"Babe, where are you? I called you many times, pero nakapatay ang phone mo. Saan ka ba? Kagabi ka pa hindi ko ma-contact."
I am upset with my boyfriend. Palagi nalang ganito yung set up namin when we started our relationship. Minsan lang siya present, we were always talking on the phone.
It's been a year nung sinagot ko siya at akala ko magbabago siya pero ganun pa rin talaga. He was my schoolmate way back in college. Sikat siya sa school ko noon as a basketball player and captain in the team. That is why I was falling in love with him: he's hot and famous.
When I graduated from college, I had not seen him for so long, so I also forgot how I felt about him. But I believed in destiny when I met him in the cafe. Doon nagsimula ang lahat hanggang sa niligawan niya ako at naging kami. Matagal-tagal ko rin siyang pinahirapan sa panliligaw sa akin.
    "Babe? Are you still there?"
    "Yeah, and I hate you. Hindi ka man lang nagpaalam sa akin na may business trip ka pala sa Italy."
Kaya pala hindi ko siya ma-reach kahapon dahil nasa Italy daw siya, tapos hindi man lang ako sinabihan. Sinong hindi magagalit sa ginawa niya? For Pete's sake, I'm her girlfriend. I should know where he is or what he's doing.
    "I'm sorry babe, biglaan din kasi. I was about to call you yesterday, but my client arrived so early, kaya nakalimutan ko. I promise I'll make it up to you when I come back to the Philippines. Okay?"
Promised? Promise na naman. Tsk.
     "You suit yourself." I said coldly before hanging up the call.
He's always like that. Kapag nakakalimutan niya ako, he always says that 'I'll make it up to you or Promise, babawi ako sayo'.
Nakakainis na.
Tiningnan ko ang oras sa relo ko. Quarter to seven na pala, I need to go. Ayaw kong nale-late sa klase ko. I am a professor at my school, Hancock University. It derives from my surname, Boa Zamara Hancock.
I'm on my way to my school. Gamit ko pa 'yung sports car ko na Ferrari dahil hindi ako nakauwi kagabi sa bahay. Nasa condo ako natulog kagabi dahil hinintay ko nga si Mark, boyfriend ko, pero hindi siya dumating dahil nasa business trip nga raw siya. But he didnt even say goodbye to me or call me on the phone before he left.
Naiinis pa rin talaga ako kaya binilisan ko ang pagmamaneho ng kotse ko. Dito ko nalang ilalabas ang inis ko sa lalaking yun. Hanggang sa natanaw ko na 'yung school kaya mas binilisan ko pa ang pagmamaneho. Nang paliko na ako para mag-park ay nakita ko na may tatawid. Hindi ko naapakan agad ang break kaya muntikan ko na siyang masagasaan, buti nalang talaga at napansin niya agad 'yung kotse ko, kung hindi, kulungan ang bagsak ko.
Dali-dali akong bumaba ng kotse para lapitan yung babaeng nakaputi na shirt upang magsorry sa nangyari pero hindi ko na siya makita kung saan siya nakatayo kanina.
Hinanap siya ng mga mata ko at dun ko lang nakita na naglalakad na siya papunta sa loob ng University.
Hindi man lang ba siya nagalit sa nangyari? Is she okay?
Mamaya ko nalang iisipin 'yun kapag makita ko ulit siya. I'm sure, she's a student here at the University pero ngayon ko lang siya nakita. Because she does not seem familiar to me.
A transferee? Pero hindi naman ako nakapag-interview ng transferee. Or maybe Wela is the one who did it for me.
Pinark ko na ang kotse ko bago pumasok sa university. My first class, as usual, was a fourth-year BSBA. Dadaanan ko muna ang office ko bago ako tutuloy sa first-class ko.
Binuksan ko ang pinto at pumasok. I saw my cousin sitting pretty on the couch. She's early today, so that's new.
    "Good morning, Couz." Masigla niyang bati.
    "What are you doin' here Welalain?"
Nilipag ko ang mga gamit sa table, bago ko siya tiningnan na ngayon ay nakatayo na sa harapan ko.
    "Good morning to me too. Umagang-umaga ang taray mo. What happens? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or it's about your nonsense boyfriend, again." Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. "Oh! I am right."
