TIMELESS - The Unfulfilled Promise

Chapter 4 • Sneak

HANGGANG ngayon, hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Pola na hindi nalaman ng mga magulang ang tungkol sa mga Grecco noong isang araw. She's still a little nervous . . . and guilty—as if any moment, her parents could find out about it—but, weirdly, it felt liberating. Somehow. For the first time, it was as if she broke a rule, but there would be no consequences because she didn't get caught.

     Gano'n pala ang pakiramdam no'n? sa isip-isip niya.

     Wala sa loob ding hinugot ni Pola ang cellphone mula sa bag. Her fingers moved, almost of its own accord, and found herself rereading Phillip's text message for the nth time. Isa pa ring hiwaga sa kaniya kung papaano nito nakuha ang number niya, pero hindi niya ni-reply-an ang pagpapakilala nito. Ni hindi nga rin niya s-in-ave ang number ng lalaki.

     "Thank you, students. Class dismissed."

     Nag-angat ng tingin si Pola nang marinig ang sinabing iyon ng kanilang professor. Voices roared in unison.

     Wait, the class is over? she thought, panicking a bit. Tumalon ba ang oras o sadyang okupado lang ng ibang bagay ang isip niya?

     Napakurap siya at iginala ang tingin sa paligid. Her classmates for that subject were already fixing their stuff, some were already leaving the room. Kani-kaniyang pulasan na ang mga ito. The class was only an hour and a half, but the last thing she could remember was the beginning of the lesson . . .

     "I'm so dead," bubulong-bulong niyang saad habang inaayos ang sariling mga gamit. Wala pa man din siyang kaibigan na maaring mapaghiraman ng notes. Ni hindi nga siya sigurado kung alam din ba ng mga nagiging kaklase niya ang kaniyang pangalan.

     What to do, what to do . . . Napasinghap siya nang makita ang professor na nakaupo pa rin sa lamesa at tila may tsine-check na mga papel. Dali-dali siyang lumapit dito.

     "S-Sir . . ." panimula ni Pola sabay tikhim.

     Mula sa binabasang papel, nag-angat ito ng tingin sa kaniya. "Yes, Ms. Fuentez?"

     Anxiously, Pola adjusted her glasses, tucked her hair behind her ear, and cleared her throat. Did he notice that I wasn't paying attention earlier? I hope not.

     "Ms. Fuentez, what is it?" muling untag nito sa kaniya.

     "A-ahm, may I get a copy of our lecture today, Sir?" turan ni Pola.

     "The whole presentation?"

     Tumango-tango siya. "Yes po. Magre-review lang po ako for the exam next, next week." Pola then placed her hands behind her and crossed her fingers, praying that her professor would believe her excuse and that he didn't notice her spacing out.  

     Ngumiti ito, tila natuwa sa kaniyang initiative. "You parents must be really proud of you, Ms. Fuentez—and they're lucky, too, for having a smart and hardworking heiress."

     Sanay na si Pola na makarinig niyon mula sa iba't ibang mga tao. And that was one of the things she had to maintain—o mas tamang sabihin na pinapa-maintain ng mga magulang niya sa kaniya—ang tingin ng lahat sa kanilang pamilya.

     "Hang on, I'll send it to your e-mail," the professor continued. Relieved, Pola watched as he opened his laptop once more and clicked several folders before finding the one he just presented to the class earlier. "Alright . . . sent!" He clasped his hands then looked at her. "Keep up the good work, hija. Send my regards to Don Paul and Doña Karen."

     Nagpasalamat siya rito at saka bumalik sa upuan niya sa bandang gilid. She continued folding her books and slid everything that she could inside her mint green backpack. As she strode off across the room, towards the door, she castigated herself. Bahagya pa niyang hinahampas-hampas ang ulo gamit ang iilang libro na bitbit niya dahil hindi nagkasya sa kaniyang bag. She was getting distracted, and she didn't like it.