Chapter 49
Pagpasok pa lang ni Kairi sa café, sinalubong na siya ng ingay at amoy ng kape.
Warm air wrapped around her, halong aroma ng roasted beans at murmur ng mga taong nagkukwentuhan.
May mga estudyanteng naka-uniform, office workers na halatang pagod na, at ilang late-night stragglers na abala sa laptops nila.
She slid into line—third from the counter—clutching her wallet like an anchor. Napatingin siya sa menu overhead kahit alam na niya kung ano ang gusto niyang i-order.
"Kairi?"
Napatigil siya.
Alice stood a few feet away, balancing a tray with a drink and a pastry. Same bright eyes, same open smile—like the weeks of silence between them hadn't meant anything.
"Hey!" masiglang bati ni Alice, eyes lighting up like always. "Didn't think I'd see you here! Come, samahan mo ako. Just place your order, then find me, ha? I'll wave."
At bago pa man makasagot si Kairi, nakaalis na si Alice. Pa-wave-wave pa habang naglalakad, weaving through the tables like nothing had changed.
Kairi stood frozen, pulse hammering. She hadn't prepared herself for Alice.
Not here, not tonight. By the time she reached the counter, her thoughts were still all over the place.
Parang nag-flashback lahat ng pilit niyang kinalimutan—those afternoons na magkasama pa sila.
Tawanan, kwentuhan, tapos biglang wala na lang.
Receipt in hand, she scanned the tables. Sure enough, Alice was waving cheerfully from a corner.
Kairi sighed softly, then forced herself to move. Pero bago pa siya makalapit, napahinto siya.
The table beside Alice's wasn't empty. A familiar figure sat quietly in the corner—a book open in front of her, a half-finished cup of coffee pushed to the side.
Miss Herrera.
Her chest clenched and she slowed without realizing it. Her heart tripped fast when Miss Herrera lifted her gaze. Nagtagpo ang mga mata nila. And Miss Herrera's expression didn't shift—composed, cool—but her eyes lingered before she looked back down at her book.
Kairi swallowed hard bago dahan-dahang umupo sa harap ni Alice.
"See? Found a good spot," sabi ni Alice, nudging her pastry plate forward na parang nag-aalok. "Way better than sitting up front. Maingay doon."
"Yeah," sagot ni Kairi, forcing a small smile. She cleared her throat softly, then glanced sideways. "Good evening, Miss."
Miss Herrera inclined her head slightly. "Evening."
Her tone was polite—neutral, almost casual—but her eyes stayed on Kairi for a second too long before she looked back to her book.
Alice followed Kairi's glance and grinned.
"Funny running into our teacher here, 'no?" she said, leaning a little toward Miss Herrera's table, cheerful and unbothered. "We were just saying how much coffee we need to survive this week. I bet naging busy ka rin, Miss?"
Miss Herrera looked up again. "You could say that."
Her gaze flicked back to the book, though she still hadn't turned the page.
Alice laughed softly, oblivious sa tension sa pagitan ng dalawa. "I was just reminding Kairi of the last time we had coffee after class. She got this super sweet drink—like dessert level—and swore she hated it, pero inubos din naman."
Kairi's face flushed. "Alice—"
"And," tuloy ni Alice, tapping her straw against her cup. "She used to scold me for drinking too much coffee, like it was going to kill me. But look at her now. Parang hindi na maka-survive ng exam week without it."
Kairi laughed nervously, fiddling with her receipt. "I guess."
Alice tilted her head, her voice softening a bit. "It's kinda nice though. Running into each other again. Tagal na rin, 'no? Almost feels like...old times."
The words hit Kairi hard. Parang simple lang pakinggan, pero ramdam niya iyong bigat sa ilalim. Because for her, old times didn't feel simple anymore.
Kairi just nodded, smiling faintly. Pero sa loob niya, may mahinang kirot—one that coffee, laughter, or casual small talk couldn't really fix.
Beside them, Miss Herrera turned a page too sharply, the sound just a little louder than necessary.
Pero si Alice, as usual, clueless pa rin. Tuloy lang sa kwento, walang kaalam-alam sa tension na kanina pa namumuo sa mesa.
"Miss, don't you think it's funny?" she said, smiling brightly. "How we run into people like this? Parang...gusto ng universe na mag-reconnect tayo," sabay tingin kay Kairi. "We should definitely hang out after exams. Just like before."
