Chapter 44
The morning was warmer than usual, air heavy with that lazy Tuesday humidity. Kairi shifted the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder habang naglalakad papunta sa building nila at pilit nilalabanan ang bigat ng mga mata niya as she barely had enough sleep.
She didn't bother rushing—mabagal lang ang lakad niya—hanggang sa may nakita siyang pamilyar na kotse na nakaparada sa tapat ng building.
At first, hindi niya ito pinansin. Pero habang papalapit siya, mas naging malinaw ang mga detalye.
Miss Herrera stood by the passenger side, her hair a little undone from the humidity. Naka-sling iyong bag niya sa isang balikat at may hawak na stack ng folders na maingat na nakaipit sa braso. Beside her was the guy Kairi had always seen before—Miss Herrera's friend.
Kairi's pace slowed.
The guy leaned in too closehabang inaabot ang isa pang stack ng folders.
Tumama iyong mga daliri niya sa kamay ni Miss Herrera at may sinabi siya sabay ngiti na bahagyang nagpangiti rin kay Miss Herrera.
Not wide, but real. Subtle. She tilted her head slightly as she laughed, strands of hair falling across her cheek.
Then his hand came up, steadying the folders in her arms, fingers brushing her elbow like it was second nature.
Nanikip ang lalamunan ni Kairi. She gripped the strap of her bag tighter, nails digging in until her palm stung.
It was nothing dramatic—just little movements, subtle touches, careless familiarity. Pero sa mata ni Kairi, malinaw ang lahat—the way his gaze lingered on Miss Herrera's face, the way her eyes softened when she looked at him, the closeness that didn't even need to be explained.
Then he stepped back, opening the car door. He paused with one last smile, one last word, and Miss Herrera answered it with that same subtle curve of her lips before he slipped inside.
The car door closed with a thud. The engine started.
Kairi's pulse hammered in her ears.
Only when the car started pulling away did Miss Herrera look up—at tumama iyong tingin niya kay Kairi, standing a few meters away.
"Kairi," she called, adjusting the folders in her arms. Her tone was warm, pero may halong gulat. "Good morning."
Kairi gave a quick nod. "Morning."
Nagtagal ang katahimikan nang ilang segundo bago siya lumapit at walang tanong-tanong, inabot ang top set ng folders. "Let me help."
Their fingers brushed—skin against skin. Masyadong mabilis at madiin ang pagkakahawak ni Kairi at napansin iyon ni Miss Herrera. Her smile softened, but her eyes searched her face, quiet, questioning.
As they started walking, Miss Herrera shifted the strap of her bag, glancing sideways, testing the air. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know," sagot ni Kairi, eyes fixed straight ahead.
The rest of the walk was quiet, footsteps falling in sync but nothing else.
Pagdating sa classroom, Kairi placed the folders on the desk—medyo napalakas pa ang pagbagsak—then retreated straight to her seat. Wala ng tingin-tingin. Wala ng salitang binitiwan pa.
Miss Herrera placed her things down slowly, eyes still lingering a bit longer than they should.
Soon, dumating na rin ang ibang mga estudyante, filling the room with chatter. Pero si Kairi? Hindi tumingin kahit kanino. Hindi sa classmates, hindi sa guro. Hindi rin sa labas ng bintana gaya ng nakasanayan. Nakaupo lang siya, arms crossed sa desk, staring straight ahead.
When the bell rang, Miss Herrera stood, calling for the attention of the class.
"Alright," she announced. "You're getting the entire period to review for the final exam and work on any remaining projects. You can also approach me for questions if there's anything you want to clarify."
The class stirred, relieved murmurs everywhere. May naglabas ng reviewers, may nagbukas ng laptop, at ang iba, earphones agad.
Miss Herrera sat back down and opened a folder of unchecked essays. Her pen moved across the page—but her eyes drifted. Again. And again.
To the girl at the front.
Kairi, hunched slightly, head down. Writing something, flipping through notes. Detached.
No glances. No quiet signals. Not even once.
Not after last night. Not after everything.
Miss Herrera's jaw tightened, pen tapping against the desk.
