For weeks, Adi kept everything professional and casual. Nag-focus siya sa trabaho at pagtuturo lalo na't exam week. Wala pa ring nakaalam tungkol sa pagpasa niya ng resignation na ayaw sanang tanggapin ng dean. She insisted.

She loved teaching, but not with an issue like this.

Adi was still the Adi everyone knew, just with limitations. She would still talk to students, but just inside the faculty room or with more eyes around. Hindi rin naman damay ang lahat.

Tulad ni Forest at Major na kinamusta siya habang kumakain ng lunch sa cafeteria. Both were her students and were shocked about what happened. Dumating din si Kio na inabutan siya ng lemon cake bago naupo sa tabi ni Major.

"Walang magiging issue sa 'tin, Miss Adi," ani Kio na umiling-iling pa. "Wala ka namang ginawang masama. We're with you in this."

Mahina siyang natawa at pinanood ang tatlong magsiksikan sa upuan. The men in front of her were all committed. Mababait ang mga ito at alam ng lahat na mahal ang mga kasintahan.

Other students also backed her up. She prefered not to, para walang issue at hindi na lumaki ngunit maraming nagtanggol sa kaniya.

"Nabalitaan na rin po namin na balak mong magkaso, Miss Adi," Forest gave her a nod. "Support kami riyan. Wala man kaming magiging ambag, pero witness naman kami kung paano ka sa students."

"At saka epal lang ang maniniwala sa mga kumakalat na karelasyon mo raw," sabi ni Major na nagsalubong ang kilay. "Parang tanga naman. Hindi ba sila aware doon sa taga Eastern U? Kasi kaming lahat, aware."

Adi scrunched her nose and started laughing. Ipinaalala nito ang video noong concert at tinanong pa kung willing daw ba siyang maging artista para sa posibleng music video... at kasama si Zed. Umiling siya, malamang. Wala siyang balak maging artista.

Kio mentioned that everyone was aware, so only stupid people would believe. And apparently, there were a lot.

Kinulit siya ng tatlong lalaki hanggang sa siya na ang magpaalam dahil may klase pa siya. She needed two hours to prepare for another class. Medyo mahirap ang examination, medyo matagal.

Habang nakaupo sa faculty room at binabasa ang sets of questions na ginawa niya, nag-message sa kaniya si Zed. Nag-send ito ng picture at pinapili siya kung anong kulay ng sapatos ang isusuot. She chose black and red, his favorite color.

Magkasama sila kagabi, kinukulit siyang manood. Kung puwede lang, bakit hindi. Kung wala lang siyang klase, manonood talaga siya.

But she had classes until 7 p.m., and she offered to have dinner with Zed instead if he wasn't busy after the game.

Nag-volunteer pa itong ihatid siya kanina at hindi siya tumanggi. Sasakyan niya ang ginamit nila bago ito nag-carpool papunta sa Eastern U para sa klase bago ang laro mamaya.

They had been spending a lot of time together. Mas madalas na natutulog si Zed sa condo niya at hindi siya nagrereklamo. It was nice having someone around. More like, it was having Zed around. He lessened the overthinking.

The bond included watching series together and eating junk food because why not. Minsan siya nitong sinama sa morning run at parang gusto niyang ituloy lalo na kapag natapos ang semester at wala pa siyang trabaho. She had been neglecting her body for almost two years since she started working. Dati naman, halos araw-araw siyang tumatakbo.

Slowly, Adi realized a lot had changed in the past two years. She wouldn't be able to change what had happened, but she would be in control of the present and future.

Nang matapos magbasa, naisipan niyang tingnan ang schedule ng mga laro ni Zed sa susunod. Most were weekdays and knew she couldn't watch live. May klase siya kaya paniguradong mag-aabang na lang siya ng resulta o kaya manonood sa replay.

And thinking about the last game, Adi wore her earphones and searched for the game highlights from the previous week. Hindi rin siya nakanood dahil may pasok, pero alam niyang nanalo sila Zed at naging best player pa ito.

Zed undeniably looks good on camera, but better in person. Mas maangas lang ang dating nito sa court dahil halos hindi ngumingiti. Kahit na ilang beses matawagan ng foul, hindi nagrereklamo. Kapag nasa freethrow area, salubong ang kilay at maniningkit ang mga mata bago titira.

Adi bit her lower lip when Zed smiled after his fourth three-point shot. How he bragged about it to the crowd, how he stuck his tongue out, and how he brushed his hair using his fingertips while widely smiling at his mates.

Ang yabang lang.

Tumayo sa tabi niya si Beatriz at Nathaniel na nanood kasama niya. Katrabaho niya ang dalawa, parehong professor, at magkasintahan. They were all in the same department, too.

Tinanggal niya ang earphones nang marinig ang boses ni Beatriz. "Ha?" tanong niya.

"Galing din talaga niya," sabi ni Beatriz. Naupo rin ito sa tabi niya. "Magaling buong team, eh. Last playing year na niya?"

Tumango siya. "Oo and I think he'll go professional right away."

"Dapat lang din naman para hindi siya ma-stuck," sagot naman ni Nathaniel. "Ituloy na niya habang bata pa siya. Hindi rin naman kasi talaga forever ang basketball. Kapag medyo may edad na, darating ang time na mas prone na injury and lilipas din talaga."

"Sinabi ko rin 'yan sa kaniya, eh." Tinitigan niya si Zed sa screen. "I told him to just pursue basketball hanggang kaya pa niya," malalim siyang huminga. "Na... he should like to take advantage of his age, skills, and popularity."

