Best Regards, Feli

Chapter 1

At twenty-four, most young people thought they would have achieved half of their dreams. Feli thought the same but now that she reached that age, she realized that it was just a figment of her wild imagination when she was a teenager.

In reality, it was hard to start somewhere especially when all she thought about was how to make sure that her family had enough for bills and savings. No money meant no happiness in life. That was her truth.

"Money can't buy happiness? Bullcrap," she mumbled. "I need money to buy things that'll make me happy," Feli said with contempt.

"First of all, don't curse. The students might hear you," Josie hissed while looking around. "Second, you'll be happy to hear that tomorrow's pay day," she pointed out in a sing-song voice.

The two of them were in the Teachers' office, checking their students' assignments. Feli's eyes widened in delight as soon as the word pay day left Josie's mouth. But her shoulders fell when she thought that she had to make budget plans for her salary.

"Once I get my salary, it'll vanish in no time," she said.

"What about your pay for the tutor classes?"

"That is indeed heaven sent. If I don't have that extra income from ESL tutorials, I won't have my own savings."

It had been almost a year since Feli got a permanent job as an English teacher for Grade 8 students at the National High School; and almost a year since she started teaching online classes. Though she complained about money most of the time, she was thankful that she had these sources of income

"Alright! That's the sound of freedom," Feli said as the five o'clock alarm blasted in the air, indicating that office hours were done.

"Just in time. I'm done checking the outputs," Josie also shared as she stretched her arms. Her best friend gathered her students' outputs in arts and put them inside the locker. Josie had been teaching MAPEH or Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health and Feli could definitely say that Josie fitted her teaching field.

"I'm done for now, too. Is Ben fetching you?"

"Yeah. He texted that he won't work overtime today so he'll drop by," Josie replied.

"Take care. See you tomorrow!" she said as she bid her friend goodbye.

Josie's husband almost always brought and fetched her everyday. On the other hand, Feli had three high school boys who walked her home. And she knew that they might be waiting for her in the school shed.

"Hey, Ate Feli! How's your day?" Andre asked as he approached her and carried her heavy bags.

"My eyes are getting dry from reading my students' essays. How about you two?" she asked.

"My eyes are also getting dry from copying my classmate's essay," August replied which earned him a slap in the arm.

"That's cheating!" Feli exclaimed.

"Relax, Ate Feli. He's joking," Andre assured her.

Andrius and Augustin were the twins in the family and both of them were in junior high school now. They always call her Ate as a sign of respect for an older sister (or older woman in general).

"Wait, where's Aaron?" Feli asked as she looked around searching for their youngest brother.

"There he is," Andre pointed towards Aaron, who was running towards them.

"Guess what! Guess what!" Aaron exclaimed when he reached them. The 9th grader was still out of breath from his run but he was excited about something.

"I'm tired of guessing answers in exams. Just tell us already," August demanded. Feli glared at him and he smiled sheepishly.