NANG MATAPOS niya ang pagiging student teacher intern, she already heard some news about the handsome teacher. And it turns out na dalawa pala ang inspirasyon ng mga high school students nila sa school.

"And they're both… tsismoso." Khaila sighed.

But the other one is gorgeous, and she's ready to make an exemption. Khaila mentally rolled her eyes with that thought.

She met a lot of people. Work with different male models. Huba't baro pa ang mga ito and she found them… normal. Kahit na naglalakihan na ang mga katawan ng mga ito sa pag-gym.

Hindi niya makuha na magustuhan ang mga ito. They've been trying to pursue her but her walls were too high for them climb. Idagdag pa na may dadaanan munang tinik ang mga ito. At hindi biro ang mga tinik na 'yon.

They were all willing to kill someone who attempted to climb her walls.

"Napagod ka ba?" malambing na tanong sa kanya ng Tita Krizzia niya nang makita siya nito.

"Hindi naman po," sagot niya.

She has her own table now, sa high school faculty. Hawak pa rin naman niya ang mga chikiting sa elementary, pero kagaya ng plano nila, unti-unti na nilang sinasanay ang mga ito na wala siya.

And it seems like, wala naman problema sa mga teacher na kasama niya sa elementary.

Napatanag din ang isip niya dahil wala na siyang narinig mula sa mga kasama niya. Dahil kilala siya ng mga teachers sa secondary. She may be using her mother's surname back when she's still single, but they still knew that she's a Miller too.

Napatingin siya sa pintuan nang lumikha 'yon ng tunog. Nag-iwas din siya agad ng tingin nang makita ang dalawang lalaki na pumasok. The other one was making her heart race and the other one, well, his face was pissing her off.

Atticus' face was new to her eyes. His skin was fair, his eyes looked sharp as if he's glaring. Atticus is tall and has a tough, lean and not so muscular body type. May muscle pero hindi ganoong halata. Makapal ang mga kilay nito at matangos ang ilong. Pretty common, but still new to her eyes.

His presence was measuring her confidence. But she wasn't affected. Even just a bit.

Khaila built herself ever since she was a kid. Hindi 'yon basta-basta lang matitibag.

"Good afternoon…"

Tumayo agad siya nang pumasok ang kapatid niya. She's wearing a black shirt, jeans and a cap. Halata na nagtatago na naman ito.

Nagmano ang kapatid niya sa mga teacher na nasa loob ng faculty, maliban sa dalawang lalaki. Sumulyap siya sa lalaking guro na nagsabi na kagwapuhan lang ang ambag nito. He was staring at her sister too much. He probably seen her latest photo.

Pagkatapos nitong magmano, agad itong pumunta sa kanya at mahigpit siyang niyakap.

"I'm here to pick you up!"

Inayos niya ang suot na kupya nito. "Are you hiding again?"

"Uy, hindi ah! Don't worry, wala nang susunod na paparazzi sa akin." Tumaas baba ang mga kilay nito. Tally tugged her chin up and playfully said, "Baka kapag nakita ka, bumaba ulit ang ratings ko."

"Shhh!" Khaila shushed her.

"I'm just telling the truth, Ate." She sounded so bitter, but she was smiling brightly at her.

"Ano ang gusto mo? Wala pa akong sahod pero may pera naman ako."

Tally winked at her and immediately picked her bag up. Hindi man lang nila nagawang magpaalam dahil sa pagmamadali ng kapatid niya.

"Mall tayo?" Tally asked.

"Sure, may sasakyan ka ba na dala?"

Tally pouted her lips. "Wala, hinatid ako ni Ky pagkatapos akong awayin."

"You two always bicker." Khaila flatly said.

"It was our own way of lambingan?" Tally defended.

Hindi na lang sumagot si Khaila. Dumaan muna sila sa office ng Mamu nila para humiram ng sasakyan at magpalit siya ng damit. They both know how to drive, but Khaila loves spoiling her siblings. She was the designated driver and Tally was comfortably sitting beside her, telling her the things she likes to buy but couldn't because she has no time to shop.

