It's quite a fine weather. Some of the sunlight rays are passing through the cumulus-nimbus clouds gently taken away by the cold wind. It's clear to say that it'll rain again after several hours. Now, it's been decided.
At the rooftop building, my eyes are fixated on the pool. Almost three-fourth of the pool water there is already drained, kaya't tanaw na tanaw ang mga puting tiles nito sa ilalim. Bending my knees, I put the bouquet of flowers at the poolside, commemorating him.
"Unfair daw ako, sabi ni Darlene..." I said like I'm actually talking to him. I chuckled and stood up, resting my hands inside my pants pocket.
"Pero alam mo kung sino talaga iyun? It's not me, it's you..."
I sighed deeply at pinanood na lamang kung paanong gumalaw ang ibabaw ng tubig dahil sa pag-ihip ng hangin.
"You made a promise, but you broke it. I expected a lot from you. Akala ko ba magtatapos tayo ng sabay? You even asked me to treat both of you into a vacation abroad. Ikaw mismo ang pumako sa pangako mo..." I murmured while still fixated into the thin air.
As the sunlight showed again, something at the pool bed caught my attention. It was glittering below, so I got curious on what is it.
Dahan-dahan akong bumaba nang mahubad ko na ang sapatos na suot ko. I let the coldness of the water sink until my senses realized that I'm actually soaking. Naglakad ako papunta sa gitna ng pool at pinulot iyun.
It's a broken necklace. I started to wonder how the necklace was brought beneath after touching it. Umahon ako at kinilatis ng maigi ang kwintas. I was only distracted from being perplexed when my phone rang. It was Professor Jed calling...
"The meeting will start in 30 minutes." kaagad na pambungad niya sa pagsagot ko ng tawag.
"Give me some minute. I'll be there..." after the response, i'm about to hang-up but he suddenly spoke.
"Hindi mo naman kailangang makinig. Usually, you didn't care about----"
"I'll be there..." I just cut what he's about to say at ibinaba ang tawag.
I keep the necklace inside my pocket at naglakad na pababa galing ng rooftop. I pass in front of my room at nagtataka ang mga kaklase kong naroon kung bakit hindi ako pumasok. I ignored some of them who were asking and headed down from the Architecture building.
Hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng oras at dumiretso sa faculty office. Mula sa salaming bintana ng lobby ay tanaw ko si Professor Jed na naghihintay. Nasa tapat siya ng pinto na nasa kabilang dulo ng hallway. Huli ko na nang mapansin ang tatlong lalaking estudyanteng seryosong kausap niya roon. The question crossed my mind, asking what the students doing there. Mula sa kinaroroonan ko ay hindi na maaaring pumasok ang sinumang estudyante, it's only for the faculty members.
"Anong kaganapan sa loob?" Kaagad na tanong ko pagkarating ko sa pwesto nila.
"Nagsisimula na..." Maikling tugon niya at nilingon ang mga kausap nito.
I give a glance and they seem familiar to me. Nagtataka ang mga mukha nila sa pagdating ko. Hindi ko na sila binigyan pa ng pansin at binuksan na ang pinto ng assembly hall.
As the door opened, I gawked at the people who gathered inside. Lahat ng professors, faculty members, at stake holders ay nandoon. They are seated at the three long tables, arranged in front of each other. At the centre, there's a small desk and upfront is the big screen for projections. The overall ambiance is cool theme.
Mangilan-ngilan sa naroon ay napatingin sa gawi ko nang makuha ko ang atensiyon sa pagbukas ko ng pinto. Ang iba sa kanila ay lito, some showed some hostile reactions, perhaps asking what am I doing there.
I seated at a chair behind, a little distant from their actual assembly, wala akong pinagtuunan ng pansin kundi ang nagsasalita lamang sa harap, reporting the status of the university, especially at its financial standing and other proceedings and projects. All over, the report showed magnificent results.
Professor Jed proceeded and seated on his seat, waiting for his turn to report. I've known that it'll be an unnerving talk. Nang matapos na ang nauna, kaagad na siyang tumayo at pumwesto sa unahan.
"So everyone here might have known what will be talked about..." he started and cleared his throat before seriously opening his carried files.
"It's been discussed before, and now it came. Let's talk about Mr. Paolo Alarcon's incident..." as he spoke, naging tahimik ang buong assembly hall. I grimaced, showing my disappointment.
"Sa palagay ko, kailangan nating paigtingin ang mental awareness para sa mga estudyante. All of us here, is responsible for what happened. Our school is prestige, we have a high standing when it comes to teaching. Tinitingala ang paaralan na'to, but now what happened? WE FAILED..." he started, at wala pa ring naging kibo ang lahat. I silently sighed and cross my arms, continuously listened.
"As the owners vowed mission, the school visualizes good quality education, but not only that, its vision is to give peacefulness, an unpressured kind of education as much as possible. So now, I'm proposing that we must reconsider, assess ourselves, especially to my colleagues. Aren't we doing the right way of teaching? Are we giving too much pressure? Maybe it's time that we have to conduct a survey for our Ilarde College's students..." Professor proposed directly that created murmurings from them.
I started roaming my eyes and observed them before I barged in, waiting for my time to prey...
"Setting aside the good reputation of this school, what's important is to assess our way of teachings. At Ilarde's long history of selections, it seemed that it quite spilled a bit... and obviously speaking, masasalamin iyun sa nangyare kay Mr. Alarcon..." makahulugang pagkakasabi niya bago tumingin sa kinaroroonan ko.