Hindi ko talaga maintindihan kung bakit ayaw na ayaw niya sa boyfriend ko simula nung nanligaw siya sa akin. Mabait naman si Mark pero hindi niya talaga ito gusto.
    "Let's not talk about that. You? What brings you here to my office? Mamaya pa ang klase mo but you're already here in the early morning."
    "Nothing though. Just visiting you here." She devilishly smiled.
    "Visiting me? O gusto mo lang maghasik ng kalandian dito sa university ko?" I raised my eyebrow.
Malandi talaga itong pinsan ko. She's always flirting with all the students here at the university. Mas bata pa sa kanya ang nilalandi niya. Take note: it's girls, not boys. She's bisexual anyway, but more into girls than boys.
     "You know me, 'coz. So, mauna na ako sayo. Maghahanap pa ako ng bibiktimahin. Ciao!"
Aangal pa sana ako pero nakalabas na siya ng pinto. Aist! Itatanong ko pa nga kung siya ba ang nag-interview sa mga bagong-lipat na students.
That lady! Pssh.
Lumabas na rin ako ng office ng saktong 7:20 at pumunta na sa first-class ko. As soon as I entered, my students were already standing to greet me. They know me very well. Sino ba naman ang hindi pa nakakakilala sa akin dito? They even called me the terror professor.
I'm strict? Yes, simply because I want them to understand that I am the superior here inside the classroom. Minsan kasi, kapag hindi mahigpit ang professor laging nabobola ng mga estudyante. That's why I don't want to be that kind of professor.
    "Good morning, Miss Boa."
   "Good morning. Please be seated." Lapag ko sa mga folders na dala ko. "You already know me, right? So I don't need to introduce myself to all of you. Let's start the roll call if everyone's present today. After all, I already have the complete list of my students."
Nagsimula na akong magtawag. Nagtaas naman ang mga ito ng kamay gaya ng sinabi ko. Sunod-sunod ang tawag ko sa kanila when someone knocked on the door.
Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa loob ng room at nakita kong may bakanteng upuan sa dulo. So that explains to me why there is an available seat in the back.
    "Come in." I heard the door open and close. "You're 1 minute late."
Tumaas ang boses ko ng bahagya, hindi naman masyadong malakas sapat lang upang marinig sa estudyanteng nakatayo sa may pinto.
I'm not looking at her directly. I just know that she's one of my students because I can see her through my peripheral vision, especially when she is startled.
Is she one of the transferees? So that explains to me why she's late. Maybe nahirapan siyang hanapin ang room niya.
Pero wala akong nakuhang sagot mula sa estudyante kaya tumingin ako sa kanya ng seryoso na may halong pagkainis and the same time, ako'y napatayo. I hate people who are dumb and slow. It irritates me so much.
     "Are you mute or what? And please, look at me when I'm talking to you." Matigas na utos ko sa estudyanteng nakatayo pa rin habang nakayuko. Dahan-dahan nitong inangat ang ulo at nagulat ako sa nakita.
She was the girl I nearly hit with my car.
Mukhang hindi naman niya ako nakilala kaya pinagsalawang-bahala ko na lamang ito tutal I could see that she was totally fine.
     "I'm..." Pumiyok ba siya? "I'm sorry Ma'am I was late. Transferee po ako."
I'm looking at her with my stoic face, pero wala na 'yung inis na nararamdaman ko kanina. I don't know why, but my irritation towards her fades away in that instant.
     "Okay, I'll let you get away with being late today just because you are a transferee. Give me a 1/4 index card with your name written on it. And introduce yourself, state what school you are from and how young you are."
Pagkasabi ko nun ay muli akong umupo sa upuan ko. Naglakad siya papunta sa harapan. Naghintay akong magsimula siyang magsalita pero ilang segundo rin ang nasayang pero mukhang wala ata siyang balak na magsalita.
     "Are you just standing there all day? Or you'll start talking?" Malamig kong tanong sa kanya.
    "Y-yes Ma'am. I'm s-sorry po." Napansin kong tumaas-baba ang balikat niya na halatang humugot muna ito ng malalim na hininga. "H-Hi! Ahm.. Nico Robin Jane Alexander is my name. I'm from Stanford University and am 22 years of age."
