03x36: Something That Lasts Forever

With a new script and a new dilemma, Austin's past, present, and future begin to tie together...

SOMETHING THAT LASTS FOREVER

 

     There was nothing they could do about the dart dilemma. After a thorough search through the island, they found no one.

     Austin was pissed off. Even in his times of happiness, something still screwed him up.

 

The weekend was pretty uninteresting. Austin began writing the stageplay for Gong Dong Che. The main problem of the script was that it felt more like a screenplay than a stageplay. Too many plot twists, too many scene changes, this is all for a presentation that had to be less than thirty minutes long.

     He also watched Juno that day (for the third time) and loved it.

     He also finished the final Narnia book that day. It was a good series overall.

     Monday was a rest day for the CCP participants.

     Tuesday’s quote came from Juno. “Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your a*s. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with.”

     Act I clocked in at seven pages. It wasn’t too much of a big deal so far. Everyone who read it enjoyed it. Austin retained all character names except for the teachers, obviously.

     Sr. Mike said that he liked the script. He commended them for trying original songs.

     In the DVD rental front, he gave Marise a 50% discount on Juno. Sr. Philip rented all the Saw movies. Ms. Mac rented Tropic Thunder (due to curiosity) and (500) Days of Summer. Giannina rented The Social Network and Austin lent Ms. Sharon Fargo.

     They watched yet another episode of Real World Science during Bio time. After this, Austin realized just how awesome his life has gotten since he got over the heartbreak.

     He wanted everything to be perfect. That day, he was going to bury the hatchet…

     Unfortunately, the bell rang before he could settle things with Janella (only…)

 

During TLE time, Sr. Norvin asked for a few reporters to report on Henry Sy, the man behind SM Malls. Maan’s group was in charge of this and they showed a video of SM along with the theme song. It had subtitles so CV did what any sane section would do: sing along in perfect synchronicity (except for Froilan). They also teased Sean with the name “Henry Sire”.

     That Lunch, Austin, Bianca, Ernst, and Johan sat down in the canteen.

     “Austin!” Nica called. Austin stood up and went over to the Patola table. Janella was there.

     “Yes?” Austin asked Nica.

     “Are you mad at Janella?” she asked.

     “No. Why would I be?” Austin said with all honesty. “Things are okay now.”

     “Hindi naman pala galit eh!” Nica told Janella (He isn’t mad after all!)

     “Bon appétit!” Austin said as he went back to his table.

     That lunch, Bianca complained about Nica torturing her during classes. Austin bet her that she can’t complain or fight back in any way for one hundred and sixty-eight hours. If she does, she will have to either kneel down in front of Nica and say that she loves her in all the lesbian glory or do the same to Ernst, with similar lesbian glory. She accepted the one-sided dare.

     In the library, they made the love nonagon. It involved Ernst, Bianca, Automated Report Card (ARC), Maan, Laurenz, Austin, Owen, Nica, Jianne, and Kuya Kev. Jianne, Nica, Austin, and Bianca love Ernst; Jianne loves Bianca; Maan loves ARC; Ernst and Jianne love Maan; Ernst and Jianne love Laurenz; Jianne loves Austin; Nica, Jianne, Kuya Kev, Ernst, Bianca, Laurenz, Austin, and ARC love Owen; Jianne and Kuya Kev love Nica; Nobody loves Jianne; and Nica, Jianne, and Ernst love Kuya Kev.

DISCLAIMER: Bianca Blanco was the one who suggested that Austin add Kuya Kev, Nica, and Jianne. Ernst recommended Laurenz. The rest is Austin’s doing. Also, Jianne does love everybody except the report card. All of his love is unrequited.

 

Janella and Nica were also speculating on who Austin’s new crush was. Time flies by so fast…

     During Math, besides Jeffrey and Sr. Geck having a few intelligent arguments, nothing interesting happened.

     In the waiting area, Austin decided to goof around a bit.

     “Come on! Who is it?!” Nica asked.

     “Give me a good reason to tell you.”

     “Uh… how about because I want to know?!”

     “It’s Marise, isn’t it?” Janella said.

     “Someone’s gonna die tonight,” Austin thought.

     “Who told you?!” Austin asked.

     “No one.”

     At this point, the number of people that knew could be counted on his fingers: Mo-on, Bianca, Clutch, Rica, Ernst, Alyssa, Sean, and now, these two. Among the initial seven, all of them were now a suspect.

     “I swear, when I find out who told you guys, there will be a flaming head on a pedestal tonight in the lobby.”

     “Austin, did you see the way you gave her the keys to your beloved Perseus?” Nica said.

