It was not easy for my sibling and me to leave the center that had temporarily become our home for two weeks. We had grown quite fond of the place, especially the three mothers who took care of us. Fr. Jowie picked us up at nine in the morning, and we would be staying at the church with him for a week. The construction of our room in Fr. Jowie's house got delayed because his sibling, whom he had assigned to oversee the project, fell ill. But that's alright. What's important to me is that Oteph and I are still together.
As we left the center, I couldn't help but cry, especially when my sibling and I bid farewell to Mrs. Verna and Ms. Teresa. I couldn't fully comprehend how we had grown attached to them in such a short period of time. My only concern was Mama Flora. She locked herself in the comfort room and didn't show herself to us. Despite Mrs. Verna calling her multiple times, she didn't come out of the CR. I knew it hurt her that we were leaving the Center. That's the hardest part for volunteers like them, the attachment to the children who they grow fond of. They are well aware that children like us are only temporary in the center, but they still choose to love us who aren't their own. So, when they find new families to adopt the children, they are the ones who get hurt first. But they repeatedly go through that pain just to make the children feel loved, cared for, and mothered when their own parents have deprived them of love. Their hearts are truly noble, and I will never forget them. Oteph and I will return to that place someday.
"O Andrea, are you and your sibling okay there?" Fr. Jowie asked me.
"We're okay, Father," I replied and looked at Oteph, who was sitting beside me in the back seat of his car.
"Let's go so we can have lunch at my residence at the church. Manang Saling cooks delicious food there, which is why I gained some weight," Fr. Jowie said, pinching his growing belly.
"Alright," I replied, forcing myself to smile. I noticed Oteph was quiet. He was looking at the front of the center where Mrs. Garcia, most of the children from the center, and some unfamiliar volunteers and staff. Mrs. Verna and Ms. Teresa were also there, but Mama Flora was still no where to be found.
Oteph stood up and looked out of the car window, waving his hand and shouting goodbye. I noticed Ben, who is also known as Pidoy, trying to catch up to the car. He was sobbing because Oteph had apparently become a close friend. I sighed deeply, feeling the heaviness in my chest. When our car exited the gate, I saw a familiar face peeking through the center's gate.
"Mama Flora..." I muttered. She was standing behind the gate, quietly following our car, her eyes swollen from crying.
I wanted to ask Fr. Jowie to stop the car, but it felt like I had lost my voice, and I couldn't contain my tears. Oteph hugged me when he saw me crying. Meanwhile, Fr. Jowie drove in silence, but I could tell he was watching us, siblings, through the rearview mirror of his car.
"You will meet Gem Ver tomorrow, Andrea," the priest suddenly told me.
"Huh? Father?" was my confused response, unsure why Fr. Jowie mentioned my best friend.
"I said, you will meet your friend Gem Ver tomorrow because you will both start school," Fr. Jowie explained.
"Oh, yes Father. I'm a bit nervous, though. I'm worried I won't be accepted in this class," I said to Father Jowie.
"Me too, sister. I'll be starting school tomorrow as well," Oteph chimed in, listening to our conversation with Fr. Jowie.
"Of course, we'll go to school together tomorrow, just like we used to," I happily replied to my sibling.
"Yay!" Oteph replied cheerfully, clapping his hands.
"How did you and your FRIEND Gem Ver meet, Andrea?" the priest asked, emphasizing the word "friend."
"You're so curious, Father," I replied politely. "Just kidding," I added.
How did my best friend Gem Ver and I meet? Once again, that day when I first entered my current high school flashed in my memory.
I can't explain the nervousness I felt when I first stepped into Senior High School at Saint Therese of Lisseux Academy. It was the first day of school, and I was almost running late for my first period subject. I wasn't familiar with the layout of the school, so I had to ask where the St. Joseph building was.
