Heiress (Hanazono Series #2)

Heiress 34: Discriminated

Irene's POV

Pagkarating namin sa lugar, marami nang mga studyante. May mga napaptingin din samin dahil sa Logo ng van namin.

"RFA? Rebel school yun diba?"

"Kasali pala sila?"

"Hindi sila mukhang deliquents."

"Baka naman manggugulo lang."

"Baka saling pusa?"

"For formality lang siguro."

Napatingin ako kay Lavalee dahil puro negatibo ang naririnig namin. Damn. Can't they just shut their mouths?

"Students, let's go." Sabi ni Mrs. Conchia kaya sumunod kami sa registration table

"Ilang ang contestant niyo?" the facilitator asked

"Seven." Mrs. Conchia answered

"Seven? Kaya ba nila lahat ng activities?" another facilitator asked

"Yes." Mrs. Conchia said proudly and we were told to write our names on the registration.

Of course nauna si Lavalee, tapos si Chelsea tapos si Jess at ako, sumunod sina Jaxith, Icarus at Hendrix.

Hinati ni Mrs. Conchia yung mga activities sa amin;

Math, Science, and Computer category ang kay Chelsea, English and Filipino ang kay Icarus, History and Arts ang kay Hendrix, Spelling and Values ang kay Jaxith, Music and Health ang kay Lavalee at P.E. naman ang samin ni Jess.

"Talia, Valerie, Blare, Jaxith and Icarus, kayo ang bahala sa volleyball mamayang tanghali, Valerie, ikaw ang ka doubles ni Blare sa Table tennis sa Wednesday dahil may badminton si Jira, Jaxith, Hendrix, Talia, kayo na nag bahala sa mga quiz bees. Icarus, ikaw ang substitute ni Hendrix sa Thursday dahil sabay ang Arts and Quiz bee. Jaxith, Icarus, Hendrix, kayo ang sa Men's basketball ng Tuesday, and sina Valerie, Jira at Blare naman ang sa Girl's Basketball. Is everything clear?" sabi ni Mrs. Conchia

"Yes, Ma'am." Sagot namin

"Good." Sabi niya at pumunta na kami sa kanya-kanyang rooms.

Archery ang unang sport ko ngayon and naka blazer ako kay inalis ko muna yun.

Kumuha ako ng bow and arrow tapos pumwesto na sa designated place ko.

"First round. 10 meters."

Ini-aim ko ang arrow sa bull's eye at hinintay ang signal. There's at least 50 delegates here, including me. Pagkabigay ng signal inirelease ko yung arrow. Dalawa yung naalis sa second round dahil lahat kami 10 points habang nakakuha ng 9 yung iba.

"30 meters."

2 eliminated. 46 delegates left

"40 meters."

3 eliminated. 43 delegates left.

"50 meters."

3 eliminated. 40 delegates left.

"60 meters."

4 eliminated. 36 delegates left.

"70 meters."

5 eliminated. 31 delegates left.

"80 meters."

5 eliminated. 26 delegates left.

"90 meters."

6 eliminated. 20 delegates left.

Biglang pinalitan yung mga board at mas pinaliit yung bull's eye.

"Hard Level. 10 meters."

5 eliminated. 15 delegates left.

"Hard Level. 20 meters."

6 eliminated. 9 delegates left

"Hard Level. 30 meters."

5 eliminated. 4 delgates left.

"Challenge. Shoot the arrow and make it pass the ring of fire."

Apat nalang kaming natira at ako ang huling titira dahil ako ang nasa kaduluhan.

"St. Ramiel Academy. 9 points."

"Brown School. 8 points."

"Hollows Academy. 9 points."

I released my arrows and breathed heavily after I released it. Everything seemed to turn slow motion in my eyes and the arrow hits the bull's eye.

"Red Fire Academy. 10 points."

"Red Fire Academy wins!" after that announcement I went out of the room and left the bow and arrows.

I went to my next competition which is darts throwing. This should be easy as a pie.

"Siya yung kalaban ni Dencel kanina."

"Ba't nandito siya?"

"Blare." Napatingin ako kay Mrs. Conchia nang tawagin niya ako

"Ma'am." Sabi ko at bahagyang tumungo

"How was it?" tanong niyan.

"I won po. Sila po?" sagot ko

Marunong naman ako mag-po at opo, sadyang di ko lang ginagamit kay Tyrone, sa Papa ko.

"Jira's busy with her match in the other room, Talia already won her first quiz bee and she's about to win her next, Jaxith and Icaru did well on theirs same with Hendrix." She said

"Si Valerie po?" I asked when I didn't hear about Lavalee

"Well, she's still in the music room, nagco-compose ng kanta about world peace." I almost laughed when I heard what Lavalee's topic is about.

World Peace?

Lavalee brings chaos and danger wherever she goes, I wonder how she'll handle that but I trust Lavalee, she acts professional in everything she does, no involvement of personal feelings.

