I Love You, Prof.

Chapter Nineteen : Aptness

Sheiia

Prof. Melendrez has been courting me for two months now. As days passed by, mas lalo ko siyang nakikilala at mas lalo akong nagiging familiar sa kanya.

Inaantay ko ang sarili ko na maramdaman kong handa na akong harapin ang lahat ng magiging consequences ng gagawin ko.

She kept on sending me flowers and stuffs. She even made me lunches, putting it inside my locker as a surprised. She's really a restaurateur sa sarap niyang magluto. We always have this Free Friday where we go together at our sanctuary. Talk about each other and such. Finally, Vera became aware of the real score between me and her sister. How did it happen? Well...

"She caught me cooking adobo at early in the morning. Then that afternoon, she rushed home and confronted me about that. Nakikain raw siya sa adobo mo at kalasa daw iyon ng luto ko. How careless of me as well, yung baunan na ginamit ko is the one that she bought me as a gift."

Tawang-tawa pa ito nang magkuwento. Pati tuloy ako natawa din. Well, wala na rin naman sigurong masama since it's Vera naman. Kaya pala pagkaumaga noon, tinampal niya agad ang braso ko pagkapasok ko ng room.

"How long do you plan to keep this from me? You've been fooling me around, Sheiia. How dare you!"

I was confused at what she's saying at first. Pero nang makita kong tiningnan niya si Prof. Melendrez na noo'y nakatingin din sa amin nang may ngisi, unti-unti kong nagets ang ibig niyang sabihin. Nilambing ko tuloy ito ng bonggang-bongga. And since gusto daw niyang makaganti sa Ate niya, buong lunchtime niyang kinuwento sa akin kung anong pinapagawa sa kanya ni Prof ever since I set my foot in this university. Starting from the story of how Prof kept my stolen pictures up to her instruction na ilayo ako kay Matthew. So that explains kung bakit parating mainit ang ulo nito sa kawawang lalaki. And I just thought it's just her being a brat!

Habang tumatagal, mas lalo kong nararamdaman na nagkakaroon ako unti-unti ng confidence sa sarili ko. Prof keeps on telling me that if I know my worth, I should go get it. She said it was from Rocky Balboa, the famous boxer star. I even joined the university's school paper, The Diurnal. I also joined the Cookery Club kahit hindi ako BSHRM.

Kuya Gid and Nanay Helen were so happy of my endeavors. Kahit si Mommy, tuwang-tuwa din kapag nagkukuwento ako sa kanya ng mga activities ko sa school. I'm not talking much if Ate and Dad were around, ayokong mag-isip sila ng masama.

It was Sunday afternoon at nasa mall kami ni Vera. Birthday ni Patrice at magkakaroon ng party mamayang gabi kaya sa resort daw nina Pat kami mag-oovernight. Gift daw ng parents ni Pat sa kanya ang pool party. Kinabahan pa ako nang magpaalam kay Dad.

I woke up early in the morning that Saturday, prepared a breakfast for all of us and waited for them to get down. Dad's a bit shock since he's been constantly seeing me in the kitchen for a month now. Niluluto ko dito sa bahay ang mga lutong natututunan ko sa Cookery Club. At first, Dad's repugnant of the idea. He even told me that he wanted me to be a businesswoman just like Ate, and not to be a kitchen woman alone.

Dahil medyo open minded at confident na ako ngayon, kaya ko na rin siyang sagutin ng maayos. "I'm doing good at school Dad. I just want to personally serve you as your daughter in my own little ways."

I saw that Kuya Gid's happy of my answer. Mom and Nanay Helen's loving my current disposition. Natahimik naman si Dad pero alam kong hindi na siya galit kahit hindi siya nakangiti.

Konti nalang, Dad.

Ate's still the same, but it did not hinder me from getting myself close to her.