Heartbeat of the Sunrise

58

"OMG! arabo ang instructor natin?!" bulong ni Ruby habang sinusundan ng tingin ang Prof naming kararating pa lang.

And yes, lahat kami, hindi maibuka ang bibig sa gulat. He, who's wearing a traditional arab outfit, stopped in front and laid his laptop in the table. Ikinabit pa niya ito sa malaking projector bago humarap sa amin.

"Good morning everyone!" He greeted us in Arabic accent. "My name is Shareed Al-Fasil. i am one of the stakeholders of this institution and the President of the three branches of Richmond International University in UAE."

What? Kilala ko 'to! Siya iyong isa sa mga judges ng nagdaang Food Expo! Siya rin ang pumuri kay Ali dahil sa ideya ng business proposal namin.

The class were filled with soft gasps. Walang nagtangkang makaimik, lahat ng mata at tenga ay nakatuon lang sa kanya.

Sa mga titig pa lang niya, ramdam ko na ang pressure. Sana lang, mataas siyang magbigay ng grades...

"I know, I know!" He laughed. "You didn't expected me to be your teacher, did you?"

"I'm nervous, sir!" biglang sabi ni Nikka kaya nagtawanan ang iba naming kaklase.

Nakitawa na rin si Prof. Hindi naman pala mukhang masungit!

"Well, let me tell you a short fact about myself. I really did not come to the Philippines to teach about business and financial stuffs. Neither did the decision to be a Professor is included in my bucket list. I am just a wanderer searching for something. Like the story of Jafar who is busy searching for a diamond in the rough, I am searching for an important matter that is why I'm here in this country."

"What is this thing, sir?" tanong ng isa naming kaklase.

"Well, the diamond in the rough. The diamond I almost had the chance to be held, but I let go because of my foolishness."

"Your sweetheart, sir?" usisa ni Ruby. "You have a wife here in the Philippines?"

"Almost. My wife."

Tama nga ang hinala ko. Palagi kong napapanood sa mga documentaries ang ganitong kwento. Iyonh mga foreigners na nakapag-asawa ng Pinoy, hahanapin nila pagkatapos ng maraming taon, tapos malalaman ng foreigner na may anak pala sila.

"I built my company because of her. Richmond was born because I want to find her and my son. Anyway, we should get going in our classes. I don't want to cry in front of you!"

Nagtawanan ulit kami dahil sa kanya. Tumitig ako sa kanya at napansin nga ang lungkot sa mga mata niya. He was all smiles at us. Wala siyang bahid ng kasungitan o anumang nakakatakot na ugali.

He asked us to introduce ourselves one by one. Kita ko rin ang pag-asa na kumikinang sa mata niya tuwing nagtatawag siya ng pangalan.

"The guy at the back. Getting sleepy, huh?"

Napalingon kaming lahat sa likuran. Laking gulat ko nang makitang nakapikit na si Ali at babagsak na sa armchair!

"Huy!" Pinalo siya nang malakas ni Ruby sa balikat! Naalimpungatan naman ang loko at nanlaki pa ang mata nang makita si Prof.

Sinabi nang huwag nang mag overtime, e!

"Tinatawag ka!" ani Ailee kaya dahan-dahan siyang tumayo.

"I already know your name because it is on the list." Prof chuckled.

"I'm sorry, sir..." Ali shook his head.

"Are you alright? Did you gulp the whole bottle of whisky last night?"

"No, sir! I am not drunk!"

Malakas na tawanan ang nangibabaw, nagpigil pa ako pero nabigo rin.

"Skip to the biography..."