THE ART OF SITUATIONSHIP (18+) (soc)

Chapter 30

"Teacher! Nice seeing you personally." My student David beamed. Agad din naman akong sinalubong ng iba ko rin studyante upang e greet at yakapin ako. "Good morning." I smiled at them one by one.

"Go to your chairs, come on. We will start the program in a few minutes." I instructed them while waiting for others to come. My heart is beating too fast, I may look like composed outside but I'm shaking inside. Agitated.

You got this Kadie. Eh ano naman kung may posibilidad na magkita kayo? Hindi naman siguro sinadya ng panahon na estudyante mo yung anak niya. Tapos na naman na kayo, ah wala naman pala kayong relasyon. Contractual lang naman. Kinuyom ko yung mga kamay ko sa mga naiisip ko. Me and my internal monologues.

15 minutes nalang at magsisimula na yung program, dalawang studyante ko nalang ang hindi pa nakakasign up sa attendance sheet ko, si Lennon at si Amaia. Malelate daw si Lennon eh, hindi ko lang alam kay Amaia baka malelate din. I shook my head when I remember that when I was starting lagi din akong nalelate. Kadie Late pa nga bansag sa akin ni Sir Matt eh.

I decided to go to the bathroom to pee and retouched myself but when I am about to go out, I heard a little girls voice silently crying. I immediately felt chills all over me but because I'm a curios person mabilis akong lumabas para hanapin ang pinang-gagalingan ng maliit na boses nayun.

"Mommy." I saw a crying girl in the ally of the bathroom, mukhang may hinahanap. Sinundan ko siya hangang sa makarating siya sa isang room na wala namang tao.

Mukang hindi na siya makahinga sa pag-iiyak niya kaya nilapitan ko na.

"Hey." I said while tapping her shoulders. When she lifts her face up at me, I recognized her quickly. "Amaia?"

"Are you teacher Tuazon?" she asked unsure. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, why are you here alone? Where are your parents?" sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"I don't know. My daddy said he'll go to the bathroom." I nodded at her.

"Don't cry, let's find your...dad, okay?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. A moment later I know our paths will be crossed. She nodded her head twice then wipe her face with her little hands, naawa naman ako kaya kinuha ko yung panyo ko sa bag para ako na mismo ang magpunas ng mga luha niya, yumuko pa ako.

"Thank you, teacher." She's polite, mukhang maganda pag-papalaki sa kanya. Mukhang hindi nagmana sa tatay niyang sinungaling.

I looked at the time in my wristwatch and the program will start at five minutes. "Let's go?"

She nodded her head again and hold my hand with her little one. I smiled because of her small gesture.

Palabas na kami sa room nang saktong may narinig kaming mabibigat na yapak at kasunod nun ang pagtigil ko sa kinatatayuan ko, mabuti nalang at nakatalikod ako sa pintuan. "Amaia? Where are you?"

Rinig kong paghahanap niya sa anak niya. "Daddy!" sambit naman ni Amaia habang hindi parin binibitawan ang kamay ko. Masaya siyang tumingala sa akin, parang proud na nahanap siya ng tatay niya.

"Amaia..." I bet he stopped talking when he realized that his daughter is not alone here.

"Don't worry daddy, teacher's here." Hinatak ako ni Amaia paharap sa tatay niya. Ano ba namang bata 'to!

I saw how he confusedly stopped, I saw how he stares at me, I saw how his eyes glitters with shock, confusion, and longing. I can't be wrong with that. Na parang nabuhayan siya ng makita ako "Ka..."

"Watch your daughter carefully." I said cutting him with no emotion at all. Then, I immediately stepped forward to go outside the room to leave. "Excuse me." I asked for a way because his blocking the door. Hindi ko alam kung anong nararamdaman niya, pero mukha siyang natataranta. Dapat lang na mataranta siya, nagkita ba naman kami ng anak niya.