Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 18 - THE LECTURE

Next day came and Trestan woke up early to cook breakfast.

He found his father sleeping on their couch. It looks like he just arrived a while ago and did not reach the room to sleep there. Trestan returned to the second floor to get a blanket in his father's room then put it on his father who sleeps soundly and snores a little.

He remembers how their last conversation ended. He sighed and felt guilty while looking at his dad, exhausted from work.

He brewed coffee in the coffee maker, turned on the radio, listened to music, and daily news in San Lorenzo. He made a cheese sandwich and cooked fried rice.

"Good molning Kuya." Cally greeted her brother before she sat on the dining chair, waiting for breakfast to be served.

"Good morning."

They ate and prepared themselves to go to school. "Dad, we're leaving. Your breakfast is on the dining table."

"Hmm... Take care."

"Bye, daddy!" Cally hugged her father before they left.

Trestan accompanied his little sister to her classroom before he proceeded to the Junior High School building. He went straight to his classroom and kept on ignoring the noisy surroundings.

"There he is!" The guy with blonde hair named Wilton Garcia, announced. "Let me copy your assignment in Math, nerdy genius."

Trestan ignored the blonde guy and he sat on his chair but his classmates followed and approached him. It's too early for a headache.

"Me too."

"Don't be selfish, Trestan."

"Trestan, what's the answer in number five?"

"Trestan the genius! Let us copy your assignment."

"Why don't you just write it on the board? Right?" His other classmate suggested. Everyone laughed except Trestan.

He was uncomfortable because of the noise and the way they approached him. He didn't want to talk to anyone, felt a little bit dizzy, and he was about to collapse when someone from the front door of their classroom spoke up.

"Excuse me!" Everyone looked at the teenage girl at the front door.

"Miss Valdez wants to remind everyone to get ready for your recitation later. She'll be here ..." She looked at her wrist watch. "... in five minutes? Well, that's all. Good luck!" She smiled at them but inside, she wanted to curse Trestan's classmates.  Before she left, she gave Trestan a gaze.

"Tss. That Blair." Trestan murmured. 

Everyone went back to their seats and took out their history books to read. They are all afraid of being embarrassed by Miss Valdez but Trestan was not nervous 'coz even though he's not a fan of history, he knows something about it.

Their history lecturer, Miss Valdez has arrived and she is carrying thick books. Everyone was silently staring at her scary and very strict face.

"Where's Mr. Aquiro Alfarez?" She asked, looking for her favorite student. Aquiro always aced her subject, that's why.

"Basketball practice, Miss." Someone responded.

She sighed and looked around and pointed his sight to Wilton. "You! Stand up!" The blonde guy trembled in fear and seemed to faint at any time. "During World War II, there were two opposing military alliances. What are those?"

"The... The..."

"The what?"

The blonde guy looked at Trestan and called for some help. Trestan can't reply 'coz their lecturer looks at him and he doesn't want to reply though 'coz they're not close.

"I---I don't know, Miss." Wilton said with embarrassment on his face.

"Remain standing. You! Stand up!" Pointing her index finger to Trestan. He stood up and looked at his lecturer with a blank face. "Same question."

"The Allied Powers and the Axis Powers, Miss."

Wilton looked at him with his sharp eyes. 'He knew the answer yet he let me be embarrassed. You're dead *ss, f*cker!'

"Consist of what nations?" Most of his classmates looked at him. They were so nervous that he might not be able to answer and one of them would be called by Miss Valdez.

"In Allied Powers are U.S., Britain, France, USSR---"

"USSR, stand for?"

"Uhm... Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Miss."

"Good. Proceed to what you were saying."

"Hm... Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, and uhm... Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland," he paused then thought again. "South Africa, and Yugoslavia while in Axis Powers are Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria."

His lecturer paused for a moment and stared at him with amusement in her eyes. It's her first time calling Trestan in her class and she was quite interested in testing Trestan's wits on history. The lecturer rarely encounters a student who is knowledgeable in that subject, other than Aquiro.

"What are the three principal partners in both alliances?"

"Uhm..." Trestan kinda forgot about it. He's a bit confused.

'Sh*t! What is it again?' He closed his eyes for a second to recall what he read these past few days.

"You don't know the ans---" He immediately opened his eyes when he remembered the answers.

"The United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union for Allied Powers. Germany, Italy, and Japan for Axis Powers---"

"Who won between those two alliances?"

"The Allied Powers, Miss."

"How long did World War 2 last?"

Trestan secretly sighed before answering.He really dislikes talking in front of many people but he has no choice but to speak. 'Of all days, why did Aquiro have a practice game today?

"Six years."

"When did it start?"

"19---"

"Exact date." Said Miss Valdez with emphasis on her tone.

"September 1, 1939."

"And ended?"

"September 2, 1945."

"You may leave my class." Miss Valdez said in her most serious tone. "Everyone! Get one whole sheet of paper. Number one!"

"Miss---"

"You'll leave or I'll mark you as zero in our surprise quiz?" Miss Valdez raised her eyebrow that made Trestan gulped.

"I'll leave then." He said in a very small voice before putting his bag on his shoulder and leaving the classroom.

Because he had nowhere else to go, he just went straight to the secret laboratory behind the school. But before he reached his destination, one of their professors called for assistance because there were four boxes needed to be transferred somewhere.

Trestan had second thoughts but in the end, he approached the lady professor and helped her. "Thank goodness! Someone offered a hand. In the Anatomy Lab, please. Thank you!"

The lady professor froze for a while when she looked at Trestan. It was as if she didn't expect it but immediately recovered, and gave the boxes to Trestan.

They both lifted two boxes and it was so heavy. Trestan glanced at the female professor he doesn't know the name of.

'She's not familiar to me. A new professor? Or maybe, I just don't really care about those people around me so I don't notice her? Probably. '