Sheʼs Temporary Teacher Of Section Gang

Chapter 11

“Matagal talagang mamatay ang masamang damo!” Sofia commented after I shared my studentʼs situation with them.

Here are the six of us in the faculty, 
just this morning they were asking me about what happened. I told Darwin yesterday that I couldnʼt go with them because I was going to visit my student in the hospital. Kaya heto, pinaulanan nila ako ng tanong.

I carefully answered their questions. I didnʼt tell them the truth. I kept a calm face so they wouldnʼt notice that I was lying.

Marami pa silang hindi nalalaman tungkol sa akin kahit pa kilala nila ako. Hindi kasi ako mahilig magkuwento kaya nanatiling lihim ang aking pagkatao.

“Siya ba ‘yong lalaking pumunta rito?” biglang tanong ni Madeline na kaninaʼy walang imik. I could see the curiosity in her eyes that are covered by round eyeglasses.

I nodded. 

I knew he was talking about Bentley. Nakapagtataka tuloy kung paano niya nahulaan iyon even though I hadnʼt told them who was admitted to the hospital.

“Ang sabi niya, ihahatid ka niya pauwi. So thatʼs means... he was with you when the incident happened?” 

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya ngunit mabilis ko ring ikinalma ang mukha. I didnʼt expect that. Tikom ang aking bibig dahil wala akong maapuhap na salita.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Nothing happened when he took me home...” mahinahon kong paliwanag na tila inosente sa nangyari. Pinapirmi kong normal ang aking pananalita para maging kapani-paniwala. “siguro inabangan siya ng mga kalaban nila pagkatapos niya akong ihatid sa bahay,” I added as if it wasnʼt a big deal to me.

I donʼt want to lie to them but I prefer to keep it a secret because everything is complicated dahil sa sunod-sunod na pangyayari. Itʼs not that I donʼt trust them, I just donʼt want the situation to get worse when they find out the truth. Mabuti na iyong wala silang alam nang sa ganʼon ay hindi sila mapahamak.

“Is that really what happened?” Darwin asked while observing me.

“Donʼt lie. Itʼs okay if you donʼt want to tell us the truth,” salo naman ni Kuya Roman.

Napalunok ako nang mapagtantong lahat silaʼy nagdududa sa sinabi ko. Maliban na nga lang kay Sofia na madaling mauto, kahit fake news ba naman ay papaniwalaan nito.

Is that why theyʼre asking me because they are observing me if Iʼm really telling the truth or not? And based on what I see on their disappointed faces, they already know that Iʼm lying.

Napayuko ako at hindi na muling kumibo. Nanatili kaming tahimik sa makipot na sala hanggang sa sunod-sunod silang tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo sa sofa. Walang salitang kinuha nila ang mga gamit sa kani-kanilang table at tuluyan na ngang lumabas sa faculty.

Naiwan akong mag-isa. I let out a long sigh and decided to go out because I was about to start my class.

“Barilin mo na!”

“Nasa likod mo tanga!”

“'Langya! Muntik na!”

“Wohooo! Sige, patayin mo ‘yan!”

As I was walking down the corridor, I heard shouting coming from inside the classroom. I thought there was a war going on there so I rushed in, but at the door, I was stunned when I witnessed what was happening.