Chapter 18
Miss Herrera's voice filled the classroom, explaining the symbolism in the passage they were analyzing. Kairi was supposed to be listening—she really was—but Alice had leaned slightly towards her, whispering something too amusing to ignore.
"Seriously, what was that guy even saying?" Alice muttered, her voice low but teasing.
Kairi suppressed a laugh, shaking her head. "You're not even trying to understand, are you?"
"Not when you look like you'd rather be anywhere but here," Alice shot back.
Kairi rolled her eyes, but she wasn't denying it. May malaking space na sa pagitan nilang dalawa pero hindi pa rin sila napigilan nito na magbulungan at magpalitan ng mga tingin.
Hindi pa rin tumigil si Alice at patuloy na kinausap si Kairi. "Anyway, you didn't answer my—"
"Enough."
Miss Herrera's voice cut through the air, sharp and clear.
Natigilan si Kairi at agad na ibinaling ang ulo sa harap, only to be met with Miss Herrera's sharp gaze directed on her and Alice. At ang buong klase? Natahimik bigla at sinundan ang tingin ng kanilang guro.
Miss Herrera never raised her voice in class. Never.
"Miss Ferrer," Miss Herrera continued, her voice steady but cold. "Move to the front. Switch seats with Mr. Ramirez."
Kairi's throat felt dry. What? Tama ba ang narinig niya? Hindi pa siya nakararanas ng ganito—ang mapagsabihan nang ganito sa harap ng buong klase, ang makatanggap ng attention mula sa kanila dahil may ginawa siyang mali. Ang masama pa, pinalilipat siya sa harap mismo ng desk ni Miss Herrera.
Kairi hesitated, but Miss Herrera's unwavering gaze left no room for argument. Napalunok na lang si Kairi bago kinuha ang bag at tumayo. Nakayuko lang siya habang naglalakad papunta sa harapan at ramdam na ramdam niya ang bawat titig sa kanya ng mga kaklase.
Kahit minsan, hindi pa ito ginawa ni Miss Herrera sa klase niya. Kung may maingay man, buong klase ang pinagsasabihin niya. Pero ano ito? Anong ginawa niya kay Kairi? Bakit may special mention? Was this just because Kairi was talking during class? Or was this something else?
Was this because of that night?
Kairi clenched her jaw. No. She shouldn't even be thinking about that. Miss Herrera said nothing happened, so bakit naman gagawin ni Miss Herrera iyon?
Alice poked at her food before lifting a spoonful toward Kairi. "Here, tikman mo ito."
Kairi sighed. "Hindi na ako bata, Alice. I can feed myself."
"Come on, just try it," pagpupumilit ni Alice.
But before Kairi could respond, she felt eyes on her. Napatingin siya sa gilid, at doon niya nakita si Miss Herrera na nakaupo sa kabilang dulo ng cafeteria kasama ang ibang teachers.
Their eyes met, but only for a second.
"Ano?" Alice's voice snapped her back.
Kairi blinked, turning back to Alice. "Huh?"
"Nakatingin ka sa iba habang pinapakain kita? How rude," Alice complained at ibinaba na ang hawak na kutsara na para sana kay Kairi.
"Let's just eat," Kairi said, hindi na lang pinansin ang parang nagtatampong si Alice.
Muling tumingin si Kairi sa direction ni Miss Herrera pero hindi na ito nakatingin. Miss Herrera was focused on the person sitting in front of her at abala na sa pakikipag-usap.
Alice followed Kairi's gaze at Miss Herrera, then snorted. "You know, she was kind of sensitive earlier. I mean, bigla na lang siyang nagalit dahil lang nag-uusap tayo? Hindi naman tayo maingay. What's her problem?"
Napatigil sa pagnguya si Kairi pero nakayuko lang siya at nakatingin sa pagkain. She didn't like the way Alice was speaking about Miss Herrera.
Alice kept going. "I swear, ang init ng ulo niya and over nothing? Ano bang—"
"Stop," Kairi's voice was low but firm. She grabbed her tray and stood up.
Alice blinked. "What—"
Pero hindi na siya pinatapos ni Kairi at lumabas na ng cafeteria pagkatapos ibalik ang tray.
Ano bang nangyayari sa kanya? Miss Herrera practically humiliated her kanina—yet she was the one getting defensive?
Dapat nga sinusuportahan niya ang mga sinabi ni Alice pero hindi niya napigilan ang inis dahil lang sa ayaw niyang naririnig ang iba na nagsasabi ng mga hindi magagandang bagay tungkol kay Miss Herrera.
Bakit ba masyado siyang nagpapaapekto rito sa kabila ng lahat ng nangyari? She scolded herself. Miss Herrera is just like any other teacher. Nothing happened.
The next day, Miss Herrera entered the room a minute before the bell rang.
"Settle down," she instructed, preparing her materials for the lesson.
Agad na sumunod ang mga estudyante at walang kahit anong ingay ang narinig dahil na rin sa takot na maulit ang pagtataas ng boses ng guro kahapon.
Magsisimula na sana sa discussion si Miss Herrera pero natigilan ito nang wala sa harapan niya ang dapat na nakaupo roon.
"Kairi, back to your assigned seat," Miss Herrera said firmly. There was no anger in her tone. No irritation. Just cold, absolute authority.
