WINTER'S POINT OF VIEW

"Are you ready, Bad Girl?" I looked at Louiegie and raised my brow. 

"Do I looked like I'm not ready, huh?" I asked. 

He smirked. "I'm just asking, Bad Girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Just shut your mouth because I don't need you to ask a question that's so damn obvious."

We saw our own standee outside our indoor amphitheater. Yes, we have two amphitheaters, outdoor and indoor. Our indoor amphitheater are at another building of Schneider Academy where all of the contests are being held.

We came inside and sat on our respective seats while the emcee started explaining the instructions of this quiz bee. "Again, good morning, grade 11 students! I hope you can enjoy this quiz bee whether you win or not." Yes, it's a History quiz bee, but the emcee used the English language to explain the instructions. Ironic, right? 

"Here's the name of the contestants. Louiegie Drix Kingston from Section Aristotle and Winter Jin Schneider from Section Newton. Mary Ann Fernandez from Section Einstein and Cassandra Garcia from Section Curie. Stephen Gomez from Section Darwin and Maben Lucas Martin from Section Galilei. Elijah Torres from Section Tesla and Charlotte Alonzo from Section Franklin. Isabella Morales from Section Muir and Amelia Mia Santos from Section Peterson."

"We will have three rounds. First, easy round with 20 questions with choices. Each correct answer will give you one point. Second, average round with 10 questions without choices. Each correct answer will give you three points. Lastly, difficult round with 10 questions without choices. Each correct answer will give you five points. Total of 100 points. So, let's start!"

They started giving us white boards and markers. "Who will write?" I heard Louiegie asked.

"Since you asked that, just do it." I gave him the white board and the marker. 

We looked at the stage where the projector screen is placed. They showed the first question. 

Question E1: Alin sa mga sumusunod ang hindi isang reporma na hinahangad mula sa gobyerno ng Espanya ng mga propagandista?

A. Pangunahing karapatang pantao para sa mga Pilipino.
B. Pagbabago ng pamahalaan mula sa ganap hanggang sa limitadong monarkiya.
C. Pagkakapantay-pantay ng mga Pilipino at Kastila bago ang batas.
D. Pagpapanumbalik ng kinatawan ng Pilipino sa Cortes.

"Write the choice letter B," I said to Louiegie.

"I know, Bad Girl." I just rolled my eyes to him before they showed the correct answer.

Answer E1: B. Pagbabago ng pamahalaan mula sa ganap hanggang sa limitadong monarkiya.

They also showed our current scores after the correct answer.

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 1 point
Einstein + Curie: 1 point
Darwin + Galilei: 1 point
Tesla + Franklin: 0 point
Muir + Peterson: 1 point

After it, they showed the next question.

Question E2: Ilan ang mga barko na ginamit ni Ferdinand Magellan sa kanyang paglalakbay na kalaunan ay natagpuan ang Pilipinas?

A. 5
B. 8
C. 15
D. 1

Before the timer runs out, we wrote our answer that's letter A.

Answer E2: A. 5

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle+ Newton: 2 points
Einstein + Curie: 2 points
Darwin + Galilei: 1 point
Tesla + Franklin: 1 point
Muir + Peterson: 2 points

They showed the third question.

Question E3: Sino ang nagtatag ng KKK?

A. Jose Rizal
B. Confederate Army 
C. Emilio Aguinaldo
D. Andres Bonifacio 

Letter D was the answer that we wrote on our white board like the other contestants.

Answer E3: D. Andres Bonifacio

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 3 points
Einstein + Curie: 3 points
Darwin + Galilei: 2 points
Tesla + Franklin: 2 points
Muir + Peterson: 3 points

The next question was showed after they showed us our current points.

Question E4: Ano ang isang kapuluan?

A. Ang isang kapuluan ay isang malaking koleksyon ng mga isla na malapit nang magkasama.
B. Ang isang kapuluan ay isang malaking isla.
C. Ang isang kapuluan ay isang term para sa mga explorer ng Espanya.
D. Ang isang kapuluan ay isang piraso ng lupa na napakaliit na tinawag na isla.

"It's letter A, Louiegie," I irritatedly said to Louiegie when he wrote the letter B. 

"Okay, okay." He changed the answer before the time runs out.

Answer E4: A. Ang isang kapuluan ay isang malaking koleksyon ng mga isla na malapit nang magkasama.

