Chapter 32
Kairi hadn't slept much.
By the time she reached school, the halls were mostly empty. The air was cold from the rain that had continued all night. Her head felt fuzzy. Baka dahil sa puyat. O baka dahil sa dami ng nangyari.
O sa mga hindi nangyari.
She kept replaying it—over and over. That kiss. That one kiss that shattered everything and yet, somehow, made things clearer. The way Miss Herrera pulled her close like something in her had finally snapped. The way her voice had cracked, raw with truth, when she said—
"Ikaw lang. You were the only one I ever had to fight myself over."
That should've meant something. It did mean something.
Pero pagkatapos noon? After the silence, after the storm inside them started to settle?
Miss Herrera pulled away. Slowly. Like the moment had passed, and reality was waiting to collect its debt.
Then she just offered to drive Kairi home. Quietly. Like she was shutting a door.
Kairi hadn't said anything. Hindi na rin siya nagtanong. She just sat there, shivering, her hands cold in her lap while the windshield wipers carved silence between them.
And Miss Herrera? Not a single glance. Not even when they reached Kairi's house. Not when she said, softly—almost guiltily—"Good night."
Kairi didn't reply then. Binuksan na lang niya ang pinto at bumaba.
Now, standing in the hallway of the school building, she sniffled.
Then—sneezed.
Hard. It was loud na nag-echo pa sa hallway.
"See? I told you you'd get sick."
Kairi's heart stuttered.
That voice. Familiar. Controlled. With just a thread of amusement under it.
She turned around and there she was.
Miss Herrera. Walking toward her like nothing was out of place. Bitbit ang isang stack ng papers, her bag slipping from her shoulder. Hindi siya nakangiti, but there was something in her eyes. Not anger. Not cold indifference. Just...her.
Calm. Sharp. Present.
"Miss..." Kairi said, blinking, unsure how to act. "I'm fine. Just, uh, dust. Allergies."
"Mm." Miss Herrera's eyes lingered for a second, like she didn't buy it. Like she could see right through the bullshit. But she didn't push it.
She just walked past her, heels soft against the floor.
Kairi stared at her back for a beat, then quietly followed.
Pagpasok nila sa empty classroom, Kairi immediately went to her seat. She tried to keep her movements steady, na parang normal lang ang lahat. But her fingers were slightly trembling.
Miss Herrera placed her things on the table, straightened a few folders, then—without a word—walked toward her student. No eye contact. Just calm steps until she stopped right beside Kairi's desk.
Then she placed something down.
Isang maliit na insulated bottle.
Kairi stared at it. "Miss, ano ito?"
"Drink it."
"Uh...okay? Pero ano ito exactly?"
"It's tea," Miss Herrera said, crossing her arms. "It's still hot, so drink it before it cools down. Panlaban sa sipon mo."
Kairi picked it up, opened the lid, and sniffed. "Miss, amoy boiled grass."
"It's not that bad."
Kairi looked up at her suspiciously, then slowly took a sip.
Her reaction was immediate—her face scrunched, eyes watering from the bitterness. "Nope. It is definitely that bad."
Miss Herrera raised an eyebrow. "Don't be dramatic."
Agad na isinara ni Kairi ang bottle at sinubukang ibalik ito sa guro. "Miss, please take it back. Okay lang naman po ako."
Pero tiningnan lang siya nito with the don't push it look. "Drink it."
Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Kairi. Parang wala na talaga siyang ibang choice. So she pinched her nose and forced another sip down.
Miss Herrera rolled her eyes. "Really? You're acting like I poisoned it."
"You might as well have," Kairi muttered, capping the bottle and setting it down.
Before Miss Herrera could respond, may kumatok sa pinto.
"Hey, Gianna!"
Sabay silang napalingon.
It was him again—that same teacher, the one students always whispered about.
He walked in with a cup of coffee in hand nang malawak ang ngiti. "Nakita kong naka-park sasakyan mo kaya naisipan kong dumaan." He held the cup out. "Here. I'm sure magugustuhan mo ito."
Composed pa rin si Miss Herrera habang nilalapitan ito. Walang halatang excitement. No extra shine sa mata. Still, she accepted the coffee with a polite smile. "Thanks."