Nathaniel agreed and gave examples of basketball players who retired early. Marami, kung tutuusin. Maraming magagaling ang maagang huminto dahil sa injury o napagsawaan at pinagpasaan ng iba't ibang team.

Naalala niya ang naging conversation nila ni Zed tungkol sa career nito, na kung bakit mas kailangan nitong mag-focus sa paglalaro pagkatapos mag-aral at kung bakit kailangan nitong magdesisyon sa tatahakin.

Zed's basketball career wasn't like her route. Kung siya, puwede siyang maging professor o mag-aral hangga't kailan niya gusto. Puwede niyang tanggapin ang kahit na anong offer sa ano mang edad o situwasyon dahil iba ang career path niya.

Basketball was once a lifetime career for someone. Hindi ito basta lang naibibigay sa isang tao. Hindi ito basta ginugusto, pinagtatrabahuhan, at minsan... swertehan pa nga.

Nag-ring ang bell kaya naman pinatay niya ang laptop at hinarap si Beatriz. Tinanong nito kung may plano na ba siya sa schedule para sa next semester kahit na matagal pa dahil gusto nitong sumabay sa kaniya. Gusto nitong sabay silang mag-lunch o kaya ay sabay na mag-out para daw makapag-bonding outside work.

In time, she'd let Beatriz know. Baka sa susunod na araw. Sa ngayon, gusto muna niyang sarilinin habang may dalawang buwan pa sa klase para sa kanila.

Pagpasok sa classroom, natahimik ang klase. Ngumiti siya at kinamusta ang mga ito... kung nag-review ba o ano. Hindi naman ganoon kahirap ang exams na ibibigay niya. She knew what it felt like to give efforts. Sinisiguro niya palagi na ang exam na ibibigay niya, nakaayon sa kung ano ang itinuro niya.

Some professors were careless, she knew that. She had gone to multiple professors who would give exams na hindi naman kasama sa itinuro kaya nakagugulat o nagiging rason pa para bumagsak ang iba.

For two years, she broke that cycle. Kung ano lang ang itinuro niya, kung ano ang related sa pinabasa o sa kinakailangan ng estudyante, iyon ang ibibigay niya. She always believed that professors, teachers, or lecturers should be teaching what was necessary, helping the students understand, be patient enough to explain, and shouldn't be the reason why students give up.

Madalas naman kasing hindi subject ang rason kung bakit mayroong bumabagsak o ang estudyante. May mga pagkakataong professor mismo ang nagiging rason dahil mas pinipiling maging mahigpit nang wala namang dahilan.

Adi understands that they all had different ways, but she always makes sure her students understand and are learning from her, not scared of her.

Ipinakita niya sa projector ang examination. Bihira at iilan lang ang exam niya na mayroong multiple choices, fill in the blanks, o kaya ay enumaration. She loved reading essays. She wanted to know if her students understood their lessons based on how they explained their answers.

Nakadepende ang grading niya sa kung paano naintindihan ng isang estudyante ang tanong at situwasyon. Isa pa, nakikita niya kung saan kailangang mag-focus ng estudyante para sa lesson na iyon. She wasn't just grading, she was giving pointers to improve.

Sa dalawang taon, well-being ng estudyante ang iniisip niya kaya malamang na maninibago siya kapag nag-resign na siya.

Nang maging busy ang lahat, naupo siya at pasimpleng binuksan ang phone para tingnan kung nagsisimula na ang laro. Malapit na, pero nakabukas na rin ang livestream. Pasimple niyang isinuot ang pods para makarinig na rin.

Zed's face popped up when the commentator started talking about his statistics in the past few games. Puro positibo ang naririnig niya. Zed was the only player with double triple stats, and she smiled, knowing he had been working hard for this since he was young.

Wala pang talo ang Eastern U and Zed wanted to keep it that way. Bilang captain, alam niyang gusto nitong mag-champion. Gusto nito na bago umalis ng university, sa huling laro... maging champion ulit ang university.

The game started, and she watched casually. Maayos ang laro ni Zed, kasama nito si Jed. Maganda ang ikutan ng bola sa lahat ng manlalaro at ipinapasa ni Zed ang bola sa iba.

Maybe he decided to just assist this time.

Mayamaya, lumapit sa kaniya ang ilang estudyante para ipasa ang unang part ng exam. Kinamusta niya ang mga ito at napansin niya ang ngiti habang binabanggit ang tungkol sa exam.

"Miss Adi, sure ba talaga na okay lang sa tagalog or taglish ang pag-explain?" tanong ni Fatima. "Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa instructions, eh."

Tumaas ang dalawang balikat niya. "Oo naman. If it's easier for you to explain in taglish, okay lang naman sa 'kin. Mas importante sa 'kin na naintindihan mo ang context ng exam at na-explain mo without pressure of using english. Wala namang problema."

Para sa kaniya, hindi measure of intelligence ang english. May ibang mas kumportableng mag-explain sa tagalog, taglish, o english at walang kaso sa kaniya iyon. Her subject was marketing and english wasn't the only language used in actual marketing.

Adi was busy talking to Geraldine when her phone rang. It was an unknown number, but her heart started beating fast. For some reason, nobody knew her number unless they were really close to her.

Nag-excuse siya sa klase at sinagot ang tawag. "Hello?"

"Is this Audrey Zor—"

"This is she," she frowned.

"I am a paramedic." The man from the other end said casually. "And we're calling because you're listed as Zared Almazan's emergency contact."

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T H E X W H Y S
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