Kairi's jaw clenched. She wanted to protest. She really did.
Pero nagsimula ng mag-discuss si Miss Herrera.
Akala ni Kairi ay pwede na siyang bumalik sa dati niyang upuan sa likod, that yesterday didn't mean anything.
But here she was, making another mistake, being stared at by her classmates again as she moved to the front seat.
Ano ba itong ginagawa ni Miss Herrera? Is she seriously targeting her now?
It only got worse.
Halfway through the discussion, Kairi had completely zoned out. Hindi na niya nagawang mag-focus pa dahil sa frustration na nararamdaman, trying to figure out her teacher's intentions, kung dahil ba ito sa nagawa niya that night.
Then—
"Kairi."
Kairi snapped back to reality. She quickly looked up, only to see Miss Herrera's expectant stare.
"Answer the question," Miss Herrera demanded.
Shit. Napalunok si Kairi. She had no idea what the question was.
"Uh," Kairi started. "Can you repeat the question, Miss?"
Miss Herrera raised a brow. "I asked for your insight on the poem. You were paying attention, weren't you?"
"Of course," she lied.
"Then, answer."
Kairi forced herself to think. She glanced at the board, scrambling for an answer. She then stood up, inhaling deeply before answering.
"I think the passage is about...crossing a line.
Doing something someone shouldn't do." She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"It explores how people make mistakes—some intentional, some impulsive—and how they deal with the aftermath.
The weight of their actions stays, whether they acknowledge it or not. "
Miss Herrera nodded slowly. "Interesting perspective."
Kairi took it as her cue to sit down, pero bago pa siya makagalaw—
"So, does that mean you're okay with crossing lines?" Miss Herrera asked.
Napakurap si Kairi. "Po?"
"You said the passage is about mistakes. Crossing a line. But your tone—it sounds...accepting. Parang iniisip mong hindi naiiwasan ang paggawa ng mali."
Napahigpit ang hawak ni Kairi sa gilid ng desk. "Hindi iyon ang ibig kong sabihin, Miss. Ang sinasabi ko lang is when someone does cross a line, dapat nilang harapin iyon. Take responsibility."
"And how do you define taking responsibility?" Miss Herrera asked, tilting her head slightly.
Kairi didn't hesitate. "By acknowledging what happened. By addressing it instead of pretending it never did."
Miss Herrera's expression remained unreadable. "And if the other person chooses to forget?"
Kairi's jaw tensed. "Then they're running away."
Miss Herrera let out a soft, almost amused breath. "So you'd rather force someone to remember?"
Kairi met her gaze, unyielding. "Mas pipiliin ko iyon than to pretend nothing happened."
Binigyang diin talaga ni Kairi ang dalawang salitang nagmula mismo kay Miss Herrera, pero walang naging reaction ang guro.
"And yet, sometimes forgetting is the only way to move forward."
Kairi shook her head. "That's just an excuse, Miss."
Miss Herrera leaned slightly against her desk, crossing her arms. "Or maybe it's self-preservation."
The air grew thick between them. The other students were completely silent, watching the unexpected exchange unfold.
"So, you'd rather pretend something didn't happen?" Kairi challenged, voice sharp.
Miss Herrera's gaze darkened. "And you'd rather keep talking about something when the other person clearly doesn't want to?"
Kairi inhaled sharply. "Kasi kapag iniiwasan mo, ibig sabihin—"
Miss Herrera cut her off. "And yet here you are, saying all these things about facing things head-on, but the moment something doesn't go your way, you stop."
Napatigil si Kairi. Parang biglang nanikip ang dibdib niya. She clenched her fists to her sides.
"I...I tried," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I tried."
Miss Herrera stared at Kairi, looking right through her eyes, studying her. "Did you?"
Kairi opened her mouth, ready to defend herself—
"Sit down, Kairi."
Kairi froze.
She swallowed hard, frustration bubbling in her chest. Gusto niyang sumagot, gusto niyang ipaglaban ang sarili niyang punto, but Miss Herrera's tone left no room for argument.
Dahan-dahan siyang umupo. At ang mga kamay niya nakakuyom pa rin sa ilalim ng desk.
Kairi sat down, her mind racing.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
This wasn't about the passage anymore. Hindi na ito tungkol sa lesson. This was personal. A lesson only for her. A punishment only she could understand. Miss Herrera was getting back at her.
Kairi's breath came uneven. Parang hindi siya makahinga nang maayos. She gritted her teeth, eyes fixated on the desk in front of her, feeling like she had just been shut down in front of an entire audience.
She didn't win.
And the worst part? Miss Herrera knew it.
But Miss Herrera didn't stop—she didn't even pause to acknowledge what had just happened.
"As I was saying," Miss Herrera continued, flipping to the next slide of her presentation, her voice smooth and steady, as if nothing had happened. "This passage can also be interpreted as a reflection on human nature—how people justify their choices, whether right or wrong."
Kairi barely registered the words. The class, the discussion, everything blurred into background noise. Para bang siya lang ang nakakaramdam ng bigat ng nangyari at bumalik na naman ang lahat ng alaala ng gabing iyon—everything that happened, every pain that she had to bear.
Everyone else just went back to normal, but she was still stuck there. Miss Herrera wasn't.
And somehow, that hurt even more.