Chapter III: The Adviser
We're still in the café, playing an RPG on Daniel's tablet with the controllers.
"Oh, Daniel and Mar! Long time no see, kiddos", a voice erupt beside Daniel adjacent to the hallway going to the back.
I find to where that voice emanated, and I see a bespectacled man, with a Levi Ackerman haircut, wearing a white long-sleeve plain shirt, and khaki pants. It's our Grade 12 class adviser, Mr. Cen Vera.
"Oh, hi sir!", me and Daniel wave our hands and smile at him.
Then, I remember something. Months ago, I went and visit my old alma matter. Even though I got out of that alma matter, I still love it because of the many things it taught me. Point of privacy, I will not say the real name, yet it's just situated behind the Vigan Cathedral. I went there to see my old teachers like Dr. Sinuman, Sir Jack, and Sir Cen. These teachers were the best, and caring towards us albeit strict.
I approach the gate, and see the lady-guard.
"Ma'am, may I come in?", I said.
"What is the purpose of your visit?", she says, something like what a common flight attendant at an airport booth would say.
"I've come to visit Sir Cen, Ma'am", I said to the lady-guard.
"Alright, you may go in. He's on the third floor, at the Immaculate Studio Room", she said.
I went inside the school, turning right towards the New Highschool building. I went into the corridor, hiding from that blasted self-centered Maldita. Once I entered the hallway, it's an open so I could see the other buildings north of it and the quadrangle. When I saw these school buildings, it looks quite different from back then. Red Hispanic or European-styled canopies now occupy the tops of the second floor of the building where I stood, and blue lines highlights the edges of concreted canopies of the first floor of the Old Highschool building.
As I approach the westernmost staircase, I see the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is now in poor condition. I climb up the staircase, leading up to the third floor. As I reach the third floor, the hallway still had no ceiling due to the low vertical clearance, but the rooms in it have ceilings.
I approach the Immaculate Studio Room, and see Sir Cen on his desk, reviewing their broadcast footage. I waited for a while since they were recording on the green wall. You might think it's green screen, but it's a wall painted of that same color for the green screen.
After recording, Sir Cen saw me, and as I peeked through the door window, "Hi Sir!"
"Oh Mar! Please come in Barok (Kiddo)", he said.
I went in since after their recording is their lunchbreak. I forgot that the time was actually 12nn.
I sit on the chair parallel to his desk, and he went to his desk.
"So, how's college, Mar?", he asked.
I went on telling about college life. In actuality, college is like an ice bucket challenge where reality splashes hard on you. College is unfair, and I talked about how I missed the so-called, "Quality Education". However, I may take note that some of the subjects during my first year are kind of well and interesting. Engineering in the university is somewhat hard yet challenging but there's sometimes the inconsistency of teaching.
I remember what they told us when we graduated, "Listen to them, and forget what we taught you"
But, that's immediately very far-fetched knowing that the concept of informational or textual context of learning are preserved in textbooks, but some shortcut it, thus changing formulas, equations, or even the concept. And reminder, never forget what they taught you in Highschool, you might need it.
"I heard that you became Class Mayor. How are you with that?", he asked.
I told him about that. Being Class Mayor is difficult and the questions back then keeps on firing back when someone brings it up, "Why me? How did I became one?". The questions lead me back to my third week of the first semester of the first year. During the orientation of one of my classes, and a matter of fact the election of class officers, my seatmate asked me, "Hey, do you want to be Class Mayor?". I hesitated, but again a challenge. I answered, "It's alright, I guess". Then, in a sudden turn, he nominated me.
Back then in Senior Highschool, I did became a class officer, but not as high as Class Mayor or Class President. I was an introvert up to this day, yet this is a leap forward. Thus, being a Class Mayor is a trial that may put me on the line. And so, with no other candidates or nominees for the election of Class Mayor, I became one in a blink of an eye. All the responsibilities were all in one, just like a 3-in-1 Ice Cream. My classmates nagging on me asking about unclarified school activities and events, and a business that I manage, there were a lot to balance. My business is not like the flood control you might think, but a local business that doesn't link the class with.
"Sir, I hope she will not find me here", I accidentally blurted out.
"Huh? Who are you talking about, Mar?", he smiled in mischief.
