My Lover Is My Teacher (ON REVISION)

A Secret was Spilled

Viewer's Discretion: intense language, aggression

Kinatok ko ang office ni Leandro.

"Pasok," he said.

Pagkapasok ko, nakita ko siyang nakaupo sa upuan niya, busyng-busy na nakatutok sa laptop niya.

He just stared at me without saying anything.

"Busy ka?" I asked.

He glanced at his laptop, and then he looked at me, "A bit. Bakit, anong kailangan mo?"

I looked down, and said, "Salamat. Thank you for doing that earlier. Akala ko katapusan na natin."

He didn't respond. He just looked back to his laptop, and answered, "I am your teacher, what do you expect?"

I nodded, "Sige sir, thank you po ulit. Mauna na po ako." I was about to leave his office when...

"Venus.", he called me.

I looked at him, "Po?"

For like a few minutes, we just stared at each other.

"Wala." he said, "Sige, makakaalis ka na."

I turned the doorknob and left his office quietly.

Paglabas ko, nagulat ako nang bumungad sa'kin ang seryosong mukha ni Grae.

"Grae." I greeted, "Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

"Ikaw? Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

Kinabahan akong bigla sa tinanong ni Grae. Bakit parang ang seryo-seryoso niya?

"Ha? Wala. Nagpasalamat lang ako kay Sir Dela Cruz."

"Para saan?"

"P-para do'n sa kanina." I answered, "Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong?"

"Masama bang magtanong?" nakatitig lang siya sa'kin, hindi niya ako nilulubayan ng tingin.

Pareho kaming napalingon nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng office ni Sir Dela Cruz, "Venus--" Leandro called me.

Hindi ko alam, pero nakaramdam ako ng tensyon nang magkatitigan si Grae at si Sir Leandro. Para akong natatakot na kinakabahan.

"Sir?" I asked.

"Could you please distribute these papers to your classmates?" he asked, "Thank you." he then entered his office again and closed the door.

Tiningnan ko 'yong mga papel, quiz results namin for the week.

Nagulat ako nang bigla akong hilahin ni Grae palayo sa office ni Sir. He took me at the school garden.

"Ano ba, Grae? Nasasaktan ako!" piglas ko, "Ano bang problema mo?!"

He looked into my eyes, "Siya ba?" he asked, "Siya ba 'yong sinasabi mo?"

PUTANG INA.

"Grae? Pati ba naman ikaw?!" my words were trembling, "Naniniwala ka ba na may relasyon kami ni Sir Dela Cruz?!-"

"WALA BA?"

He caught me off guard.

"W-walaa." I answered.

"TANG INA VENUS." he blurted out, "Kwinento mo sa'kin kagabi, remember? Ang sabi mo nakasalubong mo 'yong lalaking nanggago sa'yo sa tapat ng 711!" he said, "Hindi ka nagbanggit ng pangalan, pero TANG INA huling-huli ka sa camera! Nakita kayo ni Pia, at napicturean ka kasama ang isang lalaki sa tapat ng 711, and that guy turned out to be Sir Leandro Dela Cruz!"

Hindi ako sumagot, hinayaan ko lang siyang magsalita.

"Tell me the truth, Venus. Sabihin mo sa'kin ang lahat ng totoo, or else-"

"Or else ano?" I answered, "Ikakalat mo, na fake lang ang relationship natin? Na ginawa ko 'yon, dahil naghihiganti ako sa lalaking naging ex ko?" I continued, "SIGE, IKALAT MO!-"

He breathe in some air, and sighed as he held my hand, "Tell me, Venus, si Sir Leandro ba ang lalaking nanggago sa'yo, noon?"

Tears slowly formed in my eyes. I slowly held his hand back, and then... I nodded.

"Fuck." he said and hugged me, "Bakit hindi mo kaagad sinabi?"

"N-natatakot ako." I cried, "Natatakot ako na baka kapag nalaman mo, lalayuan mo ako; na baka mas lumala lang lahat."

He held my hair and kissed my head, "Kahit kailan, hindi kita huhusgahan. Tandaan mo 'yan."

I cried even more, this time it was intense. I released all of my pain onto Grae's chest. He just hugged me and caressed me until I become okay.

We were now sitting on the bench, under the tree in the school's garden. I was leaning on Grae's chest, and his arms were around me.

"Hindi ko alam na teacher pala siya, at hindi niya rin alam na estudyante ako." I told him, "We met at Makati inside a club. We introduced each other, but they were all lies. I told him that I was 21, and that I was not going to school. He told me that he's just a little older than me, so I thought he's only 25 or above. He also told me that he's a chef and he's planning to move to Paris to have a better job. We had sex and had fun for the whole week, pero after that wala na kaming communication." I let out a laugh, "He was not my boyfriend, he was just a random guy who I just had sex with. I was just such a fool na naniwala akong minahal niya ako. Lately na lang namin na-realize na lahat ng sinabi namin sa club ay pawang kasinungalingan. Wala kaming nagawa kun'di kalimutan na lang ang lahat. Gusto kong ibalik 'yong nangyari sa'min within that week, pero ayaw niya. Dahil ngayon, na totoo na ang lahat iba na ang sitwasyon. He's my teacher and I am his student. He wanted to protect us, our career, kaya he chose to forget and ignore me for weeks."

Tahimik lang na nakikinig si Grae. Hindi siya sumasagot, nakikinig lang siya.

I sighed, "Sorry, Grae. Magulo talaga 'tong pinasukan ko and I'm sorry kasi dinamay pa kita."

"No, it's okay, and I understand you." he said, "Ginusto ko rin naman na tulungan kang maghiganti sa kanya, tama? So you don't really have to say sorry."

I held his warm hand, and eloped my small hand into it, "I wanted to take a break, Grae. Ayoko nang ituloy ang plano. I don't want to take vengeance anymore. I just wanted to fall in love again and just forget everything." I looked into his eyes, "I wanna date you, Grae. This time, let's make it real."