Chapter 24: Face-Off: Triangle Vs Trench

"Sunny, congratulations! Ang galing ng pinakita mo kanina."

"Hands down Sunny!"

"You go girl!"

Napakurap na lamang ako habang nakikinig sa ilang mga estudyante na nag-abalang pumunta sa backstage upang batiin ako.

Talo ako, 5-0 pero bakit ba nila ako binabati? Hello? Nang-iinsulto ba sila?!

"Sunny!"

Napalingon ako kina Iris na tumatakbo patungo sa direksyon ko. Malawak ang ngiti nila kaya mas lalo lamang akong napasimangot.

"Oh, bakit?" tanong ni Suri nang mapansin ang mukha ko.

"I'm a failure."

"What?!" bulalas nilang lahat.

Ilang saglit lamang ay bigla na lamang may kumatok sa noo ko. It was Margo.

"Gaga, matauhan ka sana! That's your best! Alam mo bang tila kumikinang ka kanina habang nagsasalita ka sa harap? Grabe Sunny for the first time naisip ko talagang matalino ka."

Ngiwi lamang ang naging sagot ko kay Margo. The others gave me assuring smiles kaya kahit paano ay medyo nabuhayan ako ng loob. Nagpaka-negative lang pala ako.

Of course, I didn't sorely lose. I lost after a close match. I gave satisfaction and hard time for the alumni to decide. I shouldn't be affected this much. Siguro kung 3-2 ang score iiyak ako ng bongga. I was only a vote away from winning.

Pag 5-0 at least hindi ako labis na manghihinayang dahil hindi malapit ang scores. Tama, ganoon na lamang ang iisipin ko.

Tiningnan ko silang lima at napansin na wala si Trench. "Oh, nasaan si Mariano?"

Nagkatinginan din sila at hinanap si Trench. Si Jeff ang sumagot sa tanong ko.

"Nakita ko siya kanina na nakatayo sa kabilang silid na para bang may hinihintay."

Bigla akong kinabahan. Kabilang silid? May hinihintay?! Don't tell me— Napatayo ako at nagpaalam sa kanila. "I'll be right back."

I sprinted my way towards the opposite waiting room. Malakas ang kutob ko na hinihintay niya si Tatsulok! Pero bakit?

I slowed down when I saw Triangle's waiting room. Bahagyang nakabukas ang pinto so I flatten myself against the wall and tried to listen to their conversation.

"Are you here to congratulate me?" boses iyon ni Tatsulok.

"No, but still congratulations." It was Trench.

"What did you come here for?"

"Triangle, this is not you."

I bit my lip. Yup, hindi nga siya si Triangle. Ibang-iba siya sa Tatsulok na nakilala ko. Okay, given na na masama ang ugali at sobrang nakakainis siya pero pusangina, grabe ang paglevel up ng kasamaan niya ngayon!

"Anong hindi 'to ako?" Triangle even laughed. "You know this is me Trench."

"If this is about us losing the elite title, we can claim it back together right?" Trench's cold voice sounded sad. Alam kong mahirap sa kanya ang inaasal ng pinsan niya.

"You know I never care about being an elite."

"Triangle—"

"Just go Trench. Sa ilang minuto ay magsisimula na ang second match which is me against you. Dapat ay nasa waiting room ka na at naghahanda," Triangle replied.

"You can have the 1st spot in the Royal, wala naman akong interes sa posisyon na 'yan."

"You're not giving me a match?" nahimigan ko ang inis sa boses ni Tatsulok.

"No, you know that I always play fair."

"Good, then you should be going. I'm mentally strained right now, imagine doing two researches at the same time."

"Why did you do that to Gallego?" tanong ni Trench. Bahagya akong napapiksi sa kinakukublihan ko nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko.

"What did I do?" pagmamaang-maangan ni Tatsulok. I bet he's giving Trench a puzzled look right now.

"Humiliate her."

"Humiliate? Did I? Sino ba ang nanghamon, ako ba?"

Napabuntong-hininga ako. Tama si Tatsulok. I'm the one who humiliated myself. Not him.

"Are you aware that you're hurting her?" Dinig ko ang pagkainis sa boses ni Trench.

"Who cares?"

Puto, oo nga who cares pero hearing it straight for Triangle's mouth really hurts!

"She likes you," Trench said.

"I liked her."

Pusangina, liked. He liked me. Napakuyom ang mga kamao ko at balak ko na sanang umalis doon ngunit muling nagsalita si Tatsulok.

"How about a bet? Kapag nanalo ka ngayon sa Face-off natin, I'll reciprocate her feelings towards me since you're bothered that much na gusto niya ako. If I win, just let me do what I want with myself. I have no interest in her now so just let me detach myself from her."

Pakiramdam ko ay nag-aapoy na ako sa galit dahil sa narinig ko!

"She's never ours to bet, Triangle," malumanay na sagot ni Trench. I felt my heart melt because of what he said. "Win or lose, do what you please, but I'm telling you, I'm pursuing her. See you onstage."

Ubod nang lakas na sinipa ko ang pinto. Parehas silang nagulat nang makita ko. Rage ablazed around me as I looked at Triangle.

