[C] My Teacher And Me: The Compilation of The Short Stories

My Teacher And Me: A Letter to My Beloved Teacher

As I walk by the streets on the first day of school, I saw a teacher coming near me. She looks pretty nice & beautiful like an angel that came down from heaven. Then, she suddenly asked me, "How's your day?" And then I replied, "Its fine, ma'am." But there is one thing I didn't know: she would become our adviser later that day.

I looked pretty shy when I first stepped down on the floor of our room. My heart beats fast like a drum when I walked to my seat on the last row. Thank God, my seat is just near the window beside the hallway.

The time came for my turn. I can't stand as if my butt's glued to the chair and it was glued there forever. My adviser came to me and whispered, "Hey, cute little girl, don't be shy. It's just me, you and your new classmates. Come on. You can try. Be proud of yourself. Okay?" Inspired by her "words of wisdom," I stood up instantly, went to the front and greeted them with a joyful "hi." And I continued, "I'm Annika Margaret dela Cruz. You can call me Annika. I hailed from Quezon and I was born in Lucena City on September 13, 2000. My parents Martha and Anthony bought me an apartment near here so that I can take care of myself without my parents' help. So, want to know more about me? I'm EVERYWHERE. You can approach me anytime you want. That's all, thank you and good morning." They clapped as I got back on my seat. I was their first friend.

After I ate my lunch with my acquaintances Nina and Molly, I saw our adviser, looking weary and emotional. I sat near her and asked, "Ma'am Meryl, why are you alone?" And then, she answered, "Because of what happened to my sister." I looked curious and horrified and all of a sudden I exclaimed loudly, "WHAT?!" And she continued: "She died in a car accident last year. While in the taxi, Sherry and Mom were listening to music when another car behind her suddenly bumped on the car. Sherry and Mom were rushed to the hospital, causing Sherry to be in critical condition and Mom causing minor injuries. Mom called me and said that they were on the hospital and let me go there. After a few days, I took medicine and saw Sherry die." After that, there was a pause of silence. And she added, "My name is Meryl Patricia Olsen. I was married on June 30, 1995 and bore three wonderful kids: Alliah, Allison and Constantine." And there was a long pause of silence in the room as me and my adviser chatted up a little while.

After a few days, Ma'am Meryl felt sick and was rushed to the hospital. Nobody knows it except for me. I knew everything about her. I didn't tell that to my acquaintances Nina and Molly and even to my classmates.

Until the right time came.

It was before the first subject when I said all about her sickness. "Guys, you wouldn't believe this, but Ma'am Meryl is in the hospital today," I uttered. Then, it was a rush of emotions that came down from their faces. And the rest was history. She lost the battle with pneumonia and depression.

On the days of her funeral, I wore blue because it was her favorite color. Her family, friends, classmates and even her students went there including me. She was a part of my life. On her last days here on earth, we learned so much about ourselves, and I was her closest friend here on earth. I remembered all the days we've shared, from happiness to heartaches, from laughter to emotions. I knew myself better because of her. I have learned that being a person doesn't mean you're weak or something else, you must need to work hard for it, take good care of it, learn from your failures, and take yourself into a much brighter future.

Months and years passed, I still missed her badly. Her looks, words of wisdom and her failures figured out for her that nobody was perfect. She was my best friend and second mom.

Now that I have my own family, I would keep her presence here in my heart forever. She was a woman who never stops believing in us. She was a woman that knows her failures and mistakes and tries her very best to perfect her work. She was a woman who is always determined for her work and ready to defend her right to be a woman. She was a woman who keeps giving unconditional love to everyone. She was, up to this day, my teacher, my best friend and my second mom.

I still miss her. Even up to these days.

I love her.