"It's okay. Don't worry too much. Besides, there are many stores in the area where I'll be staying and the mall is also nearby." I know that mom is just worried about me.
This is the first time that the two of us will be apart. I need to leave Manila to teach at a University. And it is a great apportunity to be given the opportunity to teach in one of the most famous schools here in the Philippines.
"Are you really sure about your decision, son? You can teach here in our province. Manila is too big and the people there are---" I squeezed his hand that I was holding.
"Mom, I know that you are worried about me. And you know that one of my dreams is to enter that school. I didn't even finish my studies at Salvatore University, but I can still teach. I'm there."
"You and your father's dream?" I smiled because of what he said.
"You're right and it will come true. And I'm sure dad is happy now because I can fulfill our dreams. So don't worry because I know dad will watch over me."
He sighed and patted my hand.
"Just be careful there and don't neglect yourself when you're there. Eat at the right time and go to bed early. Don't wander off when you're alone. If you can, take Beth with you."
"Mom, you can buy for me as a child. I can take care of myself. Am I? Nothing bad will happen to me while I'm in Manila. They're just afraid that they might taste the fist of one Sabrina Keith Aragon." I said raising my fist.
"That's one of the things I'm worried about you. Stay out of trouble as much as possible so you don't get hurt."
"Yes, I will remember that, you can count on it." I hugged him. So don't worry, I might not be able to get out of there tomorrow.
I felt mom's heavy breathing that's why I looked at her.
His eyes were pale. He seems to be holding back his tears.
"It's mom, I haven't even been able to stop crying yet. Stop it for now, you'll cry tomorrow. It's not good to be dramatic right now--"
"I don't know about you--" he broke away from hugging me and stood up. "Finish putting your things away." He then turned around and left my room.
I just looked at my bedroom door for a few seconds after mom came out. I suddenly had tears running down my cheeks.
"You always cry a lot, Bree. If dad sees you now, he'll say 'you really inherited your mother's crying'." I said to myself.
That I inherited my father's bravery but that I inherited my mother's tendency to cry.
"Dad, don't make fun of me... and don't follow me to Manila, just watch over mom here." again if the tears were wiped from my cheeks.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Sabrina, don't forget my instructions. Are all your things there in the car? Cook the vegetables right away, just heat up the cooked food when you get there. Call when it's there."
"Mom, I've listed everything you told me. And don't worry, I'll call you from time to time until I call---- that's fine." I scratched my head when he hit me.
"You are pure nonsense."
I smiled. I went to mom and hugged her tightly.
"I'm going home to visit you. As I promised, when I save up I'll take you there so we won't be separated." I said while hugging him.
"Alright... get in the car or you'll miss the plane." it loosened from hugging me. He gently pushed me towards the car.
"Auntie Lusing, let mom take care of you. If someone flirts over there, tell me right away." I said while holding back the tears.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Go ahead, leave now, you might spend the night on your flight." Aunt Lusing.
I looked at my mother. I know he's just holding back.
"I'm leaving now." It nodded.
"S---go ahead... I forgot what I said inside."
I laughed a little while looking at mom who entered the house.
Sinaing!?
You just cried.
"Aunt Lusing..." I said while looking at her.
He nodded at me. He already knew what that meant.
For the last time I looked at our house. I took a deep breath and got into the car.
*****
"How was your flight? Sorry, I couldn't pick you up at the airport. My boss suddenly called me to work." Beth.
"It's okay. I got here safely to where you're staying." I said. "Taxi charges are expensive here." I added I put the bag on the sofa and sat down.
"How much did you pay?" he asked and also sat next to me.
"Two thousand----"
"WHAT?"
I was surprised to see him when he stood up.
"Why did you agree to such a price? It's only five hundred fares from the airport to here. Oh! You just arrived here in Manila, that's sc*m." it went back to sitting. While I was scratching my head.
"In the future, don't agree if you are charged too much. And don't make it obvious that you are from the province because they will definitely cheat you. Now that you are here, you should get used to it." he preached to me.
"You're like a mother if you can preach." I said.
"When your mother finds out, I'm sure she'll send you home in no time." Beth
"That's what he shouldn't know. It'll worry me again when he finds out." I said with sadness.
"Don't worry I won't tell. So welcome here in Manila... Ehhhh.. I'm excited to take you for a walk."
"I came here for work, not for sightseeing."
"Hey! Bree, don't bring being a person from your house here in Manila. The purpose of our sightseeing is so that you can master this place and not get lost." He had a point.
Because I can't be with him all the time while I'm here. I also really need to master this area.
"Yes... I still have three days before I start teaching at SU." I said.
I also really intended to leave early so that I could prepare well.
"That's good... let's go to the mall tomorrow." he seems even more excited than me.
"But can you accompany me to SU tomorrow? I just have some requirements to pass on to their office." There are other requirements because I didn't pass. I submitted my application form online.
"Sure. But first I want to know if you have something to welcome me?" the width of his smile while looking at me.
"Of course there is." After I said that, he immediately dug into his bag.
Tomorrow....
I woke up early. I didn't sleep very well last night. Maybe I'm changing the ambiance of this place. Beth and I went to bed late. Because we talked a lot and included the noisy surroundings.
It's late at night but you'd think it was morning because of the noise of the people. Some are singing and gossiping. It's very different when you're in the province. By seven o'clock in the evening, the surroundings were quiet. Except maybe when there is an occasion.
"Good morning. How was your first night here?" Beth just woke up
"Four out of ten." I answered him.
"Oh... You'll get used to it. I was like that on my first day here. But as time went on, I got used to the noises around here."