My first period was at seven in the morning, and it was already 7:23 A.M. according to my old cellphone. I knew it would be embarrassing to be late for my Organizational and Management class, so I thought I would just explain to my professor why I was late. Hopefully, he would understand (I'm hoping...) why I missed her class. After all, I was still adjusting, especially since it was my first day as a Senior High student, specifically under the ABM strand.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw the St. Joseph building, which turned out to be right next to the school library. I hurriedly made my way towards the building and quickly climbed the stairs to find room 506. I hadn't even had breakfast yet due to rushing, so I started feeling hungry the moment I saw the building. Honestly, I couldn't sleep well last night because I was too excited for the first day of school, especially since I was now a Senior High School student. It was quite challenging to have to climb five floors for my first period. It would have been okay if there was an elevator, but even if there was one, it didn't seem to be working. Whoever made our schedule must have been sadistic, putting us on the top floor of a five-story building.
I quickly ascended the stairs towards the fifth floor of the building. There were hardly any people climbing the stairs with me, so I was free to climb them quickly. However, by the time I reached the middle of the third floor, I started feeling tired and my leg muscles began to ache. My black shoes had heels, and I wasn't used to walking with them, especially on stairs. So, I had to stop several times to alleviate the pain in my feet.
As I approached the fifth floor, my heart pounded even harder with nervousness, especially because I heard that the teacher for our first period subject was strict. I really hoped that since it was just the first meeting, our professor would be in a good mood and give me some leeway to enter the class.
I was close to the 5th floor, and I checked the time on my cellphone once again. It was already 7:25 A.M. I was half an hour late, and it would be embarrassing to still go in. As I stepped onto the fifth floor, a guy quickly passed by my side. Because the pathway was tight, he accidentally bumped into me, causing me to almost drop my cellphone and I had to grab onto the handrail on the stairs to prevent it from falling.
"Hey! What the heck?!" I yelled at him.
But the guy continued on as if nothing happened. My ears burned even more when he looked back at me and left a mocking smile behind.
"You're so rude!" I shouted at him in frustration.
The guy just kept walking without stopping to help me. I was seething with anger and wanted to scratch and slap him the moment I saw him.
Grrr!
I stood up straight and let go of the handrail. I placed my cellphone in my shoulder bag and composed myself. I took a deep breath to calm my anger towards that rude guy. Immediately, I stepped forward to chase after that rude student. However, when I reached the hallway, he was no longer there. I was boiling with anger at that moment, but there was nothing I could do because he was gone. Well, if I saw him rushing here in this building, he probably has a class on this fifth floor as well. I'll have my revenge on him; he'll have his day with me.
I started by gazing at the room numbers on each door of the building. Room 501 on the right...502 on the left...503 on the right again. The classroom numbers alternated between left and right, so I didn't have a hard time searching. Finally, I found the classroom I was supposed to enter, but I was taken aback by what I heard from inside the room, which made my heart beat faster in my chest.
"...my goodness! First day of the semester, what kind of attitude is that, Mr. Dela Rea?!" a female teacher's angered voice echoed from the classroom where I was supposed to go.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again..." a male voice responded, probably being reprimanded by our teacher.
"Okay, I am looking forward to that, Mr. Dela Rea. You may take your seat now!" our teacher's tone was stern.
"Thank you, ma'am," the scolded guy replied sadly.
The whole class fell silent, perhaps intimidated by the scary voice of our teacher. I also swallowed nervously at that moment and didn't know if I should continue or just skip the first period. I could just wait for our second period and go straight to room 403 in the same building. However, one of the school rules was that students couldn't wander around or hang out anywhere. So, I had no choice but to enter my first period.
I tried taking a step forward, feeling as though my feet suddenly became heavy, accompanied by an accelerated heartbeat.
"Let it be..." I said to myself and stepped in front of the door of room 506.
"Drew, Drew, Drew...run for your life...no, no, no, you can do it, Andrea, you can do it!" My mind said as I entered the door. Our professor's eyes immediately focused on me, raising her right eyebrow.
"Goodluck self..." I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to speak.
"Goo-goo-good morning, ma'am...my apology for being la-la-late..." I stuttered because I didn't realize that my knees were trembling and my voice was shaking. My hands and feet were getting cold, but I could feel sweat dripping down my forehead and underarms.
I became even more nervous when I saw our teacher's stern face staring at me from head to toe. Then, she pursed her lips covered in thick red lipstick.
"Yes?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.
I swallowed hard upon hearing our teacher's harsh voice. I noticed that almost all the students in the class were looking at me. Some whispered to each other, their eyes fixed on me, making me feel uncomfortable in those moments.
