CASTIEL

I HAD been telling myself that I did not deserve this title. I was not fit to be the vice president of the highest governing student organization. I never dreamt of this moment. Ngunit gaya ng sinabi ni Priam sa akin, hindi ito isang reward. Isa itong parusa. I reluctantly accepted the burden despite some reservations from myself—and apparently from other people, too.

The Angle, official student publication of the College of Engineering and Architecture, published an opinion piece written by their contributor, Bellatrix Yllana. Hindi ko siya kilala, ngunit hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nabasa ko ang pangalan niya. She had been featured in two of The Herald's articles about the failed impeachment trial. Pinanawagan niya noon na mag-resign na si Priam at hayaan si Valeria na mag-lead sa USC. Ngayon, tinawag niya kaming "misogynists" dahil lalaki ang pinili ni Priam na vice president at nilaglag umano namin si Val.

Geez. Young people nowadays learn a word from social media and run with it. She knew nothing about what's going on behind the scenes, yet she was too brave—or too naive—to make these assertions. I heard that Rowan would debate her and that one columnist from the College of Criminal Justice Education. Ipauubaya ko na ito sa public information officer namin.

After today's classes, I packed up my stuff in my cubicle and brought them to the one on my left. Val's cubicle had been vacant for almost a week. But not anymore. Inilabas ko ang aking mga gamit at inayos ang mga 'yon. I placed a framed photo of me and Cassidy on my new desk, just right beside the monitor. It hurt me to see the version of her that was lively, compared to what she was right now—a sleeping princess. But that photo served as a reminder of why I was here and what I needed to accomplish.

Nang tapos na akong mag-ayos, napasilip ako sa katabing cubicle ko sa kanan. Now, my old cubicle was vacant. Hindi pa namin napag-uusapan ni Priam kung sino ang ipapalit sa akin. But I compiled a list of four names—four people whom we could fully trust from here on. Mahirap nang magtiwala sa ibang tao lalo na sa mga hindi namin kilala. Baka may mole pang makapasok sa USC at isabotahe ang mga effort namin.

Knock! Knock!

Lumingon ako sa entrance ng cubicle ko kung saan nakatayo at nakaabang si Priam. I did not notice him entering the office.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Vice President," he greeted me.

"Good afternoon, Mr. President," I greeted back.

"How do you find your new cubicle?"

"Just the same as the old one."

"Make yourself comfortable." He checked the time on his wristwatch. "Today's your first day as presiding officer of the LEXECOM, right?"

"Yeah," I lazily replied. My tone could clearly tell how excited I was for my new gig.

"Good luck. Make sure you put Alaric in his place." He knocked on the wing panel again before walking back to his cubicle.

"Ah, Priam!" I pulled out a piece of paper from my chest pocket and limped my way to him. Huminto siya't tumalikod para balikan ako. "Now that we've filled the vacancy in the vice presidency, I'm wondering if we can also fill the vacancy in my previous position."

"Of course," he agreed with a nod. "We need to find a new chief-of-staff as soon possible, preferably before the campus fair."

"I know that you're busy with high-level decision-making so I took it upon myself to draw up a list." I handed him the piece of paper. "Every name here has been carefully vetted. I can assure you that we can trust them a hundred percent and that they're not involved in any scandal of some sort."

He took the paper and unfolded it in front of me. He read the names silently, his eyes moving from left to right. One of the names must be familiar to him because I saw a hint of recognition on his face.

"As you said, we need to find a new chief-of-staff as soon as possible," I added. "Maybe this week? We can discuss it later or tomorrow."

"Thank you for your efforts, Cas." He folded the paper again and slid it into his chest pocket. "I will give your list some thought."

"Now, let me show the LEXECOM who their new boss is."

I USED to watch Val whenever she presided the important LEXECOM sessions, so I was knowledgeable about the procedure and rules of order. This time around, I intended to be more assertive as the presiding officer to the point that Alaric would wish that they rejected my appointment as VP.

Upon opening the door and entering the office, murmurs like buzzing bees subsided and the room fell into total silence. Only my cane striking the tiled floor could be heard echoing within the four walls. Nagsiupo na ang mga chairperson sa decagonal table at nagsiayos na ng upo ang mga reporter. I saw Reynard in his navy blue hoodie among the crowd before taking my seat. My face twitched as I caught a glimpse of Alaric the Prick's face. Sinubukan kong huwag pansinin ang sakit.

"Good afternoon," I greeted everyone after moving the mic closer to my lips. "The Legislative-Executive Committee is now in session. Let me call the roll. Avrille Mae Padilla of the College of Allied Medical Professions?"

"Present," she replied, her voice clear and composed.

Isa-isa kong tinawag ang mga chairperson at isa-isa rin silang tumugon sa akin. Everyone was obviously present, but I must follow the roll call protocol at the start of every session. Once the last chairperson was called, I grabbed the gavel on my side.

"All nine chairpersons are here. A quorum is hereby declared," I announced, striking the gavel once. Damn, it feels so good to wield this small mallet. I could feel the authority of the presiding officer emanating from it. Inilapag ko sa tabi ang gavel at ipinagkrus ang mga daliri ko. "As the new presiding officer, I expect full cooperation from every member of this committee. Majority leader, what's our agenda for today?"

