Research Paper Week
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Mrs. Bacchetti."
Napatingin naman sa kanila ang kanilang guro matapos nitong magsulat sa kanilang whiteboard. "We're already in the month of October which means, you'll gonna have your mid-terms examinations before your semestral break."
Tumango-tango naman ang buong Grade 10 Special Class A niyon. "Right, right."
"And not just that, we're now having our research paper as well."
Yep, Mrs. Bacchetti is their Pratical Research Teacher.
"Mayroon na pala 'yon dito?" hindi maiwasang matanong ni Suzanne kay Dane. "Akala ko sa Grade 11 lang 'yung Practical Teaching 1 at 2. Research lang tayo ngayon."
Tumango naman si Dane niyon. "Oo. Meron. Dalawang research paper at isang thesis ang gagawin natin bago tayo grumaduate."
"Seryoso?" tanong agad ni Suzanne. Hindi naman ganito sa dati kong school eh. Aware na ako na may research paper sa Grade 10 pero hindi ganito kabigat.
May kung ano'ng kinalikot si Mrs. Bacchetti sa kanyang Notepad at after a click, tumunog lahat ang laptops ng kanyang mga estudyante. "I already sent you the samples and guidelines for your research papers..."
Agad namang binasa ni Suzanne ang e-mail na natanggap n'ya sa kani-kanilang gmails.
"...and I'll be expecting your research paper two weeks from now so you'll gonna pass it by Friday, next week."
Maang na napatingin si Suzanne sa kanilang teacher. "Ano? Research paper for two weeks? Seryoso ba 'to?"
"You can work on your papers right now," muling napatingin si Mrs. Bacchetti sa kanilang lahat. "Good luck to everyone who wants to place in the Top 10."
May nagtaas ng kamay, ang kaklase plala nila iyon na si Yi Xing. "Uh, what about the Top 10, ma'am. Are they the ones who will present their research paper to the panels?"
Tumango naman niyon si Mrs. Becchatti. "Yes. So do your best. Good bye class."
As soon as Mrs. Bacchetti went out of the classroom, agad na napatingin si Suzanne kay Dane. "Seryoso ba 'to, Dane? Wala man lang explanation sa gagawin? Gano'n lang? Iniwan na tayo?"
"Oo," tugon ni Dane sabay tango. "I know you're not yet used to this but we need to work on our research paper as soon as possible. You see, Mrs. Bacchetti is not a teacher to mess with. Mahalaga sa kanya ang oras. And besides, PR is like that."
Kumunot ang noo ni Suzanne. "Ampucha, seryoso?"
Napatingin agad si Suzanne kay Dane nung hawakan nito ang kanyang kamay at pinatayo. "Bring everything including your laptop ang tablet. Baka maunahan pa tayo ng resources sa Library 1."
"O-Okay!" agad dinala ni Suzanne ang lahat ng pwede n'yang dalhin at agad silang nagsitakbuhan ni Dane papunta sa Library 1.
Hindi rin inasahan ni Suzanne ang kanyang nasaksihan sa loob ng Library 1.
Buong Grade 10 na batch nila ang naroon at nag-aagawan ng mga libro at resources na naroon.
"Suzanne, let's go!"
"Hala..." Suzanne uttered in total shock.
"SERYOSO BA 'TO?!"
"The aim of this research study is to focus on the English pronunciation difficulties and students' speaking skills. It tends to address the root of how pronunciation rate became to be a difficult one in terms of approaches, specifically for both students and teachers. Moreover, speaking skills also become the most affected areas when the pronunciation difficulties arise. This particular issue was chosen to be a study with a purpose of making this as an invoice since this issue needs to be given attention and solution." (a/n: this is my Thesis way back college along with my colleagues/classmates. I just got this piece/paragraph and include it here because, y'know.)
"Woah. Nakagawa ka na Dane. Ang galing," napatingin agad si Dane kay Suzanne na kakalabas lang ng banyo ng dorm n'ya matapos nitong tawagin ng kalikasan (and, you know, she just need to go). Wala naman talagang balak makitulog doon si Suzanne ngunit inalok nalang s'ya ni Dane na magpalipas na muna ng gabi sa kanyang dorm lalo pa't malalim na ang gabi at wala na masyadong dumadaang mga sasakyan sa La Orian Academy. Pumayag na rin si Suzanne para naman kahit papaano ay may tutulong sa kanya o may mapagtatanungan s'ya...
