GAME 3: Purpose

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"Magaling naman ginawa n'yo kanina eh, lalo ka na." Janice Ramos looked like she was trying to tame a wild animal - err, well he is a hairless monkey anyways. He he :)

They didn't seem to notice us walking towards them. And from this angle, we could see and hear them clearly.

Somehow this scenario reminded me of a scene in the past, one I had to endure almost all the damn time..

"Don't you think so too?" He was obnoxious ever since high school. And this was a scene that was iconic during our former acquaintance.

"Medyo." Junior High schooler Ace tried to keep a steady smile. Back then I still had the stupid mission of comforting everyone I come across that was a little broken.

Well.. It was actually a noble mission, but really, you're a fool that has no self value if you treat yourself like a human-band-aid or a freaking magic tool that fixes all holes.

Jemar Felix looked straight into my eyes, and the knowing me already knew this style. Almost all people who sought comfort made that face. Even I did that too on my worst days.

"Hindi mo ba na-gets yung point ko?" He looked so frustrated, he grabbed a fistful of his hair and rested his elbows on his knees. "Nobody understands me. Everyone just pretends to care. Lahat naman kayo aalis din."

Ay, wow.

Times like this back in junior high, I usually felt pity for those who went on with that kind of rant. But this one? Wait and see.

"Ugh!" He massaged his temples as if he was in great pain. "Stay away from me! I don't want you to see me, the other me! Baka saktan ka nila!"

Oh boy.

In order not to hurt his feelings or for the situation to be awkward, I feigned surprise as I gazed at him. I slowly backed away from being seated beside him.

The Ace now hates the Ace back then for even condoning people like this. I mean, just look at him, I'm doing a better job at acting than he is.

"W-what's going on -"

"Huh?.." He looked around, looking as if he was dazed and confused. "Sino ka?"

My reflexes made my eyes go wide. Yeah as if this is shocking.

"Jem?" I blinked a few times, his scrutinizing gaze sort of convincingly looked as if he was seeing me for the first time.

"Ha? And who might it be that thy fair lady calls 'Jem'?"

"Eeer-" My face had probably contorted into a troll face or a what-the-hell-do-you-like-seriously-think-you-can-make-me-believe-your-shit face. "Jemar Felix, geh, nice act. This is a really really nice way of coping, but yeah no need for theatrics. Take it slow buddy."

"Coping?" He looked offended. "What must I cope from? Doth life not fare well with me? And who is this Jemar Felix you keep speaking of?"

Oh mother of all things lovable on planet Earth.

I can't remember how it felt like trying to endure moments such as that. It was crazy enough to be that way in person, but I guess it's less crazy when you do it in the virtual world and everyone can easily believe you.

Sound familiar? Yeah, happens a LOT, my dear friends.

"No, it's actually fair. The law is fair, kaya nga may karapatan ang mga mamamayan ng Pilipinas na humingi ng abogado when they're being apprehended and such eh." It was senior year back in high school, I remembered this time when we would argue about the smallest of things.

Yeah, we were actually friends back then. I knew he needed an ally, he was very much a loner when he transferred as a sophomore so gullible young me (hey, I wasn't the old me I used to be. Everything that happened before freshman college counts as a trial period in life.) immediately made it a point to be his friend.

"Kung patas ang batas, bakit nananalo lagi yung mga makapangyarihan?" He replied. We were texting, and his replies were very often just kept short before he trusted me enough that he now shows his true colors.

"It is power that is unfair." I typed and reflected.

Thinking back, those words still sting a bit. Because yes, power truly is unfair. And that's probably why people seek it so much. Because in a game against life where you're a mundane being fighting against poverty, hunger, business competitions, politics and even the most trivial stuff - you'd want a taste of power to make sure things sway to your order.

He didn't reply immediately so I typed another message. "Power makes things unfair, the powerful can threaten the weak para hindi na i-tuloy ang kaso. The rich can pay the judge or the lawyer to fabricate evidence. And just like that, the law becomes unfair."

But then, when my phone vibrated and his name went on display along with the preview of his answer, all of my fears about this person was confirmed. 

I must really be a weird-person magnet. If not, I'm a freaking bull's eye for deranged people. 

"I want power. Help me become part of the Student Board."

He was always odd. I mean, don't we always find all new dudes odd? But Jemar was odd beyond compare. Normal high school students of our school spoke Filipino with a few hints of English, but this one? He tried to speak in English all the damn time.

If you lived in my country, you'd know how damn intimidating that is, especially if you're not confident with you're grammar. In my country, the people decide your intellect level through your English skills.