This—this wasn't what she expected.
Tumayo si Miss Herrera mula sa desk niya kasabay ng bell, carefully gathering the last stack of papers at inayos sa folder. One last glance sa front row—kay Kairi, who moved slower than usual. May bahagyang kunot sa noo niya like her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
For a second, Miss Herrera considered—leave it, let her be? Pero sa huli, she decided against it. Maybe space was what Kairi needed. Maybe.
She sighed quietly, straightening her posture before walking out of the classroom, folders secured under her arm. Sa next class, same instruction din ang ibinigay niya—self-study, review for finals, approach her desk if may tanong.
She sat behind her desk, uncapping her pen to grade the next batch of essays.
But her mind refused to settle.
Her eyes kept scanning the same paragraph—same clunky sentence about symbolism—without processing a single word. Twice, three times, four...her pen hovered.
Useless.
She sighed again, softly this time, then set the papers aside. Tumayo siya, facing her class.
"I'm stepping out for a few minutes. Please behave, I'll be back shortly," sabi niya, pointing at the class president. "Look after the class."
Before the student could even nod fully, she was already out the door.
Her footsteps echoed pababa ng stairs, one floor down kung saan alam niyang class ni Kairi. She paused outside the room, inhaled, composed herself—then knocked lightly.
Nagbukas ng pinto ang co-teacher niya, blinking at her.
"Sorry to interrupt," Miss Herrera said politely. "Could I borrow Kairi Lei Ferrer for a few minutes?"
The co-teacher looked surprised but nodded. "Of course." Then he called into the classroom. "Kairi, you're excused. Outside."
A few moments later, lumabas si Kairi, pen still in hand, brow furrowing nang makita kung sino ang naghihintay.
Miss Herrera gave a quick nod to the teacher. "Thank you." Then, with a small tilt of her head, she told Kairi, "Come with me."
Tahimik na sumunod si Kairi, a couple of steps behind, hanggang makarating sila sa stairwell landing kung saan tahimik at walang mga dumadaan-daan.
Miss Herrera turned, arms crossed, at siya na ang unang nagsalita.
"Alright," she said calmly but firmly. "What's going on with you?"
Kairi blinked, shifting awkwardly. "Nothing."
Tumaas ang kilay ng guro. "Try again."
Kairi's jaw tightened, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"You barely looked at me all morning," Miss Herrera continued, steady. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"
Humigpit ang hawak ni Kairi sa ballpen, lips pressed tightly.
"Talk to me, Kairi," Miss Herrera urged, voice softer. "If something's wrong, I want to hear it."
There was a moment of silence before Kairi let out a frustrated breath, shoulders sagging slightly. "Nothing. I'm just...mad at myself," she muttered.
Miss Herrera frowned slightly. "Why?"
Kairi shifted, restless. Her voice came quieter, frustration breaking through. "Kasi hindi ko ma-control. Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na I wouldn't be like this...but I am."
Miss Herrera tilted her head, stepping a little closer. "Like what?"
"Jealous," Kairi finally admitted, biting the inside of her cheek. "Kanina, when I saw you with him."
The word hung heavy between them. Miss Herrera didn't rush. She held Kairi's gaze, silence stretching long enough for Kairi's throat to tighten, her fingers fidgeting sa pen na hawak pa rin niya.
Kairi let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Miss, I know what you said, I know he's your friend, I know there's nothing...pero it didn't stop me from feeling it. Even after...after everything last night."
Her voice thinned at the end. The image replayed—his hand brushing her elbow, her smile, soft and real. A cruel loop she couldn't switch off.
Miss Herrera stayed quiet for a second longer, letting the words settle before she spoke again—calm, careful.
"And galit ka sa sarili mo because...what? You think you're not allowed to feel that way?"
Kairi swallowed, glancing away. Her teeth sank lightly into her bottom lip. "I don't want to be...stupid about it. Miss, ayaw kong maging clingy or irrational. Wala naman akong karapatan to feel it, but—"
"Who says you don't have the right to feel it?" Miss Herrera cut in, gently.