Her sister was much more popular than her. Lalo na sa runway show. They were always surrounded with cameras. Pero hindi pa siya dumating sa punto ng buhay niya na kailangan niyang magtago para takasan ang media.

There's one time. But it's controllable.

Khaila sighed heavily when she saw some people taking a picture of her and Tally. Hindi naman na 'yon bago sa kanilang dalawa ng kapatid. Hindi na lang nila pinapansin. But there's some people asking for an autograph and a picture together.

Tumigil sa paglalakad si Khaila nang mapansin ang mukha niya sa isang cosmetic shop, it was her last photoshoot.

"Ooh, their products are good, Ate. Alam mo ba na they're asking Papa to convince you to be a model again?"

Lumipat ang tingin niya sa kapatid at umiling.

"The owner actually wants us three, me, you, and Ky to be their models. They sent me a PR package of their newly released products. Want to try them?" Tally asked.

Khaila shook her head.

"I'm a teacher now, Tally. Hindi na ako babalik sa pagmomodelo."

"If you say so…"

Modelling was part of her life. But teaching kids was fulfilling. Teaching completes her.

And after an hour of walking around, looks like her sister took advantage of her absence of mind. Ang dami na nitong bitbit na paper bags mula sa iba't ibang store.

Nagulat na lang si Khaila nang makita na nasa loob na sila ng Swarovski. Tally was choosing between the two watch and necklaces.

"What do you think, Ate? Alin sa dalawa?"

Itinuro ng kapatid niya ang dalawang relo sa harapan nito. She sighed and pointed to the rose gold watch, it looked cheaper than the other one.

"The Crystalline Glam Watch is our best seller, Ma'am. In fact, ito na lang ang natitira."

It looks simple with its rose gold tone and gray leather strap.

"How much?" Khaila asked.

"The Crystalline Glam Watch is worth 32,500 pesos, Ma'am." The salesperson politely answered.

"Oh, it's cheap! I'll get this one." Tally looked at the two necklaces and said, "As for the necklace, hm, maybe next time?"

Khaila smiled when her sister, Tally, gave her card to pay for her watch.

Nang mabili na nito ang gusto, agad na kumapit sa kanya ang kapatid at inakay siya papunta sa Café na nakita nito. Magseselos ang kapatid nilang lalaki kapag nalaman nito na lumabas silang dalawa ni Tally.

Tally was the one who ordered their food and she looked for a vacant table. Hawak pa rin ni Tally ang mga paper bags nito. Khaila brushed her hair, dapat pala ay nagsuot na rin siya ng cap.

"Hello po! Fan niyo po ako!"

"Gamit ko po 'yung makeup brand na kayo ang model!"

Khaila smiled at them widely and thanked them for still supporting her, even though hindi na siya ganoon ka-active sa pagmomodelo. She heard that 'that' someone was now finally on top, now that she's gone.

"Veronica?" Tally sneered. "She don't even have the guts to show her face to me. Subukan niya lang."

"Seems like she did something you didn't like…" Sumimsim siya sa Matcha latte niya.

"Oh, she kept on telling lies about me, having an affair too. Matanda lang siya sa akin, pero kaya ko siyang kalbuhin."

Tumawa siya sa sinabi nito.

"I'm not nice like you. I won't let her do whatever the hell she wants." Tally added. "Enough of me, Ate. How about you? How's work?"

"Pagod, pero ayos lang, gusto ko naman 'to. Wala na rin akong naririnig na tsismis tungkol sa alam mo na…" Khaila sighed. Their father forbade his friends to go to the school to see her. "And… I think, I'm normal now, Tally."

Maarte na tumikwas ang kilay ni Tally sa kanya at sarkastiko na sumagot, "Ate, normal ka naman talaga."

"I like someone now." Khaila confessed.

Tally's hands slammed against their table and looked at her with wide eyes open. Umawang ang mga labi nito, she's on the verge of crying but choose to laugh real loud.

"Oh my God!" Tally exclaimed. Inayos nito ang sarili. "We should keep this one a secret. Hindi dapat 'to malaman ni Ky, Ate."