"...ma'am, is it okay if I join your class?" I asked for permission, as my heart wanting to escape from the pounding in my chest due to extreme nervousness.
Our professor faced me, placing her both hands on her hips.
"What time is it, young lady?" she asked sternly, answering my question herself.
I took out my cell phone from my bag and checked the time on its screen.
"I-it's 7:45 am, ma'am," I quickly responded to her. I felt like even breathing was prohibited in those moments. If only the ground in front of me could open up and swallow me, I would let it happen just to escape from that situation.
"So, it's 7:45 in the morning..." she approached me while still crossing her arms on her chest. I could hear the sound of her heels tapping on the classroom floor. She looked at my classmates. "Class, what time is your first period subject?!" she asked the whole class.
Nobody had the courage to answer my classmate's question. Everyone remained silent, with most of them looking down at the floor.
"Again, what time is the schedule of your subject to me?" he asked the class, with a hint of annoyance.
"7:00 am, ma'am," some of my classmates answered in unison. Most of them kept their heads down and avoided making eye contact with our teacher.
"So, since your schedule is at seven in the morning, there's no need for me to answer your question from earlier about whether I will accept you in my class or not. Maybe you don't belong here, young lady. As a teacher for almost a decade now, I don't tolerate latecomers in my class," he said, scanning me from head to toe. "Perhaps you're too early for your next subject, my dear. Do you think it's time for you to leave now? You are already wasting my precious time with my students," our terrifying professor added.
"But, ma'am..." I was about to explain, but she quickly interrupted me, not allowing me to say what I wanted to say or plead with him.
"What?!" he replied angrily. In that moment, I couldn't help but cry from the embarrassment caused by our teacher.
"I'm... I'm sorry, ma'am," I stammered through tears. I knew I was also at fault for being late to my first-period class, but I didn't expect to be humiliated like this just because of being late. I didn't deserve such treatment, especially when I had a valid reason for my lateness. I took a deep breath, grabbed a tissue from my bag, and wiped the sweat off my face. Then, I looked back at the class and decided to go to the classroom to wait for the start of my second-period class.
I turned to leave the classroom, but I heard a voice behind me.
"Is there a problem, Dr. Ramirez? Why is..." a man in a coat and tie stared at me. "...what is your name?" he asked me.
I was surprised by the man in the suit's question. He was the Principal of our school. I remembered him because he was one of the speakers at the grade 11 orientation before the school year started.
"Good morning, sir!" Dr. Ramirez quickly greeted the School Head. "...class, why don't you greet our beloved School Head, Dr. Eugene De Leon!" our teacher suddenly had a kind tone in her voice as she addressed my classmates. Her smile was beautiful, even though it seemed forced.
"A blessed morning, sir!" my classmates greeted him in unison, standing up to show respect.
The forty-something-year-old Principal of our school smiled and acknowledged the class before focusing his attention back on me.
"What is your name again, miss...?" he asked me, smiling warmly while Dr. Ramirez stood beside him, still wearing a disapproving expression.
"Andrea Agustin, sir," I replied quickly.
"Okay, Miss Agustin. Nice to meet you. You may now join your classmates and find a seat where you are comfortable. I'll just talk to Dr. Ramirez," he said, easing the anxiety I felt.
Dr. Ramirez's face clearly showed his disagreement with Dr. De Leon's decision to allow me into the class. I knew our professor didn't think highly of me, but I didn't pay attention to that. What was important was that I was still able to attend my first-period subject. However, I wouldn't be able to submit my class card to Dr. Ramirez since he would now be talking to our Principal. I decided to submit it to him tomorrow, even if I knew it would only further anger our professor. It was because of me that Dr. Ramirez was being talked to by Dr. De Leon on the first day of class.
"T...thank you, sir," I managed to say with restrained gratitude to our Principal as I quickly entered the classroom. I felt a weight lifted off my chest, even though my classmates' eyes were still on me.
Dr. Ramirez left the classroom and followed Dr. De Leon to the office to have a conversation with him. I scanned the room to find an empty seat. Everyone else was already seated except for one vacant seat in the middle at the back. The rude guy from earlier was sitting next to it.
