𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒

𝐆𝐀𝐕𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

“Hoy fines, late ka na!,” Napatigil ako sa pagpasok ng room as our Classroom Treasurer stopped me. She's Tiana. She may be strict to us pero ginagawa niya naman yung trabaho niya ng tama, medyo O.A. nga lang.

“7:28 pa lang teh, ang aga-aga ha?,” sabi ko naman at pinakita ang oras sa phone ko.

“Hay, pasalamat ka may 2 minutes pa,” Sagot niya naman at umalis para singilin naman ang isa pa naming kaklase sa fines.

It's been a month since I became part of this section and things are doing okay for me. I know STEM is perceived as a very hard strand kaya super thankful ako that right now, I'm still doing well. Especially with them, with my classmates.

“Sorry,” One of my male classmates said as he bumped into me. Nakasuot siya ng hoodie with both of his hands inside his pockets. He's Lew, he doesn't like talking that much kaya one-word replies lang natatangap ko when I talk to him.

“Okay lang,” I said and smiled a bit. Nilagay ko na ang bag ko on my arm-chair and sat there para maghintay sa teacher namin.

“Gavi, may assignment ka na sa Pre-Calculus? Pwede pakopya? first period pa naman yun,” natatarantang sabi ni Leanne. Pinagdikit niya pa ang dalawa niyang palad para mukha talagang nakakaawa.

That's when I realized something. Wala rin pala akong assignment sa Pre-Calculus.

“Hoy may assignment sa Pre-Calculus?”
“Sino may assignment pakopya!”
“Isang section tayo dito ha, magtulungan tayo”

Sunod-sunod na sabi ng mga classmates ko, wala rin pala silang assignment. Pati yung mga boys na kanina pa nag lalaro ng games, napatigil.

I immediately took my Pre-Calculus notebook para tignan yung notes ko last time and took a paper to write my answers. I opened my phone para tignan yung picture ng assignment sa Group Chat. 30 items problem-solving yun with solution pa dapat. With the little time, alam kong hindi ko na 'to kaya gawin.

“Teh may assignment ako kaso feel ko mali. Check mo nga,” Aicee said at palihim na inabot sa akin ang assignment niya. Aicee became my instant friend since yung seat niya, nasa harapan ko. Wala rin naman akong katabi kaya siya lang yung nakakausap ko.

I looked at her paper and base from my knowledge, mukhang tama naman yung sagot niya. “Galing sa Mathway yan teh,” she added, breaking the silence between us.

Kaya naman pala hindi naka step-by-step ang solution. “Mag Mathway premium ka muna teh, mahuhuli tayo niyan ni Sir. Masyadong direct yung solution mo,” I said and tried to stop myself from laughing.

“Kaya nga di’ba? What to do? Alam mo namang bobo ako sa Math,” natatawang sabi niya at umalis para mangopya nalang din ng assignment.

I made a deep sigh before I continued answering. Nakatulog kasi ako kagabi dahil sa pagod ng paglalaba. Kahit gabi na, I made an effort to wash our clothes para mabawasan na ang trabaho ni Mama.

Nasa number 7 na ako when I heard a familiar sound of footsteps. I looked around the room and saw all my classmates went back to their respective arm-chairs. Andiyan na si Sir Pre-Cal.

“Hoy walang may magpapa-alala ng assignment ha?,” pabulong na sabi ni Catherine and everybody agreed. She's like the “mean girl” of our class na lahat ng gusto niya ay dapat masunod.

As our teacher entered the room, everyone was silenced. Tanging ang Pre-Cal notebook and pencil case lang ang nasa desk. Hindi naman “Terror Teacher” si sir, sadyang may tinatago lang kami.

“Good Morning class,” he said. We all stood up and replied “Good Morning Sir” in response. He immediately took his white board marker galing sa bag niya at nag simulang mag sulat sa board.

“Good Morning Sir, sorry I'm late,” a familiar voice greeted from the front door. Our teacher nodded in response, telling him to enter the room.

My heart beated faster. Ito na naman ako. “Bakit late si Isiah?”, Tanong ni Aicee sa akin. “Hindi ko alam,” maikling sagot ko naman.

Isiah has been on my mind for the whole month right now. Hindi lang pala yung connection ko with my classmates ang ma-develop, pati rin yung feelings ko sa kaniya. He hit me so hard.

I don't know if matawag ko bang “friends” kami, but that's how our classmates label us. Kaya minsan, ako na tinatanong nila about him. Siguro, we're friends. But obviously, I want it to be more than just that.

I watched him as he walked papunt sa kaniyang seat, 3 armchairs away from mine. How I wish na sana doon nalang ako umupo, hindi dito sa sulok na wala pa akong katabi.

“Um excuse me po Sir, yung—”

Hindi pa natapos ng sasabihin si Isiah when he was immediately stopped by one of our classmates. “Wag mong ipaalala yung assignment!,” pabulong na sabi nito.

“Yes Mr. Silverio? Ah yes! Tama nga pala class, please pass your assignments now,” Sabi ni Sir. It was too late.

Kitang-kita ko naman ang sabay-sabay na pag buntong-hininga ng aking mga kaklase as they stared on Isiah. “Sorry I didn't now,” Isiah said, trying to hide his laugh. Kahit wala rin akong assignment, I can't be mad at him. I mean, how can I?

Our teacher went back from writing sa board. Sunod-sunod naman na sikretong nagpuntahan kay Isiah ang iba to take a picture of his assignment. He's so kind to the point that he lets others copy his homework that he worked for minutes.

Nagtama ang tingin naming dalawa, agad naman akong tumingin pabalik sa aking notebook and continued answering the assignment. I immediately felt my cheeks turning red.

I looked back to see if he was still looking, pero wala na siya sa upuan niya. “Hanap mo ba ako?,” I immediately looked back as I heard his voice from behind.

“Ha? hindi no,” sagot ko naman and continued to answer where in fact, he's right. “Pasa ka na, makita ka pa ni Sir,” dagdag ko pa.

“Ginawan na kita ng assignment. Sorry if late, medyo nahirapan kasi ako gayahin yung handwriting mo eh,” He said and placed the paper with the answers sa arm-chair ko.

I immediately stopped writing. I never thought that he would do something like this for me. Kaya pala siya late kasi ginawan niya ako ng assignment even if I never told him too.

Mahihiya ba ako o makikilig? Why is he doing this to me? Gusto niya ba ako?

I watched him as he placed his paper sa desk ni sir. Maybe ginagawa niya lang 'to because he sees me as a friend, right?

Tama, yun na nga yun.
He only sees me as a friend.
I have no rights to assume his feelings unless he states it.