When We Were Drunk

Night 017

Like the night before, I stayed in my own pad and steered clear of the rooftop. The only difference is it’s not because I’m avoiding Alfonso, well, yes I still don’t want to see him for the mean time but there’s another reason.

He’s connected with Cesca. And I needed to make sure that he’s not included in her plan.

Last night, Ly told me everything she knew. She told me that she just found out the truth two days ago and she did a little investigation before coming to me.

Based on Ly’s findings, Cesca transferred to our university a week ago. She saw Cesca three days ago but Ly thought that it was only someone who looked like her. Not until Cesca showed herself in fron of Ly the following day with a smirk on her face.

Ly tried to be casual on her, even gave her a polite smile. But Cesca kept on taunting her, asking her about me and our friendship. Ly was so annoyed that she just wanted to walk away for she might do something bad but Cesca stopped her.

That’s when Cesca told her the truth. That she was the one who set us up and how happy she was seeing s drifting away from each other. Ly tried to ask her for more details but Cesca suddenly became angry and was about to strangle her so she immediately ran away.

After hearing the story, I told Ly that I have a bad feeling about Cesca transferring to our university. If she really was the one who ruined us, then she could be planning something again. Afterall, why would she bother transferring to our university?

I really don’t want to think badly of Cesca. She was our friend back in junior highschool. On our tenth grade, we became classmates. Ly and I were already friends since we were kids so we really did our best to study hard and be in the same section every school year.

Cesca was a very shy kid. She has a curly brown hair which falls above her waistline, a milky white skin and dark eyebrows. Her features were so soft that she looks like an angel. So when she approached Ly and I and asked us if we could let her in our small circle, we happily took her in.

The three of us were inseparable then. We would eat during breaks and lunch together and even go shopping during weekends. Everyone at the school says we’re the perfect package—pretty, wealthy and smart girls. All is well not until the day before the final examination for 2nd grading came…

[flashback starts]

We were in the cafeteria eating lunch together. Ly was eating her carbonara deliciously while Cesca devours her favorite lasagna. I stared at my pasta and tried getting some noodles on my fork but I ended up putting it down.

I wanted to eat so much but I don’t have the appetite.

“What’s with the long sigh?” Ly suddenly asked when she heard me took a deep breath.

Cesca stopped eating and looked at me, too. “Marg, you can always tell us your problem. We are your friends, we’ll listen to you. Always.”

I smiled upon hearing that. I’m so lucky to have them.

But I don’t want to burden them so I just dismissed it. “Thanks girls! But it’s nothing, okay?”

Ly rolled her eyes. “My god, Margaret! Are you being shy right now? I know something is bothering you,” she shot me a stern look. “so you better tell us now or I’m going to call your Kuya.”

“No!” I shouted. “My Kuya is so busy right now so don’t you dare call him.”

“Then tell us your problem.”

“I told you there’s none.”

Cesca suddenly brought out her phone and my eyes widened when she dialed my brother’s number. It was so fast that I wasn’t able to react immediately. “Hello, Kuya?”

“I just wanna ask---”

I snatched her phone away and placed it on my right ear. “---wrong dial, Kuya. Bye!” Then I ended the call.

“So?” Ly raised her brow. “Care to tell us?”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“Yes!” the two of them exclaimed together and high-fived with each other. I shook my head while looking at them, seriously, these two.

I started telling them what’s bothering me. “Mom and Dad always wanted me to maintain high grades eversince and that is not really a problem with me because I enjoy studying. But these days, they keep on reminding me about it. Every single dinner our topic would always be how I should do well this year because I should aim for the Highest Honors.”

“I wanted that too. But it’s just too much,” I paused and looked at my plate still full of pasta. “I told you, this is just nothing. I’m just overreacting, this is so petty.”

Cesca lifted up my chin and smiled at me. “No, there’s nothing petty about it. I know the feeling, my dad’s expectation is sometimes making me frustrated too”

Hearing that made me continue to tell them what I feel. “I tried telling them how it’s been difficult lately so they should not expect this early that I would get Highest Honors but they are not listening to me. Dad kept on blabbering about Kuya being the valedictorian during his tenth grade. And I know that, my brother is a genius and honestly, I’m not like him. I’m just hard-working but I’m not super intelligent.”

“I don’t know why I’m feeling this, maybe I was just being pressured. Tomorrow’s gonna be the final exams and I think I’m gonna messed it up,” I said as I put both my hands on my head. “I’m not doing good lately, especially on my Math…I’m so afraid to disappoint my parents…”

Ly patted my back. “Just do your best, Marg. Relax, okay? I’m sure Tita and Tito will understand you, they are your parents.”

“If you want, I can help you ace our Math exam,” Cesca suggested.

I stared at her in anticipation. “How?”

---

            Later that day, Cesca told me to meet her outside the Computer Room. While waiting for her, I kept on wondering why she asked me to meet her at 8 in the evening. I asked her about it but she said I will know later.

            “Sorry to keep you waiting, Marg.” Cesca said in between breaths as she stood beside me. Small beads of sweat were visible on her forehead. She must have ran to get here.

            I smiled. “No, it’s alright. Did you run?”

            Cesca giggled. And I flicked her nose as I lectured her about running because she has a weak immune system and is easily tired.

            “Come on,” she dragged me by the hand towards the end of the hallway. I was confused when we stopped outside the faculty room. But I was shocked when Cesca pulled out a key from her pocket and started opening the door knob.

            “Hey, what are you doing?” I whispered in a low voice while glancing side to side. There are guards roaming in our school during the evening, I know.

            “Shh!”

            Cesca successfully opened the door and again, dragged me inside. I had no choice but to come in because I was so afraid that someone might catch us.

            When we got inside, Cesca immediately went to a table near the water station. I immediately went to her when I saw her opening the drawers. “Cesca! That’s not allowed!”I said in a hushed voice.

            But Cesca did not listen to me and went on digging inside the cabinet. I tried again to stop her but she just shrugged me off.

            My eyes suddenly landed on the pictures above the table. And I was stoned to where I’m standing because I saw the family picture of my teacher—my Math teacher.

            “Cesca please don’t tell me---”

            “—here! I told you I’ll help you ace the exam.” she smiled as she raised the testpaper on her hand. It was our final exam!

            I shook my head at her. “Cesca, no, I don’t want to cheat. You should put it back.”

             “What?” she blurted out. “I got this for you, Marg. You told me how pressured you are and I wanted to be a good friend and help you.”

            I held her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “Cesca, please listen to me. I want to get high grades, yes, but not this way. I will study hard so I can ace the exam. So no need for this, okay?”

            “No!” she shouted. “You will take this to ace the exam!”

            “Cesca, please…”

            “I said no! I got this for you! I even put a sleeping pill on Manong Guard’s coffee just to get the keys!”

            “What? Why would you do that, Cesca?”

            “I told you, Marg! You are my friend and I wanted to help---”

            We both covered our eyes when a blinding light spotted us. “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? ARE YOU TRYING TO STEAL SOMETHING?”

            It was the security guard. Fear crossed my eyes as I saw him walking towards us. I tried snatching the test paper away from Cesca to hide it but the guard was fast enough to get it from her.

            “What is this?” he lighted the paper. “Are you going to cheat with this?”

To be continued…