Chapter 28
The classroom buzzed with a mix of excitement and exhaustion. Ilang linggo na lang, final exams na. At kahit may final projects pang bumabagabag sa kanila, may sense of relief pa rin dahil malapit ng matapos ang school year. Malapit na ang graduation.
Miss Herrera stepped into the room, a neat stack of papers in her hands. Tahimik. Walang ngiti. Walang anumang pagbati. Tuloy-tuloy siyang naglakad papunta sa desk, heels clicking sharply against the tile floor. Tulad ng dati, agad na tumahimik ang mga estudyante at umayos ng upo.
They knew that silence. But today, it felt heavier. Harsher.
She set the papers down, then lifted her gaze—steady, unreadable.
"Kairi's group," she announced, voice smooth and clear. "You're up first."
Agad na nag-react ang buong klase. May mga napamura sa gulat, may mga natawa, at meron ding napabuntong-hininga—at least hindi sila ang unang tinawag. May tuksuhan ding nangyari mula sa ilang katabi nila Kairi at ng mga ka-group niya.
Kairi, who had just settled into her seat, blinked. Tumaas nang bahagya ang ulo niya, eyes locking onto Miss Herrera's across the room. Hindi siya nagsalita, pero halata sa tingin niya ang mga tanong.
Seriously? Kami agad?
Miss Herrera met the gaze, no flicker of hesitation. Wala siyang sinabi, pero ramdam agad ang sagot sa titig niya.
Yes. Now. Deal with it.
Kairi's lips parted slightly, like she wanted to say something—but instead, she only exhaled through her nose. Then, without complaint, she pushed her chair back and stood.
"Damn. Unlucky," one of her groupmates muttered as they gathered their things.
"What are the odds?" Zoe sighed.
Pero sumunod pa rin sila. They moved to the front of the class, setting up the projector. The lights dimmed, and the room fell into silence. Then, the fifteen-minute film played.
When the final frame faded to black, the projector flickered off. The classroom remained quiet for a moment before the first few whispers stirred the air.
"That was good," a classmate commented.
"Angas ng shots. Ang galing ng edit."
"Iba talaga kapag group ni Kairi."
Kairi's groupmates stood beside her, looking relieved. Halatang pagod pero proud. Pinaghirapan nila ang project na ito—the cinematography, editing, emotional weight.
Pero si Kairi? Tahimik lang. She wasn't listening. Because she could feel it. That gaze.
Miss Herrera was watching her. Not the film. Her.
And Miss Herrera?
She wanted to look away. She knew she should. Pero hindi niya magawa. She held Kairi in her line of sight, as if the very act of looking would anchor her to what she was trying to justify.
"Let's begin the discussion," she said, finally. Controlled. Measured. Pero may something sa tono niya. A bitterness underneath. Parang kanina pa niya hinihintay ito.
Kairi's fingers twitched slightly at her side. She knew this was coming. Pagkatapos ng lahat kagabi? Pagkatapos ng lahat ng sinabi niya? Ng pagpapaalis niya?
She just didn't know how far Miss Herrera would take it.
Miss Herrera leaned against a student's chair she had been sitting on at the back of the room. Arms crossed. Legs casually crossed. Ang relaxed niyang tingnan. Ang kalmado. But she wasn't.
She pushed me out. She thinks she knows what's best. She thinks she's grown. Let's test that.
"Kairi," she began, tilting her head. "I noticed something about your film."
Kairi nodded. "Yes, Miss?"
"You weren't in it."
Nagkaroon ng bahagyang ingay sa klase. Kairi's groupmates glanced at her.
Kairi kept her expression neutral. "I was behind the camera, Miss. I directed, filmed, edited—"
"All that effort, yet your face never appeared once. Was that intentional? Or just convenient?"
May mga nagbulungan na naman sa klase. Kairi, however, remained composed.
"I prefer working behind the scenes," she answered.
Miss Herrera's lips curved slightly—too sharp to be a smile. "Oh? Or maybe you just like being in control?"
Kairi froze.
There it is. The first blow.
"It's easier that way, isn't it?" Miss Herrera continued. "When everything is done exactly how you want. No room for mistakes. No room for being...seen."
Miss Herrera shouldn't have said that. Pero hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili.
She told me to go. She meant it.
"I took the role I was best suited for, Miss," Kairi replied, jaw tightening.
Miss Herrera exhaled a quiet laugh—more disbelief than amusement. "I see. So that's why. You like making sure everything is perfect. Everything under control."
