You Again, Professor [GL• #2]

CHAPTER 37.1

Isabelle Lavina Valencia Lopez POV
[Her back story]

She has been missing for about three days.

When I went to the cemetery to see her, she was nowhere to be found. Ni kahit ang anino niya ay hindi ko nakita. Natatakot na agad ako sa mga oras na 'yon, marami ang tumatakbo sa isip ko. The only thing left on her mother’s grave was the bracelet I had given her—broken and stained with blood.

She was hurt, and I know it.

A whirlwind of thoughts flooded my mind. Fear and anxiety gripped me as I imagined all the possible reasons for her sudden disappearance.

Hindi ako makatulog ng maayos, o kahit makakain manlang, and I’ve been crying endlessly since that day. No one could stop my tears, no matter how hard they tried. The uncertainty, the worry, and the aching fear of not knowing what happened to her—it’s been consuming me.

Ang bigat ng kalooban ko, and I feel so lost without seeing her.

"Isla, kumain ka muna..." My Dad said as he handed me a plate of food.

I wipe my tears and look at him. "Dad, may balita na po ba tayo? Tumawag na po ba ang mga pulis?" nanginginig ang boses na tanong ko. Hindi ko rin pinansin ang pagkain na inaabot niya sa akin.

"Tumawag na si Isaac sa kanila, at ganon pa rin nag-iimbestiga pa rin sila kung nasaan si North, but don't worry much okay? Magiging maayos din 'to, gumagawa na rin ako ng paraan, I hired a private investigator and for North, I think she's alright—makikita rin natin si North," his gentle explanation only made me cry even harder. The weight of everything was crushing me, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. 

"I-i don't know what to do...." nanginginig kong saad kay Daddy.

My Dad stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly. His hand moved soothingly over my shoulder, as if trying to ease the pain I couldn’t put into words. 

"Dad, I miss her... I just want to see her, please let me see her..." My voice came out broken, barely a whisper, as I clung to him, desperate and lost. 

"Shh, we know, sweetheart, we know," he murmured, his voice filled with reassurance. "But please, huwag mo rin pabayaan ang sarili mo, kumain ka kahit konti lang." inilapit niya ang pagkain sa akin pero hindi ko pa rin pinapansin 'yon. "We will do everything we can to find her, okay? Pangako ko sa'yo 'yan," he kiss my forehead.

His words were meant to comfort me, but the ache in my chest only grew. I wanted to believe him—I really did—but the fear of the unknown was suffocating me.

"I miss her everyday..."

I have no  idea where she went. Kahit hindi ako malapit sa tatay niyang senator ay nakipagtulungan ako para hanapin siya, but even him, wala rin siyang magawa. He actually doesn't seem to care, nagawa pa nitong umalis ng bansa kasama ang isa niyang anak. Which made me furious and doubt him.

Every day without seeing North feels like I’m slowly dying. I can’t feel myself living without her. It’s like I’m here, but I’m not really alive.

The pain is too much, and I’m so worried. I keep trying to tell myself that she’s okay, but I just can’t believe it. What if something bad happened? What if she’s hurt or in danger? Those thoughts keep crushing me, making it harder and harder to breathe.

"May lead na raw kung nasaan ang anak ko, at pupuntahan ko na lang mamaya,"  the senator spoke.  His words meant nothing to the pain I'm feeling, and that made me glare at him with anger. Parang wala siyang pakialam na anak niya ang nawawala? I couldn't see even a hint of sadness on his face. It was as if he felt nothing at all, he was clearly heartless for North.