Chapter 22
The classroom was buzzing with early morning chatter as students settled into their seats.
Some were still half-asleep, some were rushing to finish assignments, while others were engaged in conversations about anything and everything—except for Zoe, who sat stiffly in her chair, checking her phone every few minutes.
Anong oras na, pero wala pa rin si Kairi.
Zoe bit her lip, her leg bouncing anxiously.
Zoe: Kai, nasaan ka na? May class tayo.
Zoe: Seriously, answer me.
Zoe: Kairi Lei!
No response.
Sinubukan ni Zoe na tawagan si Kairi. The ringing went on until it stopped—no answer.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath, feeling the gnawing worry in her chest. She turned to Maya, who sat beside her, equally uneasy. "Hindi niya sinasagot."
Maya frowned. "Baka late lang?"
Zoe shook her head, a bad feeling creeping in. Hindi pa na-le-late si Kairi. Palagi niyang sinisugurong may extra minutes siya bago magsimula ang klase. Wala rin siyang absences. Kahit nga may sakit, pinipilit niya pa ring pumasok, no excuses.
Without thinking, Zoe abruptly stood up. Pinagtinginan siya ng ibang classmates habang naglalakad papunta kay Alice na busy sa phone niya.
"Where's Kairi?" Zoe asked, her voice firm.
Alice slowly looked up, smirking. "How should I know?"
"Don't play with me, Alice. Nasaan siya?"
Alice laughed, leaning back casually.
"Bakit? Concerned ka masyado?" She cocked her head mockingly. "Oh wait—" her grin widened, "Baka nagseselos ka na sakin?"
Zoe snapped. She grabbed Alice by the collar of her uniform, yanking her forward. "Tangina, Alice! Just tell me where Kairi is!"
Napatigil ang lahat sa ginagawa nila at napatingin sa dalawa—including Miss Herrera, who had just walked in, eyes widening at the scene.
"Zoe!" Miss Herrera's voice cut through the tension, striding towards them. "Ano ito? Let go of your classmate."
Alice just laughed darkly. "Chill, girlfriend. Hindi ko naman siya kinidnap. Siya mismo ang pumunta sa akin."
Parang hindi pa nakuntento si Alice at muli pang nagsalita. "Ang sarap nga niyang katabi eh. Sleeping soundly in my bed—"
"Pu—"
"Zoe, let go. Now," Miss Herrera's voice was firm, holding Zoe by the arm. Zoe's chest was heaving, fists still clenched, but she finally let go of Alice.
Alice just dusted her collar, still smirking. "Sabi ko na nga ba may gusto ka kay Kairi eh. But too late. She's mine now."
"Alice, stop it," pagpigil din sa kanya ni Miss Herrera.
Hindi na lang ito pinansin ni Zoe, alam niyang sinasadya lang siyang inisin nito. Sa ganito naman magaling si Alice at hindi na hahayaan ni Zoe na makapasok siya sa isipin niya para paikutin at paglaruan siya, with just words. Besides, wala namang katotohanan ang sinabi ni Alice.
"Address, Alice," Zoe gritted out.
Something in her tone must've told Alice she wasn't bluffing, because after a beat of silence, Alice exhaled, rolling her eyes bago tuluyang binigay ang address ng bahay nila.
Agad namang bumalik si Zoe sa upuan niya para kunin ang bag niya.
"Pupuntahan mo ba si Kairi? Sama ako," Maya whispered.
"You stay here. Ako na ang bahala."
"But—"
"I got it, Maya," Zoe insisted. "Hindi mo rin pwedeng ma-miss ang classes. Take notes, yeah?"
Maya hesitated but nodded.
Before leaving, Zoe turned to Miss Herrera. "Miss Herrera, I'm missing class. Pasensya na po, pero kailangan ako ng kaibigan ko."
Then Zoe walked out before Miss Herrera could even reply.
Zoe stood in front of a large, modern house, her fingers curled into fists as she rang the doorbell. A few moments later, a maid opened the door, looking at her curiously.
"Magandang umaga po. Ano pong sadya nila?"
"Nasaan po si Kairi?" agad na tanong ni Zoe.
"Nasa loob po. Pasok po kayo, ma'am."
