Jazz's POV :
"Jesaz. I'm going to go crazy na talaga." Lexi said dramatically while also dramatically pulling her hair.
We are currently in the library and reviewing for the upcoming Calculus test this afternoon.
It's Finals week. Students only have at most four subjects per term, during Finals, each subject is given a day for each exam.
And since we have Calculus as our first subject for this term, the exam was scheduled on a Monday.
"Why did we even have Calculus? And why did we have it as our first subject? Why? Just why?" She continued.
"Didn't you say that was the first subject we should take?" Simon was busy scrolling up and down his phone. This is how he handles stress. He would shift his attention to other things.Did will start panicking and cramming at the last minute.
"Did we not discuss that we'll take the difficult subjects each term first, so that the remaining subjects are easy and we won't be stressed by the end of each semester." Yui calmly said while chewing her Apple Pen.
"Hey, can you stop that?"
"What? I'm stressed here." She said and glared at me with her squinty almond-shaped Japanese eyes.
"That's dirty."
"It's not. I disinfect it everyday. Duh."
Before I could react again, I received an sms from Vonn.
Vonn : My Queen, where are you? 😍
Me : Library.
Vonn : Studying for Calc? 🥰
Me : That was the plan. But there is no studying going on here now.
Vonn : I would like to study with you but mommy ask me to do an errand🤗 But I will see you later.
Me : No worries. Do what you have to do.
Vonn : See you later.
"Was that Vonn?" Simon asked.
"Yes. He was asking where we are?"
"Really? Did he really ask about us too?" Lexi asked doubtfully.
"We just come to his mind as an afterthought." Yui rolled her eyes and chewed on her pen again.
"Of course not. How can you say that when we're all friends? And can you please stop chewing your pen. Oh mon Dieu."
"Whatever makes you sleep at night, biatch." Lexi said full of sarcasm. "But anyway. Have you heard the rumors going around?"
"What kind of rumors? There's a lot going around, you know." Simon.
She first looked around and came closer to us before speaking in a whispered voice.
"So, some students said that there's a couple doing 'it' at the B2 rooftop."
By 'it' she means having sex.
"Shut up, biatch." Simon said scandalously. "How reliable is that?"
"A number of CBA students I know claimed that they personally heard it. They even said, "it happened once a week between three and four in the afternoon."
"When did it start?" Yui.
"No one knows, but someone said they happened to hear it first last month. They were even scared at first. Kasi they thought that the ungol they heard on the rooftop was a ghost. But what kind of ghost would make paramdam in the afternoon naman diba?"
"Does anyone know who the couple are?" I asked full of curiosity.
"Well, that's the most disappointing part. No one knows who they are. When some students try to do a stakeout near the rooftop, just to check. No one shows up."
"Yup. That's truly disappointing." Simon said and made a tsking sound. "But who could they be? I mean, hello? Are they, like, so poor that they could not afford to go to a love hotel to do the deed?"
"But imagine if they got caught." Lexi said smiling. "The scandal."
And we giggled.
And yup, no studying happened in the library. All we did was talk about the gossip circulating around in school.
****
"Heto na ang juice mo anak." Nana placed the tall glass of mixed berries juice on the coffee table in front of me.
I'm currently in the living room using my MacBook laptop and just scrolling on random stuff on the web.
It's Friday and Finals have officially ended.
My friends claimed they were so drained from all the exams and wanted to go home early.
They also want to be fresh and not stressed out at Tito Val and Tita Reign's anniversary party tomorrow. They just want to relax for the day.
"Thank you Nana."
A few moments later, my sisters arrived, from wherever they had been.
"Hi Jazz." Silvia greeted me which actually surprised me. And they sat on the other loveseats.
"Hi?" I am very unsure how to deal with how gleefully she greeted me. "Did something good happen?"
"Huh? Wala naman. Excited lang kami ni Jealena para sa party bukas." She answered happily. "First time kasi naming pupunta sa ganitong formal party."
Well, that's understandable. I am not underestimating them, but I do think parties like the one the State will be holding don't happen often in the province.
After the heated argument that happened between lolo and dad over dinner a month ago, we had a silent agreement to be civil to each other. At least, on the surface.
We continued to do our own thing in the living room until we were called for dinner.
"Kumusta ang mga exams nyo mga apo?" lola asked.
"Nairaos naman po namin lola." Jealena answered. "Hindi lang namin alam sa Calculus kung papasa ba kami. Ang hirap po kasi."
"It's fine anak kung hindi kayo pumasa sa Calculus, sinadya ko lang naman kunin yun para sa inyo para may subject kayong kasama si Jazz. Para may kilala kayo habang bago pa lamang kayo sa school." Father smiled.
So that is why we have Calculus together. I always wondered why we have the same subject since as SDA's CBA curriculum, it should not be included in their course.
And to think that father will not mind if they fail the class, I didn't even know how to feel about that.
Growing up, I have always strived to be on top of everything I do so he can be proud of me. But it seems it does not apply to them.
"How about you Jazz?"
"Naku lola. Siguradong pasado si Jazz. Kasi ang talino nya. SIsiw nga lang sa kanila ni Vonn ang Calculus eh." Jealena answered for me.
"It's no wonder because this granddaughter of mine is really smart." Lolo said proudly. And it made me happy. I just hope my father would do the same.
"You will have a week off from school before the new term starts right?" mommy asked.
"Not really." I answered her. "Though classes do not start yet, we will be busy for College Week. We have the dance happening on Monday that will serve as the official start of the College Week several school activities until Friday."
We continued making small talks. Somehow we look just like any normal family.
