Chapter 22
"Ako dyan!" hiyaw ni Kinsley kay Cecilia dahil nag-aagawan ito ng upuan.
It's Wednesday, and we're on the bus to the province.
We brought a lot of luggage because we'll be there for a week. Since there are so many of us, we were divided into two groups. Kinsley, Cecilia, and I are in one group, while Eliana is in the other. Ms. Sanchez and Ms. Dizon are our teachers, and Ms. Gomez, Ms. Flores, and Ms. Martinez are with the other group. The other group has more members, so their teachers have more to manage. We're all going to the same province but will be staying in different houses.
"Can I sit beside you, honey? There are no other seats left," Ms. Dizon said, breaking my gaze from the window. "Sure, Miss," I replied.
I'd been enjoying the solitude of my seat—Kinsley, Cecilia, and I were sitting separately, and I preferred to be alone. Pero mukhang hindi na ako magiging mag-isa rito.
"Did you prepare your camera, honey?" she asked. I nodded.
Ms.
Dizon was very talkative.
She chatted with me constantly until the bus started moving, asking questions and filling the journey with conversation.
I mostly just nodded in response.
I'm not usually talkative, even with my friends. It's strange; with Ms.
Sanchez, I can talk endlessly, even nonsensically, but with others, it's different.
Speaking of Ms. Sanchez, I couldn't find her. I looked around the front of the bus, but she wasn't there. I finally spotted her sitting behind me with Ms. Flores, her gaze intense and emotionless—a look that could pierce a person. Kaya napabalik nalang ang tingin ko sa bintana.
The three-hour drive offered beautiful scenery—endless fields of green, and the occasional bahay kubo nestled between towering coconut trees.
The air smelled fresher here, a mix of damp earth and the faint scent of carabao dung.
It's been a long time since I've been to the province, even though our family owns a lot of land here.
Honestly, I usually avoid coming dahil nakakatamad, but I can’t deny the peacefulness and beauty of the view. Unlike the city, walang ingay ng mga sasakyan, walang usok, walang siksikan ng tao. Just open fields and the sound of birds chirping in the distance.
"Gyan ka rin naliligo, Kins?" tanong ni Cecilia kay Kinsley habang tinuturo ‘yung putik na nililiguan ng mga baboy. May mga piglets pang nagtatakbuhan at nagkakalat ng putik sa paligid.
"Baka ikaw. Kung saan-saan ka nga tumatae eh," sagot naman ni Kinsley, tinuturo ‘yung mga tae ng kalabaw na nagkalat sa gilid ng daan.
"Kadiri ka!" reklamo ni Cecilia.
"Pwede bang manahimik na kayo?" singit ni Eliana, nasa gitna nila, kita sa mukha ang inis.
Agad silang nanahimik, pero naririnig ko pa rin ang mahina nilang tawanan.
I just sighed and went back to staring out the window.
We're only about half an hour away from our destination. The sun was already high, casting a golden glow over the fields. Napansin kong may mga batang naglalaro sa tabi ng kalsada, nagtatawanan habang hinahabol ang isa’t isa. Some were barefoot, their feet kicking up dust as they ran. Ang simple lang ng buhay dito. Walang cellphone sa kamay, walang social media—just pure, simple fun.
Meanwhile, mahimbing pa ring natutulog si Ms.
Dizon sa tabi ko, her head resting on my shoulder.
Her soft breathing was steady, almost rhythmic, and her dark lashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks.
Hindi ako gumalaw ni kaunti since she fell asleep—ayokong gambalain siya.
She looked like she really needed the rest.
Baka napagod siya sa biyahe or maybe she just hasn't been sleeping well lately. Either way, I let her be, feeling the warmth of her head against my shoulder as the car continued down the winding road.
"We're here, everyone," Ate announced from the front, kaya nagsigisingan at nagsitayuan na ang iba.
"Miss, wake up. We're here," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I watched her for a moment—her breathing was even, pero kita sa mukha niya ang pagod. She didn’t move, so I gently tapped her hand, a light, hesitant touch.
This time, she stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, eyes still clouded with sleep.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, honey. I didn't realize I fell asleep," she mumbled, her voice thick with grogginess and laced with genuine remorse. She blinked a few times, trying to focus, her expression dazed and unfocused.
"It's okay, Miss. Are you feeling alright? Let's go?" I offered, my hand instinctively reaching out to support her. Dahan-dahan siyang tumango, a small, almost hesitant movement, then she took a deep breath, as if gathering her strength.
I guided Ms. Dizon as she walked, her steps unsure and a little wobbly. Kakagising lang niya, and she was clearly still disoriented, her balance unsteady. I kept close, ready to catch her if she stumbled.