"Good Luck, Blare." Mrs. Conchia said before leaving

When we heard the trumpets, we positioned on our respective tables and waited until our names are called.

I managed to shoot the bull's eye of all the targets consecutively, our training under Frost was way harder than this.

"Brown School, 99 points."

"St. Ramiel Academy, 98 points."

"Hollows Academy, 98 points."

"Sacred Heart Academy, 99 points."

"Bulalo Intergrated College, 97 points."

"Tisay City College, 96 points."

"Red Fire Academy, 100 points."

"Red Fire Academy, wins!"

I saw Jess smirking at me when I went to the door.

"Hey, bitch." She said and gave me a high five

"How's your badminton?" I asked her and she raised her brow

"A win then." I said

"So, where's our next?" she asked

"Table tennis doubles." I said and we went to the table tennis room, a solo match had just finished.

I know that my clothes don't technically match the competition so I went to the locker room with my string bag. I changed into a red and white sando and red shorts. I didn't bother changing my socks and changed my black shoes with my black converse. I was about to go out but I heard a group of girls talking outside.

"Oh my gosh! Makakalaban pala natin yung dalawang taga-RFA."

"Alam mo ba, sila na yung lumaban sa lahat ng sports ngayong umaga."

"Talaga? Ilan ba ang representative ng Red Fire Academy?"

"Pito lang kasi sila."

"Grabe ang daya." 

I acted like nothing happen and went out of the cubicle. They seemed shock to see that I'm here, and I heard them gossiping about us.

Mga chismosa.

"Hi. I believe I heard you mention our school name." Malamig na saad ko

"Uh oo. N-nagtataka lang kami kung bakit kayo l-lagi y-yung n-nakikita namin." Sabi nung may straight na buhok

Liar. I can see through her lies because of her actions.

"Ah. Geojismal." Sabi ko na nakangisi

"Blare, what's taking you so long?" sabi ni Jess pagkapasok

"It's nothing, Jira. I just happen to overheard some girls gossiping about us. No need to worry." Sabi ko na may bahid ng sarkasmo

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay bago umirap at lumabas na kami ng locker room.

When the match started we heard someone cheering for us.

Lavalee.

We smirked and finished the game with a landslide.

"Red Fire Academy will advance to the next round!" After that announcement, Lavalee walked up to us while clapping slowly.

"You did well, girls." She said and ran to us.

"Makasigaw ka, parang di mo kakantahin yung composition mo ah?" sermon ko sa kanya pero nginitian niya lang ako

"World peace? Do you even have a clue about that?" pang-aasar ni Jess

"Duh! Of course I know." Sabi ni Lavalee at lumabas na kami ng room.

Biglang umalis si Lavalee nung papalabas na kami ng room saying na may contest pa pala siya sa Health kaya napailing nalang kami ni Jess, mukhang gusto lang talaga kaming batiin ni Lav. Biglang may lumapit na professor sa amin kasama ng ilang studyante.

"Hi, kayo ba ang representatives ng Red Fire Academy?" nagkatinginan kami ni Jess nang itanong yun nung professor sa amin at tumango yung mga studyante sa likod niya.

He thinks he can intimidate us by bringing students with him as he asks us.

No way!

We've been facing death since we were kids and we're more terrified of Frost actually.

"Yes, is there a matter, sir?" sabi ni Jess gamit ang thick British accent na itinuro samin ni Lavalee para gamitin kapag may undercover missions kami.

"No, I just want to ask, how many representatives did your school send? You see we have 20 students as representatives." Sabi nung professor.

"Seven representatives, sir. Including us." Sagot ko

"What are your names?" tanong niya kaya nagkatinginan kami ni Jess na mukhang pareho ng naiisip.

Sinusubukang kumuha ng impormasyon ng professor na 'to mula sa amin ni Jess.

Wrong move, sir, Jess and I had been facing different situation that are crucial and pressuring that made us used to answering without giving what they really wanted to know.

"Jira Han, 3rd year Business Management." Sagot ni Jess sa tonong ginagamit namin kapag may kaharap na businessmen

"Blare Jang, 3rd year Business Management." Sagot ko sa parehong tono

Ilang ulit na napalunok yung professor kaya napatikhim ako bago nagsalita.

"If you don't mind, sir, we have to go ahead, we'll be late for our competition." Sabi ko at umalis na kami ni Jess

Nakita kong napairap si Jess dahil sa itsura nung lalaki kanina. He planned to intimidate us but he got intimidated instead.

We parted ways and went for our next competitions, Jess will be competing in billiards while I would be joining the volleyball game. We saw Jaxith and Icarus along with Lavalee waiting for me.

"Ang tagal mo." Reklamo ni Jax

"Buti kamo at dumating." Sabi ko at pumwesto na kami sa court.