"Mister Chair," Alaric the Prick began, turning on his mic, "I would like to propose a motion introducing amendments to the Constitution and By-laws of the Elysian University Student Government."

I got a bad feeling about this. "And what exactly are the proposed amendments?"

"First, to raise the required minimum grade for every officer from 80 to 83," Alaric the Prick answered. "Second, to limit the term of every president of the University Student Council to only one term."

His fellow chairpersons exchanged surprised glances while I only stared at him intently. This prick... He wants to pick a fight this early, huh? Talagang naghahanap siya ng paraan para mabulilyaso ang reelection efforts namin. Once that motion was passed in this committee and ratified by the student body, Priam would no longer be eligible for a second term as president. This must be his Plan B after that disastrous impeachment trial.

"Student leaders must be academic role models to their constituents in order to inspire them to be productive members of the Elysian community." Alaric the Prick's gaze shifted between the chairpersons and me. "We cannot let someone who fails to meet the academic requirement serve in the student government."

"And what's your reasoning for the second amendment?"

"The Constitution is silent on whether or not a USC president can serve for more than one term," he explained. "Based on historical precedence, all USC presidents have only served one term. Therefore, by introducing this amendment, we aim to institutionalize that precedent."

That sounded like a reasonable explanation. Alaric the Prick's party, AEGIS, had been pushing to raise some standards in the university. Meanwhile, the SALVo party had always been opposed to those types of policies. If I were an unaffiliated chairperson, I would probably be in favor of that amendment. However, our reelection campaign hinged on the fact that the Constitution is silent on whether or not an incumbent USC president could seek another term. Passing that amendment would be detrimental to us.

What I liked about being the presiding officer was the gavel. I wished that I could throw this thing at the prick. What I did not like about this position was its sheer powerlessness. Like a dog without any teeth. Wala akong kapangyarihan na i-veto ang mga motion na ilalapag ng kahit aling panig. I was more of a facilitator who would oversee the flow of discussion. My only real power was the tie-breaking vote. Given the odd number of voting members here, I could only wield it in extremely rare occasions since a tie was unlikely to happen frequently.

"Mister Chair," Avrille spoke after I acknowledged her. "I move to suspend the discussion on the proposed constitutional amendments until the resumption of our session next semester. We would like to have more time to study the proposal and discuss it with our party before making an informed decision."

Nice save, Avi. Thankfully, I did not have to ask for her help. Today happened to be the last session for this semester as we were heading toward the much-awaited semestrial break. Kapag sakaling um-agree ang majority o ang buong committee, magkakaroon ng oras ang USC na mag-isip ng counterattack. We could not let that prick get what he wanted.

"Mister Chair," Alaric the Prick spoke again after I recognized him. Kung puwede ko lamang siyang huwag pansinin, ginawa ko na. But I had to be professional in front of the other chairpersons and the members of the campus press. "The majority bloc is eager to start the discussions and debates on this subject as soon as possible. However, we want to give the minority leader and her party ample time to study the prospect of amending the Constitution."

"Thank you." Those words almost got stuck in my throat. "A motion is proposed. Those in favor of suspending the discussion on the proposed constitutional amendments, say aye. Those against, say nay."

And the ayes had it. The committee voted unanimously to resume the discussion at the opening of our session next semester. For now, we would focus on the campus fair and whatever problems might come along.

I WAS a bit late the next day at the USC office. Late na nag-dismiss ang professor namin kaya hindi agad ako nakatakas. Upon my arrival, I found five officers gathered around the conference table. Nagmadali akong naglakad kahit paika-ika at nagtungo muna sa cubicle ko. I entered the fourth one, but I came to a sudden halt when I noticed a shoulder bag on the office chair. My bad. I was so used to the chief-of-staff's cubicle that I developed a reflex to go there instinctively. Lumipat ako sa bakanteng cubicle sa kaliwa nito at doon ipinatong ang aking bag.

Then, a realization hit me. Muli akong sumilip sa katabing cubicle. Nandoon pa ang shoulder bag na nakita ko kanina. At first, I thought it belonged to Sabrina, but her bag did not have that brand. Tumanaw ako sa kasunod na cubicle ng katabi ko. Nandoon ang bag ni Sab.

So the question lingered: Whose bag was in the chief-of-staff's cubicle?

I made my way to the aquarium. Nahawakan ko na ang handle at akmang hihilahin ko na palabas nang may nagpahinto na naman sa akin. Excluding me, there should be only four other officers here. From my count earlier, there were five inside. Someone else was here. A visitor? But no, they would not just let anyone inside especially during a meeting.

"You're late, Mr. Vice President."

I nearly stumbled forward as the door suddenly swung open. I flicked my gaze at the female student in front of me. I thought it was Val because she was wearing the prescribed white uniform for MedTech students. But as my eyes moved up to her face, I observed her brown, cub-cut hair. I had seen her face before, but I could not remember where.

"You are...?"