Then, the sharp click-clack of heels against the tiled floor shattered the quiet.
It was Ms. Sanchez.
"Can you walk faster?" she snapped, the words sharp and brittle, cutting through the air like shards of glass. Her voice held an edge of impatience, a familiar irritation that had been simmering since earlier.
Binilisan ko nang lumakad at pababa na kami nang biglang umandar 'yung sasakyan kaya halos matumba na si Ms. Dizon, pero buti lang ay nasalo ko ito sa bewang niya. "Be careful, Miss." I said and helping her to get down.
"Thank you, hon. I'm really sorry," Ms. Dizon said, her voice trembling slightly, her face pale with the shock of almost falling.
"It's nothing, Miss. Don't worry," I replied, offering a reassuring smile and gently guiding her forward.
Just then, a sharp voice cut through the air. "Huie, ano 'yan ha!" Ms. Martinez's reprimand snapped both of us out of the moment.
Kanina pa pala silang nakatingin sa amin, at halos lahat sila ay nasa amin 'yung focus. Many students were shipping us—Ms. Dizon and me—I have no idea why. Tiningnan ko si Kinsley na nasa gilid at halata sa mukha nito na hindi siya okay. Of course, I know she wouldn't be okay kasi gusto niya si Ms.
Dizon.
"Don't mind them, honey," Ms. Dizon said, noticing the shift in my mood. It wasn't the students' shipping that bothered me, it was Kinsley.
"Walk faster. And if you're going to flirt, don't do it in the walkway," Ms. Sanchez snapped, walking past us. She's been so grumpy all since ealier. What's her problem?
We arrived at the place. They rented it for the week, and it's quite large, with many rooms.
"I'll be handing out the keys, so find your roommates," Ms. Sanchez said. Kinsley and Cecilia were already paired up. Everyone seemed to have a roommate except me. I told Kins and Cecilia na sila nalang 'yung maging roommate. Everyone already went inside to find their rooms.
"We can share a room, honey," Ms. Dizon offered. Ms. Sanchez and Ms. Dizon each had their own rooms.
"Are you sure, Miss?" I asked, and she smiled and nodded. "Of course."
I looked at Ms. Sanchez; she was giving me that intense stare again—the one that could kill. She rolled her eyes before going into inside.
"You can put your things there, hon," Ms.
Dizon said, pointing to a cabinet.
We were in our room, getting ready for dinner.
It was already 7 PM, and we hadn't eaten anything yet. The house was lovely, cozy, and decorated in a traditional provincial style. We spent a while organizing our things and lost track of time.
We finally went outside after receiving a message that we were the only ones they were waiting for.
"Tagal niyo, marami pang oras mamaya para sa ginagawa niyo." bulong na sambit ni Ms. Martinez sa amin, na may halong kalokohan.
"We didn't do anything, honey." sagot nito kay Ms. Martinez at binigyan lang kami nito ng side eye. Habang si Ate ay nakatingin lang sa akin.
"You like her?" bulong ni Ate sa akin habang inaayos ko 'yung lulutuin. Kahit hindi naman ako marunong magluto. But I decided to help them since marami-rami ito.
"Who?" I asked her, confused.
"Seinna."
"Of course not," I replied. Why would she even think that? I only have eyes for Ms. Sanchez.
She didn't respond, focusing on what she's doing. The other students set the table and plates while the rest of us helped with cooking. We decided to cook inasal and other dishes.
"Paki-abot nga 'yung ano," utos ni Cecilia kay Kinsley.
"Yung ano?" tanong nito.
"Yung ano d'yan,"
"Yung ano nga?"
"YUNG ANO KASI!!"
"Tangina naman. Isa pa talaga ha." pikon na saad ni Kinsley.
"Yung sandok!"
"Sandok lang naman pala, hindi mopa masabi. Tanginaka." inis na sambit ni Kinsley dito at inabot 'yung sandok sa kanya. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako sakanila, ang dami talaga nilang problema.
Halos isang oras din tinagal namin. Marami kasi kaming niluto, pero mabilis na 'yon dahil marami kaming nagtutulungan.
We sat down at the table, and I ended up beside Ms. Dizon again. I don't know why, but we keep getting paired up. Everyone was seated, and we said a prayer before beginning to eat.
"Magkatabi talaga sila," bulong na asar ni Ms. Martinez pero rinig na rinig ang kanyang boses.