"I'm addressing it, especially to Mr. Alarcon's professors." He stated and glance at them individually. Mas lalong umugong ang bulong-bulungan ng lahat.
"Excuse me Mr. Valderama, you might be mistaken. Hindi naman yata tamang sa nagtuturo ibubuntong ang responsibilidad sa nangyare. We're professionally doing our jobs. Kung anumang pamamaraan namin, students MUST measure up to it. Ano na lang ang mangyayare? We'll let our school have incompetent students?! Look, we're helping in this College's image. Our students must prove that they're worthful to be in here..." Wika ng isang propesor ng Accounting Department.
"Indeed, your point is considerable, yet the question, are we doing it in a rational way? It's true that the school must teach them to be disciplined but we must consider their well-being. Iyun lamang ang gusto kong iparating..."
I continued listening, all ears on them habang nag-uumpisa na ang bahagyang pagtutol ng bawat isa sa usapan. Now that I give more thought about it, I must've attended here before. I can't believe that some maggots are crawling in my turf.
"It's not overlooking. Remember his cheating issue. Isa sa mga patakaran dito ang pagpapatalsik sa estudyante kapag nahuling gumagawa niyon. He chose the easiest way out just to maintain his scholarship intact, where in fact, nagpabaya siya. His desperation led him into it. His parents should be responsible. He met the consequences of his actions, professors aren't to be blamed..." The head professor of the accounting department said. He's Professor Rodrigo, Paolo's under him too.
My jaw clenched upon hearing it. He's pointing out that Paolo must carry all the guilt. Masyado silang naghuhugas ng kamay. Indeed, people will lie just to preserve themselves.
"I'm sorry Sir, that issue isn't concluded yet. Malaki ang paghahangad ng pulisya na mabigyan ng linaw ang lahat. They're hoping to find the one who'll took responsibility. Gusto ng paaralan na makatulong sa bagay na yun..." Professor Jed explained seriously.
"Then let them do for all we care. Marami pang gagawin, they mustn't interrupt our work. Kahit ano pa mang gawin ay hindi na maibabalik ang buhay nung estudyante. Why just leave it as is?" he continued with hostility on his tone.
Finally, the time has come for me to join. I caught everyone's attention as I headed towards the center.
"Actually, I'm the one who requested a thorough investigation. Gusto kong may managot sa nangyare." I nonchalantly stated which created violent reactions to some of them, especially Mr. Rodrigo.
"Mr. Valderama! Anong ginagawa ng estudyanteng yan dito?! Explain this! You're letting this brat to interrupt? Mr. Arellano?"
At this moment, Professor Jed should've stop me, but he didn't. I frown before gawking at Ms. Mendivel, giving her the signal. Wala siyang inaksayang panahon at kaagad na tumayo at inabot sa akin ang isang folder.
"Honestly, I have less plans to do this, but after what I witnessed, then I decided to do so..." agad ko ng binuklat ang folder at inisa-isang tingnan ang files na naroon. Everyone's confused by my presence.
"This is unbelievable! Will you stop this---"
"A moment of silence Mr. Rodrigo. Marami ka ng nasabi. That's enough participation already, I'm about to start..." Pinutol ko na ang sasabihin niya bago harapin ang lahat.
"Aba't ang bastos ng dila mo! How can you talk to a professor like that?! Where's your manners?! You're just a mere student here!" Bulyaw niya sabay hampas sa mesa at hindi makapaniwalang inangat ang kanang kamay out of frustration.
"Wala naman akong balak respetuhin ka..." I blankly look at him and he fumed in anger. Bago pa man siya makabawi sa sinabi ko ay hinarap ko na ang lahat. I grip on both the edges of the table and lean before speaking.
"I am Eve Ilarde Meneses, the successor of Ilarde College. Majority of you might've believed that Mr. Gary Meneses, my father, took over after the passing of Ms. Stara Ilarde. I'm here to announce that I am the one who's been running this school for already two years. Mr. Arellano, my appointed school dean, didn't correct it according to my orders. Sa dalawang taon na iyun, you've seen how I work..." I announced.
Lahat ay nagulat sa nalaman nila maliban kay Professor Jed, Ms. Mendivel at Mr. Arellano who's now smiling proudly at me from one of the seats. Silang tatlo lamang ang nakakaalam.
I glanced at Mr. Rodrigo who's now in shock. Hindi na siya nakakibo at halata ang kaba sa ekspresyon ng mukha niya. Maging ang ilang professors na nasa accounting department ay mababakasan ng kaba sa mukha. They knew the school protocols that I made a year ago, may tamang rason sila para kabahan.
"You received a lot of credits in my school. You're living euphorically as you're all given an opportunity to work here. What I want is for all of you to do a well-done on the jobs given to you. Ilarde's long history of selections isn't a kind of joke. We're choosing professionals who are humane. Hindi ko kailangan ang matatalinong salat naman sa tamang pag-uugali." Natahimik ang lahat sa sinabi ko.
"Hindi ako magdadalawang isip na patalsikin ang sinumang hindi susunod. A rule is a rule, follow before I ruin your career..." I warned, leaving a heavy atmosphere.
"Accounting professors, don't leave your seats after the assembly, especially you Mr. Rodrigo, may pag-uusapan tayo." I ordered before continuing the meeting, reminding everyone to cooperate on Paolo's case and giving them tasks to be reported directly to me after a month.
End of Chapter 25:
Broken Promises