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 4 points
Einstein + Curie: 4 points
Darwin + Galilei: 3 points
Tesla + Franklin: 3 points
Muir + Peterson: 3 points

They showed the next question.

Question E5: Kaninong pangalan isinunod ang Pilipinas?

A. American President Philip II
B. English King Philip II
C. Spanish King Philip II
D. Japanese Emperor Philip II

We wrote the letter C just like what others wrote and we're correct, of course.

Answer E5: C. Spanish King Philip II

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 5 points
Einstein + Curie: 5 points
Darwin + Galilei: 4 points
Tesla + Franklin: 4 points
Muir + Peterson: 4 points

The next question showed on the projector.

Question E6: Aling digmaan ang nagbigay kontrol sa Pilipinas sa Estados Unidos?

A. The Spanish American War
B. The Seven Years' War
C. World War II
D. World War I

"What do you think is the answer?" I looked at Louiegie when he asked me. 

I raised my brow. "And why are you asking me?"

"I just want to make sure, so that you won't blame me if ever our answer is wrong."

I rolled my eyes. "It's letter A."

Answer E6: A. The Spanish American War

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 6 points
Einstein + Curie: 5 points
Darwin + Galilei: 5 points
Tesla + Franklin: 5 points
Muir + Peterson: 5 points

I looked at the other contestants answers because of the current points, and we're only the one who's right. Is it that hard for them? The next question showed.

Question E7: Sino ang nagtatag ng La Liga Filipina? Itinuturing din siyang Pambansang Bayani ng Pilipinas.

A. Mark Twain
B. Jose Cantu
C. Andres Bonifacio
D. Jose Rizal

Louiegie wrote the letter D. Of course, that's obvious.

Answer E7: D. Jose Rizal

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 7 points
Einstein + Curie: 6 points
Darwin + Galilei: 6 points
Tesla + Franklin: 6 points
Muir + Peterson: 6 points

They showed the next question.

Question E8: Sino ang itinuturing na kauna-unahang bayani ng Pilipinas?

A. Apolinario Mabini
B. Spanish King Philip II 
C. Cali Pulaco
D. Ferdinand Magellan

Seriously, they don't have much harder questions than that? Anyway, Louiegie wrote the letter C. 

Answer E8: C. Cali Pulaco

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 8 points
Einstein + Curie: 7 points
Darwin + Galilei: 7 points
Tesla + Franklin: 6 points
Muir + Peterson: 6 points

They were about to show the next question when the contestant from Section Curie raised her hand. "Bakit po letrang C ang sagot, Miss?" she asked to the emcee.

"Kasi ang Cali Pulaco ay isa sa mga ibang tawag kay Lapu-Lapu, Ms. Garcia." The contestant just nodded before she lowered down her hand.

Question E9: Sino ang opisyal ng militar ng Amerika na ang buhay ay sinakripisyo sa Labanan ng San Mateo?

A. Major James Franklin Bell
B. Colonel John Stotsenburg  
C. Major General Henry Ware Lawton
D. General Henry Ware Lawton

I looked at Louiegie when he wrote the letter D. "It's letter C."

"No, it's letter D, Bad Girl," he insisited.

"It's not!" My voice raised that made other contestants looked at me. The timer runs out right before Louiegie can change what's written on the white. "Argh! It's your fault why we missed one point," I rolled my eyes.

Answer E9: C. Major General Henry Ware Lawton

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 8 points
Einstein + Curie:8 points
Darwin + Galilei: 8 points
Tesla + Franklin: 7 points
Muir + Peterson: 7 points

"Hey, I know it's my fault. Sorry, Bad Girl," Louiegie said. I just rolled my eyes and didn't bothered to look at him.

Question E10: Ang Jones Law noong 1916 ay naging kilala sa Pilipinas bilang:

A. Philippine Autonomy Act
B. Philippine Independence Law
C. Organic Act for the Philippines
D. 1916 Jones Law

Louiegie wrote the letter A.

Answer E10: A. Philippine Autonomy Act

Current Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 9 points
Einstein + Curie: 9 points
Darwin + Galilei: 9 points
Tesla + Franklin: 8 points
Muir + Peterson: 8 points

The easy round continued until the question number 20. As far, we're one of the contestants who has the highest scores. This is our score when the easy round ended.

Final Score for Easy Round
Aristotle + Newton: 19 points
Einstein + Curie: 19 points
Darwin + Galilei: 19 points
Tesla + Franklin: 18 points
Muir + Peterson: 18 points

"We will have 10 minutes break before the average round starts," the emcee said before she went down the stage.

