The Filipino classroom buzzed with the chaotic energy of fifteen-year-olds. Some students were engrossed in hushed conversations, likely about the latest gossip or that cute senior from the basketball team. Others were frantically flipping through their textbooks, a desperate attempt to cram in some last-minute studying before class officially began.
Samantha, however, felt a different kind of tension coiling in her stomach. It wasn't the usual pre-quiz jitters, but a nagging worry about Ren and the ominous "Save Your Older Brother" main quest.
"Come on, Sam-chan! Snap out of it!" Liza nudged her playfully, her brow furrowed with concern. "You look like you're about to face a firing squad, not Ma'am Reyes."
Samantha forced a weak smile. "Just a lot on my mind, I guess."
Liza's eyes softened. "Well, you have me to share your burden. Spill it later, okay? After class, maybe we can grab some halo-halo and you can tell me all about it."
Samantha nodded, grateful for her best friend's unwavering support. "Sounds like a plan."
As if on cue, Ma'am Reyes, their Filipino teacher, strode into the classroom. She was a stern woman with a no-nonsense demeanor, her sharp gaze immediately silencing the room.
"Good morning, class," she said, her voice firm.
"Good morning, Ma'am Reyes," the students chorused in response, a mix of practiced obedience and genuine respect in their voices.
Ma'am Reyes placed her worn-out textbook on the table. "Okay, class, settle down. Today, we'll be having a… little surprise."
A collective groan rippled through the room.
"A quiz?" someone blurted out, their voice laced with dread.
Ma'am Reyes' lips curled into a thin smile. "Oh, much more than just a quiz. A 100-item test covering everything we've discussed this semester."
The groans intensified, several students burying their faces in their hands.
"But Ma'am, you didn't tell us!" one student protested, his voice rising in panic. "If you had announced it yesterday, we would have studied!"
"You know, class, you guys are already 14 or 15 years old," Ma'am Reyes replied, her voice stern but patient. "You should study even when not told so."
"Enough with the complaints," Ma'am Reyes said, effectively silencing the class. "Quiet and let's start our quiz."
Samantha felt a wave of panic wash over her. A hundred-item test? On everything they'd covered this semester? Her mind went blank.
"Mochi," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Help me out here."
Mochi, who had been curiously observing the class, perked up. "Don't worry, Samantha! I got you!"
Suddenly, a voice echoed in her head.
"System notification: Enhancing Memory Activated."
The words resonated clearly, and Samantha felt a strange sensation in her brain, like a thousand gears clicking into place.
The classroom seemed to sharpen, every detail becoming vivid. Ma'am Reyes' lecture notes, the dog-eared pages of her textbook, even the doodles on her classmates' notebooks – it was all there, perfectly clear in her mind.
"Okay, class," Ma'am Reyes began distributing the test papers. "You have the entire period to complete this. Good luck."
As the test papers landed on their desks, a collective sigh swept through the room.
Samantha, however, felt a surge of confidence. The enhanced memory, combined with her recently acquired photographic memory, made her feel like she could ace this test even if she hadn't studied.
"Thanks, Mochi," she whispered gratefully.
Mochi puffed out his little chest. "Anytime, Samantha! Now, show that test who's boss!"
Okay, here's the continuation of Chapter 8, focusing on "show, don't tell" and more dialogue:
Samantha scanned the test paper. Her eyes widened. It wasn't just a simple recall of facts; there were tricky questions about context, subtle nuances in the language, and even a section on traditional Filipino proverbs and their deeper meanings.
"Oh, this is going to be a breeze," she thought, a smirk playing on her lips.
She picked up her pen, the familiar weight grounding her. Beside her, Liza was already scribbling furiously, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Psst," a voice whispered from her left. It was Ben, a classmate known for his last-minute cramming and even more last-minute requests for answers.
Samantha ignored him and continued answering.
Ben tried again, this time a bit louder. "Psst! Samantha! Anong sagot sa number 14?" (What's the answer to number 14?)
Samantha sighed inwardly. "Focus, Samantha," she told herself. "Ren's safety is more important than this test."
She scanned the room. Some students looked confident, pens flying across their papers. Others stared blankly at the test, their faces etched with panic.
"This is almost… too easy," she mused, answering another question.
A tap on her shoulder startled her. It was Liza, her eyes wide with a mixture of panic and desperation.
