CHAPTER TWELVE

RIGHT after a successful report on Personality Development, in which the teacher praised my presentation skills and made me realize that I really like to teach and discuss topics in front of students as well as conduct assessments and icebreakers with candies in return, I finally sat down and let out a huge sigh of relief.

Well, of course, a smile was plastered on my face — ikaw ba naman, titigan ng crush mo habang nakangiti siya na para bang amaze na proud siya sa 'yo, ewan ko na lang kung 'di ka pa ganahan nang bongga.

Anyways, after nitong PerDev ay break time muna tapos proceed na kami sa science lab para sa Biology class namin. If my memory serves me right, Miss did inform us na ngayon niya ia-announce nang buo yung tungkol sa magiging project namin sa kaniya. Biology would be the second branch of Science na gusto ko, at pangalawa rin siya sa ayaw ko.

Yes, Biology is fun, like really really fun, but memorizing those scientific names? Oh, help me, God.

"So..." Jackie took my attention and I looked at her as I munched on my sandwich. "I wonder why he seemed to be staring and smiling at you."

Here we go again. I paused eating and wiped my lips. "Jackie, not today. I'm in a pretty good mood, so please, don't ruin it."

But Jackie did not want to stop. She raised an eyebrow, and her eyes were planning to shoot daggers. "Oh, for sure. It's pretty obvious that you're in a pretty good mood. Titig na titig lang naman sa 'yo si Cairo ko. So, tell me, Hadlee. What did you tell him? What did you do to him?"

I rolled my eyes and took a bite on my sandwich. Thankfully, kakaunti lang ang mga tao rito sa garden na ito, ako lang ang nakakarinig ng ganitong ugali ni Jackie. "I did not do anything, Jack. I just presented my work—"

"Oh, bullsh*t—"

"Don't curse at me, Jackie Ishida," I cut her off fast and with a threatening tone. "I told you. I can't tolerate you being like this." I finished my sandwich and wiped my lips and fingers. "If you're done with your snack and your baseless accusations, I'd like to head back to the classroom."

Hindi naman na muling umimik sa Jackie saka tinapos ang kinakain niya at tahimik na sumunod sa akin pabalik sa classroom para kunin ang mga notebook at pencil case namin bago kami dumiretso sa science lab.

Almost group by group, our classmates filled up the room and finally, our teacher arrived. As she prepared her stuff on her designated desk, I searched for Jackie who informed me that she would go to the comfort room.

Kaya naman hindi ko napigilang mapaikot ang mga mata nang makita ko siya sa grupo nila Nexus. Of course, she had to be there. "Okay, guys, settle down. Let's start this class with a short recap of what we have discussed last meeting."

I raised a hand and waited for Miss to call my name before standing up to earn a recitation — yes, even though I'm not a fan of socializing, I have no other choice but to recite in order to earn higher grades. "Miss, last time, you mentioned different types of plants and some of their examples. One of the mentioned examples is the "makahiya" plant."

After she praised me, another person was called to add additional information, and that person was the guy who also raised his hand. "As an addition to what Ms. Soriano said, "makahiya" or touch-me-not is a perennial flowering plant that can be beneficial to us through medical terms such as for anti-inflammatory."

Even though I did not want to cause another intense argument with Jackie, Nexus' gaze shortly locked on mine as he smiled at me when he mentioned my name. And so, unfortunately, I was not able to contain the smile that I gave back. Ah, shoot.

I knew Jackie saw that since she was just seated next to me. And I could honestly feel her intense gaze on me. "Thank you, Mr. Arcanghel and Ms. Soriano. Now, I will be explaining the project that will be done for this quarter. The class shall study a certain plant assigned to them and observe how they interact with their environment for a week before you submit your post-lab worksheet. The plant that you'll observe can either be in its natural habitat or potted. And finally, ang paborito niyong part, it'll be by pair. Miss, p'wedeng tatlo? By pair nga eh, diba?" Napuno ng tawa ang classroom. "Miss, pwede individual? Depende kung walang ambag ang ka-pair niyo, but as much as possible, this is a pair work."

I quickly turned in Jackie's direction. For sure kasi ay kami ang magpa-pair, kaya lang ay wala na siya sa upuan niya. Nakaupo na siya sa kaninang vacant chair sa tabi ni Nexus. Based on her expression, I could already tell that she asked him to be her pair. At nakakapikon 'yon.

"Pero ito ang isa pang ayaw niyong part ng ia-announce ko." Ngumiti ng pang-asar si Miss. "I'll choose the pairings together with the assigned plant."

"Miss naman!"

"Sayang."

"Daya, Miss!"

