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Chapter 17: Teachers's Pet... or Pest?

17

Teacher's Pet or.... Pest?

The next day after the duet, Nicky found it hard to focus in classes. It was official. She was crushing on him. Though, she hated to admit it. And she hated herself for behaving like an infatuated teenager, staring into space often, wondering, daydreaming, missing him when he wasn't around, watching him from the corner of her eyes while Mr. Manginsay was discussing a Physics formula. Red was only three seats to her right. She had never even been paying attention to where he was seated before. She realized the only time they were seated close enough was during English class, when he was right behind her. And the whole period, she couldn't concentrate. She felt like his eyes were boring her back. It didn't help that her seatmate was absent that day that she felt out in the open for his glare. Crap! My hair is such a mess! She never thought she could be that self-conscious.

She hated herself more for not admitting to herself, she was after all, an infatuated teenager. But all day, she'd been composing herself not to look like it. Especially when Red was around. She tried to do her best to ignore him. And it helped that he hadn't approached her, yet, nor talk to her.  It was just a song. Just that song. She told herself she couldn't be crushing on him just because of the song they shared together. Just because he knew that song, and sang it too well with her. Just because he remembered her favorite song and rescued her from an utter humiliation and a failing mark in Music. It could have been just that song. She shouldn't be crushing on him for a mere song.

Somehow, she felt relieved there was no teasing about them as an item, after that duet. Everybody could see they were good at it, but no one even bothered to recognize them more than just duet partners. The only thing that they recognized, perhaps, especially for most girls, was how good Red was at singing. Nicky figured their classmates thought they probably didn't match at all, and them as a couple never really cross anybody's mind, even after that duet. Now, that she thought about it, she was all the more confused. Why would they think I and Red are no match for each other? Am I just too good for him? Then a painful realization hit her. Stop flattering yourself, Nicky. He's out of your league. He's just too good for you. And for the first time, she couldn't believe she felt intimidated by him.

"I'll have to accept this call, class," Mrs. Calunod's voice surfaced from somewhere. It seemed distant. Nicky paid no mind. "It's my daughter, and it's a long-distance call. Why don't you all do the activity found on page 145 on your book while I'm away for a moment, alright?" Then, Nicky heard the footsteps of their English teacher coming towards her. "Nicky, can you look after your classmates while I'm gone?"

It was a couple of seconds before Nicky responded, "Yes, ma'am."

The moment their teacher was gone was the moment the class burst into frenzy chatters. But Nicky suddenly didn't care. She flipped her book to page 145 and found the activity. Absent-mindedly, she read it. She didn't understand a single thing. She read it again, and realized it was an essay questions about a story found from the previous page. She surveyed the story and it was a five-page story. Still not minding the chatters from all around her, she began reading the story.

"Nicky, do you have an extra pen?" She heard someone asked her. It was a male voice. She looked up and met Iggy's sheepish smile. She was surprised at the sight of him. She hadn't remembered him borrowing a pen from her before. Or coming up to her to borrow a pen when, for all she knew, he was sitting in the other side of the room, far away from her. Suddenly, a lump was starting to form on her throat. Even if she was starting to crush or probably was already crushing on Red, she still could not get over Iggy. He was her crush since the first year. And for her, he would always be her crush. She felt like she was cheating on him for crushing on Red. And she hated herself more for starting to feel a little boy-crazy, as June would have label it with all contempt, especially now that she could be crushing on two boys at the same time. She had never even thought it was possible until then.