Professor Vaughn

Chapter 17

Kestrel's POV

You can already hear the loud music and shouting inside the gymnasium. Nasa labas pa lang ako, pero ramdam ko na ang energy sa loob. The gym is big enough to fit all the students, pero siyempre, sino bang ayaw umupo sa harap, 'di ba? Lalo na kung yung mga players... grabe! Hot na, talented pa.

Pero mas maganda sana kung matalino rin sila. Kagaya ni Wrenley. Tss. Bakit ba siya palagi nasa isip ko? My blood boils remembering how she just walked out on me yesterday. Eh, parang biruan lang naman ‘yung sinabi ko. Napaka-irita niya, seryoso. Now she’s ignoring me as if ako ang may kasalanan.

“Hey, Kestrel, aren’t you gonna watch? Halika na, sama ka na sa loob,” a voice calls out. I look up and see a familiar face classmate ko last semester. Hindi ko maalala pangalan niya, though.

I check my watch. The game’s about to start, and Margaux isn’t here yet. She told me na sabay kami manonood, so bakit hindi pa siya dumarating?

“Uh, I’m waiting for someone,” sagot ko. Kita kong medyo bumagsak yung balikat niya.

“Ah, if that’s the case, I’ll go ahead. My friend didn’t come, and I actually reserved a seat…” My face lights up at what he said baka wala nang available seats sa harap! But then… paano si Margaux?

“Uh, ahm…” I try to recall his name, looking at him questioningly. He chuckles.

“Dave, Kestrel. Talagang nakalimutan mo ako?” he jokes, acting hurt, then grins.

“Haha, ikaw? Nakalimutan? Of course not! Marami lang akong iniisip.” Sana nga sumama siya.

“C’mon!” I grab his arm and pull him inside.

Pagpasok namin, kita agad ang mga professors na nagwu-warm up. Two teams ang magkalaban, and they’re surprisingly young, mga newly hired professors na halos ka age lang namin, kaya’t di na rin ako nagtataka kung bakit ang dami nang naghihiyawan sa paligid. Lahat sila may dating, pero…

I scan the court and find Wrenley flexing her arms. I gulp. Nagwa-warm up pa lang siya, pero nakuha na niya lahat ng atensyon. Naka-red na basketball shirt and shorts siya, number 08. Oh damn. Control yourself, Kestrel.

I quickly pull out my phone and text Margaux.

Me: “Hey! Are u still goin’? Text me if you’re here already, I’ll reserve a seat for you :D”

Sumunod ako kay Dave, and we’re lucky to find seats right in front where I can see everything clearly.

“Dito ka, Kestrel,” sabi ni Dave, patabeng turo sa upuan. Pero may mga tumitig sa kanya, then turned to me with expressions like “eww.” Umirap lang ako. Ewan ko sa kanila.

I sit down, and the moment I do, my gaze goes straight to Wrenley, who’s staring at me. Coldly. I sigh, biting my lip. Napa-wave ako ng awkwardly, parang I was trying to tell her na I’m here to support you, pero wala rin, she just turns her back on me at nagpatuloy sa pag-dribble ng bola.

Wow. Ignored na naman ako, ha? Buwisit. I can hear students screaming, cheering for different professors, pero ang daming nagchi-cheer for Wrenley, like…

“GO PROFESSOR VAUGHN! WE LOVE YOU!” Halos matawa ako. Si Prof. Tyrone rin narinig kong binabanggit, but I don’t care about him. My eyes are on Wrenley.

Finally, nagsimula ang game. Sobrang ingay ng gym. Even I feel tense when the two teams high-five. Lalo na’t Wrenley and Prof. Tyrone are the ones doing the jump ball. Ang intense ng tinginan nila, parang may tension.

As the game goes on, ang lakas ng cheering. Some players are clearly just enjoying the game, pero may iba talagang nagbabanggaan na intentionally. Si Wrenley and Professor Smith lalo na parang may personal silang away.