"Are you uncomfortable, hon? I'm sorry. I'll just change my seat," sabi ni Ms. Dizon sa akin at akmang tatayo na ito pero hinawak ko ang kanyang kamay upang tigilan ito sa pagtayo. Pero nag-ingay ang lahat dahil lahat pala sila ay nakatingin sa amin.
"Stay, Miss. I'm okay," mahinang sabi ko sa kanya at ngumiti ito sa akin.
"Bagay talaga sila!" bulong ng isa kong ka-klase.
"Support talaga ako kung magiging sila," dagdag pa ng katabi niya.
"Okay lang kahit hindi na ako makapag-boyfriend basta maging sil—" before she can even finish what she's saying, the dragon cut her off.
"We're in front of the foods. Show some respect. Understand? Stop the nonsense, or get out of this table, NOW," Ms. Sanchez said sharply, her voice tight with anger. Everyone fell silent.
We ate in silence. Ms. Sanchez was clearly not in her mood. Nakatingin ako sa kanya, at kahit sa pagkain nito ay wala siyang gana. I was shocked when I saw Ms. Dizon placed a piece of meat on my plate and smiled. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but her actions were definitely…suspicious.
I looked at Kinsley; she looked upset. Almost everyone is shipping Ms. Dizon and me. I don't like her, and I never will. My heart belongs to one person—Ms. Sanchez. The old me might have flirted with Ms. Dizon, but not anymore. It's Ms. Sanchez, or no one.
Halos hindi na'ko makakain dahil iniisip ko si Kinsley. I don't want her to think that I like Ms. Dizon. Ayokong isipin niya na inaagaw ko si Ms. Dizon sa kanya.
"Are you okay, hon? I'm really sorry," Ms. Dizon whispered, her voice barely audible above the quiet hum of conversation. She apologized again, a repetitive gesture that felt almost excessive, given she hadn't done anything wrong.
"I'm okay, Miss. You don't need to worry. How about you? Are you okay, Miss?" I replied softly, my tone mirroring her gentle concern. I
"I'm okay, honey. I don't mind," she said, giving me a smile while taking a bite of her food.
After we finished eating, I offered to help with dessert. Nagpasya akong bumili ng ice cream habang ang iba naman ay naghanda ng salads at iba pang desserts.
"Can you come with me, Kins?" I asked Kinsley habang inaayos ang wallet ko. She looked up from her phone and nodded without hesitation.
We left together, walking towards the car. The night air was cool, and the faint sound of laughter lingered behind us. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang naglalakad, pero may bumabagabag sa isip ko. Napag-isipan kong i-bring up ang tungkol kay Ms. Dizon.
"About Ms. Dizon and me—" I began, my voice careful, pero bago ko pa matapos, Kinsley cut me off.
"You don't need to explain, I know," she said casually, getting into the car without even looking at me.
Nagmadali akong sumakay, shutting the door behind me. "I don't like her, Kins. And I never will. I don't want you to misunderstand," I said firmly, turning to face her.
She let out a small chuckle, shaking her head. "I know, Syl. Hindi naman ako nagsabi na gusto mo siya," she replied, her tone light and teasing.
Tumingin siya sa akin sandali, then sighed. "I like her, yes. But that doesn't mean she likes me back, Syl. And if she does like you, there's nothing I can do about it. Kaya 'wag ka mag-alala," she added with a reassuring smile.
I didn’t answer. I just nodded, letting her words sink in. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero parang may kung anong bigat ang nawala sa dibdib ko.
The ice cream shop wasn’t far, so we got there quickly. We walked inside, greeted by the cold air and the sweet scent of different flavors. Rows of colorful tubs lined the counter, each one more tempting than the last.
We ended up buying a lot—halos napuno ang bag namin. We had to carry multiple containers, ensuring there was enough for everyone.
On our way back, Kinsley nudged me playfully. "Huwag mo na isipin ‘yun ha," she said, her voice softer this time.
"Mhm," I hummed in response, still thinking about everything. Then, out of nowhere, she pulled me into a tight hug.
Napangiti ako. She really knows me so well.
"Yeyyy, ice cream!" parang bata na sigaw ni Cecilia nang makita kaming papunta sakanila na may bitbit na ice cream.
"Para kang batang ngayon lang nakakita ng ice cream." sabi ni Kinsley dito kaya inirapan ito ni Cecilia.
Everyone got their ice cream, but the vegetable salad was still being prepared. I decided to go and help. Katabi ko si Ate at tutulungan siya sana ng narinig ko ang boses ni Ms. Dizon.
"Ouch!" mahina na daing ni Ms. Dizon pero narinig ko iyon kaya mapatingin ako sa kanya.