What the...? I almost cursed upon seing him.
My ears burned again when I saw him. He was staring off into the distance, lost in his thoughts. His skin was smooth and almost paper-like in its whiteness, with a well-proportioned physique that matched his tall height. He had slanted Chinese eyes, thin red lips that accentuated the deep dimples on both of his cheeks, and a small mole beneath his left eye. If I'm not mistaken, he seemed to have Korean or Japanese ancestry. He certainly had good looks, but what did that matter to me? I would make sure to give him a piece of my mind later when he sees me.
I approached the vacant seat with my head bowed, and sat beside him with a thud. I dropped my bag noisily, making it clear that I was annoyed with him. However, he paid no attention to it. He continued to gaze into the distance, not even bothering to look at me, he's such a very rude classmate.
Our class became noisy because our teacher was still in the principal' office. I didn't know anyone in my class, and I'm not the type to initiate introductions with people I just met. Besides, I'm not interested in getting to know rude and tactless guys like the one sitting next to me. I wasn't in the mood to do it anyway as my day was already ruined. I thought he might have been scolded by Dr. Ramirez earlier for arriving late to class.
"Hi. I am Sophie Vergara, what's yours?" a girl said to me, extending her hand. I looked at her and noticed that her lips were trembling as she smiled. I forced myself to reciprocate her smile and quickly shook her hand.
"Hello, I am Andrea Agustin," I replied.
"Is it your first time here in this school?" she asked.
"Yes, it's my first time here," I responded. She seemed kind and friendly. "And you?"
"Me? Actually no. I've been studying here since elementary school. And now I'm in Senior High School here, so I pretty much know everyone who works here, from the janitor to the school president," she answered, laughing loudly. I just smiled and nodded along to what she was saying. She suddenly became conscious of her loud laughter and glanced at the class. "...sorry, I'm like this when I'm really happy."
"No, you don't have to say sorry, it's fine," I said. "I think you seem fun to be around."
"Really?!"
I nodded in response.
"Oh, thanks." She gave me a friendly kiss on the cheek. "So this means we're friends now?" she asked again.
I looked at her and pondered. We had just met, so it was hard to say if I could trust her. But she seemed nice, so I nodded in response to her question. I could see the happiness on her face as she accepted my friendship.
"So, starting today, we're friends and no take-backs, okay?" Sophie reassured.
"No problem. You seem nice and a good influence," I jokingly replied.
"Well, I think I am a good girl, maybe just a little noisy and mischievous. So get used to me, friend," she said.
Her voice was quite high-pitched, almost squeaky. You wouldn't expect it just by looking at her. It reminded me of the comedian Matutina from the 80s. Sophie had a slightly chubby figure, curly shoulder-length hair, and fair skin. She was beautiful, and her eyes were very expressive.
Sophie nudged me and I looked at her. She gestured towards the guy who had ruined my day.
"Huh?" I gave a brief response and pretended not to notice the guy sitting next to me.
"Him," she whispered, gesturing towards the guy next to me. "...isn't he handsome? Look at him," Sophie almost whispered with giddy excitement.
I furrowed my brow because I really wasn't interested in our male classmate next to me. I shrugged both shoulders in response to her comment. Sophie smiled and approached the guy next to me.
"Hey, you are Mr. Dela Rea, right?" Sophie said, reaching out her hand to our classmate. "By the way, I'm Sophie, and you are?"
Mr. Dela Rea just looked at her, his face serious. Then he suddenly stood up and quickly went to the door to leave. Sophie was left with her hand still extended towards the rude guy sitting next to me.
Sophie looked at me, trying to smile in embarrassment. "What's wrong with him? I can't believe he did that to me."
I just smiled and, as usual, shrugged my shoulders and laughed with Sophie. "Maybe he's on his monthly period," I joked with Sophie, and we laughed together.
It felt like we were in a marketplace in the classroom because our professor still hadn't returned. We lost track of time, and the only indication that our first period class was over was when the bell rang in the building. We needed to go to our second period subject on the third floor of the same building.
Sophie and I stood up together. She still hadn't moved on from what happened when she introduced herself to the rude guy beside me. Dela Rea, that stupid guy's last name. Hmmm...I wonder what his first name is?