I know, stupid right? Sort of makes sense. But I swear you're dumber than Jemartard if you'd measure intellect by grammar skills and communication skills.

"How do you expect me to help?" I intended for my reply to carry my emotion. It often did though, I keep being told by Queen and King that they can legit hear my voice when they read my messages or whatever. 

I don't know if he sensed the intensity of my angst through the reply, but his answer was something he usually does to appease me when he knows he's on the loosing side of our arguments. 

"I believe in you. Ikaw ang pinaka-capable na tao sa school, you're talented Ace, so talented that everyone in your league fears your potential . You were even former junior-level ambassadress 'til you threw your position away." 

Heavens, how did I manage not to sass this hairless monkey back then? 

It was bold of him to use flattery on me. Even more bold to use the term "threw away" to address what I've decided to do with my position in the Board. "I didn't throw away anything. I simply wanted more freedom. And you're wrong if you think I can help you. Only you can help yourself." 

He didn't respond to that message and pretended as if the conversation never happened when we met at school the morning after. As though he didn't just show his ugly greedy colors, as though he didn't just fail when he tried to romance and flatter his way out of a pinch. 

"Gee Ace, you look murderous." Jack commented, bringing me back to the present time.  

"Ay?" I slightly pouted. Maybe I did look like I wanted to send someone swimming in a septic tank - eer, not that I'd literally go that far.

I exhaled with a little whistle sound as I made my neck do a cracking noise. Yeap, game time.

"Hi!" I drawled as I approached them. Janice Ramos' eyes widened at the sight of me. Oh for the love of deranged and rabid dogs, she looks like she saw a ghost.

"H-hi a-ate Ace." Oh for the love of- see? Oh come on, I look like an innocent angel and this one right here is stuttering like I'm the grim reaper. "A-ah baka gusto n'yo mag-usap alis muna a--"

"Oh no, please. Do stay." Queen placed a hand to mark the boundary. Her eyes sent the silent message "be good. Stay where.you are. If you wan't to survive, that is."

"Anong kailangan n'yo?" Ah, he finally decided to acknowledge our presence. He tried to sound calm and collected, but his eyes betrayed him, as they always had. "Your peers seem to have left without you."

"Nope. We're too important to be left behind." Jack shoved his hands inside his pocket "Kasama lang naman namin ang savior of the day - who by the way beat you again - so nah, we're cool." He shrugged coolly for effect, which I swear made Jemartard inhale audibly.

King chuckled from beside us. Ugh, annoying lazy bum. He was wearing his ear pods, but obviously he wasn't listening to music - er, well he was listening to a different kind of music anyways.

Jemar Felix's utter downfall.

Such a pleasant symphony.

"Okay lang kung inis ka sakin." I started "Hindi ka robot, I mean really, I'd understand if you'd lash out."

"I don't hit girls."

"Yeah you hit on girls."

I was surprised that it was King who stole my line. Aba! That was my line! That was my intro! Rawr!

I chuckled faintly. "We both know you wouldn't even land one hit on my skin even if you tried." I raised a perfectly done brow at him.

It wasn't just a bluff though. Having Jack, King and Queen as my best buds meant trouble. Basically, one of them always gets themselves into a mess and me being me, I always end up jumping in to help them. I earned a pretty solid reputation for fist fights and combat.

Debater, athlete, gangster-ish but super cute and angelic? Yeah, I guess Queen coined it right be dubbing me "Ace of all trades"

"Azenith.." He looked like his patience was hanging by a strand of hair now. "You won, if you're here to gloat about it, be done with it"

"Ate Ace, nire-respeto kita, pero mali naman na lagi ninyong aawayin ang Org namin 'pag talo kami." And then she spoke. Tsk tsk.

You could've saved yourself but you crossed a line.

"Told 'ya she'd cross it! Ha! Bayad utang!" Jack gestured his hand to Queen and King. They must've had a bet about this when I wasn't paying attention.

"Greedy mother fvcker." King shook his head and grabbed a 20 peso bill from his pocket. "Madaya ka, kupal. I was voting for it too pero sabi mo bawal!"

I nearly forgot the situation in hand. I really wanted to laugh at them. These crazy nerds, I swear I'd give anything to see us like this everyday.

I cleared my throat and put up a menacing smile. "Ah, nang-aaway ba kami?" I mocked a weak voice, as if I were a kid telling their parents about a bully. "Tsk. Janice Ramos, may I remind you na minsan mo rin nasaksihan at kinainisan na binabaliktad tayo ng Philosophy club."

She stiffened at my words. So I took my opportunity to continue. "Ano? Bakit?" My smile grew wider. "Awww,  binaliktad mo rin ba? Did you tell your beloved Jemar na the debate team talked shit about him? Oh darling" I faked a frown "How far will you go to please him?"