"Flinn and Lauren are here. Wanna go to them?" I looked at Louiegie when he asked.

"I will go to them if I want, okay?" I rolled my eyes to them before I went to the bathroom and Louiegie went to them. I washed my hand and calmed myself before I went where Flinn and Lauren are. 

"Why do you have a one mistake? I thought you will gonna perfect it, Winter," Flinn said.

"Ask your boyfriend, Flinn." Flinn and Louiegie talked while I sat beside Lauren. "What are you thinking?" I asked when I noticed that she seems preoccupied.

She smiled. "Aerin said that she will support you and Louiegie, so I'm just wondering where is she now." I was stunned when she mentioned Aerin's name. What she said last Friday night entered my mind again.

"She will come?" I tried not to stutter. 

"Yeah, but I think, she changed her mind because she's not here now."

"Excuse me. I'll just go somewhere." I smiled at Lauren before I went near the seat before theirs. "Instead of just watching her, why don't you just join them, Aerin?" Yes, Aerin was the person who's seated on the seat before the seat of Lauren and Flinn.

She smiled at me. "I'm happier when I'm just watching her, Winter."

I rolled my eyes. "If I were her, I won't accept you if ever I will know the truth because you're such a coward, Aerin. You're friends with her, so it's just normal to join them."

She sighed before she stood up. "Okay, let's go." I smiled before we went near them.

Lauren looked surprised. "I thought, you changed you mind, Aerin."

"She didn't because she wants to watch us win this quiz bee," I smirked to Aerin. "Go sit beside Lauren," I whispered to her that she followed even if she's hesitated. 

"Bad Girl, the average round will start in a minute. We need to go back."

I looked at Louiegie. "There's a timer on the projector, so I know." We went back to our seats before the average round started.

The emcee explained the instructions for the average round before they showed the first question.

Question A1: Para sa tanong na ito, ang isasagot niyo lamang ay 'true or false'. Sa ilalim ng pamahalaang militar na itinatag ng mga Amerikano kaagad pagkatapos ng pagsuko ng Maynila, ang bansa ay pinamamahalaan nang direkta ng Pangulo ng Estados Unidos.Sino ang nagtatag ng Partido Federal?

Louiegie wrote the correct answer

Answer A1: True

Current Score for Average Round
Aristotle + Newton: 3 points
Einstein + Curie: 3 points
Darwin + Galilei: 3 points
Tesla + Franklin: 3 points
Muir + Peterson: 3 points

The next question was showed.

Question A2: Sino ang nagtatag ng Partido Federal?

"It's Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera," I said to Louiegie that he followed.

Answer A2: Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera

Current Score for Average Round 
Aristotle + Newton: 6 points
Einstein + Curie: 6 points
Darwin + Galilei: 6 points
Tesla + Franklin: 6 points
Muir + Peterson: 3 points

The next question was showed after they showed our current points.

Question A3: Sinong bumuhay muli sa Katipunan ni Bonifacio?

"What do you think is the answer?"

I looked at Louiegie. "Obviously, it's Luciano San Miguel

Answer A3: Luciano San Miguel

Current Score for Average Round
Aristotle + Newton: 9 points
Einstein + Curie: 9 points
Darwin + Galilei: 6 points
Tesla + Franklin: 9 points
Muir + Peterson: 6 points

They showed the next question for the average round.

Question A4: Ano ang unang American organic law sa Pilipinas?

The others wrote their answers as Louiegie did.

Answer A4: Cooper Act / Philippine Deal of 1902

Current Score for Average Round
Aristotle + Newton: 12 points
Einstein + Curie: 12 points
Darwin + Galilei: 9 points
Tesla + Franklin: 12 points
Muir + Peterson: 9 points

 I sighed as they showed the next question on the projector screen.

Question A5: Sino ang kumander ng labanan sa Olympia na nagpatalo sa armada ng Espanya ng Admiral Patricio Montojo?

"You better write the correct answer for this one," I said and Louiegie just nodded.

Answer A5: Commodore George Dewey

Current Score for Average Round
Aristotle + Newton: 12 points
Einstein + Curie: 12 points
Darwin + Galilei: 9 points
Tesla + Franklin: 12 points
Muir + Peterson: 9 points

(To be continued...)

VOTES and COMMENTS are highly appreciated