     “Firstly, it’s Pegasus not Perseus. Moreover, the Pegasus does not use keys. Secondarily, there was nothing special about the way I gave her these so-called keys. Sixth and lastly, She did fly it like a professional pilot. Thirdly, I have not admitted to it yet and to conclude�"“

     “Yes, you like her,” Nica said.

     “Oh, fine. She’s awesome and I’m the weaker of the two awesome magnets.”

     “That makes minimal sense,” Ernst said.

     “Well, I bid thee farewell.”

    “What?” Bianca asked.

     “I meant good bye! Jeez!”

     On his way back to his suite, Derek and Scarlett met up with him.

     “Hey you two, What’s up?”

     Scarlett showed Austin the ring on her finger.

     “Oh, OH! Congratulations you two!”

     “Thanks,” Derek said.

     “So, when is it?”

     “Maybe by the end of March. We’re already planning.”

     “Oh, that’s good. Be sure to invite us. Well, I got homework to do. See ya.”

    

    

The next day’s quote came from The Silence of the Lambs: “You will tell me when the lambs have stopped screaming, won't you Clarice?”

     That morning was also the awarding of the merit cards. Austin got a yellow card (much to his surprise). When the third years came into play, their Filipino teacher, (the strict substitute they frequently had) Ms. Cha announced “White Card” as “Puting card”. Sr. JM from the fourth year (another Filipino teacher) also used this term.

     Also, during the awarding of the fourth years, they passed Ernst’s white card to CV. Austin marched to the DDN line after the ceremony and returned it. It was a good laugh…

     The second act of the play was twenty-two pages long. They still liked it though.

     During Lunch, TEAGS hanged out in the first floor hallways. Sr. Dhani passed by one time.

     “Ernst, still as tall as when we first met,” he said jokingly. Ernst smiled at him as Austin, Johan, and Bianca laughed.

     “Sr. Rommel, Austin, get ready,” Bianca said.

     “Good afternoon, sir. Look at Ernst, still the same height,” Austin said.

     “He grows not in height but in width,” Sr. Rommel said.

     They all laughed at Sr. Rommel went on his merry way.

     “Wouldn’t it be awesome if Sr. Rommel was our teacher again?” Austin asked Ernst.

 

During the Intrams practices, the batch was cooperating. They were practicing the cheer in the second floor gym.

     After a while, Sr. Geck made an announcement.

     “Alright guys, take five. After that, when the paint dries in the CWS, we’ll go there and ruin the lives of the other levels. Clear? Is that clear?!”

     “YES, SIR GECK!”

     “Go…”

     They went for their break.

     Overall, Sir Geck was already doing a better job than… well he was doing a great job and let’s leave it at that.
     Unfortunately, the paint did not dry and they never got to ruin the aforementioned lives.

     Austin hung out with Bam, Rico, and those other guys in the waiting area. Rico was showing off his Yoyo skills.

     On a side-note, two people were added to the Secret circle of Autumn: Ibarra and Renz.

 

The next day, Sr. Geck told everyone to go early. They practiced a new verse that morning. Sr. Geck, unfortunately, used up most of his voice in this hour.

     During their Math time, Sr. Geck had a Stephen Hawking episode, only without the awesome electronic translator.

     During Filipino time, Austin had enough of the pointless talks and sat beside Owen. Whether he had ulterior motives by sitting beside Owen who was behind Aldwin who was beside Marise is up to you.

     “If you’re brave enough, tell Sean, ‘Sean, I love you!’”

     “SEAN! I LOVE YOU!” Owen yelled.

    “Owen, tahimik!” Ms. Becky said (Owen, quiet!)

 

During CCF, they finally watched the beatitudes music videos.

    Alecz’s group’s video was kind of funny, with Alecz charging a van to make it look like she was getting run over. Their song was Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson.

     Ibarra and Ymara’s presentation was the best of the day. It was simply a good job, using Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls.

     Austin’s group’s (directed by Maan) was about on the same level as Alecz’s, done in stop motion. Their song was Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas.

     Later, during Bio, they began on the most sensitive lesson of the year: The Reproductive System.

     “So, how do you find out the gender of a person? Any ideas?” Sr. Jojo asked. “Yes, Mo-on?”

     “You check the genitalia?”

     Sr. Jojo analyzed this for a while and after a few seconds, everyone broke down laughing.

     When they calmed down, Sr. Jojo said a few words.

     “Okay but seriously, it’s kind of right.”

     A while later, Sr. Jojo was mentioning ways for the hymen to break. One of which was a rigorous game in the province. Owen asked him to demonstrate. This was taken the wrong way which led to another five minutes lost due to laughter.

     During Music time, they continued on with the rehearsals. Almost the entire cast showed off great acting. Austin was especially proud of Autumn.

     That day, they found out the team names. The Freshmen were the Conquistadors. They were Imortal. The Juniors were Umalohokan. Finally, the Seniors were the Seraphim.