Puto, 'yong inis ko sa kanya dati? Nadadagdagan ng ilang folds! Walang salitang lumapit ako sa harapan niya at iniangat ang kamao sa kanyang mukha.  He was too shocked to move but my punch didn't land on his face-- but he groaned painfully.

His head dropped on his crotch where my foot kicked hard. I smirked widely to him and his cousin's surprise.

"That's tactically called open feint; masking the goal with the ruse of fake goal. Akala mo ay susuntukin kita when in fact, I was actually aiming for your crotch. It's one of the winning stratagems by the way. In front of everyone, you point west, when your goal is actually in the east," naniningkit ang mga matang wika ko sa kanya bago hinila si Trench palayo sa lugar na 'yon.

***

Trench stood firm as we waited for the second match to begin. Walang bakas ng pangamba sa kanya and it’s either he’s confident to win or he’s just so good in masking his feelings. Blanko pa rin ang kanyang mukha, his eyes tell nothing aside from his lonely stares. Alam kong hindi madali sa kanya na maging kalaban ang pinsan, not for intellectual reasons but maybe because all his life, nothing is important to him than putting them first above all. Ngayon ay nasa sitwasyon siya kung saan may kailangang manalo, may kailangang matalo.

Nag-aalala ako. Kapag natalo si Trench, mas lalo na naman siyang mamaliitin ng mga pusanginang estudyante ng academy na wala namang ibang naiambag kundi maging epal lang. If that happens to Triangle, maaring ganoon din ang reaksyon ng mga tao. Worst, baka isipin din nila na hindi naman talaga matalino si Triangle and blah blah blah. That’s how ugly the society is. Marami kang nagawang mabuti, no one was thankful about it, no one acknowledge it. Make a single mistake, everyone condemns. Puto, dalhin ko kaya sa 69th Floor ng Research Lab ‘tong Capital at baka sakali magawaan nila ng paraan ‘to? Things this ugly should be the one who needs to change everything about them!

The crowd cheered loudly at tanda iyon na magsisimula na ang face-off. Mas kinabahan ako. Hindi ako ang kasali pero parang ganoon na rin ang kabang nararamdaman ko. My eyes caught Triangle who was sulking on his seat, sa harap ng stage.

Pusangina, buti nga sa kanya! Wala akong pakialam kung nadurog iyon or what. Kahit mapulbos pa iyon, walang akong pakialam! Goodbye future Bermudos!

Unang sasalang si Trench. He volunteered to do it first.

“1st on the Royal spot, Trench Grande Mariano!”

In fairness, may nagcheer sa kanya ngunit hindi pa rin iyon kasingdami ng mga nagchi-cheer kay Tatsulok kanina. Who cares? Tiyak kong kapag natapos ang limang minuto ni Trench, lahat ay magchi-cheer na! Standing ovation pa!

Pinanuod ko si Trench habang umaakyat sa stage. He looks blank, but oozing with confidence. Hindi confident na mananalo pero confidence sa kanyang sarili na kahit papaano ay maganda ang ipapakita niya ngayon.

They called it the match of the quarter. Sino bang mag-aakala na ang dalawang Grande ang magkakalaban sa face-off ngayon? Ayon sa mga narinig ko mula sa mga chismosang staff ng academy, not even during the Grande twin’s time ay hindi nangyari ang match na Grande vs Grande. Kahit nga raw Gallego vs Bermudo hindi nangyari. They cooperated with each other, bagay na hindi magawa ni Tatsulok kaya kung ano man ang binabalak niya, bahala siya sa buhay niya!

“Good day,” panimulang bati ni Trench. Everyone focused on him as his presentation flashed on the huge screens. “I want to present a research that is very timely. Nowadays, we have less access to clean drinking water. Given the floods, water are polluted so we need something that will clean polluted water and convert them to potable one and that is through electrochemical process that can remove organic contaminants on water.”

The screen showed polluted bodies of water at kung anu-ano pa. He also presented a brief discussion giving us a picture of what will happen if the world will have less access to potable water.

“This is far from the conventional electrochemical separation methods which are in way too expensive. I call this research as EC Water-- or water from electrochemical purification method.” Trench presented his prototype device that will be responsible for the electrochemical process. Lahat ay namangha sa ginawa niya.

“The water will flow between this surfaces which are positive and negative electrodes.” He poured a black liquid on the small tube to demonstrate his words. “This electrodes are coated with materials that can undergo reactions and destroys pollutant molecules.”

The black water he poured suddenly turned clear at ilang saglit lamang ay nahiwalay na ang itim sa tubig which he explain as pesticide and other pollutants. “This can remove stubborn pollutants even if at whatever concentration it is.”

Kumpleto ang presentation ni Trench kaya namangha ang lahat sa pinakita niya. He even showed a prototype and that is surely a plus points from the judges na tuwang-tuwa sa pinakita niya. He showed common organic contaminants gaya ng chemical waste products at pharmaceutical chemicals na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit contaminated ang mga tubig ngayon. He also gave us the possible complications kapag nakainom ng contaminated na tubig.

