Maria chatted with the teachers as they ate their food. The weather in mid-August was mostly chilly in Cosmos town so most of the dishes that the people ate were quite spicy and hot. Maria felt that the school's chef was a wonderful cook compared to herself. The only food she could probably prepare well was instant noodles. The food for lazy buns like herself.
The school cafeteria prepared rice, meatballs, bruised braised vegetables and spicy chicken soup using only fresh and organic ingredients from the school's farm.
The teachers sat at their wing which was just a two or three tables separating them from the rest of the students.
Maria was busy enjoying her meal until she heard someone mentioned her name and looked up. She blushed shyly when she saw the male teacher by her side looking at her curiously. She still had food in her mouth, so she just smiled politely.
''Miss Lee, do you have a boyfriend?'' Arnold asked.
His question was so sudden that Maria choked on the rice in her mouth and coughed. Arnold passed her a bottle of water and Maria unscrewed it and drank some of the water. The spiciness of the soup still lingered in her mouth making her to still make light coughs. But, that didn't stop the rest of the teachers from looking at her anticipatorily. Maria knew there was no way out except answering the question but she wondered if this was the norm of the school staff to enquire of the status of new teachers that arrived.
"Huh?" Maria calmed down and asked absentmindedly.
''Mr. Arnold, look how you have made Miss Lee flustered. Miss Lee, take it easy. They are just curious because you are beautiful''. A female teacher called Miss Mani said and the rest of the teachers chuckled.
''What? We are just curious that's all. So, Miss Lee. Are you single or do you have a boyfriend?'' Arnold pressed on with no intention of stopping.
Seeing that there was no way out, Maria smiled shyly as she replied ''I just finished school and started work here. I don't have a boyfriend''.
''What? You mean you've never dated anyone before? Wow. You are really a rare breed Miss Lee. What exactly did you do in school then?''. Miss Mani said.
''I know, right? What were you doing besides studying? Didn't the boys come to you?'' Another teacher call Miss Diana asked curiously as she gulped down her chicken soup.
''They did but I was too busy with my books to notice them. I can be quite dense when it comes to such stuff. I still have a lot to learn''. Maria said as she ate her food.
"Who would have thought our Miss Lee will turn out to be so innocent?" Miss Mani added.
''Well, you don't have to be so courteous. We are all colleagues at the workplace. We learn from each other. Don't be shy to approach any of us when you need anything, especially me''. Arnold said stressing more on the latter part of his sentence.
"Miss Lee, I am also here. Don't just go to only Arnold if you have a question. I am also free and single too" Cerin, another male teacher added.
''Thank you, Mr. Arnold, thank you Mr. Cerin for your kind words''. Maria said politely and went back to eating her food.
''Let's eat and go back. We have little time left''. Miss Diana added and they started eating.
Meanwhile sitting just a few tables behind them was Ad-Din with a tray full of food he had yet to touch.
His grandfather was one of the board of directors owning about 80% of the school management rights so Ad-Din was given a special table behind the teachers wing. He usually only ate with Calia before but now since Karen started eating with Ad-Din, Calia stopped eating with him and would always join the normal table to eat with their colleagues.
Ad-Din sat down with his food when he overheard the teachers' discussion. He leaned especially closer when he heard one of the teachers asked Miss Lee if she had a boyfriend.
Funny enough, he was also anxiously waiting to hear what her answer was going to be. He felt discomfort just thinking that she might have a boyfriend but after hearing her say she never had a boyfriend because she was busy studying his mood improved.
Still Ad-Din felt it was rude of teacher to have asked Miss Lee of her relationship status. To him it was a sensitive topic to ask a woman.
Grapping the set of cutlery Ad-Din was about to dig in when Karen walked to him and sat across him with her tray of food and spoke.
''Today's food is your favourite, right? Everyone was praising the chef. I remember he was working for your grandfather before he came here''. Karen said and started to eat her food.
Ad-Din didn't say anything to her and continued to eat his food. His mood was slightly better than before now.
''The new teacher, she is already friends with all the male teachers in the school. I bet the female teachers must be mad with her. She just came today and all eyes are on her. I heard she didn't have a boyfriend? It won't be long before she gets one now that the male teachers are aware''. Karen kept talking while Ad-Din ate silently.
It had always been that way ever since she entered the school. She was doing the talking while Ad-Din did the listening but it didn't matter. As long as Ad-Din wasn't repulsed with her. She was willing to swallow her pride for him. She was the one who saw him first and set her eyes on him first. No one deserved him. No one matched perfectly with him more than her. They both came from powerful families.
It was love at first sight for her. She fell in love with Ad-Din the moment she saw him and she vowed that she would have him to herself. Ad-Din have always given her the cold shoulder but still she persisted and he started opening up to him. He would usually reply her in a single word or two whenever she said something so it was enough for her.
''The new teacher only has a pretty face. I didn't understand a single word she said in class this morning. She was busy seducing the boys with her smiles. Actually, I didn't mean to speak that way to Calia today in class. I was simply expressing my opinion but she just told me off. In front of everyone. She must think she is all that because she came out at the top of her class. Who knows what underhanded means she might have even used to get those grades''. Karen said as she ate her food.
Suddenly, Ad-Din banged his cutlery on the table attracting attention to their table.
The teachers and students present all turned and looked at him and Karen. Karen was the most flustered by his behaviour. She didn't see anything wrong with what she said. Ad-Din looked at her coldly saying ''have you said enough?''.
''Huh? About what?''
Karen responded still flustered. It soon dawned on her what he was asking about.
''Don't talk about something you know nothing about. And don't ever come to this table to eat again''. Ad-Din said and picked his tray and left.
As he walked away, he looked towards the teachers' wing and his gaze met with Maria. Maria flushed and turned away fast picking her cutlery and Ad-Din walked away.
The cafeteria soon turned into mumbling as the students stared at Karen. Karen frowned and glared at those who looked at her and they all turned back fearfully minding their own business.
Karen angrily took her tray to leave and locked eyes with Calia and again the latter gave her a knowing and mocking gaze. Karen glared at her and went away. She especially hated Calia because the latter was the only one who dared to behave rudely to her.
...
Maria rubbed her tummy as she walked out of the female teachers' washroom. Earlier on she had eaten all the food on her tray and felt bloated. She excused herself and went to the teachers' washroom as they were going back to the staff room.
Maria's phone buzzed and she looked at it and smiled. It was a message from her best friend asking when she was going to close for the day. Maria grinned and replied back before walking ahead into the staff room.
Maria saw a boy standing by her desk with books in his hands. It was that boy. The one who locked eyes with her at the cafeteria. The same boy she avoided looking at in the classroom. When he looked at her in the cafeteria, Maria almost sworn that she felt butterflies in her stomach. He looked at her so daringly and didn't take his eyes off her for more than 10 seconds.
''What is wrong with me?'' Maria murmured to herself and smacked her head before she sighed and walked to the boy.