     ON his way back to the hotel, Mo-on caught up with him.

     “Hey Austin. What’s up with Kyle?”

     “Oh, best if you don’t know.”

     “Let me guess: Berna?”

     “Best if you don’t know.”

     “That’s like telling a bird it doesn’t have wings while it’s flying.”

     “Well, just, it’s kind of,”

     “Okay, okay, never mind. So, how are you and Autumn?”

     “Fine, I guess.”

     “I bet you enjoy Filipino time the most, eh?”

     “Some would believe that but I disagree. I’d rather learn a crapload than waste a crapload.”

     “Of time?”

     “Of anything.”

     “Well, anyway, see ya.”

    

The next day’s quote was a slight paraphrase. “All who witness bad times wish otherwise but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

     There was a Charge match in the DDN room that morning. Austin joined in. It was Austin vs. Ernst, Addi, Janella, Joel, Bianca, and Glenn. One of the matches ended in Austin against Janella and Joel which was the most awkward part of the morning.

     They saw a few more of the music videos in CCF class but nothing too special.

     In the library, Janella was going to sit in their table. Austin couldn’t have cared less since he was reading The Hobbit but Bianca shooed her away. In the best faux-aristocratic accent he could muster, Austin said, “My dear madam, thou shalt not shoo our guests.”

     “But,”

     “Zounds, dear madam! Don’t shoo our guests. Now if she comes back hither, I want thee to be as welcoming as thou wouldst be to Ernst.”

     “Fine.”

     “I will now return to Middle Earth….”

     Later, Joel joined Janella’s table along with Dory, Queennie, and Giannina. Bianca mentioned that it was an all girls table. Austin agreed.

     During English, they were able to form their own groups. Austin stuck with Mo-on and he went with Ymara and Arianne and a few others. Their group name? “Gruuuuuupets.”

     Some other group names were the Free Masons, Fish are Friends, BBG (which stood for the Black Board Group), and some others.

     Sean also got convinced by Austin to rent Moulin Rouge! He said that if he didn’t like it, he can rent it for free. Obviously, he agreed.

     All that aside, the day ended on a high note. Austin went back to his suite. On the way there, he saw some glowing inside the Base.

     Austin went inside and Derek was there, using the Dome.

     “Derek, what the hell are you doing?”

     “I’m infusing umbrakinesis in these bombs John invented. If the Mastermind rears his ugly head, I’ll blow this right in his face. That’ll teach him.”

     “Make sure to close the spokes when you’re done.”

     A while later, while watching City of Angels, a movie Autumn rented earlier in the year, he received a text from none other than who he now referred to as Summer.

     “Hi marise! :-P”

     “Hi joel! :-P” he retaliated.

     “Nye… How are you guys. Does she know?”

     “Not yet…

     “Why not? When are you going to tell her? Valentine’s? YIEEE!”

     Of course in this case “YIEEE!” was the onomatopoeia for a screech tease.

     “She isn’t available…

     “Ok. Sorry. :-(“

     “Eh, it’s been three times already. No biggie…”

     “Huh? You’re gonna tell? You can do it!”

     “No. I mean thrice broken hearted…”

     “You’re not gonna tell? She must be suspecting something now. Why?”

     “I don’t know. I’m a lover, not a fighter but I’m not good at either.”

     He loved it when he rhymed unconsciously.

     “It’s up to you. I’m here as a friend :-)”

     “Of course. Same here.”

     Another conversation was going on between him and Bianca.

     “Dude?!”

     “What?

     “Um hyper much?”

     “No, tranquil.”

     “Why tranquil?”

     “Movie.”

     “Ahh… Dude, 2 days without torture! :-bd”

     “Talk to you later.”

 

After the movie was over, Austin sent out a group message: “Done with the movie. Autumn, autumn, autumn…

Txt? Gm.”

     “Dude obsess much?” Bianca replied.

     “Yeah…”

      Summer texted again, “Good night marise. You can do it. Don’t give up. :-)”

     “Nyt nyt…” he replied.

      Back to Bianca.

     “Do you like or love Autumn?”

     “Not sure yet.”

    “2 timer…  I thought you loved Ernst… :))”

     At the moment, he was watching his recording of the CV Expo trip.

     “I’m watching the expo trip vid. ’Tis awesome since she’s here.”

    

The weekend was pretty uninteresting. The only two things worth noting was that Austin watched North by Northwest and got obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock’s films. That and he finished Gong Dong Che. The third act had ten pages, putting the stageplay at a grand total of thirty-nine pages.    

     The important thing was that his life was truly back to normal for the most part. Despite Autumn being unavailable, he was still at peace. The conflict with the Mastermind was going to be a cake walk after everything he’d been through.