The Sacred Rule of Love - (PUBLISHED 2019)

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

            Nag-start yung classes namin and I was sitting behind my canvas katulad nung ibang mga kasama ko sa klase. On a regular day, I would have jumped on this assignment without a problem, came up with a concept, and have something to turn in by the end of the class. Pero ngayon? It’s an empty canvas. Lahat sila may mga nasimulan na, pero ako—wala pa rin. Paano ba naman ako makaka-focus dito sa drill na ito, eh yung atensiyon ko eh nasa iba.

            Alex is human. No flaming blue skin, no blue eyes… just a regular human being. As solid as he can ever be. Pero paano? At bakit?

            “I believe the assignment is to come up with a piece that shows nature and animals,” sinabi ni Professor V at nanghila siya ng stool para umupo doon sa tabi ko, “Pero sa nakikita ko, parang hindi ito ang hiyang mong topic.”

            Napatingin naman ako kay Professor V. Niloloko ba niya ako? I’m pretty sure alam niya kung bakit nagkakaganito ako. It’s obvious naman ‘di ba? “Professor V naman…” lumabas na lang sa bibig ko.

            Seryoso pa rin yung mukha niya na para bang hindi siya apektado doon sa sinabi ko. Nakatingin pa rin siya doon sa canvas ko, “Ms. Aldana, wala ka bang nararamdaman para sa topic na ito? Wala kang concept na nakikita?”

            “I don’t feel anything about any thing right now. Professor V, si Alex—“

            “—TA Alex…” he corrected me.

            “Fine. TA Alex, wasn’t my TA before and you know that.”

            Mukhang ayaw pag-usapan ni Professor V yung topic na iyon. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla na lang siyang nag-show up sa klase with Alex and then leave me out of the loop. Hindi naman yata tama yun. “Zoe, he asked me every single night in the past week if he could do this. I can’t tell you all the details right now,” tinignan niya yung relo niya sa kaliwang wrist niya, “I have a meeting and he’s taking over the class temporarily. I have to go soon.”

            “Oh great. Buti ka pa nakita mo siya every night samantalang ako iniwan niya lang ako.” Sinagot ko naman kay Professor V, “I think I’m starting to feel something Professor V. It’s all building up inside of me—parang nag-iinit ako. Nag-iinit sa galit.” I teased him, “Baka mag-reflect sa work ko.”

            Tumayo naman siya at tinuro ako, “Behave.” tapos tumingin siya sa buong klase before explaining na aalis na siya. Ganun na nga ang nangyari before he stepped out of the room.

            And now, it’s just “TA Alex.” I have to treat him with all the respect that I can muster.

            Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya pero hindi pa rin siya tumitingin sa direksiyon ko. On purpose ba na hindi niya ako tinitignan?

            Naupo si Alex doon sa chair na laging inuupuan ni Professor V sa haparan ng klase. Nag-lean siya ng elbow niya doon at tinignan lang niya kaming lahat. He wore these black-rimmed glasses like he was born to make it look good, and he just smiled in front of everyone which maybe, just maybe, melted my heart a little.

            Hindi pwede, Zoe. Galit ka sa kanya remember?

            Tumayo yung isa kong classmate na babae at kinukuha yung atensiyon ni Alex. A few of them did the same thing, nagpapansin lang, and asked questions na alam ko namang alam na nila ang sagot pero gusto lang nilang makausap si Alex ng malapitan. I felt a tinge of jealousy sa nakikita ko. Now that he’s here, hindi ko alam kung gusto ko siyang i-share sa lahat. All these girls around him, hindi ko alam kung kaya kong i-handle.