Opposites Collide

Chapter 15

As the class settled in, I couldn't shake the heavy feeling in my chest. Hindi ko maiwasan ang pasimpleng pagsulyap sa direksyon ni Josh. As usual, tahimik lang siyang nakaupo sa seat niya.

Wala pa kasi ang subject teacher namin sa EMTECH kung kaya't ang iba ay may kanya-kanyang mundo. At sa maingay na klase na puno ng mga kwentuhan at tawanan, ang isip ko nasa kanya lamang.

Paano ko ba 'yon makakalimutan? Josh had opened up to me just yesterday, sharing his pain and vulnerability about his mom's condition, and now it looks like he was back to his usual self.

Okay lang kaya siya?

Gosh, Dottie! Tigil na nga kakaisip sa kanya. For sure, hindi pa rin siya okay dahil hindi naman madali ang dinadala niya. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako habang ang mga mata ay nanatiling nasa kanya.

"Girl, baka matunaw si Josh."

"Ha?" Napaangat ako ng tingin kay Kristy na ang lapad ng ngiti ngayon.

"I've noticed you've been staring at him. Ikaw ha! We know kaya that you and Josh were together yesterday, that's why you two were both absent."

Natawa ako ng mahina. "May importante lang kaming ginawa."

"About your competition?"

Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Naghihintay si Kristy sa sagot ko kaya tumango na lang ako instead na sabihin sa kanya ang totoo. Wala din naman kasi ako sa posisyon para sabihin sa iba kung anong ginawa namin kahapon.

"Oh, I see. Okayyyy!"

Mukhang napaniwala ko naman si Kristy kaya hindi na siya muling nagtanong pa. Nakita ko siyang lumipat sa ibang upuan para maki-chismis sa iba pa naming kaklase. And guess what anong topic nila? Yes, about na naman sa upcoming party.

Muli ay bumalik ang tingin ko kay Josh. Nakatalikod siya sa'kin pero bakit ang lakas pa din ng dating ng lalaking 'to? I couldn't help but recall the first time I saw him in the classroom. He looked unreal.

But seeing the other Le Feuvres, as well as their grandpa, it seemed like being handsome ran in their blood. Especially him.

Wait, ano bang sinasabi ko?

I was brought back to reality when Mr. Homes entered the classroom. He's our EMTECH teacher. Inilapag niya ang mga dalang gamit sa table sa unahan saka binuksan ang laptop. He started typing then looked at us.

"Alright, class, since your exams are just around the corner, let's dive into a comprehensive review," Mr. Homes began. Narinig ko malakas na react ng mga kaklase ko, mukhang hindi nila inaasahan 'to. "Okay, let's start with the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics."

"Ano raw? I don't even understand our lessons in EMTECH."

"Girl, EMTECH is really easy."

"Easy? Not for me."

"You just don't study."

I heard more murmurs from my classmates, and most of them were complaints. Aaminin kong hindi ako nakapag-review kahapon, ganun pa man ay fresh pa rin sa utak ko mga naging lessons namin.

"So, can anyone explain the importance of 'Thou shall not use a computer to bear false witness'?"

Josh's hand shot up almost instantly. "This commandment emphasizes the ethical obligation to avoid spreading false information or engaging in deceitful practices online. It's crucial because misinformation can lead to significant harm."

Oh, wow. Mukha ngang bumalik na siya sa usual self niya. He stated his answer confidently, his voice firm and assertive. Hindi mo mahahalatang may mabigat siyang dinadala sa way ng pananalita at pagsagot niya.