It wasn't only a thing or two. He is really good with math.
And I think he even explains better than our math subject teacher. If he's this good, I wonder why isn't he in the first section.
"Nasusundan mo ba ang sinasabi ko, Akila?" mula sa libro ay nilingon niya ako.
Startled, I blink enumerable times.
"Y-Yeah," and I repeated the last thing he said.
I'm actually listening despite being constantly distracted by his looks. I mean, it's Mavin Jaranillo that's tutoring me here. The kind of face that you won't come across in a daily basis.
"Good. Just memorize the formula and you'll be fine," he smile gently.
Strange. I feel a thug in my heart. I cleared my throat silently and move my eyes on the scattered papers with his scribbles. His penmanship is thin and close to being italic. It's manly... and neat.
"Don't you have a class?" I mindlessly asked him. Huli na ng maalala na wala nga palang formal classes sa araw na ito.
"None that I can think of..." he answered after some thinking.
"Right," I awkwardly replied. How nice of him to not point out that there are no classes.
"If you take the test now, I think you will be able to finish it just in time for dismissal," from his wristwatch, his eyes move to me.
I felt something strange at the way he look at me. His eyes are all soft... with an emotion I cannot name. Ang isang kamay niya ay nakapatong sa concrete table habang ang ulo'y nakabaling sa akin. Again, I cleared my throat.
"Shall we get going then?" I suggests half-heartedly.
"Preferably," he mutters.
Napanguso ako. I let him arrange my things. When he's done, he hand it to me. Nang naisara ko na ang bag ko ay tumayo na siya. I followed him in a second. Magkapanabay kaming umalis sa study kiosk.
After I accepted his help, namroblema naman kami kung saan pupwesto. The first thing that comes up to my mind is the library. But later on we figured that it's not the appropriate place for tutoring. In the end we found ourselves in the Senior High grounds.
"Okay lang ba dito?" nababahala ko siyang nilingon.
He shrug. "No one's using the kiosk."
And so we spend the next twenty minutes discussing the x-y, some letters and numbers shite in one of the study kiosks of the Seniors.
"Can I ask a question?" I said right after we turn to a corner that would lead us to the Junior High School part of the school.
"Hmm? Sure..."
I saw him glance at me in the corner of my eyes. Nilingon ko naman siya.
"Saan ka dating nag-aaral?"
I can't help my curiosity. Because a while ago, when he's teaching me how to solve that thing, he also mentioned some topics that we haven't yet discussed in the class. His knowledge is advance.
He mutter the name of his former school.
"Come again?" I said not because I didn't hear what he said.
He repeated what he said and shot me a glance right after he speak. My eyes immediately caught his pursed lips. Hindi ako nagsalita. Nanatili lamang kong nakatingin sa kaniya habang binabaybay namin ang daan papunta sa grade nine building.
The truth is I am dumbfounded.
First, I found out that he ain't living in the same subdivision as I. Then now... Wala sa sarili akong napailing. My curiosity about the reason behind his transfer gradually increased. My tongue is itching to ask him... But maybe not this time.
"Shall we take this stairs or..." he trailed and look back at me.
I steal a glance at the other end of the hallway.
"Let's take this one," I stated.
Tumango naman siya. He lets me go first and followed me closely in a respectable distance.
Nasa landing na kami ng second floor nang matanto na magkasama kaming dalawa. I mean, together. Here in school. For the first time.
I began to feel anxious. Pero nang sulyapan ko siya at makitang hindi naman siya nababahala ay unti-unti kong napahinga. Maybe there's nothing to be anxious about.
We walk side by side, with only a foot distance between us.
"That's your classroom..." nabitin sa ere ang mga salita ko nang sulyapan niya lamang ito at tumango sa sinabi ko.
Okay... Perhaps he has somewhere to go. Hindi na ako nagtanong pa. Habang papunta sa Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, sa dulo nitong corridor, ay hindi nakakataas sa pansin ko ang mga tingin ng mga esudyanteng nadaraanan namin. There is curiosity and question in their eyes.
Hindi ko naman sila masisisi. Because even myself find this, me and Mavin Jaranillo together, strange. Like how would someone from the first section be with the transferee from the second section?
Tumigil ako ilang hakbang mula sa pintuan ng faculty. "So, I'll be here..." alanganing sambit ko bago siya nilingon.
Pumamulsa siya. From looking down at me, his eyes move for a second to the faculty. "You have exactly two hours left before dismissal. Good luck..."
Kaunti akong ngumiti. "Thank you, Mavin, uh--for the help. I owe you one again."
"No problem," a small smile curls into his lips.
I stared at his face for a second before looking away. Muli akong nagpasalamat at humakbang na papunta sa pintuan. I can see some teachers in their respective desk inside. I turn the knob to open but when I was about to push it I stop midair. I turn my head back to Mavin when he called out my name.
"You can be curious with me, Akila. I don't want you hesitating. You can ask me anything. I won't mind..." he said it with all seriousness.
Everything about him right now means business. Before I even make myself lost more into those black orbs, I nodded, slowly, enumerable times, until a small genuine smile made its way through my lips.