At s'yempre, para libre rin ang internet. Walang internet sa kanila at mahina rin ang mobile data kaya hindi s'ya aasa.
Sinipat naman ni Suzanne ang laptop ni Dane at hinayaan naman s'ya ng kaibigang basahin ang kanyang research paper. "Qualitative ang gamit mo?"
"Oo," sagot ni Dane at agad na s'yang nagtipa ng Conceptual Framework ayon na rin sa guidelines at sample na binigay ni Mrs. Bacchetti. "Mas madali at hindi masyadong komplikado 'pag Qualitative ang gamit.
"Maganda naman 'yung pinili mong topic..." ani Suzanne. "Hindi ko lang maiwasang magtaka kung bakit iyan."
"Let's see..." Dane trailed. "I was born and raised in Vietnam until seven. When I reached eight, after I finished Grade 1 in Vietnam and migrated back here in the Philippines, my parents enrolled me here in La Orian Academy and when I started schooling here, everyone in Class B was actually bullying me because I can't pronounce words correctly and called me a dumb, stupid and an idiot because of that. It was traumatic for me that I didn't come to school for a month. I was totally depressed with that not until someone told me that... that shouldn't make me stop going to school. That I should prove them wrong that I can do better than them. That's why in the middle of the school year, I was transferred to Grade 2 Special Class A because I have the IQ of 165 and I'm also the best speaker in our class."
"Wow, ang galing..." puri ni Suzanne. "Pero... sino ang nagsabi sa'yo nung alam mo na, encouraging words?"
Dane giggled. "You won't believe if I'll tell you."
"Eh~ sino nga kasi? Maniniwala naman ako sa'yo basta ikaw eh."
Dane couldn't help but grin as he spoke. "Mark Gosiengfiao."
Suzanne stared at Dane in awe.
"That's why I admire and look up to him like that. Not because I have a crush on him or what. No. I may be gay but I'll never be gay for Mark Gosiengfiao," Dane shook his head and smiled. "I admire and look up to him because he's there when no one believes in me and everyone is dragging me down at the young age like that. He's like my savior that time."
"Malambing at mabait na bata si Mark. Ramdam na ramdam ko 'yung pagkauhaw n'ya sa pagmamahal ng magulang at pangungulila n'ya sa kanyang ina kaya binuhos ko lahat ang pagmamahal at pag-aaruga ko sa kanya dahil na rin sa wala rin akong pamilya at anak kaya sa kanya ko ibinuhos lahat ang atensyon ko...
...Kaya lang ay sinanay s'ya ni Master Gosiengfiao sa kung ano s'ya ngayon. Dahil na rin sa angking katalinuhan n'yang hindi pangkaraniwan, mas naging istrikto si Master Gosiengfiao sa kanya at sinanay s'ya nito para maging susunod na tagapagmana. Marami ring pasakit ang dinaanan ng batang iyon hanggang sa marating n'ya ang kung ano s'ya ngayon."
Sumagi sa isip ni Suzanne ang mga sinabi ni Theresa nung minsang pumunta s'ya sa bahay ni Mark. "He's your savior... because he failed to save the woman he loved the most and no one saved him when he needed help. He knows the feeling of being abandoned so he doesn't want anyone experiencing that... that the seven year-old Mark experienced."
"Huh? Are you saying something, Suzanne?"
"Ha? Wala. Ikaw 'yung may sinasabi, 'di ba?"
"Yes," Dane chuckled. "It's shocking, right? Mark has the reputation of a cold, ruthless genius yet he helped a schoolmate when he's still a kid. Nobody knows that, except for the both of us so don't spread it. It's a top secret."
Suzanne hummed as she sat back on the chair beside Dane and continued her work. Sinilip na rin ni Dane ang kanyang ginawang research at binasa habang kumukuha at kumakain ng cookies na nasa tabi lang rin nila. "Wait, is that a quasi-experimental research paper?"
