Tall, Dark and Dead (Rewritten)

History Class

CHAPTER SIX

N a t a l i a

I reached the campus at exactly seven-thirty in the morning. My body aches a little because I always get my rounds before going to school. Nasobrahan yata ng layo ng tinakbo. Kailangan ko kasi ng cardio excercises dahil nasa pamilya namin ang may mahihinang puso. Namana pa raw namin ito sa kalola-lolahan namin. It skipped my mother, so technically, she believes that I am prone to it.

"Excuse me," Pinilit kong isiksik ang sarili ko sa bintana ng opisina ni sir Jacobo, the school's dean. "...what's with all the commotion?" Oh, it's professor Cordova. And look, she's with the school's new terror, great. "Hey, move it. Coming through." Nakipagsiksikan talaga ako para mahabol si professor. Tatawagin ko na sana siya, kaso lang, nagdalawang-isip ako nang makita kong naroon pa si Alek. Sa dami ng tao, baka 'di ko na siya abutan.

Pag-alis nito, tsaka ko lang siya tinawag. Ayokong makaharap ang anak niyang maldita. Umalis na rin ang mga nakikiusyosong estudyante. "Oh, hello there, Natalia." As usual, halos nakayakap na naman siya sa akin. "Kumusta, hija? Pasensya ka na talaga sa nangyari sa bahay noong isang linggo, ha?" Ngumiti na lang ako. "She could be really harsh sometimes, I admit that. It's hard to put up with that kid."

"Maybe she just hates me for no reason, like a cat who hates every single mouse that she'll come across with," I told her, but in my mind, I know that there's gotta be one and I have to figure that out. "Anyways, I heard you're leaving. For good. Totoo po ba 'yun?"

"Alek teaches better than me, Talia."

"Ah, nope. You're better, ma'am, in so many ways."

"Paki-tolerate na lang yung anak ko 'pag may topak. 'Wag mangongopya at makikipagdaldalan para 'di magalit."

"Lagot." Ayaw ko pa namang ma-stuck kami kay Alek dahil baka 'di namin kayanin ang kasungitan niya. Speaking of which, susunod na ang klase ko sa kanya. Dalawang oras din 'yun, nakihalo lang kasi ako sa mga lower years. "Sana lang 'wag maging pasaway yung mga freshies mamaya sa klase niya dahil kung hindi, magbi-beast mode na naman si Alek. Dios mio, I kenat."

"Sinabi mo pa. Ayaw nun sa bastos at makulit."

"Eh, hindi ko naman po siya binastos at kinulit, bakit ayaw po niya sa akin?"

"So, tell me about our girl," The professor says to me, maybe tryna change the topic. Wala rin siguro siyang maisagot sa akin. "You do have something, right?"

"Who? Alek?" My hands automatically waved, laughing loudly. "Well, she's really cute, beautiful actually. Tall, medyo dark yung aura kaya mas interesting for me, and-"

"...Dead inside?"

"I agree." Both of us laughed. "She's weird and mysterious, it's alluring." I placed my left hand on my chin, thinking about what to say next. "I find her charming, intimidating, and annoying. Sorry 'bout that." Nakangiti ako habang ini-imagine ang mukha niya. "Her eyes, they're so beautiful. Love them!"

"Yung boses..."

"Pak! Oo, ma'am, yung boses, ang ganda. Speaking voice pa lang 'yon, wagas na, madamst!"

"True, true..."

"And last but not the least, her lips, ang mga labi niyang kasing-pula ng rosas, hala! Yay!" When professor Cordova cleared her throat, that's the only time I got back to reality. "Oh, shoot. Sorry. You're asking me about the what, ah, Malonzo girl, and not Alek. I'm so stupid."