Her eyes were burning with unshed tears. Sorry little girl, you had one job. You should've just stood there and watched, but you had to be a hypocrite. Very very sickening.

"Ate-"

"Oh yes. You'd go far. Anything for him." I shifted my weight to one foot, the heels of my shoes clicking against the wooden floorboards. "You saw how he wooed me as seniors up 'til freshmen days. Hindi ba tiningnan mo pa yo'ng message thread namin when I left my phone unattended? His words of declaration, how he sends the same things to you too."

Never liked Jemar Felix as anything more than a person. I could see through his lies. I despised the fact that he thought he could make everyone believe his tales of glory, he thought he could make everyone pity him by acting like he had D.I.D (dissociative identity disorder) and tried to use that card to get away with his shit every damn time.

News flash, mental disorders are not an excuse for shitty behavior. Heaven above, even a schizophrenic person won't say bad things to you less you trigger the person in a bad way.

Not. Cool. Need I say it louder?

"Azenith!" Oh he finally spoke up. "It's not my fault if I chose her over you. You're too stuck up! Masyado ka mahirap abutin! Mapagmataas ka masyado!"

Jack, King and Queen laughed. Yes, unfortunately dear friends, this kind of line never ceases to leave confrontations.

"Kaya hindi kita binigyan ng chance eh. I mean, the other suitors were at least given a chance to be called my suitors. Pero ikaw?" I eyed him, melting his face to the bones in my mind. "You never even reached that level."

"Kaya ako umalis ng team dahil masyado kang power hungry!" Janice screeched. Oh wow, she never usually reacts this way. "Ikaw lang lagi ang magaling! Ikaw lang lagi yung paborito!"

"Oh darling that's because I am." I tilted my head and brushed my hair with my fingers. Sass me, and I'll bitch you up.

"Wow." Jemar laughed "Just wow"

"I am secondary captain of the debate team despite being a sophomore. Everyone favors me because I'm cheerful and pleasing to the eyes. Everyone listens to my words because I am indeed powerful." I dared them to say a word, well thankfully they got the message "Oh, na-realize n'yo rin 'di ba? You can't sulk and blame others because they were given more assets than you. You need to work hard and prove yourself worthy even if you do have the right assets. Otherwise, I'd be just like you, Jemar."

"Hot damn." Queen fanned herself "Is this debate showdown 2.0? I like this one better!"

"For your information, only 2% of the world's population can be afflicted by D.I.D you misbegotten hairless monkey. And Asians aren't particularly prone to it, theoretically due to culture differences." I began my tirade.

No one can stop me now. This is the purpose of all of this after all. Life is a freaking harsh teacher, and life just decided to send Azenith Archangel to teach these two.

"And ikaw Janice? Alam mo ba na walang lalakeng aabuso sa mga babae kung 'di sobrang rupok ng mga babae?" Eyeing her from head to foot with a tinge of disgust did it's magic. She flinched at my every word.

"You knew he was chatting other girls. You knew he invested more in ladies with power and authority, and here you betrayed people who cared for you.. just to gain the affection of a boy that offered sweet words. News freaking flash. Men would tell you about the harsh truth that commitments are shitty, but they'll go through it with you nonetheless. Boys like that one" I pointed a manicured finger at Jemartard "Shower you with sweet promises. Hanggang pakilig lang 'yan. Hindi ka mapapakain ng kilig ate girl."

Do I hear a sonic boom in the background? Yeahuh.

"You guys belong together for being pitiful cowards" Queen added, her eyes turning to a deadly glare.

"Match made in hell." Jack chirped.

"Magsama kayong dalawa is okay. Pero ruining other people just for the sake of looking good to please each other.. you're both scum." My tongue knows no mercy. Every word a dagger finding its mark.

"Janice Ramos, you didn't quit the debate team, you were useless to us, would've thrown you out if you stayed longer." I smiled at her and then prepared to end the other "Jemar Felix, you are so pitiful, you can't even let your true self show kaya you hide behind your fake multiple personalities. You hate me because I can be a bitch and still be lovable at the same time."

At that moment, the lights above the audiences seats were being turned off, leaving only the stage lights left.

"You will never reach my level. Subukan mo o n'yo- kahit magsama pa kayo- na manggulo, and I'm ending this game... with a bronze plaque  with your names written as professional cowards."

After ending my speech, I turned my back, exchanging low fives with the three. At that moment, the stage lights were turned off. With Jemar Felix and Janice Ramos left in the darkness. Literally and figuratively.

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