Khaila agreed to her sister. Ky's imagination were somewhat wild. From marrying, having a child, that guy would cheat and she'll be left alone, something like that.

Tally gave her an advice on how she'll get close to him. Khaila was always ready to talk to him. She greeted him every time na nakikita niya ito, kahit may kasama itong ibang guro.

Getting close to that guy was harder than she imagined. It's not that easy as learning how to count from one to ten. Para siyang naghahanap ng Review of Related Literature. Pahirapan.

SA PANINGIN ni Atticus, Khaila was desperate to get his attention. And he was secretly enjoying it and having fun watching her breathing heavily every time he ignored her.

He don't think that it was coincidence, he was sure that she was chasing him around as she tried to open a conversation.

"Hoy, tigilan mo nga." Seryoso na sabi ni Lhey sa kanya. "Kapag 'yan, nalaman ng mga Tito niya, 'yang ngisi sa mga labi mo? Burado 'yan."

"Why? What are they going to do? It's not like I'm entertaining their niece." Pagdadahilan niya sa kaibigan.

"Hindi nga. Pero tuwang tuwa ka naman sa pagpansin niya sayo, aba! Itong si Ma'am, kulang na lang ay ipaghanda ka." Lhey sarcastically said. "May naririnig ako noon na sa bawat lalaki na lumalapit kay Ma'am Khaila, dumadaan sa matinding imbestigasyon. Hindi lang pala lalaki, babae rin"

Ngumiwi si Atticus sa narinig. "That's too much?"

"Hm, and if that someone has a plan to take her down. Inuunahan na nila ang mga ito." Umakto si Lhey na ginigilitan ang leeg nito.

"Oh? That's too much." Atticus flatly said. But he somehow understand them. In a way, na hindi niya ma-explain.

"Binalaan kita ha!"

"Yeah, yeah! Salamat sa tsismis na ambag mo." Atticus dismissively said. He patted Lhey's shoulder and continued, "Huwag kang mag-alala, hindi naman ako basta mawawala."

MALAWAK NA NGUMITI si Khaila nang makita si Atticus sa hallway. As usual, the male teacher looks good with their uniform. May suot din ito na salamin ngayon, which made him look matured than he already was.

"Hi!" She beamed at him.

Atticus stopped in front of her. Khaila's breathing become uneven as her heart started pounding loudly inside her chest. Ngayon lang siya nito pinansin!

"I'm curious, Miss Valencia," he paused and continue, "No, Miss Miller. Wala ka bang ginagawa? Wala ka bang naiwan na trabaho at ang dami mong oras para umikot sa buong school makasalubong mo lang ako?"

Khaila didn't lost the smile on her lips even though he sounded so mayabang.

"I'm free." Nagkibit balikat siya.

"Then, may I ask why you keep on following me around? Greeting me every time you have the chance. Talking to me randomly when I already made it obvious that I don't want to talk to you."

Kumalma ang mabilis na tibok ng puso niya dahil sa narinig. Hindi 'yon masakit. Mainit at pinagpapawisan siya pero hindi niya 'yon alintana.

Khaila sighed and looked up, hindi masakit sa mata ang liwanag na nagmumula sa araw.

"Actually… I kinda like you." Khaila bravely confessed. "I like your face, your voice, your teaching skills and you're extremely genius."

Tumaas lang ang isang kilay nito sa kanya. Seems like he already heard those from someone.

"Did you hear me? I said, I like you." Khaila smiled at him.

Malamig ang tingin na pinukol nito sa kanya. So cold that it made her shiver a little. Nakataas pa rin ang noo ni Khaila, she was readying herself for his answer.

"Yeah, narinig kita."

"You don't…?" She trailed.

"Narinig ko."

"I don't think so. Uulitin ko ha? I like you, Sir." Namula ang pisngi niya dahil titig na titig ito sa kanya.

"Narinig ko nga. Hindi lang talaga kita gusto. Ayoko sa modelo." Atticus answered and left her dumbfounded.

But she's a teacher now! At kanino nito nalaman na modelo siya?!

☕