Suzanne gave her a smug face and grinned.
"No kidding?" Dane couldn't help but shake his head. "Iba talaga kayong lima."
Suzanne couldn't help but frown at the Word 2016 she's using. "Lima?"
"You and the whole Apollo. Kayong lima lang ang gumagamit ng quasi-experimental research paper," tinignan agad s'ya ni Dane mula ulo hanggang siko. "For someone who actually panicked to do the research paper, you really have the audacity to do quasi-experimental, huh?"
The both of them just laughed and continued to what they're doing.
"Thank you po, ma'am."
Isang buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Suzanne nung makalabas na s'ya ng Library 4. Mabuti na lamang at nahanap n'ya ang librong hinahanap n'ya sa Library 4 dahil halos ubusan na ng libro sa tatlong library ng La Orian Academy.
Grabe, duguan pala talaga ang research paper at thesis dito sa school na 'to.
"Baichi, is that you?" napalingon agad si Suzanne sa pinanggalingan ng boses at nakita n'ya agad si Mark na nakakunot-noong nakatitig sa kanya. Agad naman itong naglakad palapit sa kanya. "What are you still doing here and... what's with your lousy outfit?"
Bumaba ang tingin ni Suzanne sa kanyang suot na pink oversized shirt na may unicorn na sumasayaw at sa sweatpants n'yang may strawberry prints.
Yeah, Dane owned her outfit. Good thing these fit on her.
"Ano'ng lousy ka d'yan! Ang cute kaya!"
Mark snorted at the book he's holding. "Yeah, right. So what are you still doing here? And I really doubt that the guard actually let you in with that lousy outfit of yours."
"Nakikituloy muna ako sa isa sa mga kaklase natin kasi ang hirap umuwi sa ganitong oras."
Kumunot ang noo ni Mark. "Don't tell me, it's Dane?"
Manghang napatingin si Suzanne sa kanya. "Paano mo nalaman?"
Mark went silent for seconds.
Hindi alam ni Suzanne kung nag-iimagine lang s'ya o ano pero bigla na lamang umiba ang mukha ni Mark. He's frowning and clenching his jaw.
"You must be really working hard on the research paper, huh?"
"Oo naman!" Suzanne exclaimed. "Ang lapit lang ng deadline. Ayoko namang bumagsak."
"Or~ you just don't wanna get defeated by me," Mark smirked at her. "Don't worry, you won't. 'Coz you'll be on the number 2 spot. You may dethrone Archles, but you can't dethrone me. I'm waaaaaay smarter than you."
Nanlaki agad ang mga mata ni Suzanne. Ang kapal ng mukha mo—"
Naputol bigla ang sinasabi ni Suzanne nung bigla na lamang s'yang hagisan ni Mark ng jacket. "Wear that. It's cold and," he coughed. "I could actually see your white, lacy bra."
Napasinghap si Suzanne at agad niyakap ang sarili at binalot ang jacket ni Mark sa katawan n'ya. Sinipa n'ya agad si Mark ngunit nakaiwas agad ito. "Bastos!"
"Don't worry, you're not my type so I won't get turned on. You're not even cup D," Mark smirked at her and walked pass her.
Mas lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ni Suzanne sa sinabi ni Mark na halos matapon na niya ang limang librong hawak n'ya. "Bastos ka talaga!"
"Good night, Suzanne."
Natahimik agad si Suzanne. Mark just greeted her like that and she didn't know if she'll feel annoyed or feel happy about it.
Kahit hindi na iyon marinig ng binata ay tumugon s'ya. "Good night, Mark."
Napatingin s'ya sa yakap-yakap n'yang jacket at wala sa sariling inamoy at dinama ito. "Mainit."
For someone who's really cold, ruthless and arrogant like Mark Gosiengfiao. It's weird that he's warm. Like... much warmer than the normal warmth I have.
Marami pa talaga akong hindi alam sa kanya.
Napalingon agad si Suzanne sa madilim na pasilyo nung may naramdaman s'yang may nakatingin sa kanya.
She only saw a guy's hand holding a white hoody jacket walking to the darkness.