Not Now But Forever

Chapter 9

Nang mag uwian na ay nagmadali ako sa pagpunta sa lib. My friends looked at me, confused.

"Tutor", I shyly told them.

"With Dale?" Sabay-sabay nilang tanong sa akin.

"Wow, sabayang pagbigkas?" I scoffed.

"With Dale nga?" Pangungulit ni Ella.

"Ikaw ha! May pa lunch lunch ka pa samin -" I cut off Rose and hugged her.

"With Liam!" Kinikilig kong saad. Pinanlakihan nila ako ng mata pero agad din akong umalis.

Ayokong ma-hotseat 'no! I came in the library one minute late. Natakot nga ako na baka nandoon na si Liam. Our Prof sent us a new lesson sa virtual classroom. Sana lang ay alam ito ni Liam.

Naupo ako sa table malapit sa glass window para agad niya akong makita. Konti na lang naman kasi ang mga estudyante ngayon dahil uwian na, habang ang iba naman ay may mga pasok. Usually kasi lunch time ito punuan.

I waved at Liam when I saw him scanning the place. He smiled at me at saka naglakad palapit sa akin.

Kalma,Charm. Kalma.

I breathed in and out, composing myself. Hindi ako pwedeng mahalatang tensed! Nakakahiya!

"Hi! Sorry, I'm late. May diniscuss pa kasi si prof eh." He told me while slightly brushing his hair.

I nodded while smiling, "It's okay! Kakarating ko pa lang naman eh!"

Umupo na siya sa harap ko. Medyo malayo nga lang siya sa akin. Nang marealize niya na masyadong malayo siya, he sat beside me. Not that close pero enough na para magkatabi kami. 

I pursed my lips to stop smiling. Baka akalain ni Liam eh baliw ako. Well, baliw naman talaga ako sa kanya eh.

"Ano bang next discussions niyo?" He asked me.

I opened my phone and clicked the virtual classroom app. I let him read it. His brows furrowed a bit.

"Differential." He murdered.

He started scribbling something on a piece of paper and showed it to me. He typed something on his phone and copied it in a piece of paper.

Napanguso naman ako. Dale knew the formulas without even blinking - teka, why am I thinking of that idiot?

Ah, maybe I want to compare who teaches well. Yes, that's it.

Nakakunot lang ang noo ko habang tinuturuan ako ni Liam. Everytime he would asked me if I understand it, I would just say yes. Kahit sa totoo lang ay hindi ko maintindihan.

It was a confusing but worth it one hour with Liam. He bid his goodbye dahil may ipapasa lang daw siya sa prof niya. He even told me to messaged him if I still need help! I giggled at the thought na magkakaroon kami ng convo ni Liam!

Kinabukasan, masyadong maganda ang mood ko. Syempre, mood lang ang maganda, hindi ako.

Napaawang ang aking bibig ng makitang one mistake lang ako sa quiz namin. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

Our Prof even told me that I got the highest score.

"Keep it up, Miss Montes." I shyly smiled at him.

"Get one whole sheet of paper and answer this. I'm hoping you all read the notes and samples I sent." He added.

I bit my lips, hindi ko kasi talaga naintindihan ang mga tinuro ni Liam kaya alam kong hindi ko ito masasagutan.

I tried solving it but everytime I'm on the middle of solving, hindi ko na alam bigla ang susunod.

"On the board, Miss Montes." Halos manginig ako sa aking inuupuan ng tawagin ako ni Sir.

I gulped as I walked in front. Nervousness eating my system. Nanginginig kong kinuha ang whiteboard marker.

I pursed my lips, trying to remember what Liam told me. Wala talaga! Hindi ko mapiga ang utak ko!

"Sabi na kasi nakachamba lang." I heard Donna said.

Inis ko itong binalingan, "At least nakachamba kaysa naman sayo laging bugok."

My classmates laughed a little. Abala naman kasi si Sir sa cellphone niya sa likod.

Napakagat ako sa aking labi, asking help for my friends pero they only shrugged their shoulders.

"You don't read the notes I sent?" Sir asked.

"Ah! I read po. Just confused." I said in a low voice.

He only nodded at me. Napatingin ako sa labas para maghanap ng sagot. Hula ko ay five minutes na ako dito!

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng makitang dumaan si Dale. He saw me standing. Akala ko ay aalis na siya kasama nina Andy but no, he remained standing outside our room.

Kunot noo itong nakatingin sa akin. Ilang sandali lang ay umalis na. I sighed.

Naramdaman ko ang pag vibrate ng cellphone ko. Oo nga pala! Hindi ko na naisara ang data ko dahil abala ako maglaro.

I quietly took out my phone from my pocket. Gulat akong napatingin sa sinend ni Dale.

It's the answer! Kinunan niya iyon ng litrato. What a handwriting! Masyadong maganda!

Nagpalusot ako na tila ba nagcocompute sa phone ko. I bit my lips while writing.

Bumalik na ako sa aking upuan nang masigurong tama ang kopya ko sa sagot ni Dale.

I saw him typing and there he sent to me the explanation. Hindi ko gets pero I silently memorized it. If in case tanungin ako ni Sir. At least, hindi ako mauutal!

"Very good, Miss Montes." Sir said as I finished explaining it.

Nang matapos ang klase ay agad akong nilapitan ng mga kaibigan ko. They are all teasing me.

"Galing naman ni Papa Liam magturo!" Jerard teased me.

I shook my head, "It was Dale." I told them.

Lito silang napatingin sa akin. I let out a heavy sigh.

"Liam taught kahapon kaso magulo siya...magturo eh. Hindi ko magets." I explained pero the looks on their faces is screaming for an elaboration.

"Ah, napadaan sina Dale dito eh tapos nagulat na lang ako kasi sinend niya na sa akin yung sagot." I added.

"Talino naman pala ni Dale." Rose said. Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya.

"Patutor din tayo!" Ella said na agad din na sinang-ayunan ni Rose.

I laughed at them. "Oo, paturo rin kayo! talino eh" I told them.

My phone beeped for a message.

Dale: send me ur notes, I'll teach you

I sighed. Hindi ko alam anong isasagot ko.

"Magpapaturo na rin ako kay Dale! May long quiz pa naman tayo sa Friday!" I heard Rose said.

Dale: Oh shit! Rose is asking me if I can teach her.
          

           Would you come tomorrow evening? May quiz daw kayo on Friday.
          
         
         Hey

I gulped. I don't know what I'm feeling. But at that moment, I felt threatened. I feel like I'm going to lose something...I don't know.