Sunday Stories (One Shots)

SS #1: Hello Sir, Goodbye Sir

"He's so tall, handsome as hell... he's so bad, but he does it so well..." She hummed inside her head while walking through the hallways. Her life looks like a Taylor Swift song now. Parang kahapon lang nagmamadali siya tumakbo dito para hindi ma-late sa isang subject. Well, she guessed that's all in the past now.

Bawat room dinaraanan niya. Sinisilip. Parang may hinahanap. She's been told he left after a year when she graduated. And yet there she is, still waiting.

They had their promises. She kept hers.

He forgot his.

She shrugged. Sobrang dami na rin namang taon ang nakakaraan. Maybe he's married now. With kids and a wife to tend to. The thought made her sad. Medical school made her tough. Walang iyak-iyak doon, kaya kahit hindi ganoon ang inaasahan niya, hindi niya iyon magawang ayawan.

Pero hindi siya med school. He's worse than that.

Just because it didn't turn out the way we want it, doesn't mean we should just throw it away, someone told her once.

She survived years and years of practice. She's on her last year as a resident. Hindi kumikita ng malaki pero feeling niya worth it... pangarap niya e. She struggled a lot, the pressure, the lack of sleep considering she loves to doze off, iyong hindi paliligo ng ilang araw, ang mapagalitan ng consultant, pagiging malayo sa magulang... bonus pa ang mga surprise quizzes at walang tulugang pag-aaral. Lahat.

She survived it all. Now she's back. Na-miss niya talaga ang Batangas. She's been invited to be the guest of honor sa graduation ng seniors... but she know herself. Hindi siya bumalik para doon lang. She came back with hopes of seeing him.

Kahit closure man lang. Pero mukhang malabo na.

Cindy Vallador sat on the bench. Listening to heartbreaking OPMs. She never really moved on from him. Maraming mas eligible sa UP... mas maraming matalino, gwapo. Mabait.

But there wasn't anything like him.

---

"Good Morning, class!" The whole class greeted him in a friendly vibe. She didn't. Alam niyang nakita siya nito, but she kept her mum. Nag-iwas ng tingin. Nagkamot ng ulo. Nahihiya.

"Good Morning, Miss.." He look intently at her. Siya naman ay nag-iwas ng tingin. Halos mag-dadalawang buwan na rin silang nagkaklase, pero hindi niya ito magawang batiin. He was too much for her. His voice was always happy. Nakangiti palagi ang mga mata. It would be too millenial of her to say that the first time she met him, she knew he was the one, pero hindi. Hindi niya agad ito nagustuhan. Besides, hindi naman siya pumasok ng senior highschool with the hopes of falling in love. Pumasok siya para mag-aral.

But in span of two months, he crawl his way to her. She's 16, he's 23. He's a teacher. She's a student. By all means they weren't meant to be.

Gusto lang naman niya e. Gusto lang.

He would sometimes notice ang di niya pagbati, pero hinahayaan na lamang siya nito. But maybe now is her unlucky day.

Tinaasan siya nito ng kilay, makapal. May sinasabi. Nangungusap.

"P-po?"

"I said good morning..." Nakangiti ito. He's got that lopsided grin out. Nakatuon ang mga kamay nito sa desk at nakatitig sa kanya, he's standing up.

"Good Morning din po, Sir..."

"Let's give Cindy a round of applause!" He clapped his hands, "First time niyang batiin ako!" He look so happy. So juvenile. Parang bata na nabigyan ng candy. Out of nowhere her lips unconsciously smiled.