Miss Herrera inhaled—quiet, steady. But her pulse was racing.
Stop. This isn't teaching. This is punishment.
Miss Herrera picked up a printed copy of the original short story their film was based on, flipping through the pages slowly. Then, without looking up—
"Alright, Kairi," she said. "Since you had so much control over this project, I'm sure you know it inside out. Let's test that."
Kairi straightened. "Okay po, Miss."
Miss Herrera glanced at the paper. "The film starts with a scene that wasn't in the original story. Why?"
"We wanted to set up the main character's emotions earlier—"
"So you thought the original wasn't good enough?"
Kairi pressed her lips together. That's not what I meant.
Miss Herrera flipped another page. "Fine. Next—the confrontation. In the story, it happens in daylight. You changed it to nighttime. Why?"
"The setting added tension, made it more visually striking—"
"So visuals mattered more than staying true to the original?"
Napakuyom ang mga daliri ni Kairi. She exhaled slowly, pilit na pinanatili ang composure. Kahit halata na sa pagkakakunot ng noo ang inis.
And Miss Herrera?
Stop. You're taking it too far.
But something in her said—No. She made you feel powerless. Let her feel it, too.
"And the ending?" she asked, tone lighter, almost gentle. "You left it open-ended."
"We wanted the audience to interpret it—"
"Or maybe you didn't want to choose."
"That's not it," Kairi snapped—her voice firmer this time.
Nagtaas ng kilay si Miss Herrera. "Isn't it?"
Kairi stared back, chest rising and falling faster. She was trying to keep control—but Miss Herrera was ripping it away, piece by piece.
Then came the knife.
"Kairi...do you think you understand why you made these choices? Or was it just because you could?"
And this time, Kairi didn't answer right away. Because the question cut deeper than it should have.
Was I just trying to prove something? Was I wrong?
"I...I don't know, Miss. Maybe...I just thought I was doing what was right for the film."
Her voice cracked slightly. Her hands trembled.
Miss Herrera looked at her—really looked this time.
She saw it. The crack in the armor. The reflection of herself in the student she was tearing down.
And for a second, she hated herself.
But then she said it anyway.
"I'm not so sure how you've learned your lessons like you said you did, Kairi. But judging by your choices in the film, you're still pushing things in a direction you feel you can control."
A pause.
Kairi blinked.
Lessons? What—oh. Shit.
It hit her. This really wasn't about the project. Not fully. Not anymore.
Shit. Not again.
Miss Herrera's voice lowered. Softer. But it stung.
"Is that really progress? Or are you just avoiding the parts of the story—and maybe even yourself—that you don't want to face?"
The silence that followed was thick. Suffocating.
Kairi opened her mouth—but no words came.
Then came the last blow.
"You should go."
Those exact words na sinabi niya kay Miss Herrera, ibinalik din nito agad sa kanya. At ramdam ni Kairi ang bigat nito. She knew Miss Herrera had won...again.
Miss Herrera's revenge? Served quiet and clean.
Ilang segundo ring nakatitig si Kairi sa guro, searching for something—anything. But there was nothing left to say. Miss Herrera gave her nothing.
Slowly, Kairi turned, walking back to her seat.
Sumunod ang groupmates niya, the weight of the moment hanging over them. As she reached her chair, she sat down stiffly, gripping the edge of her desk.
Zoe, passing by, tapped her shoulder—subtle but firm. A silent way of saying, You did well.
Miss Herrera exhaled, gathering her things. Her hands were shaking—but she hid it.
"Well," she finally said, walking back to her desk in front. "That was an impressive film. Good job, everyone."
Whispers spread through the class. Kahit sila, ramdam kung gaano ka-intense ang mga naging katanungan ng guro nila.
"Alright. That's it for today. Class dismissed."
Chairs scraped against the floor as students stood, whispering among themselves.
Kairi didn't move at first. Then, finally, she took a breath and forced herself up.
Si Miss Herrera naman ay nagsimula ng magligpit ng mga gamit sa desk niya. Ni hindi man lang tumingin kay Kairi, kahit isang sulyap lang.
Because if she did—she might break.
But she knew.
Alam niyang mali ang ginawa niya. She knew her questions made no sense. She knew her questions were meant to hurt, not guide.
But it didn't stop her from doing what she had just done. It didn't stop her from controlling the discussion, all while accusing Kairi of wanting control.