Pinanood ko ang munting alab ng apoy tupukin ang puting patpat kasabay ng pag-langhap ko ng hangin. Ramdam ko ang mainit na usok na pumapasok sa bibig ko at tila pumupuno sa aking baga upang ako ay pakalmahin. I let my eyes close as I blew the smoke from my cigarette away my throat.

"Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya ginawa 'yon? I mean, nanahimik na kami! Is she out of her fucking mine?" It's Val, Valentin Fusto. She's ranting about her Mom who suddenly showed up after ten years of leaving her and her Dad for another younger man.

Kung meron man akong matatawag na kaibigan, sasabit na siguro siya sa katagang iyon.

Takip-silim na't nag-aagaw ang dilim at munting liwanag ng papalubog na araw nang maisipan naming tumambay dito sa rooftop ng gusaling tinitirahan namin upang manigarilyo. We are both sitting at the edge of the building with our feet hanging in the mid air, not minding the height of the third floor that could possibly kill us if we lose our balance. Nope, just a normal thing.

Le Cael is a huge place and basically looks like a village, except that it is only meant for studying. Kompleto ito sa mga pangunahing gusali upang mabuhay ang mga estudyanteng pinatapon dito, tulad ko. May sariling market, parke at simbahan. Pati mga paupahang tirahan ay meron, bukod pa sa mga dorms na para sa mga lalaki at babae.

Noong enrolment, hindi namin pinili ang Girl's Dorm since it is place for the weirdos, nerds and freaks. Controlled ang mga tao doon ng mga rules and regulations, pati curfew. So, Val and I went to this area called Zoneville, still in campus premises, a building of apartments. It's quite more expensive here, but I guess freedom is really that luxurious to have.

"Ano! Is she running out of money now? Wala na siyang pang-lalake?!" she exclaimed in pure anger. Mabilis niyang naubos ang sigarilyong hawak at nakuha pang agawin ang akin. Tsk, hinayaan ko na lang.

"Calm down. Ayaw mo no'n. You're going to be a complete, happy family again. Yey!" wika ko ng walang kasigla-sigla upang asarin siya.

"Yuck, ew!" She rolled her eyes at me and flipped her long ass, curly hair, hitting my face. This bitch. "Ayoko na ngang pag-usapan 'to! Let's talk about you, instead. Do you have a tea in there?"

Ako? Wala namang interesanteng drama na nangyayare sa buhay ko.

"Tea? Other than I had a fight with Stephanie yesterday, I found her boyfriend making out with the Clinic Nurse just this morning. Bukod do'n, wala ng iba pang ganap."

"Wait," aniya at pawang inaalala ang pangalan na nabanggit. "Stephanie...Velasquez? Iyong Beauty Queen na girlfriend ng Presidente ng University Supreme Student Government?"

Beauty Queen? Ah, yes, nakalimutan ko. Siya pala iyong palaging pambato ng Business College sa pageants. I'm not even surprise that she knows that bitch even she's from Engineering College. "Yeah," tipid kong sagot.

"Are you fucking serious?" Now, she faced me with full attention.

"Did I fucking stutter, Val?" I belted at her.

Pinagmasdan ko ang biglang sunud-sunod na pagsindi ng streetlights habang pasapit na ang dilim. Inaabutan na kami ng gabi dito, but then, it's totally fine anyway. Wala namang curfew sa Zoneville.

"Her boyfriend is having an affair with the Clinic Nurse?!"

"Yes, Val. 'Wag kang paulit-ulit." Damn. She doesn't need to express her astonishment on my ears like I'm deaf.

"Oh, my God!" she looks momentarily shocked like she already forgot ranting about her life just awhile ago. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganto ang reaksyon nito. Samantalang no'ng nasaksihan ko ito kanina'y wala naman akong naipakitang pake sa kanila. "Callum Esperanza IV is like this serious, uptight baby daddy who doesn't bring dishonor to their wealthy family. But now, thinking that he can actually do bad things like making out with the Clinic Nurse and cheating on Velasquez? Well, that's hot," she smirked wickedly.

I totally rolled my eyes at her. "Seriously?"

Malandi itong tumawa. The hell. Val will always be a flirty Val.

"I always had a crush on him. I mean, everyone does!" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay sa statement niyang iyon na ikinatawa niyang muli. "Well, okay! Except you. But still, almost all the female specie in this campus wants to see the treasures underneath his business attire. Tangina! Ang swerte no'ng Nurse! Wala ka bang video man lang diyan, Wren?"

"They were making out in the Clinic, Val, and not having sex," I reminded.

"Whatever. I don't need a video, anyway. Alam kong magaling siya," halakhak nito. "Kung malalaman ito ng buong Le Cael, paniguradong madudungisan ang pangalan niya at ang USSG, tsk. Isama mo na anag puso ni Velasquez," aniya maya-maya. That's what I'm also thinking. "Sayang. He is a fifth year Accounting student, right? Balita ko pa naman he's this perfect guy na bukod sa sobrang gwapo ay saksakan ng talino," buntong-hininga nito.

"Not smart enough to hide his diabolical acts though," komento ko na ikinatawa niya.

Tumayo ako mula sa sinasampahan namin at dinama ang malamig na hangin. Alam kong maling kilos lang ay mahuhulog ako. The only way to beat your fear of heights is to never look down.

"Pero, teka. Bakit galit sa iyo si Stephanie?" kuryusong tinanaw ako ni Val.

Nagkibit-balikat ako. "I don't fucking know." Wala din akong pakialam.

Tumalon ako pababa at nagpagpag ng alikabok. Tsaka ulit ako kumuha ng panibagong stick para sindihan. I don't really mind the scent of cigarette smoke ingrained in my unchanged business uniform. Nobody cares, anyway.

