Take Me Down, Professor (El Profesor #1)

Chapter 25

"Ismael Mondalla, sir," pakilala ni Ismael kay dad sabay lahad ng kaniyang kamay na hindi naman tinanggap ng ama ko. "Miss Alvandra's professor."

"Oh, professor ka pala ng anak ko. I thought you're some of her guys," my mom commented, which I never expected. Napatingin ako kay Ismael, kalmado lang niyang inatras ang kamay niyang hindi kinamayan ni dad. Umupo na rin siya sa tabi ko.

"I don't have any guys, mom," sagot ko habang nagtitimpi. Bakit ba nila ako pinapunta rito? Para ipahiya sa lalaking kasama ko? Nakakasama naman ng loob.

"Why don't we eat first, Mr. Alvandra and Mrs.?" Napatingin ako kay Ismael. Alam niya bang hiwalay na ang mga magulang ko? Is he trying to mock my mother because she seems to get what he said?

"Former Mrs. Alvandra," sagot ni Roxsielle. "Now, Mrs. Javierre," dugtong pa nito. Tumingin siya sa akin at nginitian ako. Kakampi ko ba siya?

Nakita kong lumabas na ang wrinkle sa mukha ni mom dahil sa sinabi ni Roxsielle, pero dahil paborito niyang anak si Joth ay pinigilan niya ang inis niya. Well, mukhang sa akin iyon mabubunton.

We ordered some food for our dinner. Pinili nila ang steak while I'm having a caprese pasta with Thai basil.

"Say, are you really her professor? I'm not convinced," my father stated after sipping that red wine.

"I am indeed her professor. I am teaching calculus, sir," sagot ni Ismael. Sa totoo lang, naaawa ako kay Ismael. Hindi siya maka-focus sa pagkain dahil maya't maya ang tanong sa kaniya ng mga magulang ko. Gusto kong hawakan ang kamay niya para man lang i-comfort siya, pero ayokong makita iyon ng mga magulang ko at kung anong isipin.

"Really? Mukha kang bata. Ilang taon ka na ba?" sabat naman ni mom.

"I'm twenty-seven."

Napanganga ako sa narinig ko. Twenty-seven lang si Ismael? He's too young! I mean, I thought he was already in his mid-30s.

"Wow, I'm impressed. You're now a professor at such a young age," komento pa ni mom at bakas ang saya sa kaniyang mga mata.

"I heard it was you who paid for Roxsielle's hospital bill," wika naman ni Joth. "If you're just a professor, how can you afford to pay for someone else's bill?"

Pinunasan ni Ismael ang labi niya gamit ang tablenapkin bago nagsalita. He's well-mannered. How he clasps the fork and knife elegantly earlier, hindi nakapagtatakang anak-mayaman talaga ang isang ito. "I am a businessman. I own a hotel and bar in different cities."

My jaw dropped just like my mother and Roxsielle did. They were amazed and looked so envious, staring at me. Maybe they are now thinking, Where the hell do I get this guy? I don't know.

"Oh, really?" hindi kumbinsidong saad ni dad. "How about you, Jothea? What will you be after graduation?"

"Ang tanong, makaka-graduate ba siya?" hirit pa ni Joth. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan bakit ang init ng dugo nila sa akin.

"Makaka-graduate ako," sagot ko pabalik na siyang tinawanan lang ng kapatid ko. How can he laugh when it is him who did not finish his studies, dahil nakabuntis siya ng babae?

"May mararating ka ba sa business course na kinuha mo?" singit naman ni mom. Now, they are roasting me. Pagkatapos nila kay Ismael, ako naman ngayon ang nasa hotseat. Porque, hindi na nila magalaw iyong isa dahil nalaman nilang mayaman ito, ako na ang puntirya nila.

"Right, didn't I tell you to take a vocational course in cookery so at least you can be useful to your future husband?" Napakagat ako sa labi ko. Dad is trying my patience. No, all of them are. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kailan ako tatagal dahil sa paraan nila ng pananalita sa akin. Nakakasakit. Kung hindi ko lang kailangan ng pera, hindi ako pupunta rito. Hindi ba sapat ang pang-aabanduna nila sa akin? Ngayon naman pauulanan nila ako ng masasakit na salita.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir, but actually there are a lot of job opportunities for a business management student. They can be a business manager or build their own business themselves," Ismael said to my surprise. He glanced at me and smiled a little, as if telling me to endure everything because that's what he's doing. He's indeed a professor and properly trained when it comes to this matter. Dahil kung ako lang, kung wala siya, kanina pa ako nagwala.

"Well, there are a lot of business failures and losses. Knowing what kind of daughter Jothea is, even becoming an employee of a company would be hard for her. She wouldn't stay that long. It's either she will quit or they will fire her," my father responded. That made my self-esteem low. How can he discourage his own daughter like this? As if I didn't come from him. How can they hate me so much when I haven't done anything to them?

"Sorry to disagree, but your daughter has a lot of potential. She might be stubborn sometimes, but I can say she's very obedient. She's a fast learner and easy to be with. I think, when you finally know about her, she's not that bad."

I gulped. Where do those words come from? Is he really talking about me? There is no way that I am very obedient! Stubborn, oo. Pero the rest ng sinabi niya, kabaligtaran no'n ay ako. Did he lie because he wanted to help me against my father?

Nakita kong tumingin siya sa akin. Ako nama'y hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. "And if no company accepts her, she's welcome in mine. I have left and right businesses around the country; kapag nagsawa siya sa isa, pwede siyang lumipat sa kabila."

There's no way he's telling the truth. Is he willing to do that to the extent of helping me out of this embarrassing moment with my family?

Naramdaman kong nakatingin din sa akin ang pamilya ko. Puno ng inggit. Mukhang kahit sila ay hindi makapaniwala sa nasasaksihan nila. Mas lalo ako!

"Then, why not support her financial needs?"