Napasingit ako sa pagpapakilala nito. "Stanford University? Isn't that a prestigious school? Why did you transfer here to Hancock University?"
She looked at me and spoke. "I'm sorry, Ma'am but it's a private matter. I can't tell you why."
Bakit naman?
I wanted to ask her that, but I respect her reasons. But then again, nagawa ko pa rin siyang titigan, trying to read her to make sure that she wasn't lying to me. Mahirap na baka inu-uto niya lang pala ako.
     "Okay, I understand. You can take your seat now." This is the first time that I felt awkward staring at someone, especially a student. What's with me? I chose to ignore kung ano man 'yung kakaibang pakiramdam na bago lang para sakin.
My gaze followed the transferee's and then, I remembered something: "Oh you, the transferee," I called her attention, "you didn't know me yet. I am Professor Boa, or just call me Miss Boa, whichever you prefer between the two."
I saw her nod in response and she answered me. "Yes, professor." Before, she turned her back on me and walked, and she sat in the back.
Sinimulan ko na ang pagtuturo. I explained the subject and give them some information about it para kahit papaano ay alam nila kung ano ang ituturo ko this first semester.
Habang nagsasalita ako sa harap, napansin ko ang estudyante ko sa likod na nakayuko at parang nagbabasa. As I remembered, wala naman akong pinapabasa na libro.
Nilibot ko ang tingin ko at siya lang ang bukod-tanging nakayuko and not giving her attention in my class.
Naglakad ako papunta sa kanya. Sinundan naman ako ng tingin ng mga estudyante ko at mukhang hindi pa niya ako napapansin kahit na nagkaroon ng katahimikan.
Hawak-hawak ko ang stick na lagi kong dala kapag ako ay nagtuturo. Pinalo ko ito sa desk niya, hindi malakas, tama lang to get her precious attention.
     "Miss Alexander,"
I look at her. Nabigla naman siya sa biglaang pagpalo ko ng stick at muntik pang napatalon sa inuupan niya. Gusto kong matawa sa naging reaksyon niya but I manage to stay serious.
Goodness! She looks so cute. Did I justcompliment my student?
Binura ko na lamang sa aking isipan ang sinasabi ko tungkol sa estudyanteng nakatingin sa akin ngayon na halatang gulat na gulat pa rin.
     "Miss Alexander, are you with us? Late ka na nga kanina tapos hindi ka pa nakikinig ngayon sa klase ko. You're not interested in my subject, are you? If you don't want to listen, get out because I won't tolerate a student like you."
I'm not annoyed or irritated by what she did. That's new, because I quickly get annoyed and irritated with the student not paying attention to my discussion. But she's different. Sa tuwing nagtatama ang mata naming dalawa, parang bula na nawawala yung inis na nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.
So weird right? Or is it just me?
     "I'm sorry Ma'am, pero nakikinig po ako sa inyo simula kanina when you started talking in front."
     "Really?" I raised my eyebrows because I was amazed. I thought she was going to say sorry, but she did the opposite. "Okay then, answer this."
May sinulat akong equation sa board. Tinitest ko lang siya if she did an advance reading kasi gawain ko yun way back in college. Hindi naman ako umaasa na masasagot niya 'yung equation na binigay ko dahil hindi ko pa naman naturo, kaya okay lang kahit hindi niya masagot.
Nakatayo siya sa tabi ko. Tiningnan ko siya pero wala akong nakikitang doubt sa mga mata niya. Kumuha siya ng pen at sinimulan ang pagsagot. May naririnig akong bulungan pero hindi ko ito pinansin dahil nasa board ang buong atensyon ko at sa estudyante kong mabilis na nasagutan ang given na binigay ko.
     "I'm finished, Ma'am."
Nakailang beses na ba akong nagugulat dahil sa transferee na ito? She's smart, I like it. She answered it correctly. Ngingitian ko sana ito nang biglang naisip ko, why should I need to smile at her?
Because she's got the right answer? Or is it that I'm happy that she's smart and I find it so likable?
I'm being weird again. Talking to my inner self is weird and crazy. And this is not me; it was like I was not in my own body anymore.
"You can go back to your seat now. Thank you, Miss Alexander."