His presentation ended with a loud claps from the crowd and standing ovation maging ang tatlo sa limang judges. Jean-Cluade clapped but he didn’t stand. Meh, ang sama talaga ng ugali. Kapatid naman niya si Trench diba?!

“Thank you so much Trench Grande Mariano!” wika ng nagsasalita sa harap. “And now, his second match for today, let’s give it up for Triangle Grande Bermudo!”

Sinalubong pa rin ng masigabong palakpakan si Tatsulok. I learned that I shouldn’t underestimate him. Kahit na dalawang research ang ginawa niya, wala pa ring kasiguraduhan na hindi siya mananalo ngayon. Trench showed a very promising research and I want to know what the other T from TT cousins prepared.

His face is still irritated as he walked upstage. Huh, kung masakit pa rin edi mabuti. Buti nga sa kanya!

He nodded at the robot to play his presentation. Hindi man lamang siya nag-abalang bumati sa mga naroon at nagsimulang i-discuss ang kanyang inihanda.

“It’s a coincidence that I also prepared a timely research na kailangang-kailangan ng Capital ngayon and that is still something about water.”

Ohs filled the hall. Pareho silang ng naisip na gawin?! What the pork! Nang-aasar ba talaga si Tatsulok?!

He showed us a prototype of the device he created. “This is called the Solar Water. Aside from the problem of scarcity of clean drinking water, problema rin ang kawalan ng access sa kuryente gaya halimbawa sa 5th Ward. After the catastrophe, the electrical lines are down so the previous research will do no good in such situation lalo na at electric-powered iyon.”

I openly scowled. He is directly opposing Trench’s research sa mga sinasabi niya!

“Solar Water solves the problem of scarcity of safe drinking water and limited electricity access at once. This will purify water and the pollutants will be use to boost power production in a separate compartment.”

He demontrated by pouring dirty water on the prototype of his device. “Dahil global warming, let’s make use of the excessive heat of the sun. The solar panel will collect solar power so that our titanium mesh will be activated to produce photocatalytic reaction.”

Nagbigay si Tatsulok ng analysis ng kanyang research, stressing on the fact that his device is easy to obtain, handy and above all, affordable to everyone kahit sa 5th ward. Everyone was in a different state of amazement dahil sa presentation niya. He gave us ideas how useful the titanium dioxide nets are to produce purified water. He ended his note saying he wanted clean water accessible to everyone.

Tila nagising ako nang maghiyawan ang mga tao. They all cheered for Triangle and his research! At pusangina, lahat ng judges ay napa-standing ovation, even the stone Jean-Claude! Pusangina! He really made Jean-Claude stand!

Puto, sa lagay na’to matatalo si Trench. Pero no, may tiwala pa rin ako kay Trench. He still can win at tiyak kong nahihirapan ang mga judges ngayon na pumili. The Q and A part was even skipped because of how thorough they presented their works well plus may mga prototype pa sila na ipinakita.

It was time for the alumni to deliberate their thoughts and cast their votes.

Unang nagsalita ang alumni na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin kilala. “That’s a very good fight Grandes, ngayon lang ako nakasaksi ng ganoong klaseng mga research.” The crowd cheered loudly. “Pinahirapan ninyo akong dalawa. It was equally useful given na pareho ang layunin ninyo so I’m really in a dilemma. I will chose which caught my interest first. My vote is for Trench.”

Yes! Nabalot ng cheering ang hall para kay Trench. Kahit ang mga taga-District 9 dorm na ay tuwang-tuwa. They witnessed how Trench prepared for his research well.

Sunod na nagsalita ay ang alumnus na hindi ulit nagpaliwanag. “My vote is for Triangle.”

Sa pagkakataong ito puno ulit ng sigawan para kay Triangle. Everyone is looking forward of who will win the match. Sunod na nagsalita si Armstrong.

“Good job Grandes, just as what I’m expecting from you two. My vote will be for someone who considered a lot of things lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad. My vote is for Triangle.”

Napahawak ako sa upuan ko. No! One more vote for Triangle, it will be over. Gayunpaman ay malaki ang tiwala ko kay Trench. He can do it!

“That was amazing,” sabi ni Bionic Arm. “A very intense research at kung pwede nga lamang ay manalo kayong dalawa but we only have to choose one.” Beethoven sighed at nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa hawak niyang papel at sa TT cousins na nasa harap. “I vote for Trench.”

Yes! Pakiramdam ko ay ako ang kanyang ibinoto. Bionic arm is still the best! Napatayo ako sa upuan ko at napatalon gaya ng ginawa ng iba. May pag-asa pa! Trench can win this!

Jean-Claude glanced at his paper bago iyon maingat na inilapag. “Both presentation are great but I’ll go for something practical. My vote is for Triangle.”

It felt like a deja vu. Jean-Claude didn’t vote for his sibling, iyon nga lang, hindi na ako but Trench. Sa unang pagkakataon ay nakita ko ang panlulumo sa mukha ni Trench. I know how he feels right now. It sucks to know that your brother isn’t on your side.

Wala na! Finish na! May nanalo na! And it’s Triangle! Puto, 2 wins in a row?!

But that’s least of my concern now. This only means one thing.

Trench is out in the Royals.

#

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