The suggestion landed heavy, like a stone dropped in still water. Kairi felt her stomach twist. Out of the corner of her eye, nakita niya kung paanong tumigil bigla ang kamay ni Miss Herrera sa ibabaw ng pahina.
Then, with quiet precision, Miss Herrera closed her book. The soft thud felt final.
"Excuse me," she said smoothly, voice calm but carrying something sharp beneath. Her eyes flicked toward Kairi for the briefest second before she stood. "I'll just step to the restroom."
The chair slid back without a sound. Then she walked away, heels clicking softly on the floor with her posture perfect as ever.
Kairi's chest tightened. Parang lumiit bigla iyong mundo sa paligid niya. She could barely hear Alice now—may sinasabi ito tungkol sa pastry o sa lasa ng drink niya—but everything else had faded into static. Her pulse drummed loud sa tenga niya, drowning out the noise of the café.
Before she could even think twice, she pushed her chair back. "I'll just...wash my hands," she mumbled, avoiding Alice's eyes.
The restroom was quiet, halos muffled compared sa café sa labas. Kairi stepped in, spotting the closed cubicle at the very end. She lingered by the sinks, fingers tapping nervously on the marble counter. Hindi niya alam kung anong gusto niyang sabihin...o kung dapat ba talaga siyang magsalita pa.
Then, after a moment, the cubicle door opened.
Miss Herrera emerged, pausing when she saw Kairi waiting. Her gaze flicked past her shoulder, scanning the row of stalls. Then back at her.
Kairi swallowed hard, her voice coming out low. "We're the only ones here."
Miss Herrera didn't answer right away. Lumapit lang siya sa sink, turned on the tap, and began washing her hands—slow, deliberate motions. Parang bawat galaw niya ay kontrolado, as if she was determined not to reveal even a hint of what she felt.
The sound of running water filled the silence between them.
Finally, she spoke—soft and even, but cutting. "Go on," she said, eyes fixed on the mirror. "Explain."
Kairi's mouth went dry. "Miss, it's not—I didn't plan this. Alice...tinawag niya ako when I was in line. Hindi ko nga alam na nandito siya until—" She let out a shaky breath. "It's just a coincidence. That's all."
Miss Herrera dried her hands slowly, deliberate sa bawat galaw, folding the paper towel neatly before throwing it away. Her expression didn't soften at all—still calm, still unreadable.
"If you don't want to be with her," she said evenly, eyes fixed on Kairi's reflection. "Then you need to leave. If you choose to stay, that's your decision."
Kairi blinked, words catching in her throat. Hindi niya alam kung bakit parang masakit pakinggan, kahit wala namang mali sa sinabi nito.
Miss Herrera's gaze flickered, just a small movement—but Kairi caught it. The slight tightening of her jaw, the way she reached for another paper towel kahit tuyo na ang kamay niya. Parang kailangan niya lang ng distraction. Or time.
"You always have a choice, Kairi," she said finally—quiet, but edged enough to cut through the silence.
Kairi lowered her eyes, her throat tight. Hindi siya sigurado kung dapat bang mag-sorry o magpaliwanag pa ulit.
Pero Miss Herrera didn't wait for her to answer.
She straightened, smoothing her blouse with one hand before stepping toward the door.
Saglit siyang huminto, turning slightly.
Then her eyes flickered to Kairi again. May kung anong ano sa tingin niya—something that almost looked like hesitation—pero nawala rin agad.
Then she pulled the door open and left.
Nakakabingi ang sumunod na katahimikan. Kairi stood there. Her heart raced na para siyang napagalitan. Except this felt different. It wasn't about rules, or grades, or being out of line. It was personal.
She stayed there for a while, watching her own reflection until it finally stopped trembling—until her breathing slowed and she could think straight again.
And when she finally pushed the door open, her decision was already made.
Pagbalik niya, the first thing she noticed was the empty seat beside Alice. Miss Herrera was gone—no coffee cup, no book, nothing left behind. Parang wala talaga siyang naging dahilan para manatili pa.
The sight left a strange hollowness sa dibdib ni Kairi.
Alice looked up from her phone, giving her that same easy grin. "Took you long enough. Akala ko, iniwan mo na ako."
Kairi swallowed hard. "Actually...kailangan ko ng umalis," she said, her voice low and quick.
Alice blinked. "Seriously? Already?"
"I'm sorry. Something came up."
