Play The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 07

#PTG07 Chapter 07

Deanne was looking at me weirdly pagpasok ko sa room. "Bakit ang saya mo?" she asked bago pa man ako makapagbaba ng gamit ko. I did a quick look around and most of my classmates' faces were buried in cases. Huh. Buti na lang may Juan Alexandro ako. He literally saved me from damnation also known as Criminal Law class.

I shrugged. "Wala. I just feel happy."

"Seriously? Where's the Kitty I know na stressed tuwing may lumalabas na bagong list of cases?" she asked, eyeing me. Tinawanan ko na lang siya. I was just in a really good mood! Sobrang ganda kasi nung digests na binigay sa akin ni Jax. Kung wala iyon, I was pretty sure that I would have been up all night trying to remember everything. But with the digests he gave me, I was able to sleep before 11pm pa. And nakapag-advance reading pa ako sa Statcon!

"Santiago," Atty. Mercado called. I was sitting pretty. I was confident. But also, this felt weird... Ngayon lang ako naging confident sa lahat ng class na napasukan ko rito. Ang lagi kong nararamdaman ay nasusuka na nahihilo. "Intod v CA."

Biglang natigilan iyong classmate ko. Everyone around me began to panic. Pang 8 pa iyon sa case! Tumalon si Sir! Hala!

"Fuck," Deanne whispered. "Bakit nagsskip?!" she panicked. Clean desk policy halos sa lahat ng classes ko. Bawala maglabas ng notes. Kung ano lang ang naaalala mo, iyon lang ang pwede mong masagot sa class. Kaya kapag ganito, may nagagawa na akong list sa utak ko para maalala ko kung ano ang pagkakasunud-sunod pati kung ano'ng case ba iyon. I usually read around 80 cases a week, mababaliw ako kung memorized ko by heart lahat!

My classmate tried to answer, but she recited the wrong case. Tumawag ng bago si Sir. Same thing happened. Shit. Naaawa ako sa kanila. That's 65! Ang hirap bawiin nun!

"Arellano."

I stood up. My heart was beating dangerously fast. Six of my classmates were called and none of them was able to recite the correct case.

"In the case of Intod v CA, Intod, Pangasian, Tubio, and Daligdig went to Mandaya's house and asked the latter to come with them in killing Palangpangan or else he would also be killed. Intod wanted to kill Palangpangan because of a land dispute between them," I began as I racked my brain trying to remember everything that was written in Jax's digest. I continued reciting the facts of the case up to the ruling. Even the littlest details, sinabi ko para alam ni Sir na nagbasa talaga ako! Alam ko kasi na kailangan kong bumawi dahil sa kapalpakan ko before.

My lips were quivering when I finished. I looked at Sir, waiting for any follow up question like before, but he only said, "That's enough. de Marco," he said.

Pag-upo ko, sobrang lakas pa rin ng tibok ng puso ko. Gosh! I did it! I answered correctly! Mukhang hindi na badtrip sa akin si Sir!

"Thanks," I mouthed when I saw Iñigo giving me a thumbs-up sign.

"Nice one," Deanne whispered. "Kabisado mo lahat ng case? How to be you?" she asked, but I just shrugged. How to be me? Dapat meron ka ring Jax na namimigay ng digests.

* * *

My class ended earlier than usual dahil mukhang may emergency meeting si Atty. Mercado kaya instead na 9:30, 8:30 pa lang dismissed na kami. Dumiretso na ako sa labas. Alam ko na 8:30 din iyong dimissal ni Jax tonight.

"Ms. Arellano," Iñigo said.

"Sorry, nagmamadali ako," I said. I wanted to talk with him din naman kasi no doubt masayang kasama si Iñigo, but I really wanted to see Jax. I wanted to thank him for saving my ass. "Text me if it's important! Otherwise, see you bukas!" sabi ko pa bago nagsimulang tumakbo.