"Are you okay, Miss?" I asked, noticing a small cut on her finger. She dropped the knife, but luckily I caught it. "You're bleeding, Miss!" I said, holding her hand.
"I'm okay, honey. Don't worry," she said, forcing a smile, but I knew it hurt her.
"Let's go to our room, Miss. I have some ointment there," I said, gently guiding her towards the room. However, she insisted that she was fine.
"I'm okay—"
"I know you're not okay, Miss. Let's just go, okay? I'll treat your wound," I said firmly, interrupting her. She sighed, realizing she had no choice.
We were already in the room, and I gathered my first-aid supplies. She sat on the bed, and I sat beside her. I held her hand and gently wiped it to remove any bacteria. When I applied the ointment, napapikit ito, kaya agad ko itong hinipan.
"Masakit pa rin, Miss?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, hon."
I applied a bandage, and it was done. I noticed she kept looking at me. I mean, of course, I was right in front of her, but there was something different about her gaze; it felt intense.
"Be careful, Miss. Don't let this happen again." I said, while putting away the first-aid supplies.
"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience I caused you," she repeated, apologizing profusely.
"Miss, please stop apologizing. It wasn't your fault, and you are not an inconvenience to me at all. I wanted to help you," I said, feeling increasingly frustrated by her persistent apologies. It bothered me that she kept apologizing for something that wasn't her fault. I wanted to help her out of genuine kindness, not because I felt obligated.
"Okay, hon. I'm sorry again for the last time. Let's go back outside?" she asked, and I nodded. She left the room first, as I was still putting away my supplies. I followed her immediately afterward.
I was walking behind her when someone suddenly grabbed my arms. I looked to see who it was, and it was Ms. Sanchez.
"Miss—"
"Shut up, Gomez. Just follow me," she said sharply, cutting me off. She headed towards her room.
"Sit," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. I was completely taken aback. Why was she bringing me to her room?
"Are you deaf? I said sit, Gomez," she repeated, her voice sharper this time. I obeyed, still confused.
I sat on her bed as she reached into her suitcase. After retrieving something, she quickly approached me.
"Give me your hands, Gomez." she said, and I gave her my right hand.
"The left one." she said again. How did she know? Wala akong nagawa kundi ilahad sa kanya ang aking kaliwang kamay.
"You're healing others' wounds when you can't even heal your own," she stated, her gaze falling upon the small cut on my finger. I'd gotten it when Ms. Dizon dropped the knife earlier; the sharp blade had sliced me. But how did Ms. Sanchez know? Ms. Dizon didn't noticed even though that she was in front of me, but Ms. Sanchez had been behind me earlier.
"How did you know?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.
"No clue," she replied, applying ointment to my finger. It stung intensely, making me almost pull my hand away, but she quickly blew on the wound, easing the pain.
I found myself staring at her; she was incredibly beautiful.
The way her hair fell, her delicate features—everything about her was captivating.
I was falling for her.
Even without doing anything, she was driving me crazy.
How could someone be so beautiful?
It should be illegal; anyone who looked at her would surely be smitten.
"Stop looking at me, Gomez. Look that way with Seinna." she said, snapping me back into reality.
"What? I don't like her," I replied.
"Who do you think you're fooling? You two were practically inseparable earlier. Lots of students were shipping you two, and you didn't even stop them. Stop the act, Gomez," she said firmly, applying a bandage to my finger.
A smile tugged at my lips.
Was she jealous?
Then I remembered—why would she be?
She has a boyfriend.
"I told you, I don't like her, Miss. I didn't respond earlier because none of it was true. I wasn't affected because I knew what they were thinking wasn't going to happen," I insisted as she gathered her things.
"Quit the act. Just admit you like her, Gomez," She retorted, her voice tight with a mixture of annoyance and something else. She started to walk away, but I couldn't let her go. Not now, not like this.
I reached out, wrapping my fingers gently around her wrist, her warmth seeping into my skin. Before she could pull away, I tugged her back—softly, carefully—until she lost her balance and landed right on my lap.
My breath caught. She was so close. Too close.
She stiffened, her wide eyes locking onto mine, lips slightly parted in surprise. I could feel the quick rise and fall of her chest, the way her breath hitched as she processed what just happened.
"I like you," I murmured, my voice quieter than I intended. "Only you, Miss."
She didn’t move. Didn’t say a word.
"I like you so much it's making me lose my mind," I went on, my fingers brushing against hers, hesitant but unwilling to let go. "The way you smile, the way you laugh… even when you get annoyed at me, it still gets to me." I let out a soft chuckle, "I don’t want anyone else, Miss. Just you."