Time and Again

[39] Foolish Heart

Isabel woke up the next day with a beautiful start. The sun peeked in her bedroom window, lighting her gray hair with a fiery halo. She lifted her head from the pillow, her curly hair tumbling down her back like a waterfall. She opened the window to feel the morning air, the sun's waking up rays warmed her body; though the air in the bustling city was not as fresh as the air in the slower pace of life in the country.

Isabel took a bath and wore her usual outfit of long-sleeve blouse, slacks, and flat doll shoes.

Isabel wasn't fond of putting make-up on her face not like any teacher. She was always conservative; never the type who wore sexy clothes. She always wore long-sleeve blouses, slacks, and doll shoes. Her hair was always in a bun. Some of the teachers often told her that she was old-fashioned but she didn't care. She was always beautiful no matter what she wore. She was not as trying hard as the other teachers who could never match her beauty. Her simplicity outshone them all.

Isabel looked at her face on the mirror. She felt like there is something missing on her face. For the first time in history, she put lipstick on her lips. It added more beauty on her comely appearance.

It attracted attention among her fellow teachers when they saw her glowing more in beauty because of the ruby-red lipstick she's wearing. Some were secretly jealous with her beauty. She's already beautiful despite of her simplicity. Her beauty was more enhanced when she showed some skin and applied a little make-up on her face. Her friends were happy for the slight change in her. They teased her for finally finding an inspiration.

Isabel was so energetic in conducting her class to all her three students. She didn't mind Morris anymore whenever he mentioned his recklessness.

She showed interest on his story and couldn't wait at the same time to dismiss him so that she would see Ken again.

She went to the bathroom and fixed her hair and lipstick. Some of the teachers stared at her but she didn't care at all what they think about her. Some were envious with her beauty. There were also some who admired her beauty.

She went back inside her cubicle and waited for Ken. As usual he was late again. She waited. And when he did not arrive after 15 minutes, she started to be hysterical. She wondered if he transferred to another ESL school or he switched with another teacher.

She was worried to death. She wanted to see Ken. She wanted to go out and look for him. When she was about to stand up, Ken went inside her cubicle. She was relieved to see the doppelganger of the love of her life. If it was another student, she would reprimand him and mark him as absent.

She smiled and sat down.

"Hi, Ken. Welcome back to our class. Why are you late?"

"I'm sorry, teacher. Late. I don't want come class today."

"Why don't you want to come to our class today? Are you not feeling well?"

"No, teacher. I don't like class."

Isabel started to get disappointed. She wondered if she did something wrong that made Ken hate her class. She wanted to freak out. She pinched herself to stay calm. She wanted him to stay in her class. She would do anything just to make him stay in her class.

"Did I say something yesterday that made you hate my class?"

"No, teacher."

"Then, why don't you want to attend to my class?"

Isabel wanted to know why Ken was not interested to attend her class. She probed more to know the reason of his disinterest and do something to make him come back to her class again.

"I don't want study English. My parents want study English. Not me."

Ken's answer caught Isabel's attention. It was the answer that Ken kept on repeating the other day but Isabel was not paying attention. She was carried away by her emotions. She only focused on watching his handsome face, not his answer.

"What are you planning to do then?"

"I'm not come to your class. I don't study English."

"Do you know why your parents wanted you to study English?"

"No."

"They wanted you to learn English because they love you. They don't want you to be left behind just because you don't know how to speak English. They wanted to give the best to you."

"I don't think study English best for me. Many people Thailand survive doesn't know speak English."

Isabel remembered Emile when she patiently taught him how to read and write. Emile was not interested to learn. According to him, his great-great grandparents were able to survive even if they don't know how to read and write. So why bother learning how to read and write?

Convincing Ken to learn how to speak and write in English was another big challenge for her. She remembered how hard it was for her at first to teach Emile how to read and write because he was too stubborn to learn. He was a very difficult student because he was not interested to learn.

Isabel looked at Ken's eyes. She was more than ready for the challenge in motivating him to learn the beauty of the English language. She didn't care how stubborn he would turn out to be. She would do it one step at a time. She would make him learn how to communicate fluently in English. Above all, she would teach him how to fall in love with her.

Isabel had never been the slutty type of woman. But when it came to Emile, all proprieties gone even if she was just facing his doppelganger.

"I understand Ken that you don't want to study English. But can we have an agreement?"

"What teacher?"

"You will still come back to my class next week even if you don't want to learn English. Don't worry, I will let you choose what you wanted to do. If you don't want to have a discussion, then we'll just talk about anything."

"Okay, teacher."

"Is that a deal?"

Isabel offered her hand to Ken.

"Deal."

Ken shook her hand.

"Why do you think your parents want you to learn English?"

"My parents wants me learn English because they want marry me my child friend to United States of America."

Isabel's world suddenly crumbled into pieces. She regretted everything that she did from turning the hands of the ancient clock up to making a foolish deal to Ken to come back to her class no matter what. She hated the fact of meeting Ken and hoping that there would ever be a chance to finish the love story they have started together. She felt foolish of thinking that Ken and Emile were the same soul. She didn't want Ken to come back to her class anymore. She felt foolish for expecting something that would never be hers.

Isabel felt upset. She called Pretty on her mobile phone.

"Hi sister grannie, how's your day?"

"Let's drink alcohol."

"Are you calling for a celebration?"

"No, I'm upset."

"It doesn't sound at all like you Isabel. What happened?"

Isabel started to wail.

"Long story, my dear."

"Don't worry, I'm coming. Please don't do anything stupid yet, okay?"

"I'll wait for you here."