HINDI gaanong mainit sa labas, it was a perfect day for their students who were currently playing volleyball on the field for their physical education subject. Nakatayo lang sa gilid si Atticus, naka krus ang mga braso sa tapat ng dibdib, habang pinapanood ang mga bata.

The physical education teacher was also his friend, Lhey. Dalawang subject ang hawak nito. Physical education at Information and Communication Technology.

"Hello!"

He remained calm and didn't bother to acknowledge her presence. She's at it again. Atticus clearly remembered how he rejected her that day. He had two days, para hindi makita ang mukha nito. And that's Saturday and Sunday.

"Why are you here?" tanong nito pero hindi siya sumagot.

Nanatili ang tingin niya sa kaibigan niyang tinuturuan ang mga bata about sa hand signals.

"Oh, you're watching? Am I disturbing you?" malambing ang boses nito. It's hard for him not to noticed it.

"Yes, so please, leave." Atticus sighed.

Hindi naman na bago sa kanya ang itaboy ito palayo sa kanya. If there were in some case, what he's doing right now was called self defense. He's just protecting himself for the possible harms she'll might inflict.

May gusto ito sa kanya. So what?

"Can I stay beside you? I promise, I won't bother you."

Umirap sa hangin si Atticus.

"Your presence bother me. Leave." Mariin na sabi niya.

"Really?" Parang natutuwa pa na tanong nito sa kanya.

Atticus glanced at her and stilled when she saw her smiling brightly. Nakatingala ito at diretso ang tingin sa langit, and then she slowly closed her eyes, feeling the wind. Namumula ang dulo ng ilong nito.

"I don't like you." Atticus blurted out.

He was reminding her… And himself too.

Umiwas siya ng tingin sa dalaga nang idilat nito ang mga mata. His eyes caught Lhey's smiling like a dog to him.

"Alam ko naman." Lumipat ang tingin ni Atticus sa dalaga nang sumagot ito sa sinabi niya kanina.

The eldest daughter of Kyst Miller, smiled at him, but that smile didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't the smile that she usually wears. It was as if someone hurt her and that someone was him.

Ano ang magagawa niya? Entertain her? For what? For the sake of short-term relationships? No way in hell.

Wala pang tumatagal na babae sa kanya. At sigurado siya na gano'n din ang mangyayari sa kanila.

Hindi pinakita ni Atticus ang gulat sa mukha niya nang abutan siya nito ng bookmark. A self made bookmark. He knows when he sees one because it was made of origami paper.

Bible verse ang nakasulat sa harap at sa likod naman ay calligraphy name niya. But it wasn't his first name. The name written beautifully was his second name. It was pretty.

"Nagsimba kami noong Sunday. My family likes to attend Sunday service, and they assigned me to look for the kids because apparently, they only listen to sister Khaila." She smiled at him. "And, making a bookmark was our activity. Gumawa ako ng para sa akin at para sa ibang teacher sa faculty."

Habang nagsasalita ito, nakatitig lang si Atticus sa binigay nito.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest. Galatians chapter six, verse nine." Atticus read it out loud and asked Khaila, "Bakit ito ang napili mong bible verse?"

Atticus was genuinely curious. He was looking at her and waiting for her to answer his question. His thumb was unconsciously rubbing the back part, where his second name was written. Aleir.

"That was my first memory verse. And my favorite… It reminds me that I must continue to do things… I am good at." Khaila answered. But he wasn't satisfied with it.

"And?" Umangat ang isang kilay niya sa dalaga.

She smiled. "More importantly… To be kind to people, even if people are not kind."

After that, Khaila left. Naiwan siya na nakatitig sa bigay nito sa kanya. To be kind to people, even if people are not kind. That's why she didn't fight back when people were branding her a homewrecker? She chose to be kind. Even if people don't deserve it.

She chose to be kind and forgave them. Sa tingin ni Atticus ay hindi niya kaya 'yon.

Then, he realised that her parents raised her well to be like that. To be kind. Even though the world is filled with cruel people.

