Love is a Riot

45 (FINAL)

"She's Teacher Sage's girl!"

Ngumiti ako sa mga cute na batang nadaanan ko habang naglalakad papunta sa classroom ni Imari. I suddenly remembered how Sage Imari told me one night, bigla-bigla niya lang talagang sinabi. Umuwi siya, he looked really exhausted, and a sigh escaped his lips that made me worry, not until he told me, "The amount of cuteness I see everyday at school, Cielo. You won't understand it."

"Tulong po ako sa'yo," sabi ng batang naka-pigtails, and I noticed how cute her choppy bangs were. Hinawakan nya ang ilalim ng paso na bitbit ko, at sumabay sa paglalakad ko.

"Okay lang baby, hindi naman mabigat," sabi ko sa kanya. "Baka hinahanap ka na ng Mommy mo. Thank you!"

She just stood there with both of her hands on her back. "Okay!"

I just smiled when she waved goodbye at me.

"Hello, Cielo!" napalingon ako sa tumawag at nakita ko si Paige. We became friends after Imari worked at the preschool. Imari has been working here ever since we graduated, just like how he told me before about how passionate he is about teaching young minds. "Si Teacher Sage ba, or si Teacher Terence?"

"Sage," natatawang sabi ko sa kanya. "Nasaan siya?"

"Pinatawag sila. Saglit lang 'yon, pasok ka na lang muna dyan sa loob," sabi niya habang tinuturo ang classroom ni Imari at kinuha ang bag niya. "Una na me ha, may date pa akes. Bye!"

Nakangiti lang akong tumango sa kanya.

Ibinaba ko muna ang bitbit halaman and started roaming around the room. I smiled when a photo caught my eye. He was smiling from ear to ear while showing the children the fish he caught using a rod. On the other one, he was posing in a peace sign in the middle of little kids after a color fun run, with all the paint all over his face and body. I also smiled when I saw a picture of him teaching kids how to cook using play-doh.

I can see that when he's with the kids, it's obvious that he's in his best self.

Well, that's expected of Imari. He always liked taking care of everything. Like seriously. Malapit nang maging zoo ang bahay niya. After college, he started living alone again. He started taking in stray cats and even dogs. May mga alagang isda rin siya na lahat ay may pangalan.

And I didn't know about this but he's obsessed about plants too, to the point na dalawang araw niya na akong hindi pinapansin dahil nabangga ng kotse ko ang isa sa mga halaman niya. That is why I brought a plant with me today.

"Why are you smiling so much?" napangiti ako lalo nang marinig ang boses ni Imari mula sa likuran ko. He was wearing his dark blue uniform na bagay na bagay sa kanya, because of his pale skin.

Ginawaran niya kaagad ako ng halik sa pisngi. Mabuti na lamang at wala nang tao sa paligid dahil uwian na ng mga bata. "Bakit pinapansin mo na ako?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Itinuro nya ang halamang dala ko gamit ang nguso nya. "May dala kamg peace offering."

Natawa ako. "Are you done sulking now?"

"Nope," sabi niya. "Pero madaya ka kasi. Nagtatampo ka rin 'pag nagtatampo ako. Kaya 'wag na lang."

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. "I'm not like that!"

Imari and I have been in a relationship for years now, and he still hasn't changed. Masasabi kong nagsisimula na akong masanay na palagi siyang kasama, and I have learned everything about him, discovered the good sides and the bad. But one thing never changes. It's the fact that he always treats me well and puts me first before anything else.

"Did Cain contact you?" tanong niya sa akin. "He told me to tell him kung nakapagpabook na tayo."

"Hindi nya ako tinawagan," sabi ko sa kanya. "I'll tell him later. Nakapagpabook na naman ako."