Remembering Sir Tisoy

Ramen

"Sa-Sandali. You mean, si Sir Tisoy mo 'yong teacher na tinutukoy ni Principal? Ano? PAANO?" she says, slamming the table, causing their bowls of ramen to jump and the people around them to look.

"Ano ba, kalma lang bes. Pinagtitinginan na tayo ng mga tao," Maine says as she places a hand on top of Sheen's.

"Eh kasi naman, bes. Naexcite ako. Brand new, shocking information!"

"Anong gagawin ko bes? Hindi pa ako ready na makita siya. Oo nga, it's been ten years. Pero, wala kaming closure. Iniwan ko na lang siya ng basta, basta." she rushes, one sentence after the other.

Sheen looks at her, trying to interpret what she meant by this.

"Hmmm...bakit parang...super affected ka?" Sheen says as she crosses her arms and slumps on her seat.

This catches Maine off guard. Maine quickly diverts her sight to Sheen, who is now raising an eyebrow at her.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Mahal mo pa no?"

"Sheen, 'wag ka nga."

"Eh bakit nga ganiyan ka?"

"Hay nako, diba nga? 'I don't love him, I was in love with the idea of him' ctto. Sir Tisoy," she explains, rolling her eyes.

"Mahal mo pa nga," she frustrates as she goes back to slurping her noodles.

-

"Ms. Mendoza, please stay back," he tells her as she was about to leave the room.

She walks backwards, and turns. Once she turned, they did not expect to be face to face with each other. They both jolt back, and look down to the ground.

"Sorry," they sing in unison.

She almost forgot that she was still upset with him, and once she remembered, she went back to avoiding eye contact.

"Galit ka pa din sa akin no?"

She crosses her arms, rolls her eyes, and pouts dismissively to one side.

"Sorry na nga kasi. I really didn't mean to offend you."

She starts to feel his sincerity, and she starts to relax her shoulders. She turns her head, looks him from head to toe and starts to tap her foot.

"Go on," she presses, wanting him to apologize further.

"I really shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Lagi kong naaalala 'yong sinabi mo sa akin last week. At tamang tama ka naman."

She doesn't say a word, and she continues to stand in front of him with the same state.

"I'm close to forgiving you...isang bagay na lang ang kailangan ko," she remarks, a smile creeping up on her lips.

"Ano 'yon?"

-

"Salamat dito Sir, ah. Kanina pa kasi ako gutom eh," she says, slurping her bowl of ramen.

"Pinapakain ka ba sa bahay niyo?"

She slurps the noodle that was dangling from her mouth and starts to glare at him.

"Are you trying to say tha-"

"Hep, hep, hep! 'Wag mo na akong tawaging judgemental. It was just a casual question. No further intentions," he claims as he places a hand in front of her, to stop her from speaking further.

She rolls her eyes, and places her chopsticks down.

"Sir Tisoy, gutom ako, dahil marami po akong projects na kailangang tapusin. Hindi na ako nakapag-lunch."

She picks her chopsticks back up, and starts to slurp once again. She was chewing a mouthful of noodles, when she notices a few people in the restaurant, giving them stares. She swallows her food, and bends down, looking towards him.

"Pst, Sir Tisoy," she whispers.

"Ha?" he mumbles as he chews.

"Bakit ang daming taong nakatingin sa atin?"

He raises his head, and looks around the room, then back to her. He looks down at his bowl and scoffs.

"Malamang, naka-uniform ka, tapos kasama mo ako."

She gasps, as she didn't realise it before.

"Hala! Grabe naman silang manghusga ng tao."

"O, see, hindi lang ako ang mapanghusga sa mundo."

"Hahaha," she remarks sarcastically. "Dapat pala, mag-baon na ako ng pampalit na damit."

He looks at her once more, not understanding what she was trying to imply.

"What?"

"Kasi...naisip ko, hindi pa sapat itong isang bowl ng ramen, para mapatawad kita."

-

"Bes, lalamig 'yan," Sheen announces as she motions to Maine's bowl with her chopsticks.

-

"O, anak, kain ka na," her mother offered.

"Ah, sige lang 'Nay. Kumain na po kami ni Sheen sa labas."

"Ganun ba?"

"Opo, sige 'Nay, akyat na po ako sa kuwarto ko."

Her mother gives her a nod. They've been like this since that fateful day when she came home not saying a word to anyone. Appropriately, it was also the time when she stormed out on him.

They used to be so close, with Maine always telling her what's on her mind. And so, her mother didn't know what to do when she suddenly came through the door, passing all that were in her way. She left her to sulk in her room, thinking that it would be better for her to do so.  

Maine was trying to move on from him. And to top it all off, her final exams were coming up. She devoted all her time into studying - also as a means for her to forget him. Her mother and her no longer had meaningful conversations. Rather, it was exchanged for small talk - a few minutes in the morning and a few at night.

Once she started working she spent most of her days at school, sometimes even spending Saturdays there.

It was truly unintentional for Maine. And little did she know that her mother has been longing for them to talk. 

She walks up to her room, and quickly closes the door. She rests on her back, and stares up at the ceiling. She's got a few more months until he's back, and she doesn't know how she's going to prepare for that 'dreadful' day.