His thoughts fled when a ball stopped rolling in front of him. Pinulot niya ang bola at hinanap ng mga mata niya ang kaibigan na nagtuturo sa mga bata kani-kanina lang, para maisoli ang bola at makabalik na siya sa faculty.

"Sir, do you know how to play volleyball?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Atticus nang makita ang lalaki na nagsalita. He was wearing a teacher P.E uniform. Wala siyang nabalitaan na bagong pasok ulit na teacher and he heard that the school won't accept any student teacher intern this school year because of what happened last year.

One of the student teachers pushed a little boy. Hindi 'yon nagustuhan ng principal nila at ng mga may-ari mismo sa paaralan.

"I know how to play… a little." Atticus answered. He roamed his eyes around and didn't see his friend.

Mukhang ipinasa na naman nito ang responsibilidad sa ibang guro. Atticus sighed and shook his head. That incompetent fool won't change.

Tumango ang lalaki. "That's good enough, we'll play lightly."

Play lightly? Atticus wanted to believe that. But his smile was telling him otherwise. Isa pa, hindi naka-akma ang suot niya sa laro. He's wearing their uniform for goodness sake! Naka black shoes pa siya.

"Lalaro ka po, Sir? Sa team ka namin!" Ani ng isang estudyante.

"Hala! Sir, sa amin na lang po! Nilayasan po kami ni Sir Lhey, e!"

Lumingon siya sa lalaki na pinapaikot ang bola sa mga kamay nito. By his looks, alam niya na volleyball player ito. His stance and the way he flipped the ball he's holding.

The students cheered for him so he agreed. Not knowing that he put his own life in danger. Hinubad niya ang relo na nakasuot sa pulsuhan niya.

"Hey, ingatan mo 'yung bookmark." Bilin niya sa bata na malapit sa kanya.

"E, 'yung relo niyo po, Sir?" pabiro na tanong nito sa kanya.

He chuckled. "Luma na 'yan."

"Kahit itakbo ko, Sir? Hindi niyo ako hahabulin?"

"Hahabulin," mabilis na sagot niya. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa bookmark. "Hawak mo ang bookmark ko."

"Ah, mas importante po ito, kaysa sa relo niyo?" The student asked again.

Ngumiti lang siya at naglakad papunta sa kabilang side ng court, kung nasaan ang team niya. The game started with a light mood and thought that he's safe because the students were still learning how to play the game.

"Sir! Hapdi sa braso!" reklamo ng mga estudyante.

Tumawa lang ang lalaki sa reklamo na narinig nito bago palitan ang bata na nasa loob ng court. It was a light game, not until sa kanya mapadpad ang bola. Atticus received the ball and hit it back.

The guy on the other side of the net, smirked at him. Ito ang nag-received at malakas na pinalo ang bola. Malakas 'yon kaya natural lang na ilagan ng mga bata ang bola.

He's stupid enough to receive the ball because his side told him not to lose.

"I am not a volleyball player!" pasigaw na sabi niya sa mga ito.

"Kaya po 'yan, Sir!" They cheered.

Every time he received the ball, ramdam ni Atticus ang hapdi sa mga braso niya. The impact was too much for him. Para bang sinasadya na nito. Sa bawat palo nito sa bola, it feels like he has a plan to take him down.

Masakit na rin ang mga kamay niya. Idagdag pa na nahihirapan siyang kumilos dahil sa suot niya. He hissed loudly after the last ball he received. Mapula ang kamay niya, and it was starting to get swollen. A bruise on top of that.

"Last game, Sir?" tanong sa kanya ng lalaki.

"I've had enough. I'll call Lhey—"

"Weak."

Atticus stopped. "What did you say?"

"You're weak." Ulit nito.

"Is that how you thanked someone who did you a favor?" Atticus sarcastically asked.

The guy smiled at him. It was pissing him off. Humakbang ito papalapit sa kanya. Tumaas lang ang isang kilay ni Atticus. If he was planning to punch him, then he'll let the guy hit him first.

