rment Construction. Out of the twenty-three students who started out last year, only twelve made it to their sophomore year. Isa na nga siya sa bilang na iyon - much to the surprise of every

urso'ng kinukuha. Isa sa mga paborito niya ay ang asig

ngay sa paligid. Mula sa pagkakayupyop sa kanyang desk, nag-angat ng u

ternoon,

lase niya habang siya nama'y napahikab - na sa kamala

n us, Ms. Laviste." Their professor sai

ga hearthrob niya'ng barkada, they were quick and more than happy to ostracize her. Though they were careful not to be openly antagonistic, hindi pa rin siya nakakaligtas sa pasaring ng mga ito. At katulad

. Diaz, na tinaasan siya ng kilay bago kinuha ang atensyon ng buong klase. "Before we begin t

urther cull their already thin ranks. At hindi niya maiwasa'ng hindi kabahan. Despite being a misfit, despite being the square peg tr

rds, with occasional comments from Ms. Diaz. She was not as scathing as usual, probably because she knew their grades were enough to

deaf?" Nauubos ang pasensya'

nwari nama'y bulong n

agsak siya, eh 'di bagsak. She can always move on to something else... or so she tried to tell herself as she accepted her c

manshi

niqu

ionali

rm

istic

nilalaman ng kanyang scorecard, kapagkuwa

enge my grading, Ms. Laviste?" N

anticipation. Biting back her question, she looked again at the ca

nagmamadali'ng bumalik sa kanyang desk. Without looking at it, she inserted her scorecard inside the pages of he

him siya'ng nakahinga ng maluwag nang ituloy nito ang pagbibigay ng mga natirang scorecards at muli'ng natuon dito ang atensyon ng kanyang mga kaklase. Being h

d atmosphere however, did not bode well. Ms. Diaz was known to have axed half the populace of the Fashion and Arts Department of Redbrick in a single school year. Legend tell there was even a semester when there were no

scorecard mula sa mga pahina ng libro. Sulit lahat ng pagod, puyat at mga sugat na tinamo niya sa pagtatahi ng

elf, kahit pa humirit na naman ng pahaging si Desiree sa kanya. Bago tapusin ni Ms. Diaz ang klase nila ay opisyal nito'ng ipinaalam ang partisipasyon ng klase nila sa tauna'ng Pasiklaban

supposed to prepare everything from design to construction

e gonna make it next m

kalibre ko ang babagsa

the two of

'n?" Nakahalukipkip na lapit ni Katie sa dala

you p

uh

papayabangan ang mga ka-klase niya. Kapag binilisan niya, bak

id, presiding over the group, "Ladies, I hope you're ready to bring you

things inside her bag and heard one outlandish boast after another. If her classmates were

oom when she heard her name. Damning Desiree for being the bitch s

" Dinig niya'ng tanong ni Aubrey. "Baka mamantsahan l

inasabi mo? Mantsado na nga. Thanks

anggap sila ng estudyante'ng kagaya niya. Given Redbrick's reputation, you'd think

to ask her classmates, who looked lik

ulat na bulalas ni Desiree. "Akala naman um

erself from the temptation, iniwas niya ang tingin mula dito at hinarap ang iba'ng ka-klase. "Kung meron kayo'ng gusto'ng sabihin, dir

e." Nakataas ang kilay na halukipkip nito. "Sana naman wala ka'ng balak sumali sa Fashion Showcase ng Arts

y naligaw na sanggano sa Fashion Department. Wala na kami'ng ma

knew they hated her gut, but she didn't expect them to dr

tever ideas you might have, it's best to keep it to yourself. 'Wag mo na'ng ibilandra sa runway ng Pasiklaban. That way, we all save face

hindi kayo ang magdadala ng kahihiyan sa kur

o you even have?" Sagot n

mali sa str

onsidering it?!" Nahindik n

mga mata. "I am not

case your designs. It is meant to put glamour on full display. How are

Anika thought

a ito. "Huwag kayong mag-alala. Hindi ako sasali sa fashion showcase ng department..." An

as Anika turned away with

ate-threat

ou think

naman ang sinabi ni Ms. Diaz sa kanya kanina, 'di ba? Bi

itinuloy ang paglalakad. She couldn't wait to see them foaming

t Construction already under her belt, the rest of her classes would be cake.

ay to stay cooped