Nag-angat ng tingin si Kairi, halatang naguluhan. Miss Herrera simply waited na parang binibigyan si Kairi ng oras para unti-unting mag-process.
"It's stupid," bulong ni Kairi. "You said he's just a friend. I shouldn't care. I shouldn't feel anything. Pero damn—it's like stuck in my chest or something."
Miss Herrera's jaw shifted, pero walang bakas ng inis—just patience.
"Jealousy isn't stupid," she said, firmer. "It's human."
Mas lalo pang kumapit si Kairi sa hawak niyang ballpen.
"But it's not fair to you—"
"Kairi," malumanay na putol ni Miss Herrera, stepping closer. Close enough that her faint perfume—soft, clean—brushed between them. "Look at me."
Nag-alinlangan si Kairi bago dahan-dahang iniangat ang tingin.
Miss Herrera's gaze wasn't sharp, wasn't reprimanding. It was steady. Grounded.
"You're allowed to feel things," mahinahon niyang sabi. "Even inconvenient, messy things. You're allowed to be annoyed, pwede kang magselos. You don't have to punish yourself for it."
Kairi's throat felt like it wanted to close again, but she took in a slow breath, shoulders sagging. "But I didn't want to...ruin today because of it."
"You didn't ruin anything," Miss Herrera replied, softer now. "You've been quiet. I noticed. That's why we're here."
Kairi blinked fast para pigilan ang pamumuo ng luha bago mabilis na umiwas ng tingin. Her voice cracked slightly. "I hate it. I hate feeling...like this. Like I don't know where I stand."
Miss Herrera's breath caught for a moment. Her posture relaxed, arms uncrossing.
"Then maybe I haven't done a good enough job making it clear where you stand," she said, quieter, almost to herself.
Kairi's eyes snapped back to her—searching, unsure.
Lumapit ulit si Miss Herrera—slow and steady. Her voice dropped even lower. "You stand exactly where you were last night. Nothing's changed since then. A friend dropping me off, helping me carry papers isn't going to erase that."
Kairi's jaw clenched lightly. Her chest tightened, but the words still pushed through, unsteady. "It wasn't just the papers. I saw the way he touched you. Your arm...your hand. You didn't pull away."
Miss Herrera paused, her expression unreadable for a moment.
Then she shook her head slightly, her voice steady.
"Because it was nothing, Kairi. Just the way people do when they're handing things over.
Hindi ko nga napansin until you said it, because it didn't matter.
If it had, I wouldn't be here with you."
Napalunok si Kairi. Pero kahit paano, nawala nang kaunti ang tension sa balikat niya.
Lumambot ang mga mata ni Miss Herrera, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"You don't have to hide it from me," she said gently. "Whatever you feel. You don't have to act fine just because we're at school."
Kairi pressed her lips together, nodding. "Okay."
They stayed like that for a moment longer, the faint sounds of classes echoing from down the hall, but in their little corner, it was quiet. Calmer.
Huminga nang malalim si Miss Herrera, saka bahagyang umatras pero hindi inalis ang tingin.
"You should go back to class."
Kairi gave her a look—half-hopeful, half-teasing. "Can I skip? Just today?"
Pero nagtaas lang ng kilay ang kanyang guro. "It's your research period."
Kairi groaned, letting her head fall back slightly. "Exactly. Perfect time to...destress."
Miss Herrera crossed her arms, fighting back a smile. "You and your group still have to fix your literature review."
At that, Kairi's mouth opened, ready to argue—then stopped. Her brow furrowed slightly, remembering something.
"Actually, Miss...Binasa ko ulit iyong lit review namin before coming to school," she admitted. "You were right. Ang patchy. We jumped between sources without really tying them together."
Miss Herrera's smile deepened, something fond flickering in her gaze. "See? Progress."
Kairi shrugged, pero halatang mas magaan na ang pakiramdam. Her grin came back, small but genuine. "Guess I should get back then."
"You should," Miss Herrera said, her voice warmer now. "Go on."
Kairi gave a mock salute before turning to leave, lighter on her feet. Parang bumalik na ulit ang usual niyang sigla.
Miss Herrera watched her go, quietly relieved.
Back to herself again.