"I understand," I told him. "About my treat--"
"Let's discuss it after you're done with your test," he immediately cut me off.
Right.
"Then... see you later..." I said mindlessly.
He nod. "Do well..." he said in a low playful voice.
I smile before slidding myself inside the faculty room. I searched for Mrs. Alcantara. Nang mahanap ang pwesto niya ay agad kong iginalaw ang paa ko papunta doon.
Sinabi ko ang sadya ko sa kaniya. As she prepare my test paper, she asked me some uncomfortable questions about Abuelo. It's not until ten minutes later that she let me have my peace to answer her test paper. Pero bago magsimula sa test, nag-send muna ako ng texts sa mga kaibigan. Telling them to go home first because I might take a while. And I'm glad that I sent them a text message because it's already quarter after five when I left the faculty room.
I stand before a railing, staring down at the grounds. Some parts of the school are already shadowed by the orange rays. Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga. Now that I'm done with all those test, I feel beaten. Inilabas ko ang cellphone sa bulsa ng skirt ko at dumiretso sa messages.
Ako:
Kakatapos ko lang sa tests ko, Manang. Baka gabihin po ako. May bibilhin ako sa mall.
Nang mai-send ko na ang tinipang text message ay umalis na ako sa harap noong railings. I glance at the empty hallways before making my way to the first floor of the building.
Habang pababa ng hagdanan ay lumilipad ang isipan ko sa pagpunta sa mall. Weighing the pros and cons of enumerable ways to get there. My eyes unconsciously move towards a figure leaning on a colonnade right in front of the staircase. At first, it didn't register on my mind. But when I brought my eyes back to the figure again, I almost stumbled on the second to the last step of the stairs. And that made him move his eyes from his phone to me.
Umalis siya sa pagkakahilig sa colonnade saka inilagay sa bulsa ng suot niyang brown slacks ang cellphone.
"Bakit na'ndito ka pa?" bungad ko pagkalapit sa kinatatayuan niya. My heart is still pounding hard and fast.
"Are you done with your test?" he ignored my question.
Napalunok ako. "Hinintay mo ba ako? How long have you been waiting here?"
Sa sinabi ko'y napahinga si Mavin. He inserted one of his hands inside his slack's pocket as he stare down at me with those lazy-and-all-serious eyes.
Then I suddenly remember something. Halos mapapikit ako nang matanto na indirectly kong nasabi na hintayin niya ako.
But does it make sense? I only told him that I'll see him later. Did he interpreted it as 'wait for me'?
"It's getting dark, Akila. And you didn't even told your friends to wait for you."
Napakurap ako. There's something in his voice... Is he mad? But why I am getting all happy? Ah, maybe it's because my wishful thinking comes true. Someone waited for me.
"It's fine, Mavin." his brows quickly furrowed. "You waited for me..." I added shyly, but said it almost like a whisper.
He's gone silent. So I took a glimpse of him. He seems to be caught off guard. But it was only for a moment. Lumampas ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Unti-unti nang napapalitan ng dilim ang kahel. He's right, it's getting dark.
"Do you have something to do or somewhere to go...?" I move my gaze back at him.
"None," he abruptly replied.
Napangiti ako. "Mall?"
The next I knew, we're already inside a jam-packed jeep, bags in our laps and arms and legs pressing into each other. It was Mavin who told the driver our stop. Pagkababa sa jeep ay saka palang ako nakahinga ng maluwag, it's so stuffy in the jeep.
Just like the last time, Mavin lead me across the
street. Tahimik naming binabaybay ang kahabaan ng covered pathway papunta sa mall. Because the strands of my hair are sticking to my neck, I pull my hair up into a ponytail. Some of my bangs are also sticking to my forehead so I push it to the side.
"Anong sadya mo sa mall?"
Napalingon ako sa kaniya sa kalagitnaan ng pagpupunas ko ng pawis. His eyes are busily looking around. He didn't asked me this when I asked him earlier. He just agreed and then we made our way here.
"Saan mo gustong kumain?"
His head slowly turn to me. "Is this my treat?" he asked, amusement visible in his eyes.
I shrugged. "Probably..."
He groaned but a smirk made its way through his lips. "You tricked me," he accused me in a playful way.
That earn a chuckle from me. I'm just playing with him, but I won't tell him that. Not until he has totally fallen for it.
"So, where?" I probed.
He said a name. So right after we step inside the mall, we headed towards it. Luckily there wasn't a long queue in each counter so minutes later, we're already in front. The staff asked our orders. I told her mine. When it's Mavin's turn, he order the less expensive ones on the menu.
"Are you fine with just that?" pagtataka ko.
He looked down at me, because he's taller than me, and jerks his brows. "Totally."
I pursed my lips. Well I don't. So I turn to the cashier and told her to upgrade the ones he ordered.
"I'm just kidding," I turn around to face him I'm done. "It's not your treat yet. It's my 'thanks' for the very first one I owe you."
He raise a brow, a smirk making its way through his mouth. "Oh yeah?"
Ngumisi ako. I always keep my word. Well, I try to. Especially with Mavin because I think I owe him a lot of things now.