They chatted for a moment—something about the schedule next week, the department meeting.
Kairi sat silently in her chair, trying not to look, but very aware of every word, every glance, every soft chuckle.
She hated that she was even thinking about it.
Nang makaalis ang lalaking guro, bumalik na si Miss Herrera sa desk niya, setting the coffee on the far corner like it didn't mean much. At wala ng nagsalita pa sa kanilang dalawa ni Kairi.
Class started soon after.
The last two groups presented, and Miss Herrera only asked three questions each before letting them off the hook. Walang grilling. Walang tension.
"That's all," Miss Herrera said, voice clear. "Good work, class."
Kairi turned in her seat slowly. At the back of the room, Miss Herrera stood with arms folded.
Kairi's eyes narrowed. Seriously? That's it?
Kahapon, sila ang ginisa buong period. Pero ngayon? Walang unreasonable na mga tanong. Walang challenge. Parang wala lang talaga.
Miss Herrera met her stare, calm and unreadable. Then, as if to drive the point deeper, she raised her brows slightly—as if to say, what?
Then nagsimula na siyang maglakad papunta sa harapan and dismissed the class.
"See you Monday."
Chairs scraped. Students packed. Kairi barely had time to reach for her bag when Zoe suddenly popped up beside her, a folder in hand.
"Kai, here," she said, dropping the folder on Kairi's desk. "Form for the defense on Monday. Pa-sign kay Miss Herrera and give this copy of our research paper."
"Wait—Zoe!" Kairi tried, but Zoe and Maya were already halfway to the door, waving.
Kairi sighed, grabbing her bag. Her fingers curled around the folder tightly as she made her way to Miss Herrera's desk.
"So...that was fast," bungad niya, trying to keep it light. Pero may bahid ng pang-aasar. "Akala ko today's groups would get a taste of yesterday's thunderstorm."
Miss Herrera didn't look up from sorting the stack of papers on her desk. "What do you want, Kairi?"
Kairi placed the folder on the desk. "Form for the defense, Miss. Also, a copy of our paper."
Miss Herrera finally glanced up, then opened the folder. She picked up her pen and the coffee cup in one fluid motion.
Kairi's eyes followed the movement.
And then...lingered.
Not on the cup.
On her teacher's lips.
The same lips that, less than twenty-four hours ago, had pressed against hers—deliberate, grounding, real.
The memory hit her without warning, sharp and almost tactile.
The way Miss Herrera's mouth had moved—slow, certain, not hesitant at all.
Parang hangin sa gitna ng ulan. Parang sagot sa tanong na hindi niya alam kung may karapatang itanong.
Her throat went dry.
Don't do this.
She pulled her gaze away.
She didn't want to open it up. Hindi pa ngayon. Hindi dito. If she opened it up, baka umatras lang si Miss Herrera. Baka matakot. Baka masira lang ulit lahat.
So instead, she chose something safer.
Much safer.
Kairi cleared her throat, forcing a light tone.
"How's the coffee from Sir I-Linger-In-Doorways?"
Miss Herrera didn't flinch. "He has a name."
"Hmm. Sure, Miss. I didn't know he knew your coffee preference."
"I don't think he does."
"Pero, Miss, bakit iniinom mo pa rin?"
This time, napatingin na nang matagal ang guro sa estudyante sa harapan niya. "It's just coffee, Kairi."
"Guess it doesn't really matter kung sino ang nagbigay, huh?"
Miss Herrera's gaze lingered for half a second too long. Then she capped her pen with deliberate calm and placed it down. "You have your form."
Kairi didn't move right away. She looked at the cup again, jaw tight, then back at Miss Herrera.
Miss Herrera glanced up again. "Anything else?"
Kairi shook her head.
Miss Herrera closed the folder, then added, as she placed it on the side, "Bring me the empty bottle after class."
Kairi blinked. "What if I don't finish it?"
Miss Herrera didn't smile. Didn't look annoyed either. Just raised her brows again, in that way that always meant—I dare you.
Kairi sighed. "Fine."
At sabay na silang lumabas ng classroom, parting ways at the stairs—quiet, nothing said.
But the warmth of the tea lingered on her tongue.
And so did the quiet echo of something unspoken between them.