THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC20 IRIS "Bakit po ako, Dean? If you don't mind me asking, I mean all of the comm's?" Dean nodded at my inquiries, "Good question," he then smiled, "As I've said earlier, you have an impressive grade in Digital Imaging, one factor. Second is, your professors' recommended you, that's a plus if you'll ask me, and the third one, Mr. Tio specifically asked for you," Dean explained and my lips immediately parted. Ang kapal! Gusto kong tumanggi nang malakas...at magdabog. Kaso baka magalit sa akin si Dean. Scholar pa naman niya ako. Ugh, leche naman 'tong Joaquin na 'to! Anong akala niya sa akin? Hindi nag-aaral? I fisted my knuckles and hide it in my jacket. Parang masarap manuntok ng tao ngayon, sampolan ko kaya mukha ni Joaquin?

THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC22 IRIS Joaquin begged me to stay. Hindi na rin naman ako nakipagtalo dahil ayaw niya ako bitawan. Sobrang sakit na rin kasi ng mata ko kaka-iyak, lagi na lang ako umiiyak. Sawang-sawa na talaga ako sa ganitong portion ng buhay ko... Buti nalang may pugo at pizza...kung wala, uuwi talaga ako. "Pwede ba 'wag mo ko titigan, naiilang ako sayo," snapped ko kay Joaquin. Nakatingin lang kasi siya sa akin habang kumakain ako. Ang dami niyang biniling pugo sa totoo lang. Tapos dalawang box pa 'yung pizza—sa akin lang daw lahat 'yon. I almost think that he thought I'm a pig! He sc

THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC24 IRIS "Pwede bang matulog muna?" tanong ko kay Joaquin habang unti-unting tumatayo sa pagkaka-salampak ko sa sahig. Joaquin nodded, "I'll wake you up later," he said while his eyes are still fixated at the screen in front of him. "Joke lang. Ang sakit lang ng mata ko, kanina pa ko nakababad sa screen," reklamo ko. Nasa condo ulit ako ni Joaquin. I already started doing their logo while Joaquin was doing enormous things for school, for SC, for their project, and his studies. Kung matagal na akong nakatutok sa laptop—mas lalo siya. Hindi na nga siya gumagalaw e. I stood u

THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC26 IRIS "I strongly believe that friendships should be 50/50, you tell me the happenings about your love life to me, and I will religiously listen," Kaia said while looking at her phone. Kaia and I were inside the library, nagre-review kami dahil exam namin mamaya sa BroadJourn. Isa lang ang exam namin ngayong prelims dahil 'yung ibang subjects namin ay puro pasahan lang ng Chapter 1 ng research. I was busy reading my reviewer on my phone when I heard her saying those. I initially ignored her because I thought she was just reading something aloud, but when I saw Kaia looking at me from my peripheral vision—which took too long; it immediately sunk into me that she was referring to me.

THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC28 IRIS Nakakahilo. Ang gulo-gulo ng paligid. Ang ingay ni Kaia, nakakataranta. "Kinakabahan ako, Ris e..." sagot niya nang sinabi kong maupo siya. "Pa'no kapag hindi ako nakasagot sa tanong ng mga panel? Ligwak na agad research natin?" tanong niya. Kunot-noo ko siyang tiningnan, "Ano pa't by group 'tong research? Malamang sasaluhin ka namin ni Jourdan," sagot ko. I'm wearing a black trouser suit and low black heels. Si Kaia naman ay naka navy pinstriped suit. Initial defense namin ngayon at lahat kami ay naka formal. I