Then she grabbed her bag before Alice could argue, forcing a small, polite smile—iyong tipong wala ng energy para magpaliwanag pa. Then, without another word, she turned for the door.
Sa labas, malamig na ang hangin, and the early evening light stretched long across the road—golden, soft, halos cinematic kung hindi lang ganito kabigat iyong pakiramdam ni Kairi. Tumigil siya sa gilid ng daan, staring blankly ahead habang nagpa-panic ang isip niya sa dami ng iniisip.
Hindi niya alam kung gaano katagal siyang nakatayo roon until the low hum of an engine slowed at her side. A car pulled in front of her. Then, the window rolled down.
"Kairi."
Miss Herrera's voice. Calm, but firm.
Kairi's chest tightened.
"Get in."
Hindi na siya nakapag-isip pa. After only a second of hesitation, sumunod siya.
Tahimik niyang binuksan ang pinto at dahan-dahang sumakay sa passenger seat.
The door clicked shut beside her. Nakaayos siya ng upo, pero halatang tense—hands fidgeting sa laylayan ng skirt niya, eyes fixed on the dashboard instead of the woman beside her.
They drove in silence for a block before Miss Herrera finally spoke. "Tell me."
Kairi blinked. "Tell you...?"
"What happened between you and Alice."
Walang emotion sa tono, pero ramdam ni Kairi iyong authority, iyong tipong hindi pwedeng iwasan.
Kairi's breath stuttered. She twisted her fingers together, then forced herself to speak.
"We...flirted. Made out, sometimes," she started. Her cheeks burned as the words left her. "It wasn't... it wasn't anything serious. At least, not for me."
Miss Herrera's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel, but she didn't interrupt. Just waited.
"I think..." Kairi let out a shaky breath. "I think I used her. Akala ko kasi, maybe if I let her in, makakalimutan kita. Or at least, ma-numb iyong feeling. Pero it didn't work. I just ended up ruining myself. And I hated who I was becoming. Until Zoe knocked some sense into me."
Her voice wavered. "So I told Alice na we should stop. Na hindi okay for me ang ginagawa namin. And I was...surprised when she agreed right away. Like it was nothing. And that was it."
Silence filled the car again—mas mabigat ngayon, parang bawat segundo ay humahaba.
Miss Herrera finally exhaled slowly, eyes still on the road. "You shouldn't have had to go through that."
Her voice was calm, pero may halong tension na ramdam ni Kairi—hindi galit sa kanya, pero may something sa ilalim ng tono na hindi niya ma-pinpoint. Parang... concern na may kasamang inis, o guilt.
Kairi bit her lip, staring out the window. "I know. I just...didn't know what else to do."
They drove another block before Miss Herrera's tone softened, almost tender. "Next time, don't destroy yourself to forget someone. Especially me."
Kairi's chest ached at the words, like something inside her shifted. Dahan-dahan siyang lumingon, studying her teacher's profile under the dim light—the calm, the restraint, and the faint furrow sa pagitan ng kilay nito.
"Are you mad?" mahina niyang tanong.
Her teacher's brows drew together slightly, pero steady pa rin ang boses niya. "No. I'm not mad." She paused, loosening her grip on the wheel. "I'm...worried."
Napaangat ng tingin si Kairi. "Worried?"
"Yes," Miss Herrera replied. "Seeing you with Alice...it concerned me. I don't trust her. And I don't like the thought of you being pulled back into something that hurt you once already."
The words landed heavier than Kairi expected. For a moment, she couldn't speak. Ang dami niyang gustong sabihin pero parang walang lumalabas. Then—because silence made her uneasy—she forced a small smirk, tilting her head slightly.
"Worried...or jealous?" she asked, light and testing.
For a moment, only the sound of the road filled the car. Miss Herrera's grip tightened slightly on the wheel, her eyes fixed ahead. She could've brushed it off, ignored it, pero imbes na ganoon, she let out a quiet breath through her nose.
"Does it matter which one?" she said finally, her tone calm but weighted.
Kairi's lips parted, caught off guard. She had expected denial, maybe a scolding. But not this.
Miss Herrera continued, her eyes still on the streetlights flashing past. "Either way, it doesn't change what I told you. I don't want you to get hurt again."
Kairi shifted in her seat, suddenly restless. Her chest tightened with something. May kung anong halo ng kaba at kilig, at ng takot and thrill.