She held out her right hand to me. "The name's Lavinia Esquivel, the newly appointed chief-of-staff of the University Student Council. Pleased to meet you. Hope you're pleased, too."

My eyes widened at her. New chief-of-staff? But she was not on the list I submitted to Priam yesterday! How the hell did her name end up being one of the choices? Oh, wait! Now I remember where I've seen her face! Doon sa mga vice presidential candidate profile na ni-research ni Sabrina. I also gave that list to Priam. Maybe he mixed them up? He chose someone from the VP list—which was now moot—instead my chief-of-staff nominee list.

I stared at her hand long enough until I realized that she was waiting for my response. Something's not quite right here. "Of course, I'm pleased to meet you, too. You know who I am."

"A bit." Her lips twisted into a smirk. She stepped aside and motioned to the chair next to the president's. "Please take a seat. We've been waiting for you for ten minutes."

I limped my way to the seat on Priam's right. Pumuwesto si Lavinia sa upuang nasa kaliwa ng presidente. I used to sit on that chair. Ngayo'y nasa kabilang side na ako. This new seating arrangement made me a bit uncomfortable.

"Again, I am Lavinia Esquivel from the College of Allied Medical Professions," our new chief-of-staff introduced herself for the second time. "I look forward to working you until the end of this term and—who knows?—maybe in the next one."

Next one? I would not be that sure if I were her.

"Priam," I whispered as I leaned to my left, "I think there's some sort of mix-up here. Lavinia isn't on my list of potential replacements."

"There is not any mix-up, Cas," the president replied without turning to me. "I know that you have a lot of questions, so let's discuss them after this meeting, okay?"

My eyes narrowed at him. I hoped that my stare would make him turn to me, but he kept his attention in front of him. If there was no mix-up, then he chose this Lavinia knowing very well that she was not among my choices.

"Thanks to the minutes of the meeting by Sabrina, I was able to catch up to your discussions about the campus fair," Lavinia said before glancing at everyone. "Shall we resume where you left off?"

What the heck is going on here?

AFTER THE meeting, I asked Priam if we could talk in private. Hinintay muna naming lumabas ang apat pa naming kasama bago ko isinara ang window roller blinds para walang makakita sa amin.

"So you chose someone not from my list," I began as I stretched my left leg. "You know how important the chief-of-staff position is, right? We need someone we can fully trust. The candidates on my list? They were thoroughly vetted by me. I even know them personally. But Lavinia and the choices from whatever list you got their names from? They weren't fully vetted. I doubt you even know her on a personal level."

"I do not," he confirmed, unfazed.

I wanted to scream "Then why?!" but kept my cool instead. We had gotten into an argument a few days ago, right after announcing me as his vice presidential pick. A second one in a row would not look good. "Can you tell me why you made that decision? Are you going to say it's presidential prerogative? Because that's the best excuse."

"I appreciate your eagerness to find your replacement as chief-of-staff, and I would have considered the options you offered me... if it weren't for a deal."

"A deal?" My brows furrowed. "Kanino ka nakipag-deal? Sino'ng nakausap mo?"

"Remember my meeting with Avrille?" he reminded me. Of course, I do. "The reason I met with her was to let her know that I'm picking you as my vice president. In exchange, I'm giving them the chief-of-staff position. They can name whoever they want."

"So that's why we're still allies with them? Because you offered a trade and they accepted it?"

He gave me a slow nod. "Val helped me sweeten the deal. She's no longer around here, but she's willing to lend me a helping hand."

I chewed my lower lip as the grip on my cane tightened. "And why was I not informed of this deal? As your vice president, I need to know what you're up to so I can give you sound advice."

"Things moved too fast—"

"And you feared that I might find a way to sabotage the deal to get what I want?" I did not let him finish. I could not think of any reason why he would do this to me. "Wala ka bang tiwala sa 'kin, Priam?"

"Don't put words into my mouth, Cas," he replied. Sumeryoso ang tono at mukha niya. "Ikaw ang nagsabi niyan, hindi ako."

"This is the second time you've kept me in the dark. I can't help but think you have trust issues with me," I told him bluntly. I said that I did not want to argue with him, but my disappointment was getting the better of me. "Is this your way of punishing me? I kept you in the dark about what I did to Chevy, so you thought keeping me in the dark on this one was good revenge?"

"Again, don't put words—"

"If you don't fully trust me, then you shouldn't have appointed me as your VP," I cut him off again. Wala na akong pakialam kung mapagtaasan ko siya ng boses. "The only reasons why I accepted this appointment are to make it my penance for my sins and to block Alaric from getting what he wants. If I had any choice and could disregard everything we've worked so hard to achieve, I would have turned down the nomination or resigned right now."

"I apologize if you see it that way."

"I hope this is the last time I'll be surprised, Mr. President." I turned on my heel and walked out of the conference room. The sound of my cane stomping on the floor filled the silence between us.

For a moment, I wished that I had remained as the chief-of-staff. Yes, I was promoted to the vice presidency. But I was losing control of Priam and the council.

♔

NEXT UPDATE: The Herald prepares for their coverage of the campus fair.