The Life of the Reader: Simon

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 The Reader's Desire

"If you don't want to feel awkward..... Then, forget about it."
-UnleashingDesire

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

Simon is helping his brother with his hobby again. Si Simon ang taga-video sa kuya niyang vlogger. Siya na rin ang nag-eedit nito. Binabayaran naman siya ng kuya niya tuwing sasahod ito kaya okay lang sa kaniya.

Ang totoong trabaho ng kaniyang kapatid na si Drey ay assistant marketing employee sa isang publishing company. Assistant siya ng isa sa mga leader dun. Hindi rin mahigpit ang schedule nito kaya naman may oras siya para makapagvlog.

Samantalang si Simon naman ay working student. He is working in a restaurant as a waiter and he is paid to do some research too. His income is increasing day by day. Of course, ‘yon talaga ang plano niya. No income, no wife. His dream is to let Rafaela live a life without thinking where she will find money.

Pagkatapos magvideo ng kuya niya ay hinatid na siya nito sa eskwelahan. His motorcycle is not with him right now. Bigla kasi siyang sinundo ng kuya niya nung vacant time niya, para lang magvideo.

Habang nakatingin si Simon sa bintana ng kotse ay hindi niya mapigilang matandaan ang nangyari kahapon. Until now, hindi niya pa rin alam kung paano haharapin si Rafaela. Guro pa naman niya ito sa dalawang subject na meron siya ngayong araw. Malaki rin ang kaniyang pasasalamat ng hindi sinabi ni Rafaela ang nangyari sa kahit na sino... Well, ‘yon ang alam ni Simon.

But actually, Rafaela informed her mother about it without saying his name though. Rafaela and her mother is very close with each other, kaya naman hindi nakakapagtaka na sabihin ito ni Rafaela sa kaniyang ina.

Rafaela's mind kept repeating that scene and it made her restless. Her mother only laughed at her. Then, she let Rafaela describe the man and what she felt that time. At ang huli nitong sinabi ang naging daan para hindi niya na ulitin ang pagsabi niya ng ganung topic sa kaniyang ina. Her mother, advices her to; "Get a boyfriend or you can just get laid with that man."

Rafaela blushed in shame that she even run back to her room like a shy little girl. She even imagine doing it with Simon that made her shock. Teacher siya and she would never do it to his student! Pilit niyang kinukumbinsi ang sarili niya. At the end, she decided to date someone.

Anyway, back to Simon. All those things are unknown to Simon. He is already walking toward the assigned room of his first subject after his vacant. He can hear his classmate chatting with each other, it made him sighed a relief. Rafaela is her first professor too. She is always early but she seems to be late today. Pumasok na siya at pumunta sa pwesto niya, kung na saan ang mga kaibigan niyang nagbubulungan.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Nagsitinginan ang kaibigan at pina-upo siya. They all flock toward him that made Simon thought that they knew what happened with him and Rafaela. It made him nervous but he didn't let them see it.

"Have you heard?" Johan, his friend asked. Simon looks at him, confused.

"Mam Rafaela and Dean Franco are dating. Well, we think it's rumour. But... I've seen Mam Rafaela earlier with Dean Franco in cafeteria, eating and even laughing! Pero 'di ako sure ah. Mas maganda kung umpisahan mo na ang panliligaw kay Ma’m. Although, bawal ang teacher-student relationship, 'di na rin common ang gano’n." Simon was stunned then his eyes darken. Nakalimutan na rin niya ang dahilan kung bakit siya kinakabahan kanina ng marinig niya ang sinabi nito.

Alam ng mga kaibigan niya na may gusto siya kay Rafaela. At dahil rare na magkagusto si Simon ay supportive ang mga kaibigan niya sa kaniya, lalo na dahil sa ganda at talino ni Rafaela.

And speaking of his self-proclaimed wife, Rafaela came in with a big smile. Tumatango ito at kumaway pa bago niya isinarado ang pinto. Halata dito na nakikipag-usap siya sa labas at masayang masaya pa. His friends felt a sudden cold made them rush away from Simon.

Nagsibalikan na sa pwesto ang mga estudyante. Habang si Simon ay pinipigilang tumayo at hatakin si Rafaela para tanongin ito. But he wouldn't do that. Hindi niya pa nga nauumpisahan ang plano niya at wala rin siyang karapatan para tanungin ito, lalo na sa harap pa ng mga kaklase niya. Wala siyang magawa kung hindi maghintay na matapos ang lahat ng klase na meron siya.

Ilang oras na ang nakalipas at unti-unti na ring nauubos ang pasencia ni Simon, pero nakapaghintay pa rin siya. Mas lalong lumala ang nararamdaman niya dahil saktong uwian na nung makita niyang sumakay si Rafaela sa kotse ng Dean na 'yon. Nagdilim ang paningin niya sa kaniyang nakita. He badly wants to punch the man, who hold his wife's shoulder.

"Fuck! What is that man's name again!?"

"Franco...." When he heard that, Simon kicked the trash can that is on his side before walking towards his motorcycle. Simon’s friends, who came out with him, looks at each other, shocked.

Sinundan ni Simon ang kotse. Mas lalo pa niya itong binilisan ng naramdaman niyang may masamang mangyayari. Simon often went in bars to have a part time job, kaya alam niya na posibleng do’n dadalhin si Rafaela nung Fanco na 'yun. Dean Franco....

Inisip ng mabuti ni Simon kung sino nga ba talaga si Franco.  His face is quite familiar to him. There is no Dean Franco in their school, pero kadalasan kasi may mga pumupuntang guro sa school nila para sa mga organisasyon and such. Nung nakita niya ang mukha nito kanina ay pilit niyang tinatandaan kung nakita niya ba 'to sa bar o sa iba pa niyang pinagtratrabahuhan.

Sakto namang humito ang kotse na 'to sa isang bar na kilalang-kilala ni Simon. It's a restobar to be exactly but only some knew about this restobar, because beneath of this bar is something that he can't handle. Kaya naman ng malaman niyang may illegal na ginagawa ang mga ito ay nagresign na siya at gumawa na lang ng dahilan para pirmahan ang resignation letter niya. Bago pa makapasok si Rafaela ay tinawag niya na ito.

"Rafaela!" Simon took off his helmet and run towards her. Rafaela was shock as she looks at the young man who is looking dangerously handsome.

She didn't know why she is having inappropriate thoughts about him. Rafaela wanted to stop this as she felt awkward to face Simon. It is also the reason why she accepted Franco's invitation for dinner, to forget. At ngayon na nandito na naman si Simon sa harap niya ay kinakabahan siyang harapin ito.