"Daya your face," pang-asar ni Miss saka inikot pa ang mga mata pero natawa rin namn. "Anyway, wala kayong choice. Kaya nga sinabihan ko na kayo, pwede lang mag-individual kung wala namang ginagawa ang kapares niyo but other than that reason, you'll have to work in pair." Kinuha ni Miss ang listahan niya ng mga pangalan namin. "I already did the pairings last night, together with the assigned plant. Niroleta ko 'to, kaya walang magrereklamo. Now, for the first pair... oh, sakto pala eh. The first pair would be Ms. Soriano and Mr. Arcanghel."

Agad akong nagitilan. Oh my god. What??

"Miss! Unfair!"

"Powerhouse 'yan, Miss!"

Puro react ang mga kaklase namin. Hindi siya pang-aasar na para sa ships sa classroom, but because they believe that both Nex and I would have the best outcome. "Dami namang mareklamo. Oh s'ya, ipapares ko kayo sa mga crush niyo," loko ni Ma'am. You already did that to me, Miss!! "Charot lang, 'di na pwede galawin 'to. Anyway, second thing, you've already mentioned it, Makahiya plant ang inyo, Soriano, Arcanghel. Very coincidental naman ng ginawa ko," natatawang banggit ni Miss. Kung gulat siya edi mas lalo naman ako, 'no‽

Hindi ko na naintindi ang iba pang sinabi ni Miss about sa other pairs and their plants. Masyado nang na-focus ang atensyon ko sa part na PARTNER KAMI‽

Pakiramdam ko ay marami pang sinabi si Miss pero isang part lang ang naintindihan ko, "Okay, sit beside your partner and let us continue our short discussion, then after that, you may talk and plan with your pair."

Oh, shoot naman talaga! I knew I was awkwardly standing up since hindi ko alam kung ako ba ang lilipat ng upuan o siya pero nakita ko siyang tumayo rin at nagkatinginan kami. Now, what?

I took a deep breath and asked my brain to function well since magsisimula na rin namang magturo si Ma'am. I saw two vacant seats almost between us and I also saw Nexus looking in that direction. We both nodded at the same time, and I couldn't stop the smile I let out before we both walked towards those seats and met there. "Hi." My favorite view flashed before me.

"Hi," I awkwardly replied as we sat down and listened to Miss' further instructions. We were both silent, just me scribbling some notes mentioned by Miss, and Nexus — I have no plans looking in his direction. I could literally see the faint trembling of my writing hand — I sure hope he doesn't notice that.

I honestly have no idea how many minutes have passed, but when I heard Miss saying that we could now start discussing with our partners, well, I... I had to look at him. "So, makahiya, huh?"

I took a deep breath in, calming my overly excited heart, and finally faced him with a blank face — I really do hope that I'm showing a blank face. "Mmm-hmm... So... natural habitat? May makahiya ata sa garden dito sa school, pwede naman nating puntahan. Or mauna na muna ako tapos bahala ka na kung kelan ka available. Pero kung wala, hanap na lang tayo sa paligid. Separately, if you want. Much faster process of finding it." Pasimple akong bumuga ng hangin. Oh my goodness. Para akong nag-rap. Grades pa rin ang nakataya rito, pero kasi, ang hirap kapag 'yung taong pinaka-hindi mo inaasahan ang makakapareha mo eh!

Nexus adorably tilted his head a little to the side. "Or... pwede naman tayong bumili ng potted na lang."

Bahagya akong natigilan saka ilang beses na napakurap. Huh? "May makahiya na potted? Pwede 'yon?" My forehead creased a little more. "Laging sa natural habitat ko siya nakikita, sorry," Gulong-gulo ako at seryosong nagtataka nang marinig at makita ko siyang tumatawa.

I wanted to blink but my eyes did not want to miss this majestic scene. I made Nexus laugh. My heart beats faster and louder at this point. I wanted to savor the moment, but he had to sober up one way or another. "Sa ibang bansa, binebenta talaga siyang nakapaso. Tapos shy flower ang tawag." He let out a couple more chuckles before finally calming down. "Anyway, I'm sorry for laughing, hindi ko lang talaga in-expect," pigil ang tawang sabi niya.

I wanted to say it's okay, that you should laugh more, I'm just enjoying the view, but my mouth could not utter even a single word. I was just staring at him that maybe it made him really uncomfortable.

"I wasn't laughing at you," he began to explain, and so I started to panic as well.

"N-No, it's okay. Sorry. May... May iniisip lang kanina," ikaw, actually. "A-Anyway... Anong gagawin natin? — Oh, right, bibili ng nasa pot, and... and then?"

Nexus just smiled and got silent for a second before proceeding to explain what we both should do, and all I did was look at him, watch him, and just... enjoy this moment. Because it might not... it might not happen again.

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