"Sam-chan," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I… I don't remember anything about metaphors! What was Ma'am Reyes saying again?"
Samantha hesitated. Liza was her best friend, and she clearly needed help. But… cheating?
Mochi zipped around her head, his blue eyes wide with mischief. "Help her, Samantha! It's not cheating if you have a super-powered memory!"
Samantha bit her lip, then glanced at Ma'am Reyes, who was busy grading papers at her desk.
"Okay, fine," she whispered back to Liza. "Remember when Ma'am Reyes talked about comparing things without using 'like' or 'as'?"
Liza's eyes lit up. "Oh! Like… 'My love is a red, red rose'?"
"Exactly!" Samantha grinned. "Now go ace this test!"
Liza beamed, her confidence restored. "Thanks, Sam-chan! You're the best!"
Samantha chuckled, then refocused on her own test. The questions flew by, her enhanced memory effortlessly recalling every detail from Ma'am Reyes' lectures.
A commotion at the back of the room broke her concentration.
"Ma'am Reyes!" a student shouted, his voice laced with indignation. "Kay copied my answers!"
Kay, a notorious troublemaker, jumped to his feet, his face flushed with anger. "I did not! You're just jealous because I'm smarter than you!"
"Smarter?" the other student scoffed. "You can't even spell your own name right!"
Ma'am Reyes sighed, her expression a mixture of annoyance and weariness. "Enough! Both of you, to my desk, now!"
Kay and the other student stomped to the front of the room, their argument continuing in hushed whispers.
Samantha shook her head. "Drama," she muttered under her breath.
Mochi zipped closer, his voice filled with excitement. "Ooh! A fight! Maybe they'll throw punches!"
"Mochi!" Samantha exclaimed. "Behave!"
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. A collective sigh of relief swept through the room.
"Alright, class, pass your papers forward," Ma'am Reyes said, her voice tired. "I'll have your grades by next meeting."
Samantha handed in her test paper, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.
"How was it?" Liza asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Samantha grinned. "Piece of cake."
"Okay, class, quiet down. Exchange your papers with other rows. We will check our paper," Ma'am Reyes instructed, her voice ringing through the classroom.
A chorus of groans and shuffling filled the air as students reluctantly swapped their test papers.
"Wait, Ma'am! Ma'am!" a student called out, his voice rising above the din. "The bell rang! That means it's time for our next period!"
"And that fast?" another student chimed in, a hint of desperation in his voice.
Ma'am Reyes gave the class a knowing look. "Please, Ma'am, you check it. I don't wanna see my score..."
"Well, I'm also your next period teacher in History," Ma'am Reyes said, her voice stern but patient. "But in History, we already finished discussing, and you already have a quiz. After checking this, I'll be dismissing you early. No History class. Good luck for the exam next week."
A collective cheer erupted in the room, quickly silenced by Ma'am Reyes' raised hand.
"Okay, let's check them. After the check was finished, don't bring them back to the owner ones. I'll call the time. Say the scores of the paper you've checked. Then, she'll roll call. Okay? I will record your scores. Settle down. Say your scores once I called."
Ma'am Reyes began calling out names in alphabetical order. "Agoncillo, Xavier."
"82," a voice replied.
"Alcantara, Kay."
A nervous cough. "20."
Laughter rippled through the class. Kay slammed his fist on the desk.
"Benitez, Hannah."
"76."
As Ma'am Reyes continued calling names, a pattern emerged. Many students had scores in the 60s and 70s, some even lower. Ben earned a score of 30.
"This is brutal," Samantha muttered, her eyes scanning the room.
Mochi zipped around her head. "Don't worry, Samantha! You aced it!"
Ma'am Reyes' voice cut through the noise. "Kisaragi, Samantha."
"100," a voice declared confidently.
A murmur of surprise spread through the room. Samantha felt a surge of pride, quickly followed by embarrassment.
"Santos, Liza."
"96."
Liza grinned at Samantha, giving her a thumbs-up.
"Villareal, Lexie Xanthe."
"91."
Ma'am Reyes finished the roll call, a heavy silence hanging in the air.
"Alright, class," she said, her voice laced with disappointment. "What happened? 60 percent of you failed the test."
A wave of excuses and protests filled the room, but Ma'am Reyes silenced them with a stern look.
"Class dismiss," she announced, her voice firm.
The students filed out of the room, a mix of relief and disappointment etched on their faces.