"Ky!"

Sabay silang dalawa na tumigil nang marinig ang galit na boses ni Khaila. She was stomping her feet on the ground. Lumipat ang tingin ni Atticus sa lalaki. Ang tapang nito kanina, unti-unting nawawala. His face turned white. He look pissed, and scared for his life at the same time.

The guy was taller than Khaila. Alam niya dahil halos magkasing tangkad lang sila nitong lalaki na nasa tabi niya.

The beautiful woman stopped in front of the guy.

Umiwas siya ng tingin. It must be her boyfriend.

BUSY siya sa paglilinis ng kwarto. Lilipat na kasi siya nang tuluyan sa high school, at ang Tita Krizzia naman niya ang papalit sa kanya. She was happy and sad at the same time. She had a lot of plans to decorate the room, kaya lang naunahan naman siya ng issue.

"Hi, Ma'am!"

"Hello, can you help me?" tanong niya sa mga ito. Itatapon na lang naman ang basura.

"Sige po, kami na po ang bahala dito."

"Ma'am? Si Sir Kyrst po pala…"

"Oh, Ky is busy. May photoshoot silang dalawa ni Tally."

"Hindi po, Ma'am. Nasa field po siya, kalaro si Sir Klein. Kaya nga po kami nandito para awatin na si Sir Ky, hindi na po normal ang hampas niya sa bola noong umalis kami sa court."

Agad na siyang kinutuban sa sinabi ng mga bata. Ky won't personally visit that guy, kung wala itong alam. The question was, paano nito nalaman. Tally promised her that she won't tell anyone, lalo na si Ky.

And the fact that he rejected him? Kapag nalaman 'yon ng kapatid niya ay mas lalo itong mag a-alburoto!

"Bantayan niyo muna ang room ko, ha?" paki-usap niya sa mga bata at iniwan ang trabaho.

She was wearing heels but who cares? It was an easy task for her to run. Kahit ilang inches pa ang suot niya.

Khaila was more worried about Atticus. Nag-iisip na siya ng mga posibleng scenario sa utak niya kung paano napa-oo ng kapatid niya ang lalaki na 'yon?

Naningkit ang mga mata ni Khaila nang marinig ang paghampas ni Ky sa bola. If they're in the indoor court, sigurado na rinig din ni Khaila kung paano 'yon tumama sa kabila. Sapat na ang hampas na 'yon ng kapatid niya para mabalian ng buto ang kung sino man makaka-received ng bola.

"Ky!" Sigaw niya sa pangalan nito.

Her brother immediately looked at her. Bakas ang irita at takot sa mukha nito nang makita siya.

"Why are you here? Akala ko ba may photoshoot kayong dalawa ni Tally?!" Khaila hissed.

Then her gaze caught Atticus' hands. Namumula na ang mga 'yon. It's swollen and there's a bruise forming…

"Your forearms…" Halos pabulong na sabi niya.

Itinago 'yon ni Atticus sa likuran nito.

"Okay ka lang ba? Samahan kita sa clinic—" he cutted her off.

"Kaya ko. Hindi na ako bata para samahan mo."

He turned his back on her. May isang estudyante na lumapit dito at binigay ang mga gamit ni Atticus.

"That brute! I'm going to kill him!" Ky angrily said.

"Behave, Ky. I'm still mad at what you did."

"I'm not sorry. He deserves it, after he rejected you?" Umiiling na sagot nito sa kanya.

Umawang ang mga labi niya at hinampas ang kapatid. "How did you know?!"

"Ate, you know how attentive we are when it comes to you. Tally and I, we always bicker pero magkasundo kami kapag ikaw na ang pinag-uusapan. You've been smiling for the past two days, but you also look sad." Ky sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Tally said sorry for telling me about that guy."

"Paano niyo nalaman na hinindian ako?" ulit niya.

Kyrst smirked smugly at her. "Kanina pa ako nandito. I heard you two talking."

☕