TIMELESS - The Unfulfilled Promise

Chapter 9 • Seat

TINALIKURAN na ni Pola sina Phillip at Seth habang abala ang mga ito mag-usap sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalitan ng tingin. Yes, she's smart, but she's no mind reader. Hindi na rin naman siya sinundan ni Phillip—not that he was required to. Maigi na rin iyon dahil baka may makakita pa sa kanila.

She heaved out a sigh.

Loose strands of her hair had gone astray, so she brushed it all up to the side and tucked them behind her right ear. Hinigit ni Pola ang mga libro sa dibdib at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad. She knew she's not supposed to . . . but a part of her was curious about that Champagne. Bakit kaya ganoon na lamang ang reaksyon ni Phillip. Sino ba iyon?

      Pola clamped her eyes shut for a moment. Stop it, Portia Larra. Tumigil ka na. Walang dahilan para ma-curious ka sa pagkatao ng Champagne na 'yon. Ano naman kung may connection sila ni Phillip? That's none of your business.

      But deep down, Pola knew those warnings she had been telling herself were only to justify her unacceptable thoughts. Ipaggiitan man niyang hindi pa siya distracted, a portion of her mind was telling her otherwise. Napakapa siya sa kaniyang dibdib. Be still, my heart. Be still.

      She cleared her throat, adjusted her big-rimmed glasses, and shook her head, forcing to push that thought aside. Tumuloy na si Pola sa kaniyang klase.

     Parati siyang dumarating nang maaga sa classroom nang sa ganoon ay wala pang tao kapag papasok siya. She never liked drawing people's attention. But because Phillip hold her hostage in the elevator, pagtulak niya ng pinto ay kamuntikan pa siyang mapagkamalan na professor nila. Lahat ay nakatutok ang tingin sa kaniya, maski ang kaklase nilang araw-araw late, hindi makapaniwalang naunahan si Pola.

      Great, you got everyone's attention now, she reprimanded herself.

      Pola hissed, tipped her head low, with her eyes glued to the floor, as she made a beeline to her usual seat.

      Ito ang unang pagkakataon na na-late siya sa klase, at hindi na rin ito dapat maulit pa.

      Napakurap si Pola nang makitang may pares ng putting rubber shoes na nakade-kwatro pagkarating niya sa kaniyang puwesto. Kunot ang noong nag-angat siya ng tingin sa may-ari niyon. A girl. Her dusky red hair pulled into messy pigtail buns.

      Face ever so bright, the girl lifted her chin and smiled at Pola. "Hi! Can I help you?"

       For one fleeting moment, Pola felt a tinge of jealousy upon seeing her light hazel eyes. They're mesmerizing.

      Bago niya ito sagutin, pinaraanan niya muna ng tingin ang buong silid. Ang babae lamang ang bago sa kaniyang paningin. Ito marahil ang Champagne na tinutukoy ni Seth.

      "Ms. Fuentez? Bakit ka nakatayo?"

      Pola's back stiffened upon hearing their professor's shrilling voice. For a brief moment, she pondered whether to just occupy the next seat or ask the new student to move—to a different school maybe. But before Pola could even decide, she looked over her shoulder and said, "She's on my seat."

      "Oh, my gosh!" the girl shrieked. Patalon pa itong tumayo at mabilis na hinablot ang puti ring backpack na nakasandal doon. Tinutop pa nito ang bibig. "Oh, my gosh! I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry! No one told me na this chair's occupied na pala." Inalog-alog nito ang braso niya, the bangles in her wrist clanked like tiny bells. "Sorry talaga, my bad!"

     "I-it's okay," anas ni Pola, may kiming ngiti na nakapaskil sa mga labi.

     "Sorry about that, Ms. Fuentez," rinig pa niyang sabi ng kanilang professor. "You're probably the new student," ani pa nito sa babaeng inililipat na ang mga gamit sa bakanteng silya na katabi niya. "Come here and introduce yourself, hija."