, "Kalma muna kayo."
"I'm calm," I heard agad nasumagot ni Jhared.
Kalma mo face mo!
"Ah eh... Nagdedebate na kasi kayo eh. Wala nang patutunguhan ang usapan," nagsalita na naman ang iba.
Napabuga na ako ng hangin, I need to cool down. Masyado nang nasti-stress ang natural ko'ng kilay. Mga punyeta sila.
"Let's just continue this meeting this hapon," I immediately adjourned the class meeting sabay walk out.
"Bakla sa'n ka pupunta?!"
"Kisha, wuy!" I heard both Hannah and Harvey na humabol sa akin saying those respectively.
"Tatae muna ako! Sama kayo?" sarcastic na sagot ko sa kanila. I lied to them, yung totoo gusto ko lang muna kalmahin mga kilay ko.