"It's my girl, Sir"
I was actually talking about the Maldita again, but you might think it's a good feeling like she would be like, "Oh My, You're Here! YAY!", but it's not. Well, it's actually the opposite feeling, passiveness and avoidance.
"Oh, I see. Don't worry Barok...", he said. I was feeling a kind of relief until,
"...she's at the Computer Room", he added.
The Computer Room is on the same floor and the hallway. I almost panicked, since there would be a lot of consequences upon me if she sees me and know that I went there. If she will see me, she will nag me negatively and say things like, "Buy me snacks! Adda pay kwartam? (Do you still have money?) (This refers if I still have money, and uses it to buy useless things on TikTok and Carousell)", and , "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!".
Hearing those words would make me more traumatized and it would come back again.
People have tendencies that memories sometimes come up suddenly. But me, I'm affected by some crucial things, especially if it happens to myself or my beloved family. The Maldita became the dictator of my life due to her incognitive innocence and look. I forgot myself in the process. However, I would eventually see the brilliance, the bright light of the truth.
Then, I felt like I wanted to go now, Like I wanted to grab a cup of hot choco at 7/11 and take a stroll at Calle Crisologo.
"Alright, thanks for having, Sir", I said to Sir Cen.
"Oh, you're going now, Mar?", he asked surprisingly.
"Yes Sir, I'm gonna go see Ma'am Sinuman or Ma'am Aice at the Guidance Counsel", I said to him.
"Alright, you can visit me anytime here, Mar", he said.
I nodded my head and smiled to him. I opened the door and went outside to the hallway. I didn't want to go down the eastern staircases so I go back to the western staircase. I passed by the Computer Room and I saw her, but she didn't see me. Although, who only saw me was her best friend. I kept plain in my expression. I went down the stairs, and I exited the campus. Afterwhich, I went for a cup of hot choco at 7/11 and took a stroll down Calle Crisologo before going straight to the grocery shop.
"Are you still Class Mayor, Mar?", Sir Cen asks.
"Oh, not anymore, Sir", I respond.
"Huh? What happened?", he says in shock.
"Actually Sir, there was an issue. There was this guy who was nagging on me, who also demanded a reelection. That was like a quarter of the second semester", I explain.
"Oh, sorry to hear that. It might have been hard for you", he says.
I would explain how that happen, but that would be another story for another day I must say.
"But don't worry, Sir, because I got reelected as Assistant Secretary in the second semester after that reelection, and currently serving as the Public Relations Officer now", I say to him.
"Oh, that's nice, Mar. Anyways, see you two Kiddos soon again, they're already calling me at the faculty again about the Immaculate Board.
We say good bye to him, and he leaves the café. After that, me and Daniel continue to play the RPG on his tablet.
While playing, I reflected that back then during our Senior Highschool graduation, my mom protested to Sir Cen regarding the medals in journalism award, like why did the broadcasters got a lot of medals and I didn't despite me winning an individual event. It so happens, that the answer was so simple. The broadcasters both English and Filipino categories were a group event, and they garnered first place. Meanwhile I was only fourth in the individual event since I was just a writer. But again, I accepted it. I realized that because of the adherence and the interruptions by the Maldita, I did not worked actively on some articles when I was in the Immaculate Board.
Sometimes, distractions are common in society. We often get distracted by factors, such as phone calls, phone notifications, urgent hangouts, family needs, and especially an emergency situation. It may be good or bad, may benefit or inflict damage, pleasure or others. Yet, the human conscience have freedom to exercise by our own will. Will to God, Will for the family, Will for others, or a different will that will lead to ignorance. If you know that it is a good thing, do it, do the right thing. If you know that it is a bad thing, don't continue to do it unless you are brave enough to face the consequences of your actions. The consequences of our actions are irreversible. This is real life, which means our actions can't be reversed. However, that would cease if humans will invent the concept and the functionality of time travel.
Although, there's one thing we can do, it's not to reverse it, but by balancing them. The balance scale of a judge is meant to balance the good and bad, and that can also be seen if we go to heaven. It is by doing good deeds towards other people, especially to those who are most in need. Helping someone, caring for someone who are in needed the most is a blessing. It will reciprocate back. We may not be able to reverse our actions, but we can make it up for them.
After a long day of gaming, Daniel and I went to the parking lot next to the café and Daniel delivered me back to my house, safe and sound.
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