Zoe followed her through the house, barely paying attention to the expensive decor. When they stopped in front of a bedroom door, the maid gestured towards it. Without knocking, Zoe pushed the door open.
There, lying in bed, was Kairi—looking peaceful, like she hadn't been wrecking herself for weeks.
"Kairi..." Zoe whispered, rushing to her side. Hinawakan niya ang balikat ni Kairi, gently shaking her. "Kai, gising..."
Kairi groaned, slowly opening her eyes. When she realized who it was, her face twisted in confusion. "Zoe? Bakit...anong ginagawa mo rito?"
"What are you doing here?" pagbabalik ni Zoe ng tanong. "Bakit hindi ka pumasok?"
Kairi tried sitting up, hair messy, her voice raspy. "I just didn't feel like it. Ano bang problema mo—"
"Problema ko? Ano bang problema mo, Kai?!" Zoe's voice cracked, her frustration finally bursting. "Tingnan mo nga sarili mo! Anong nangyayari sayo?"
Kairi's face hardened. "Wala. Just let me be."
"Like hell I will!" Zoe grabbed Kairi's arm, forcing her to sit up. "Tumayo ka diyan. May klase tayo. Get your ass up, Kairi."
"I said no, Zoe!" Kairi refused, yanking her arm away. "Just fucking leave me alone."
"Kairi Lei, ano ba?! You're not like this. Ano ba talagang nangyari sayo?"
Kairi's lips trembled, her jaw clenched tightly. "You wouldn't understand, Zoe."
"Then help me understand! Tangina, Kai, I'm your best friend. I can't help you kung ayaw mong magsalita—"
"You can't help me! Wala kayong magagawa, Zoe! No one can fucking fix me!" Kairi screamed. "I fucked everything up! Ako itong mali! I was stupid!"
Zoe stared at her, stunned. "Kai..."
And then Kairi broke.
"I kissed her, Zoe." Her voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. "I fucking kissed Miss Herrera. And she kissed me back."
Zoe froze. "What?"
"I thought she liked me too. I thought it meant something. But she told me it was a mistake. She said what I did was wrong."
Kairi sobbed, clutching her chest like she couldn't breathe. "And now she hates me. And I can't—I can't fucking fix it. I can't fucking fix myself, Zoe."
"Kai, no—"
"Yes! Yes, I ruined everything! I should've just—" Kairi choked, "I shouldn't have kissed her..."
Zoe lunged forward, pulling Kairi into a tight hug. "No, stop. Stop, Kai."
"I was something good to her and now I ruined it..." Kairi gasped between sobs, "I'm so fucking stupid..."
"No, you're not," Zoe whispered. "Listen to me. You didn't ruin anything."
Kairi shook her head, "Then why? Why did she push me away?"
Zoe swallowed bago muling hinarap si Kairi.
"Because she's terrified. Not of you—but of what you make her feel."
Kairi blinked. "What?"
"Think about it, Kairi. You're her student. She's a teacher. You think she doesn't feel anything? Hinalikan ka niya pabalik. She held you close. You think she wasn't feeling the same things you did?"
"Then why is she acting like nothing happened?"
"Kasi natatakot siya," Zoe explained. "And you're so caught up in your own pain that you forgot she's probably in pain too."
And that was the blow that finally shattered Kairi. Parang may kung anong pumitik sa loob niya. Bigla na lang siyang natahimik, parang nawalan ng laban. At doon na siya muling napaluha. It was silent this time but it broke her even more.
Zoe was right. Sarili nga lang niya ang inisip siya. Hindi na niya naisip ang nararamdaman ni Miss Herrera, ang guro niya. At nakalimutan ang nararamdaman ng mga kaibigan niya dahil sa pag-iwas na ginawa niya.
"Fuuuuck!"
Zoe just held her again—like she was holding the pieces of Kairi together.
"What have I been doing?" Kairi asked herself.
After minutes of crying, Zoe pulled back. "Get up. We're leaving."
"I'm not going to school—"
"Wala akong sinabing pupunta tayo sa school. We're getting you the fuck out of this house. You're not rotting here with Alice, okay?"
Kairi hesitated.
"Please, Kai. If not for you, then for the version of you that Miss Herrera believed in."
Kairi swallowed hard and finally, slowly, took Zoe's hand.