"E 'di awkward kasi kaklase mo siya sa Business Law?" she said later on, chuckling.

What? Business Law? Napakunot ang noo ko habang iniisip ang sinabi nito. Akala ko ay si Stephanie Velasquez ang tinutukoy niya pero ang alam ko ay natapos niya na iyon nong second year pa lang. I'm an irregular student and BLaw is an accounting subject... "Sinong kaklase ko ang tinutukoy mo?" taka kong tanong.

"Duh, si Callum! Sino pa ba?"

Naniningkit ang mga mata kong nilingon siya. "Are you fucking serious?"

"Gaga! Of course, I am." sighal nito. "Naki-sit-in ako sa inyo noong first day, remember?" At doon ko nga naalala ang tinutukoy nito.

Nakapasok ako sa schedule ng isang Accounting section, pero hindi ko alam na kanila iyon at isa siya sa mga kaklase ko. I slept in that class the whole goddamn time, how will I know?

"Oh, God! Huwag mong sabihing hindi ka pumapasok sa subject na iyon, Wren?" aniya nang makita ang pagtataka sa mukha ko.

True enough.

Kinabukasan, pumasok ako sa Business Law, probably my second attendance. Ang una ay noong first day na tinutukoy ni Val, pagkatapos ay 'di na ako bumalik not until now. Now, I remember why. The lawyer-slash-instructor told us that he doesn't care about attendance, just as long as we incurred one of his recitations. So, ayon. Dahil masunurin akong estudyante, 'di na ako pumapasok sa klase niya.

Hindi ko ine-expect, pero maaga akong nakarating sa klase, kagat-kagat ang aking berdeng mansanas. Umupo ako sa pinakadulo, as usual, kahit alphabetical order ang sitting arrangement. Nakita ko pang bahagyang nagtaka ang babaeng katabi ko, pero 'di na ako pinansin kalaunan.

Nobody noticed an irregular student from Management Department entered their room. Everyone is so engrossed with their book, reading hastily. Ang maririnig mo lang ay ang paglipat ng mga pahina at ang mga binubulong nilang mga salitang galing sa libro na tila ritwal upang pumasa.

"Good Morning, Class." The lawyer came. I swear I heard someone hitched her breath.

Kinalabit ko ang katabi ko. "May quiz ba?" tanong ko nang ito ay lumingon.

"Wala, pero continuation ng recitation nong nakaraang linggo. Buong Section 2, pages 247-256," sagot nito. "Teka, ngayon lang kita nakita dito. 'Wag mo sabihing 'di ka nagmemorize?" She stared at me like it's my doomsday.

Hindi ko na siya nasagot nang biglang nagtawag ang instructor sa harap. Sabay kaming napatingin sa pisara at nakitang may hawak na itong mga index cards. Mahinang napamura ang katabi ko.

"Ms. Sanchez, what is Article 1267? Give an example."

Dahan-dahang tumayo ang natawag. While the girl was reciting and stuttering to death, I scan the place. Tama, kaklase ko nga siya. Callum was sitting on the middle row, looking bored and calm while playing with his parker pen. Doon lang ito nakatingin kahit pawang nagkakagulo na ang lahat sa kaba.

"Can I borrow the book for a sec?" Nagtataka man ang katabi ko ay binigay naman. Binuklat ko ang mga pahinang nabanggit niya kanina at pinadaanan sa aking mga mata. Nang matapos ay agad ko ding binalik. "Thanks," wika ko.

"Next! Who could recite Article 1269 and give some example?" Mr. BLaw said. "Wala?" At nag-umpisa siyang mag-shuffle ng index cards. The tension most likely doubled when they felt no one will raise a hand. "Yes, you, Miss?" his voice trailed for the name.

"Wren Ortiz."

Binaba ko ang aking kamay. Napatingin silang lahat sa direksyon ko. Pati siya.

"Parang ngayon lang ata kita nakita dito, Ms. Ortiz," komento pa nito habang hinahanap ang pangalan ko sa hawak. Nang makita ay bumalik ang tingin nito sa akin. "Okay, what is Article 1269?"

I stood.

"Article 1269," umpisa ko. "The obligation having been extinguished by the loss of the thing, the creditor shall have all the rights of action which the debtor may have against third persons by reason of the loss," I stated like I was reading a book in my mind. But then, I am.

"Okay, correct. How about the example?"

"Example?" Sinalubong ko ang tingin ng lalaking mukhang sa akin napunta ang atensyon. Callum was giving an stern, narrowed look. "Example. The President is obliged to deliver to her girlfriend a specific and loving relationship. But, President decided to had an affair with the School Nurse, a third party, and the relationship is lost through the fault of the latter."

Everyone chuckled, even the instructor. Except him. They probably thought I made that up in my precious mind. How pitiful.

I continued. "The obligation of the President is extinguished and he is not liable to the girlfriend. Such being the case, the President would not be interested in going after the School Nurse. The law, however, protects the girlfriend by giving her the right to bring an action against the School Nurse to recover the price of the relationship with damages."

Mr. BLaw barked a short laughter. "Well, that a very imaginative and weird example, Ms. Ortiz, but it's still correct. Okay, next!"

Umupo ako, pero ang matalim na tingin niya'y nakadirekta pa rin sa akin. Ngisi ang isinukli ko sa kaniya hanggang sa kinalabit ako ng aking katabi.

"Did you scanned the book just awhile ago and recited like that?" Hindi mapakaniwala tanong nito sa akin. She stared at me like I invented the book. Nagkibit-balikat lamang ako.