"Tomorrow's the State party, baby. I don't remember you buying a gown to wear."
We are now in the movie room. Mommy and I decided to watch a movie after dinner.
Lolo and lola joined us along with dad, my sisters and Selena.
"I still have a few formal gowns that I haven't worn yet. I will just wear one of them."
"Okay. I asked Tanya's team to be here after lunch to help us get ready for the party." Tanya is the head Hair and Makeup artist that works for mommy.
I was about to answer here when I heard multiple email notifications coming from my laptop.
I wasn't interested in whom the emails were from, until I read one of the subject of one of the email.
'HARVARD FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES'
Welcome to Harvard School of Arts and Sciences
"Oh my gosh!"
"Apo bakit?" Grandpa asked worriedly.
"I passed." I answered briefly while my hands were shaking as I pressed the received emails one by one.
"Passed where?" Mommy looked over from my shoulder to my laptop. And she gasped I think after reading the email on screen. "Baby!" and she kissed me on my head.
"Ano bang nangyayari sa inyung dalawa?"
"She received emails of acceptance from Ivy Schools, papa." Mommy informed lolo. "Wait wait, baby. I have to take a picture." And she took a picture of my laptop showing the email of acceptance from YALE.
"Ivy? Harvard?" Lola asked unsure.
"Oo Mama. Pero hindi lang Harvard. Meron din sa Yale."
"Talaga apo?" Grandpa transferred to the seat next to us.
"Baby, you didn't tell me you applied for Ivy?"
"Well, I didn't plan to." I was teary eyed already. "But Oji asked me to take the online exam last May, just to know if I'll make it or not."
"How many of the Ivy schools did you take the test?"
"All of them." I can't believe I passed. I mean obviously not to all of them. I only received seven out of eight acceptance emails. "But I think I failed at Dartmouth. I did not receive an email from them."
"We still do not know that yet. Baka na late lang ang email nila. But it's still fine even if you did not make it to Dartmouth, seven out of eight is exceptional. We should tell your Oji about this. I'm sure he's going to be so proud of you."
Mommy was taking a picture of each of the emails so she can show it to Oji later.
Vonn : My Queen, did you receive an acceptance email? 🫣 I just received one from YALE. 🤫
Me : Yes. I just received them.
Vonn : Them? 😱 Oh yeah. You tried all of them. Congratulations. I know you can do it.
Me : I did not receive an email from Dartmouth though. So I am not sure if I passed or not. I will give it a few days. Thank you. And congratulations to you too.
Vonn : This calls for a celebration. 🥂 We should go to Yale together. They offer the best Psychology programs amongst all the Ivy Schools. ☺️
"Oh my gosh. What's happening?" I heard Mommy exclaim while I was still talking to Vonn over sms.
"Mommy why?"
"Nawawala isa-isa ang mga emails."
I immediately checked my emails and just like Mommy said, the emails of admissions were deleted one by one.
"No. No. No. NO!!"
The only word I could say. I could not believe all my admission emails were gone in an instant.
"I have to call him."
*******
Angela's POV :
I could not contain the happiness I am feeling right now. Sobrang proud ako sa baby ko, for being accepted to seven out of eight IVY schools.
Saan pa ba naman siya magmamana kung hindi sa akin.
I was leaving a message to my brother's skype account telling him about it, nang mapansin kong isa-isang nabubura ang mga email.
My baby was busy talking to someone over text.
Nagpanic na rin siya ng makita ang nangyayari sa emails hanggang sa wala na ngang natira.
"I have to call him."
Tumayo siya at lumabas papuntang veranda.
"Anong mangyayari kung nabura ang mga email, Angela?" Tanong ni Papa.
"I don't know, Papa. Nung panahon ko kasi, by mail kong nareceive ang letter of admission from UPenn. Pero kakausapin ko si Nakago."
"No! I hate you!" Narinig naming sigaw nya. Her voice sounds so angry at nagsisimula ng umiyak.
Mukhang may sinabi ang kausap nya sa kabilang linya na lalong nagpasam ng loob nya.
"I don't believe you! I hate you! You're not even proud of what I accomplished!" Galit na galit niyang sabi sa kausap at itinapon ang cellphone.
"Baby."
Hindi man lang nya ako nilingon at tuloy na lumabas ng movie room habang umiiyak.
Hay naku. Mukhang alam ko na ang nangyari.
He's so over protective of her.
Tumayo ako at dinampot ang cellphone na nabasag sa lakas ng pagkakatapon.
Dinala ko na rin ang laptop at nagpaalam na kina papa bago lumabas ng movie room.
"Baby?"
"I'm sorry mommy, but I don't want to talk right now." Sumisinghot nyang sagot.
I went inside her room and walked towards her study table to put down her things, bago ko siya nilapitan sa kama.
"It's okay baby." Inayus ko ang kumot nya at hinalikan siya sa noo. "But in case you want to talk or anything else, you can always come to my room. Okay?"
She nodded.
"I love you, baby."
"I love you too, mommy."
I she said at lumabas na ako ng kwarto.
Knowing him, it seems hindi nya papayang magenroll si Jazz in any of the Ivy schools since no one will be able to take care of her there.
That's probably the reason why he deleted the emails.
It's useless now to ask my brother about it, dahil haharangin lang nya.
But I am still so proud of my baby.
I created a collage of the pictures of the admission emails and posted it on Instagram.
"Seven out of eight IVY SCHOOLS admission emails. I wonder who you take after. 😍So proud of you my Baby."
I captioned it and I tagged my baby and my brother on the post.