2.1. Pandora's Box

Rose

There isn't a single person on the planet who isn't hiding something, and everyone will go to great lengths to keep their secrets hidden. Just like others, the famous Sentro Siyudad Academy has its own secrets too.

 I’ve been studying in SSA for almost 11 years, since when I was in primary school I already know what’s happening inside SSA. I’m aware that SSA is known for their intelligent students, but others don’t know how they produce them.

“Study for your upcoming midterms, but don't push yourself too hard because I know you'll fail even if you study hard.” Our professor sneered, and just left the class.

Professors rarely come into our class because they don't want to put in some effort to teach us. They'll come here to make an announcement or to make fun of us.

Because we are the inferior class, it has always been like this. We are the failed students' class with the lowest grade on campus, and we are Sentro Siyudad Academy's hidden secret.

This caste system exists among students in SSA, but it is only applied to secondary education. Although primary students do not have a sectional hierarchy, they are taught to aim for the passing grade in order to avoid being placed in the inferior class.

After graduating in 6^th grade, students need to take another exam for high school, and their grade on that exam will determine which class they will be placed in. However, students who receive a failing grade will be placed in inferior class, and that’s how your nightmare will start.

For a sixth grader from SSA, it will be a nightmare if you failed your exam. Being placed in inferior class is a nightmare that only SSA students knows. Some students want to avoid that humiliation, so they choose to transfer, but there is other student who still wants to stay. Whether they pass or fail the exam.

It is understandable because studying at SSA is such a privilege. That simply wearing the SSA uniform outside of the campus signifies a great deal. They'll start to recognize you as one of the intelligent students from this prestigious institution.

Belonging to inferior class is hell because we don't have the same privileges as other students. We also have separate building from them, and we didn’t receive a proper education just like them. We are the school's outcasts, the students who are treated unfairly by their fellow students.

I’m aware students in inferior class are all failures, but the grade 11 inferior class is different.

“You’re spacing out Rose.”

I gave her a friendly smile and looked her in the eyes. I lost track of my thoughts again.

“What are you thinking, ha? Are you regretting it, now that were classmates again?” She said and laughed. Silly, who wouldn’t want to be in this class if she’s here?

Mal Pandora, she’s the student who makes this inferior class different. We’ve been in this class since grade 7, for our other classmate being in this class is a curse. But for Mal, being in inferior class is something fun. That’s what she said.

            Mal grinned and crossed her arms together. “Just like I told you, inferior class is way more interesting than those other sections who don’t know how to have fun.”  She leaned closer and whisper on my ears. “Those students are like a studying machine.” She whispered and laughed.

            I smiled and stare at her. Mal, she’s different from the other students.

“By the way, do you want to hangout with us after school?” She asked.

“Ron is coming with us and also Benjamin.” She added. I smiled and nodded.

It makes me happy to have them in this class. Since we were in grade 7, Mal and Benjamin have been my friends, and Ron has transferred here to study for senior high school. Unfortunately, he failed the regular section grade requirement, but his score met the quota score for the inferior class, so he was new here. Also, Ron is Mal’s childhood friend, sometimes I’m thinking that he purposedly fail the exam just to be with Mal.

“Uh, Can I bring Venice with us?”  I asked.

Mal looked at me. “Of course, you can always bring her around. The more the merrier, right?” She said and smiled.

I smiled back, and Mal returned to her seat.

In just a few hours the class will end I can’t wait to hang out with them. Also, I appreciate how Venice hang with them with too, even if she’s not from the inferior class.  They keep me company for five years, being with them makes me feel like I’m not in inferior class.

I smiled bitterly because of a sudden realization. It’s been five years huh? Five years in this hellish class, and next year will be my last year here, also in this school.

There’s a reason why I choose to stay in this school, because it is what I need. Inferior class students also have this privilege they receive after they graduate.

The school offer jobs for the inferior class graduates, for some students it was a good opportunity for them, and this is another reason why those students chose to stay rather than to transfer.  

I don’t know what kind of job they offer but I’ve been curious about that job they’re talking about. I tried to ask some seniors, but they say it was a work under the school. They can’t reveal information because it was confidential.

            Being in inferior class is not that bad at all, we can have our graduation diploma without studying, and we can have a job after graduation. It’s not that bad, the students just need to endure the discrimination they’ve experiencing.

            That job is like a consolation for experiencing the 6 years of staying in inferior class. Because they cannot produce geniuses without the inferior class. The fear of belonging to inferior class motivates students to work hard in their studies.         

The class has ended, and just like the other days no Professor came to our class. I stood up and cleaned my things. Another day has ended doing nothing.

“Let’s go Rosie!” Mal cheerfully said, and cling on me. I looked at her and smiled. At least Mal is here.

Mal always has this cheerful side on her. She often smiles and joke with us, but there’s something about her that looks different. I don't know why, but I always think she's different from the rest of us. I've known her since we were classmates, and she was the first person to approach me in this class, and eventually Benjamin became our friend.

Me, Mal and Benjamin, the three of us experienced how hellish the inferior class is. We rely to each other for five years. Even though I have Venice, who has been my friend since elementary school, Benjamin and Mal are not the same. Our bond is different because of the memories we shared.  

I smiled by just remembering those memories we shared. Mal Pandora who doesn’t care about the caste system, and Benjamin who never let other students looked down on us. Being with them is chaotic, but it was fun.

We all walk towards the exit gate while Benjamin and Ron are following us. Now that Ron was added to the squad, our group became more chaotic.

“Just like usual, there’s no classes. Can we still say that were studying? It seems that we are simply going into the school to sit.”

            Benjamin began to rant again. He always rants about the discrimination against inferior class, but we all know that ranting is all we can do.

            “Well, at least we don’t have a lot of homework, right? We don’t have to think of those stuffs when we got home.” Ron said while smiling. Benj glared at him, Ron has this laid back and lazy personality, and maybe that's why he enjoys being in inferior class.

            “Ow really Ron Cyrus Acosta? Well, There's nothing else on your mind but your online games, right? You're a nerd.”

            “Hey, you know how famous I am for playing online games?” Just playing it earns me a lot of money.”

            Benjamin raised his eyebrows and smirked. Meanwhile Mal and I are just looking at them.

            Benjamin smirked as he raised his brows. Mal and I, on the other hand, are just staring at them. This became a frequent thing for us, Ron teasing Benjamin and the two of them bickering about something. We enjoyed each other's company, laughing and joking around, and forming a friendship in this hellish place. Everything in SSA changes when I'm with them, we created this close friendship in this place.

Yes, we're close, but I get the feeling that we don't know much about each other. We're like strangers who bond over shared experiences.

 I looked on Mal’s direction. But the person who formed this close bond appears to be a stranger to all of us.

Mal Pandora..

Why do I get this feeling you're the one I'm looking for?