First quarter, Wrenley’s team is leading 23-16, pero second quarter ended at 35-32, this time favor sa kabilang team ni Prof Smith. By the third quarter, foul na ang team ni Wrenley, pero leading pa rin sila ng konti, 56-59.

The referee whistles. Start of the fourth quarter. Out of nowhere, I muster the courage to cheer, bahala na.

“Go, Wrenley! Kaya mo yan! Don’t disappoint the girls cheering for you! Galingan mo!” Sigaw ko, sabay taas ng kamay. She just looks at me with those icy eyes, then glances at Dave beside me, bago binalik ang focus sa laro.

Wow? Ako pa talaga ang ini-snub, ha?

Feeling embarrassed, I laugh it off and then shift my cheer to Professor Smith, kahit may kirot sa puso ko.

“PROFESSOR SMITH! YOU CAN DO IT, I LOVE YOU!” Sinundan pa ni Prof Smith ng smile at nod. Napasulyap tuloy ako kay Wrenley, at kita kong pinapaslang niya ako ng tingin. Halos matakot ako pero natawa lang ako nang mahina.

The game is coming to an end, and it’s intense. Students are screaming as loud as they can. Score is 77-76, favoring Prof Smith’s team. I know it’s just a game, pero para akong nasa gitna ng life-or-death situation. May 15 seconds pa.

Kahit inis ako, I decide to cheer for Wrenley once more, specially since she’s holding the ball. Bahala na kung pagtawanan ulit ako ng mga tao dito.

“GO WRENLEY! MAKE IT A THREE-POINT SHOT, KAYA MO YAN!” Sigaw ko, sabay thumbs up at ngiti. She looks at me, pero hindi siya ngumiti. Just a steady, intense stare, na parang hindi kami nasa gitna ng maingay na gym.

5 seconds left. Tumayo siya sa three-point line, kalmado. She positions herself, raises the ball, and shoots.

Buzzing!

THREE POINTS! SHE SCORED THREE POINTS, AND THEY WON! WRENLEY’S TEAM WON!

“Wrenley! Wrenley!” Tawag ko sa kanya habang naglalakad siya papunta sa shower room. Hindi ako nakalapit kanina, kasi andaming nagpa-picture sa kanya. Pumasok siya kaagad sa shower room at baka hindi niya ako narinig. Sumunod ako, pero hindi ako pumasok sa loob. Naghintay ako.

Paglabas niya, napansin ko agad yung amoy niya, ang bango ng bodywash. Nakakatulala.

“Uh, Wrenley. Congratulations!” I try to sound confident, pero biglang kinabahan ako.

“Thanks, Miss Yates.” Cold na sagot niya, formal pa. Miss Yates? Not even “Kestrel?”

She walks past me. Just like that. Tumawa ako ng sarcastic. Ano ba problema ng babaeng to?

Nagmamadali akong sumunod sa kanya hanggang sa office niya, where I find her looking for something in her drawer. I clear my throat.

“Wrenley,” sabi ko. Wala paring sagot.

“Wrenley, what’s your problem?” I step closer.

“Problem? Wala akong problema, okay?” Jaw clenched niya as she keeps rummaging through her drawer. Kita kong hindi siya okay, pero ayaw niya aminin.

“Wala? Seriously?” Galit na ako. I grab her wrist, forcing her to look at me, pero tumanggi siya.

“If you keep forcing me, baka may gawin akong ‘di mo magustuhan,” she warns.

“Fine. Di ka titingin? Sige. Pero explain mo sakin kung bakit mo ko ini-ignore.”

No response. Napuno na ako. I pull her even closer, but she surprises me by pulling me toward her.

And suddenly, her lips are on mine. Soft, firm, warm. I feel butterflies going wild in my stomach.

“I warned you,” she whispers, before she pulls me back in for a deeper, lingering kiss.