Behind Closed Doors

five

"I didn't do anything bad there. I just did what I think is right, Ma'am." Miro looks down as she diverts her gaze from Aliah.

They are now at principal's office.

"You really think getting involved in fight is the right thing to do?" Ms. Sam is the first one to break the silence. Miro pressed her lips as she closed her fist.

"I thought we already talked about this matter, Miro? So why is this happening right now? Why do you keep making trouble inside this university?" Mr. Laurien shook his head in disappointment.

"I think it's better if we suspend her as punishment for what she did." Ms. Sam furrowed her brows.

Aliah's expression softens when Miro stare at her.

"I don't think we need to do that." Ms. Aliah said.

Mr. Laurien and Ms. Sam turned to her, confused.

"And why is that?" Ms. Sam asked as she looked at her in disbelief.

"Ms. Sam and Ms. Aliah, I would like to talk to Miro, just us."

Aliah and Sam nodded. They walked out of the room. 

"What was that Miro?" Mr. Laurien asked.

"Tito, believe me. I just want to help Den. She was being bullied by Rio earlier." Miro looked at Mr. Laurien.

"But what you did is not right. You shouldn't interfere with them. You shouldn't hurt someone physically."

"And I can literally sense the smell of alcohol from you. Have you been drinking again? How many times do I have to tell you to stop drinking."

"Tito stop with your speech now please?" Miro scratched her nape.

"Aish, kiddo I won't stop until you knock some sense in your head."

Miro scoffed at him.

"One more thing, the election is coming." Mr. Laurien said. Miro stood from the chair as she dismissively waves her hands to him.

"Election has nothing to do with me." She said as she walked away.

"This kid." Mr. Laurien massages his temple as he watched Miro walked out.

_

"Gosh! What did you do this time?" Jens exaggeratedly put her hands on her waist as she looked at Miro who just went out from the office.

"Nothing." Miro nonchalantly replied as she walked ahead. Jens walked after her.

"You keep doing things and act like nothing happened." Jens sighed.

"Whatever."

"Kain na lang tayo bago tayo umuwi. Gutom na ako kakahintay sayo." Jens put her arm around Miro's shoulder.

"Who told you to wait for me anyway?" Miro slapped her hand away as she went to the parking lot.

"Demonyo talaga ugali mo." Jens mumbles.

"I heard that." Miro glared at her, but Jens rolled her eyes to her.

Miro went in the car, Jens stood there without saying anything.

Miro rolled down her window.

"I thought you want to eat? Why are you standing there like a statue?" Miro narrow her eyes to her and rolled up her window.

"Sus, hindi mo talaga ako matitiis." Jens said as she immediately got in the car.

"Where to?" Miro asked.

"Usual." Jens replied as she smiled widely.

"Can you please stop smiling like physco?" Annoyed, Miro said but Jens laughed.

"Uy si Ma'am Sam oh!" Jens pointed Sam who's walking alone. Miro didn't turn to her.

"Tanungin natin kung sasabay." Jens said as she rolled down her window.

"Wag na. Ibang route natin." Miro said as she keeps her eyes on the road.

"Ay." Jens rolled up the window as she leans back on her seat.

"Wait! How do you know?" Jens squinted her eyes towards Miro.

Miro purse her lips as she tried to come up with an excuse. Fortunately, Jens speak again. 

"Selfish. She could've sat in the back. Don't make excuses about taking a different route. You just don't want to let her ride with you." Jens pouted as she crosses her arms.

"So what? Bakit ba gusto mong isabay?" Miro reverse her card. A blush rose to Jens 's face.
Miro furrowed her eyebrows as she keeps her mouth shut.

'bading' she thought to herself.

_

Sam stops at the waiting area outside the university. She looks at her wristwatch. She's waiting for Aliah as they agreed to walked together on their way home.

"Hey." Aliah called her from behind. Sam turned to her.

They walked ahead as they let their own thoughts wander. The silence between them is not comfortable as has to be. They just walked side by side without saying anything. When they arrived at Aliah's apartment. They did their own thing.

They are now in the living room.

"Ali" Sam utter as she glances at Aliah.

Aliah just hummed as a response without looking at her.

"I was offended earlier." Sam said as she fidgets her fingers on her lap. Aliah stared at her.

"When I said Miro deserve a suspension and you disagree with me." Sam finally let out her emotions. Aliah didn't say anything first. She waits for Sam to say everything she wants.

"You know how much I hate her attitude, yet you disagree with me?" Sam's expression becomes bitter.

"You want to suspend her not because of what she did earlier, correct?" Aliah remains calm despite of the tension between.

"What do you mean?" Sam raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Just because you hate her doesn't mean you have the right to decide about it. Yes, I understand if you're annoyed by her attitude. But please keep it professional. You are not even sure what happened there, yet you already concluded what punishment you should give her. Miro is not what you think she is. Give her a chance." Aliah explained.

"And you know that much to defend her? Kung hindi mo lang student yang si Miro, I would assume that there's something between you two." Sam said as she stood up from her seat.

Aliah didn't react. Sam didn't know what to say anymore. Aliah is right, a chance wouldn't hurt.