I pretended I was sick so that I won't need to go to class for days. I need to reflect upon my actions.
Kahit papano, gusto kong patunayan kay Sir Lacson na mali siya ng tingin sa akin.
I asked Daddy to give me a medical letter. Nilakad na ito ng sekretarya niya kaya naman ang gagawin ko na lang ay pumasok.
Tuesday na ako pumasok sa klase. I entered Sir Lacson's class late for about five minutes.
Tahimik kong binuksan ang back door saka tahimik na naupo sa likod.
"You're late, Miss Pascal." I bit my lip upon hearing his voice.
"I'm sorry, Sir." I said in a small voice.
"Are you feeling better now?" I pressed my lip in a thin line, and nodded.
Hindi niya na iyon dinugtungan pa. He just did his usual teaching style, as if nothing happened. As if his student didn't slapped him so hard and shouted on his face.
Nakakaguilty iyon!
Our first class with him ended silently.
"Hi! Okay ka na ba? May notes ako dito baka gusto mong hiramin?" Napakunot ang noo ko ng makita si Charm na nakangiti sa akin.
Among her friends, Charm would always be the one who's nice to me. Kahit na lagi ko siyang sinusungitan. I envy her, she have a lot of friends.
"No, thanks." I let out a small smile bago umalis para mag lunch.
I even heard few of her friends saying ang arte ko.
It feels like my feet are glued on the floor nang makitang walang vacant na mesa sa kinakainan kong karinderya.
Well, there's one but I won't sit in front of Sir Lacson. Not until I'm able to ask for an apology.
Hindi ko alam kung natural lang ba na mabilis kumain si Sir or what pero agad din itong tumayo para umalis na sa karinderya.
Agad akong naupo sa mesang pinanggalingan niya at saka tahimik na kumain.
Our second class with him came. Sa likod pa rin ako naupo pero ngayon ay pilit ko na isinisiksik sa utak ang mga itinuturo ni Sir.
So far, wala siyang tinawag na kahit isa sa amin para sumagot sa board. Tahimik ulit na natapos ang klase namin.
Hinintay kong magsialisan ang mga kaklase ko hanggang sa ako at si Sir na lang ang matira.
"Uh..." I fake a cough just so I could get his attention.
"Sir, I would like to ask for a sincere apology -" He cut me off.
"Apology accepted. You may leave now, Miss Pascal." He said without even looking at me. "I'm also sorry about what I said the last time we talked." I nodded at him.
Nanatili pa rin akong nakatayo sa likod. Hinihintay kung tiningnan man lang ba ako ni Sir.
"You still have anything to say, Miss Pascal?" Halos mabuwal ako sa aking kinakatayuan.
I gulped and shook my head before leaving the room. Halos habulin ko ang aking hininga.
My God! I can't believe that I'm not even breathing!
Umuwi ako na kuryuso kay Sir. I don't know why, but a part of me is telling me to do a background check on him.
Hindi ko pwedeng utusan ang secretary ni Daddy. Baka mamaya ay kung ano pa ang sabihin nun. At the end of the day, dinaan ko na lang sa tulog ang iniisip tungkol kay Sir.
Maaga akong nagising kaya maaga rin akong dumating sa school. Napakunot ang noo ko ng makita ang isa sa mga kaibigan ni Liam.
Speaking of Liam, he seems not interested to his secret admirer. Hindi ko lang aram kung anong trip nung transferee.
"What are you doing infront of our room? Dun sa kabila ang building niyo!" I crossed my arms and squinted my eyes.
Dumako ang tingin ko sa hawak niyang notebook. "Calculus notes and reviewers?"
I tried to snatched it from him. So weird. May subject din pala sila nito?
"Kay Liam yan...pinapabigay niya kay Charm." He tried to act so casual.
Masama ko itong tiningnan, "Really kay Liam?"
Itinapat ko sa kanya ang pangalan na nakalagay sa likod ng notebook. It was too small but I can clearly read it.
"It says here, Andyriano Kurt Azur." My eyes squinted at the notebook again. "You will pass the board and you'll ace it. Calculus reviewer kasi advance ako mag-isip. Hashtag no to cramming."
Tinawanan ko siya at saka isiniksik sa mukha niya ang notes doon.
"Liam pala ha?" I mocked him. Nakita ko na halos mamutla ito.
"Naisip ko lang na ipahiram kay Charm kasi nahihirapan daw siya sa Calculus." I rolled my eyes at his reason.
"Nakita ko si Charm may dalawang tutors." I boredly looked at him.
He sighed. "I know. Just...trying my luck...I guess?" He bit his lower lip and looked at his notebook. "Akin na nga 'yan! Don't tell anyone about this, Donna."
I gave him back his notebook. I envy Charm a lot. Ang dami niyang mga kaibigan.
"I won't tell Charm. I'll let you have your chance to say it. Bakit ka ba natatakot na malaman ni Charm?" He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
"I am not like Dale or Liam. Wala pa akong maipagmamalaki sa kanya."
Agad akong napatingin sa notebook niya na iyon. Andy is so goal-oriented. Ang swerte ni Charm sa kanya.
"So passing the board exam for civil engineering will make you have something on your sleeves?" I curiously asked him.
"Baka." He hesitantly answered.
"Paano kapag may iba na si Charm niyan?"
"Edi, congrats! Swerte nung lalaki kay Charm, ganon."
I bitterly smiled at him and tapped his shoulders.
"I'll help you. But promise me na you'll help me also, ha?"
Lito ako nitong tiningnan. "I don't have any friend here, just trying my luck to befriend you." I shyly said.
Agad niyang ipinagkrus ang kanyang mga kamay. Biglang sumikip ang dibdib ko. Wala ba talagang may gusto na maging kaibigan ako?
"Hindi tayo talo ah! Si Charm talaga gusto ko ever since elementary!" My mouth dropped open after hearing his confession.
"You...stuck lover! Friends na tayo ha?" I asked him again while laughing.
"Basta wag mong sasabihin!" I nodded my head like a little kid. "Friends na tayo! Grabe kaibigan ko anak ni Mayor!" He smiled and joked around.
Natigil lamang ang kwentuhan namin ng marinig ko ang boses, "Ang aga-aga naghaharutan agad sa halip na mag-aral."
Agad kaming napalingon sa boses na iyon.
"Sir naman! Friends lang kami ni Donna!" Andy said while pulling me closer near him.
My eyes stayed at the other professor standing beside Sir Perez. He clenched his jaw while looking at Andy's hand on me. Nakaakbay kasi ang mokong.