"Wash up so we can have breakfast." I told him.
"I don't eat breakfast in the morning, but since you cooked it I will eat it. You just wait there." I smiled while looking at him who hurriedly walked to the bathroom.
.
.
.
.
.
"Wow! This school is really big. But it looks scary." Beth said as soon as we entered the SU.
We both had the same reaction. This is also the first time I enter here. I often only see its interior in pictures.
It just looks scary because of the old structures of the building. As soon as you enter the gate, this is what greets you right away, but as far as I know, the other buildings in the back are new.
"You're lucky because you can teach here." he said. "But it looks like the students will be fine here." he added.
I looked around. There were a few students looking at us. The others are still whispering to us.
"Just let it go because you're just wondering." I said.
"Wondering? Wondering that an outsider got into their posh school... ganurnn?" I slightly elbowed him because of the strength of what he said.
"Oh! I know very well the actions of those rich spoiled brats. When they bully you, tell me what I can expect outside."
"I'm not going to study here to be bullied. I'm going to teach. Maybe when they find out that I'm going to be one of their teachers, they won't think of bullying me."
"Even if... those are indiscriminate."
"It's better if we hurry up so we can go for a walk before you disappear." I said. I held his hand and quickly walked to the office.
When I arrived, I went inside alone. Because Beth was left outside.
"Ms. Sabrina Aragon, right?" I nodded. She's one of the faculty staff here in FU.
"My name is Rhian Gomez." He introduced me.
"Nice to meet you Po, ma'am."
"I'll just pass on other requirements." I handed him the brown envelope I was holding. He took it with a smile.
"You don't need to pass it on now. Mr. Salvatore already told us about you." he says.
Mr. Salvatore?
Just by the last name I am sure that he is the owner of this school. He also approved my application.
"Because you're here anyway. I think I should give you your assign classes. As of now, you'll be a substitute teacher for Mrs. Ledesma. She's on leave now because she's about to give birth. There aren't any available slots for new teachers. " I just nodded at what he was saying.
"I think you can handle senior's students, right?" He raised his face and looked at me.
"Yes ma'am."
She just nodded.
He looked back at his laptop screen again.
"Here's your class and schedule. You have 3 classes for one day in the same subject." She handed me a piece of paper. I immediately took it and looked at it.
"Do you have time for me to show you your room?" I immediately nodded.
He stood up from sitting. He walked first and I followed.
He first introduced me to the other staff and teachers here inside their office. After that we went out to go to the classroom where I will teach. I was still surprised that I didn't see Beth outside.
Maybe I'll text him later.
We went to a building and went up to the second floor.
"This will be your classroom." he said as we stopped in front of a room. I looked at the writing above the door. Class B-1
He knocked and opened the door. A female teacher was called at the same time.
"Mrs. Pascual, this is Ms. Aragon. Substitute teacher for Mrs. Ledesma."
"Good morning." I welcome you here. He looked at me from head to toe.
"Thank God, someone has also arrived. The number of people being handled will also be reduced." he says. "But, you look young. How old are you?"
"24." my answer.
"She's the one Mr. Salvatore's talking about." He looked at me again in surprise.
"That's why..." he said softly and gave me a strange look from head to toe.
"You can go back to your class now Mrs. Pascual." Ma'am Gomez.
It immediately returned to the classroom.
"Don't mind her." Ma'am Gomez said. I just nodded.
After we visited my future classroom, we went to another building so that I could be measured for my future uniform as a teacher.
Ma'am Gomez said goodbye to go back to her office and I was left alone here. I took the cellphone out of my bag to text Beth. Maybe it's looking for me. I just told him to wait for me at the gate of this university.
I am now walking in the hallway. This building we went to is a little far away. It is at the far end of the main campus. Because I don't see any students here.
I continued walking when three men stopped me.
"You're new here?" said the man in the middle. They seem to be students here at the university. You also cannot enter here if you are not a student or staff.
I just nodded.
I was about to walk away again when he blocked in front of me again.
"You know, we have a thing called ritual to welcome a new student here." he said and touched my cheek. I immediately patted his hand.
"I'm not a st----" I couldn't finish what I was going to say when someone covered my mouth with a hand and pulled me into an empty room.
I tried to struggle but a man's grip on me was too strong and tight.
"H*rassing a new student again?"
"Sh*t! It's Jace.." said the man holding me.
"Tsk! Tsk! They never learned!" suddenly another man appeared and that's when the man who was holding me let go of me.
"W--we're just----" I held my mouth when a man punched him.
Because of the panic I ran out of this room. But I immediately stopped when I bumped into something and sat on the floor.
I grabbed and rubbed my forehead because of the force of my collision with something or someone.
"Caine? Shall I teach them a lesson? They don't seem to have learned." heard a man say.
I immediately stood up from hitting the floor. I heard a man standing in front of the door. He looked at me.
"Teach them hard.. a lesson they will never forget." he said without taking his eyes off me. And there was also a hint of coldness from his voice.
I haven't started teaching yet but I'm already in trouble. I was about to take another step when the man in front of me stopped me.
He has a wound above his eyebrow and his lip. It looked like it was from a fight because the wounds on his face were still fresh.
"I've been waiting for you." He said softly.
I was shocked when he touched me on both shoulders. He bowed slightly.... my eyes suddenly widened at what he did next.
He kissed me on my lips!
I quickly pushed him away from me and slapped him hard on the cheek. The sound of my slap almost echoed throughout the room.
I quickly got out and ran away from that place while wiping my lips.
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