Hollow Academy ang kalaban namin at sila ang magseserve ng bola. Si Lavalee ang nagreceive at nag spike pabalik. Defense lang ang ginagawa namin kahit na nasa amin ang bola.

"Let's win this!" Lavalee ordered and we became serious. Jaxith spiked the ball too hard and it wasn't received by the opponent.

Chelsea told us the coordinates for the rajectory of the ball to make sure that it won't be spiked back by the opponent and after several minutes. We were declared as winner with 33 – 22. Of course we aced it with the help of our teamwork.

Paglabas namin ng court, nakipagkamay kami sa mga taga Hollows Academy, we know how to be sport though we always win. If it wasn't for the intensive training we've went through, there's no assurance that we'll win, but because of those trainings, our agility, reaction time, flexibility and strength heightened.

We decided to meet in the food court to eat our lunch.

"Gutom na ako." Sabi ni Jaxith

"Kailan ba hindi?" pambabara ni Hendrix na hindi naman naangalan ni Jaxith

"Hindi ka maka-angal noh." Pang-aasar ko

"Baka ma badshot ako sa parents nila eh." Rason naman ni Jaxith

"Don't worry, it doesn't matter if our parent would like you or not because the decision is up to me." Sabi ni Hendrix kaya natawa kami sa pagbagsak ng balikat ni Jaxith

"Bakit naman?" tanong ni Jaxith

"Wala sila most of the times eh." Sabi ni Hendrix

"It really depends on the eldest kapag orphaned na?" tanong ni Lavalee at napangisi kami dahil mukhang kinabahan bigla ang isang toh.

Matindi talaga tong si Lav, sa pakikipaghabulan kay kamatayan hindi kinakabahan, pero sa posibleng mangyari sa love life niya kinakabahan ng todo.

"Oo, kaya ang swerte ng mga may parents or panganay." Sabi ni Hendrix kaya balikat naman ni Lav ang bumagsak

Inakbayan naman ni Icarus si Lavalee.

"Wag ka mag-alala, magugustuhan naman ni Kuya Frost si Jace eh." Pang-aasar ni Icarus

"Baka! It's not about Dreice kaya." Sabi ni Lava at binatukan si Icarus

"Defensive." Pang-aasar namin

"Congratulations." Sabi ni mrs. Conchia at kasama niya na si Jess

"My match took so long but I won. Congrats." Sabi ni Jess at umupo na kami sa isang table.

"Ay nagpack lunch!" pang-aasar nina Jaxith at Icarus kay Lav nung naglabas ng lunchbox si Lav

Hindi naman sila pinansin ni Lavalee at parang pinicturan pa yung lunch bago kinain.

"Snober." Pang-aasar namin

"I'm not. I just took the photo as a remembrance." Lavalee said

"Remembrance ng pagluluto mo after many years?" tanong ni Jaxith

"Then she should have taken a picture of the Chicken cordon Bleu, if yun yung reason." Sabi ni Jess

"Remembrance ng pagpapabaon ni Jace?" biglang tanong ni Chelsea

"Wait. You knew?" tanong ni Lavalee

Wait. Pabaon nga yun ni Jace?

What the heck?!

Ang g**o nila ah. Kung hindi ko alam ang sitwasyon nitong si Lavalee malalagyan ko talaga ng malisya ang relasyon nila.

"Ayiee. Ikaw ha!" pang-aasar namin at nakita naming napangiti si Mrs. Conchia sa amin

"Close pala kayo." Sabi niya at tumango kami

"Matagal na po namin kaibigan tong pulang buhok na toh. Mula pa po nung nasa Breakore siya." Sabi ni Jaxith at ginulo ang buhok ni Lavalee

"Bryan Jaxith." Reklamo ni Lavalee at inalis ang kamay ni Jaxith sa buhok niya

Pagkakain namin pinanood lang namin si Lavalee, pinaggawa sila ng poem about sa world peace at ngayon ay pinalalagyan ito ng tono sa kanila. Pwede sila mag-phone at may kaniya kaniya silang soundproof cubicles. Bawala kami lumapit sa kanila pero pwede silang magphone para mag-search about world peace. May mga instruments din na pwede nilang gamitin.

Binigyan kami ni Lav ng kopya kanina para daw mabasa namin.

Piece of Reality

World Peace is a complicated dream, don't you think?

Left and right, it may crumble in a blink.

Like a wooden boat, it can sink.

A world without chaos and war,

Can anyone reach that far?

Maybe we can, if we accept the differences of what we are.

How? What is the first step?

When? Aren't there hindrances right and left?

Who? What if promises are never meant to be kept?

This concept they called World Peace,

It give a promise of putting our world at ease.

If it's within our reach, that is.

Greed, Hate, envy.

These are just three of the many,

Many things we must think about and worry.

It's not just upon those who are higher.

It's also upon us who gave them power.

We need to help each other.

World Peace is not impossible,

It's just hardly reachable.

But it's achievable.