Chapter 2

"Why are you late again?"

That was the question that the new professor asked me the moment I entered the room. Oh well, he's not just a professor but also a curmudgeon. My patience with him has long since worn thin. Palagi na lang niyang pinupuna ang lates and absences ko at tuwing pumapasok ako sa klase, he makes a fool out of me, pero wala akong pakialam. I will not stop this. They started this war. Gagawin ko ang gusto ko, no matter how much he humiliates me. He is unyielding in his complaints, but I won't make any changes to myself. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang mabilis nilang papalitan si Professor Sybill ng isang lalaking wala pa sa talampakan ng taong mahal ko. At sa paraan kung paano niya ako kausapin, tingnan, it was obvious that he possessed a high level of arrogance. Akala niya ba napakagaling niya? When it comes to teaching calculus, no one is better than Professor Sybill!

Walang kaabog-abog akong pumasok sa klase and pretended that Ismael Mondalla's presence didn't bother me at all. Alam kong sinusundan niya ako ng tingin pero hindi ko sasagutin ang wala niyang kwentang tanong. Unless, pilitin niya ako, sasagutin ko siya nang pabalang. Hindi niya iyon magugustuhan.

"Miss Jothea Alvandra, I'm talking to you."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to talk to you."

Time passes, as it always does. It's a mystery to me why I still attend this class. Okay, maybe it's simply to piss the new professor off. Considering all of this, my level of irritation with him was quite high. Anong karapatan niyang tanggapin agad ang offer niya para palitan ang dating professor? Does he not realize that the instructor he will be replacing is an excellent professor to be changed by him only? He still gives off the impression of being a young man. Anong alam niya kumpara kay Professor Sybill? How did he get into Marcus University? Magaling ba talaga siya? Eh, bakit dito niya piniling magturo? Pwede namang sa iba na lang? At kung magaling talaga siya, bakit wala akong naiintindihan kahit isa sa mga tinuturo niya? A waste of time! Worthless!

The class finished, which was undoubtedly the best thing that happened today. When Ismael saw that I was going to leave, he stopped me and preached, "Except for you, Ms. Jothea Alvandra, we have to talk."

My eyes rolled in my head. "Ano na namang kailangan mo?"

Everyone exits the room. Leaving a good show of war.

"Would you mind closing the door?" He issued a directive to the final pupil who was leaving. Ismael appears to be so enraged that he is very annoyed, to the point where he wants me to disappear completely.

"What is your problem?" He inquired while making an effort to maintain his composure in front of this whore. Seryoso ba siyang tinatanong niya ako? Gusto niyang malaman ang sagot ko?

I exhaled. I do not have the time to attend to these matters. I still have lots to do. I'm going to try to locate my boyfriend by going outside and calling him. It's been a couple of weeks, and he hasn't done anything to put me at ease about what happened to us. I am very worried. I want to know why he disappeared. Baka mamaya may ginawa sa kaniya ang board members because they discovered our connection.

Hindi naman kasi ganito si Professor Sybill. It is very unusual for him not to contact me. He always texts me. At hindi ako sanay nang ganito siya, nawawala. At nakakabaliw dahil sarili ko lang ang kinakausap ko dahil wala naman akong kaibigan. There's nobody here for me. Bakit kung kailan malapit na akong magtapos saka siya mawawala nang ganito? How am I supposed to take this?

"What do you want, Miss Alvandra?" he continued. Naalala kong kausap ko pa nga pala ang lalaking ito. He is staring right into my eyes as a wrinkle forms in the middle of his forehead. Nasa bulsa ang isang kamay niya.

"Just mind your own business," I respond and I meant it. He used his other hand to brush his hair while continuing to stare intently into my soul.

"I hope this is the last time you'll be late again, Miss Alvandra."

I cocked one eyebrow in question. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" sarkastiko kong tanong. Sinusubukan niya ba talaga ako? Hindi porque professor siya rito ay susunod ako sa kaniya. I will act however I like, and no one will be able to stop me. Maliban na lang kung babalik si Professor Sybill.

"I am your professor. Shouldn't you at least have some semblance of respect for me?" Even though he was speaking to me, it was clear from the tone of his voice that he was attempting to regain his composure. Tsk. Let's see kung hanggang saan ka. Your genuine self is going to surface sooner or later, and when it does, Marcus University will have no choice but to eliminate you. I will not stop until I have rid myself of you.

"Why? Do you belong to the list of men I should respect?" tanong ko.

I heard him let out a long and deep breath as he sucked his teeth. Look at who is going to go down in defeat tonight. "Well, your demeanor will show up in your grades," the professor said. "I wish you the best of luck on your graduation, that is, if you belong to the list of graduates."

Napasinghap ako. Nilalabanan talaga ako ng taong ito.

He started to march away from me, but I stopped him by yelling, "Wala akong pakialam kung hindi ako maka-graduate, but I will make sure you disappear from this place!" He then paused from walking away from me. "Professor, I hope you enjoy the time you have left. You won't even have time to realize it when you leave."

He left the classroom without turning around or even looking back. I attempted to maintain my composure while brushing my hair and stomping my feet. I despise him to the core.

"I will make sure to get Ismael Mondalla dismissed from Marcus University," I murmured to myself as I made my way to the cafeteria. Inabala niya na nga ang pagkain ko ng tanghalian, iinisin niya pa ako. His constant arrogance tests my limits. Did he purposely ask for me to remain in the classroom in order to confront or threaten me with the idea that I wouldn't be able to graduate because of how I acted toward him? Tsk. Problema niya na rin iyon. If he does not allow me to pass, he will simply make himself more miserable by doing so.

I was in the middle of getting my lunch when I realized that some of my other classmates were staring at me. Naririnig ko pa silang nagbubulungan tungkol sa akin. Are they talking shit behind my back? Ano na namang bang ginawa ko? It is so unusual for my usual morning here at Marcus University na pag-usapan ng mga taong iyon dahil palagi lang naman nila akong tinatrato na parang hangin. Hindi ko alam na dadagdag pa sila sa inis na nararamdaman ko sa propesor.

After settling in at the table, I immediately began nibbling on the pastil I ordered. But never did I imagine that someone would be coming to disgust my appetite. I was completely unprepared. Lalo akong nanlumo. Ano na naman bang problema?

My fellow student, whose name I can't recall, asked me, "Nilalandi mo ba ang bago nating calculus professor, Jothea?"