She's Dating The Teacher

Chapter 28: Reality Bites

"Nakipagdeal ka sa Daddy mo?" Tanong ni Rachel habang nilalagay ang isang slice ng Hawaiian pizza sa plato ni Kelsey.
Dahil sa hindi pa siya nakapaggrocery at hindi sila bumili ng pagkain ni Kelsey, nagpadeliver na lang sila ng pagkain.
"Yeah. I was so fed up with him kaya ng sinabi niya na I had to pay for my tuition if I want to keep playing, pumayag ako."
"Babe, alam mo ba kung ano ang pinasok mo?"
"Honestly?" Akmang isusubo na ni Kelsey ang pizza pero pinatong niya ito ulit sa plato.
"I have no idea."
"Eh paano iyan? Anong plano mo?"
"I spoke to Coach A after the investigation sa nangyari sa amin ni Tessa. I'm still on the team and that's a good thing."
"Si Tessa, anong nangyari sa kanya?"
"She was expelled from the team and the school. Flo was my witness at sinabi niya kung ano ang nangyari that time. Lexi and Eliza were suspended dahil sa tampering na ginawa nila sa video to make it look like it was my fault."
"I have another good news for you." Inakbayan siya ni Kelsey.
"Ang dami mo yatang sorpresa sa akin today."
"I know pero I think luck is on my side."
"Bakit naman?"
"Coz your baby just made captain."
"What?" Binitawan ni Rachel ang hawak na pizza at niyakap si Kelsey.
"Yup! Coach asked so I accepted on the condition that as long as I meet the grades requirement, my tuition is paid for."
"Pumayag naman ang coach mo?"
"Yeah. Natutuwa nga siya dahil I wasn't hard to convince. Kung alam lang niya na I needed this more than anything."
"Kakayanin mo ba?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Rachel.
"I have to. Either that or pilitin ko ang sarili ko na maging abogado."
"Paano ang allowance mo?"
"Wala namang sinabi si Daddy tungkol doon. Basta ang sabi niya, I have to take care of my tuition and that's it."
"Sigurado ka?"
"Yeah. Why?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Kelsey.
"What if he changed his mind again? Paano kung bigla na lang niyang putulin ang allowance mo?"
"I don't think he'll do that. It wasn't part of the deal."
"Ang weird ng sitwasyon na 'to. It's like a business negotiation."
"That's how my dad operates. He's not, what's the word?" Napatingala si Kelsey sa kisame.
"He doesn't give unconditionally. Dapat may kapalit. I remember when Ate Sara wanted to enroll in modern dance. Ang sabi ni Daddy, she has to be at the top of her class. Si Ate naman, halos hindi na kumain dahil sa pagrereview. I thought she was going to get sick."
"Did she get to enroll?"
"Yeah. But after that, she stopped from asking for for a while."
"Is it the same with Leah and Frank?"
Umiling si Kelsey.
"Those two were made from a different breed. It's the opposite with them kasi they were outstanding in what they do so they don't have a hard time getting what they want. Sometimes I wonder if they're humans."
"Eh ang baby ko? Do you get what you want?"
"Early on, I learned not to ask for anything. I know I was different even then kasi I don't like reading or studying. I don't even like going to school." Tatawa-tawang sabi niya.
"You don't like going to school?" Shock na tanong ni Rachel.
"No. I would pretend to be sick para lang hindi pumasok. It worked a few times hanggang makahalata si Mommy na tinatamad lang ako. Nung Grade 1 ako, I got sick for two weeks dahil I was so intimidated by my teacher and classmates. I thought mom would let me stay home pero when I got better, pumasok na ako ulit."
"Ikaw?" Did you always want to be a teacher?"
"Yes."
"Really?" Nanlaki ang mata ni Kelsey.
"Oo nga. Kuya Henry had the same expression kasi sabi niya, mahirap ang maging guro. But then, ang parents namin were both teachers. The truth was, they discouraged me dahil hindi nga naman malaki ang sahod at saka nakakapagod lalo na kung makulit ang estudyante. Tulad mo." Pinindot niya si Kelsey sa ilong.
"Hindi naman ako makulit ah."
"Hindi daw. Lagi ka ngang nakikipagkuwentuhan sa katabi mo na si Velasco."
"Oh yeah. Si Eric. Lagi kasi siyang nagdo-doodle sa notebook niya. Ang galing kaya niya magdrawing. He had a lot of drawings na ikaw ang subject."
"What?"
"Yup! I have all of them. Tinago ko lahat."
"Hindi ba siya nagtaka kung bakit hinihingi mo yung mga drawings niya?"
"I paid for those."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I mean the guy has talent and he deserved to get paid for his work so I gave him money."
"Magkano naman?"
"Fifty pesos per drawing."
"Magkano naman ang nagastos mo?"
Hindi agad sumagot si Kelsey.
"Kelsey..." Seryosong tanong ni Rachel.
"Basta! It's not important how much I paid."
"It is to me. Magkano nga?"
"Hmmm, around two thousand?"
"What? You spent that much on his drawings?"
"Not just any drawing. Those are pictures of you."
"Ang sweet mo talaga." Pinisil niya sa pisngi si Kelsey.
"One of these days. You'll get to see it."
"Talaga?"
"Oo." Tinaas niya ang kanang kamay.
"Promise."
"I'll look forward to that."

Pinagpatuloy nila ang pagkain.
Bandang alas-otso ng magpaalam si Kelsey.
"I want to stay, Babe, but I can't." Niyakap niya ng mahigpit si Rachel.
"It's okay. One of these days."
Hinatid niya ito sa gate at hinintay na makaalis bago siya pumasok sa apartment.

Habang nasa biyahe, napadako ang tingin ni Kelsey sa gauge ng gas.
Less than half na ang level kaya tumigil siya sa Shell gasoline station.
Nilapitan siya ng attendant at tinanong kung magkano.
"Full tank." Sagot ni Kelsey.
Hindi na niya pinalinis ang windshield dahil malinis pa naman ito.
Nang mapuno ang tanke ay lumapit ang attendant para kunin ang bayad niya.
Kinuha niya ang pitaka sa bulsa ng pantalon pero five hundred lang ang cash niya kaya bumaba siya para magbayad ng credit card.
Inabot niya sa babae ang card at tinapik-tapik ng daliri ang counter habang naghihintay ng lumapit ang cashier.
"Mam, declined po."
"Declined? What do you mean?"
"Insufficient funds."