Chapter 5: Chapter 05 Thesis
My feet became heavy like a load of metal and I was struggling to take steps. My chest was also heavy as if chasing a lot of nasty chickens in the paddy field. My head was spinning and troubling thinking about what to do.
"Oh, why are you standing there like a stump? Won't you come in? Perhaps, our guests might think I'm forbidding you to see them?" Auntie Julie mumbled enough for me to hear. Based on her facial expression, she's furious. Well, it's not new.
I went inside and greeted all the guests with a smile. Auntie glared at me and I already understand what she was trying to relay.
I immediately went upstairs to change my uniform and wore something decent.
I heard my phone beeped but I ignored it and just walked downstairs.
Auntie Julie's guest was a wife of business tycoons at the same time business partner of the company. I was familiar with their faces because I always see them during gatherings, in the magazines and talk of the town entrepreneur. Sometimes, Auntie Julie forced me to read articles about them and their hobbies because she wants me not to be clueless or an idiot if they were to ask me. Her friends know that I'm an illegitimate child so Auntie Julie does no need to hide me when I'm around. The funny thing, Auntie Julie, was acting so nice in front of her friends. She was pretending that she was a figure mother.
I assisted our helpers to prepare for dinner. I heard Frida arrived because they all approached and congratulated her for her incoming wedding. I closed my eyes to clear my mind.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I tired because of school stuff. We have a lot to do and I need to prepare for this coming examination," I answered but Mother Lena wasn't convinced of my reason so I assured her that it was because of that.
"Can I set the table?"
"You can. It's was not your duty to help us when it comes to this. If I were to decide, I won't let you," she let out. I can call myself a privileged helper. I did what a helper task. They have no choice but to let me do it because they are afraid to lose their job. Auntie Julie was a scary species.
"It's okay, you know my situation. Right?" she nodded and continue what mother doing.
After we all set up the dining table, we all eat. Even though I do not want to share the dish with them, I still swallow my pride and joined the dinner.
They kept interrogating Frida when all of a sudden, the attention turned to me.
"Andrea, you resemblance someone I know. I can't pinpoint who but I'm sure of it," Mrs Chua said that made me confused about what he's talking about. She was looking at me intently even before I first saw her.
I do not know what to say, I was speechless.
Auntie Julie caught all attention when she laughed. "Mrs Chua, we have all similarities."
"But my hunched doesn't fail," she insisted but when Mrs Evans interrupted, the topic diverges into another one. It's all about business. Home and school, why do I hear only about business? It's getting me insane.
I didn't bother myself to hear their conversation because I'm still worried about Frida. I kept on glancing at her. She was smiling from ear to ear but her eyes tell them otherwise. She was not in a good state. Something bothers her.
The hours ticking so fast to pass. Auntie Julie's guest decided to went home. She looked at me while smiling. I don't know if it was a good sign or not.
"For once, you did something meaningful and useful. I'm sure Mr Chua will sign a contract that the company offers," she said but her tone was ridiculing me. Her compliment was looked like notifying me that it's the opposite. For all the things I've done, I didn't even acknowledge sincerely.
Auntie Julie made her way to the study room and Frida and I left in the living room.
The next day, I became busy with school requirements especially our thesis.
I didn't know what kind of mind my group mates are because they want me to be the leader. I'm not capable of being a leader but Skyline insists though I know that she's more qualified than me. It looks like I have an awful suspicion about this. We already started our thesis almost two weeks ago. We are already done with chapters 1 and 2.
"The scope and limitation of our study should be followed and for the distributing of a survey questionnaire to the respondents we should accomplish it within this week so we have more time to edit and let Mrs Reyes check it," I said based on my calculation of days.
"Andrea, do we look like a machine that once you program, you can finish it an instant?" Sheldon protested. "This is not the only requirement we have."
"Look, Sheldon," I hesitating to respond because I don't know what to say and do with all the school prerequisites. Aside from this, I need to address my cleaning punishment.
"Andrea, it's not easy for us. We are not freaking walking geniuses. Have some consideration," I bit my lip.
As I expected, this scenario will come. I can manage my studies. I can memorize in one sitter several pages and I didn't usually use a calculator in our accounting or any Mathematics related subject. But this is my disadvantage.
What I afraid the most if Mrs Reyes remarked our paper with revise! She's the most terror teacher handling research and capable of giving a failed grades. If we revise our thesis, we should make changes to improve or study again while when we amend, we just need to change or improve some of the words and often the meaning.
"Your not an effective leader," Danice added. I felt like all my effort about leadership was nonsense. They were complaining and yet, I'm just thinking about what would be the best.
"I understand," finally gave up and let them decide. They opposed my suggestion. After all, whatever would be the outcome, it reflects in our grade and I'm hoping no one will be blamed.
A sudden silence in our group without doing anything except me trying to edit some errors in our draft while in the other group, they are busy with chapter 2 which we did.
"Next week I'm expecting your final draft in your research," Mrs Reyes announced. My classmates groaned but they have no choice but to follow her.
"We need to stick to Andrea's opinion," Skyline stated.
Since our respondent was focused on all senior high school strands and there is a lot of students, we just stick to 20 random students per strand. Skyline was in charge of dividing the group.
"Andrea and I will give the survey questionnaire to STEM," after hearing STEM, a strange feeling accumulated in me.
"Okay, we'll just get 10 copies of the survey questionnaire for each of us. It doesn't matter how well you convinced them to answer," I said.
The bell rang which was a sign that class ended in the morning and its lunchtime.
Amber and I went to the Talisay to have our lunch.
"So how is it?" Amber asked even if her mouth was half full.
"We need to accomplish our survey this week. How about your group?"
"Oh, we are still stuck in review related literature," and dropped her fork and spoon and drink water. "Excuse me, I need to pee."
"I can accompany you," but declined my offer and she'll be back and watch over our food. I continue to eat my food until I finished eating and Amber was still not coming back.
I fixed my lunchbox and kept it in my bag.
I heard unexpected footsteps because Talisay place was the rarest place for all students who want to spend their free time.
I glanced at who it was. Asher Valderama.
What he's doing here? My nerves went wild and my face reddened so I looked away before he would notice it.
"May I join you?" I nodded.
"Are you alone?
"No, I'm with Amber. She just went to the restroom," I said while my face turned to the other side.
"Is Amber your only friend?" Well, I think so. She's been my friend since grade school. She was the one who approached me and make friends of me even if other don't me to be their friend because I was an illegitimate child.
"Are you like that?" my brows furrowed. My wild nerves turned into confused emotions with his questions. "I mean, are you naturally nice to everyone?"
"What do you mean?"
"I saw what Amber did to you," now, all the puzzles in my mind answered who was behind the door we went to the guidance office and have a punishment. "But you didn't fight back when you know that you are on the right side."
Instead of responding, I just looked at him unbelievably. I clenched my fist and my hand started trembling. The other part of our research survey questionnaire was crumpled.
"What you see is just part of the story! You don't about me so don't try to meddle in my story. You don't know how I tried to do my best and no one can't see a single of it," I said calmly holding back to say more and become irritated.
I despise myself for being so weak.
"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. He about to add to his statement when Amber came back and saw my expression is and wondering what Asher did to me and what he's doing in our spot.
"Don't mind it," I abruptly said and asked to go to our class because it's about to start.
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