Chapter 1
First day of school. My last year as a junior high student. The school grounds look chaotic as freshmen and sophomores are scattered. My brows furrowed. I really don't like crowded places.
I took the path in the hallway to avoid the students. They're so energetic, loud, and active early in the morning with their groups. Seeing them makes my head ache.
While peacefully walking, someone called me out.
"Guevarra!" It turns out to be my class adviser last school year.
"Good morning, Miss Perez." I politely greeted. She has a co-teacher with her. Madadaanan ko pala ang teacher's faculty dito sa hallway.
"Siya 'yung class president na tinutukoy ko, Miss Tan, from my previous advisory class." Kausap niya sa kasama niyang guro. Hindi ko yata gusto kung saan tutungo ang usapang ito.
"Opo. Bakit po Miss Perez?" sabat ko.
Every student here in our school addresses every teacher Miss or Sir. Mapa byuda o byudo, single o may-asawa man ang mga guro ay ganon talaga. One of the unspoken rules in the school that we all follow.
"Guevarra, siya ang bago niyong adviser. May pabor sana siya sa'yo." I mentally sigh.
Sana naman hindi na ako magiging class officer sa taong 'to. Kahit ngayon lang. Pagod na akong mamukhaan at pagkatiwalaan ng mga teachers.
Binalingan ko naman ng tingin ang kasama niya. "Ano po 'yun, Miss Tan?" I flash a tight smile.
I don't want to leave a rude impression to the teachers here. Base from experience, ilan sa kanila ay namemersonal.
"Tulungan mo naman sana akong bitbitin ang gamit ko papunta sa room niyo, hija. Masyado kasing marami." She let out a warm motherly smile.
She looks like she's in her middle age, which explains that kind of impression. I can tell she's a kind teacher.
Pero bakit ang daming gamit ang dadalhin niya? Eh first day pa lang ah. "Okay po."
Leaving with no other choice — actually, I have a choice. But again, I don't want to be seen as rude by someone — and that is to help her out with her things.
Hindi ito pagpapakitang-tao. I'm doing it out of respect.
Pumasok muna kami sa faculty, and hell, ang dami nga. May pa-activity yata si Miss ngayong araw. Sana naisip niyang nasa adolescence stage na ang mga estudyante nya at hindi na kami sumasaya sa mga ganitong pakulo.
Pwede pa siguro sa mga freshmen, but not us. Or maybe some of us. We can never really tell someone's actual mental age.
On our way to the fourth floor of the academic building, ang dami niyang kinuwento sa'kin about her experiences with students from her years of teaching.
She also shared her expectations from our class and sana hindi daw namin siya bibigyan ng sakit sa ulo. Puro tango at pagsasang-ayon lang ang ibinigay kong sagot sa kaniya.
As we enter the classroom, natahimik bigla ang mga kaklase ko. Same faces from sophomore until now. Rinig ko pa kanina sa hallway ang mga sigawan ng batian nila. Kesyo ilang buwan na raw silang hindi nagkita. Ang daming arte.
"Oh, hi Anala! Himalang natagalan ka ah." Bati sa'kin ng class beagle, si Daniel. I only nod as an answer. Masyado na kasing nangangalay ang kamay ko.
Daniel's really jolly and talkative. Siya ang parating pinag-iinitan ng mga lecturers tuwing discussion pero paborito tuwing may class or school events dahil sa pagiging bibo nito.
