Mr. Luciano Valerio POV

Fuck!

Did Ms. De Leon see us kissing?

"Hey, what's wrong?" malambing ang boses na saad ni Kristine. Ngayon ko lang naalala ang pangalan nito.

She's trying to kiss me again but I already distance myself from her.

"Excuse me, I have to go," paalam ko rito saka nagmamadaling sinundan si Ms. De Leon.

I smiled silently when I saw her flushed face earlier. Namumula ang mukha nito, magulo ang buhok at parang wala sa sarili.

Damn it! Where did she go?

Wala ito sa elevator at imposible namang makasakay ito kaagad. Bumaling ang tingin ko sa may hagdanan nang marinig ko na parang may bumagsak.

And there she is. She dropped her garbage bag on the floor and she was about to fall. I don't know how I managed to go with her and hold her not to fall.

"Hey, are you okay?" malumanay kong tanong.

Damn! She smells alcohol.

"I-I'm okay..." mahinang usal nito ngunit bigla na lang itong lumupaypay sa mga bisig ko.

I have no choice but to carry her.

Kumakain pa ba ito? Bakit parang sampung kilo lang ng bigas ang karga ko?

Napailing na lang ako. I don't want to entertain the warm feeling I felt inside of my body while carrying her to her apartment.

Goddammit!

I can feel her breathing, her soft body against mine. I can smell her scent though she smells of beer.

Buti na lang bukas ang unit nito. Napailing na lang ako sa magulo nitong Apartment. Nagkalat ang mga cans ng beer sa sahig at pati na ang mga pagkain na nagkalat din sa center table.

Ipinasok ko siya sa kwarto niya saka maingat na inihiga. Hindi ko na napagtuunan ng pansin ang loob ng kwarto nito dahil natuon na ang mga mata ko sa maganda nitong mukha.

Sumilay ang ngiti sa mga labi ko. She's sleeping like an angel and I love looking at her face.

I don't know what is her problem and why she's drinking alone.

Heartbroken pa rin ba siya? Hindi pa ba siya naka-get over sa ex-boyfriend niya?

For fucking shit! She needs to move on.

And I need to get out of here as soon as possible because I'm starting to feel something... Something that makes me act like a fucking pervert!

Damn, I want to kiss her!

I turned around before it was too late but suddenly she held my hand. I looked at her again, she was still sleeping but her left hand was holding mine tightly.

"Please don't leave..." mahinang usal niya.

I looked at her solemn face. She's lonely. I don't know why I felt this kind of emotion, but I feel her. I feel her loneliness and sadness.

Parang may sakit na nabuhay sa puso ko na matagal ko ng ibinaon sa limot. By just looking at her, I felt like my fucking emotions awakened.

Did her ex-boyfriend hurt her so much?

"Ms. De Leon–"

"Don't leave me, Mom..."

Natigilan ako. And that hits like home calling her mom in her sleep.

I know what it feels like... And it's not a good feeling. It hurts like hell!

I wanted to be there for her. I have the urge to comfort her but my mind tells me not, because it will also hurt me.

Kaagad kong kinalas ang pagkakahawak ng kamay niya saka tinalikuran ko na siya.

Paglabas ko sa kwarto niya ay natigilan na naman ako nang may pumasok na babae. She's a middle-aged woman. Nakasuot ng salamin sa mga mata at nakapuyod ng maayos ang mahaba nitong buhok.

Naka-business-like attire ito at kung titingnan mo ay pina-moder Ms. Minchin a-like ang hitsura nito.

She's staring at me from head to foot. Wala akong nakikita g panghuhusga sa mga mata nito, siguro ay curious lang ito kung bakit nandito ako sa loob ng apartment ng anak niya.

Napakamot ako sa batok. "I'm sorry, she's drunk and I saw her outside and then–"

"Thank you," kaagad nitong putol sa sinasabi ko. "I appreciate your help. At mukhang hindi ka naman masamang tao."

Pormal na pormal ang boses at hindi man lang ngumingiti. Siya ba ang ina ni Ms. De Leon? Hindi sila magkamukha, siguro kamukha ito ng ama niya.

"She's calling you," tanging saad ko na lang.

Isang tango lang ang isinagot nito bago pumasok sa kwarto. Bumuntonghininga ako at bago tuluyang lumabas ay pinasadahan ko muna ng tingin ang loob ng apartment nito.

_____________

"And that's all for today. Don't forget your research," I reminded my students before they were dismissed from my class.

"Yes, professor!"

Nakalabas na silang lahat at ako naman ay nanatili pa sa loob dahil busy pa ako sa mga ipinasa nilang quizzes.

I was so focused that I did not notice Ms. De Leon's presence.

"Mr. Valerio."

Mabilis akong nag-angat ng tingin nang marinig ko ang boses nito. She's standing in front of my table.

It's been 2 weeks since I last saw her and it takes too much strength not to think of her. And now she's her, and my heart skipped a beat.

No, I already decided that I need to follow my rules. She's just a student to me.

I cleared my throat before I spoke, "Ms. De Leon."

"Mr. Valerio, can I still attend with your class?" Her expressive eyes stared at me, she was pleading the way she looked at me.

I looked at my students' quizzes, my excuse to get away from her tantalizing eyes. Right now, I can't stand looking at her because my heart is beating so fast.

"Ms. De Leon, I don't know if I can still accept you in my class. You missed a lot of quizzes and projects," I said with a serious voice without looking at her.

"I know. Maybe in the next semester, I can still enroll in your class," nanghihinayang na saad niya.

Napatango na lang ako. Siguro mas maigi na sa susunod na semester na lang siya bumalik sa klase ko baka sakaling ma-kontrol ko na ang pagnanasa ko sa kaniya.

Shit talaga!

"Thank you, Mr. Valerio," muling usal nito saka lumabas na.

Naipukpok ko ang kamao sa table saka mabilis na tumayo.

Screw the rules!

Mabilis akong lumabas at hinabol siya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa tuwing encounter naming dalawa ay palagi ko na lang siyang hinahabol.

"Ms. De Leon!" Naabutan ko siya sa hallway patungong canteen.

She turns around and looks at me without emotions. Her she goes again... that look.

"Do you like coffee?" I asked, hoping she would answer a yes.

She smiled. "Yes."

And my heart flutters. Pigil ang ngiti ko na para bang isang teenager na sinagot ng crush niya.

My face heated up. Fuck! I'm blushing.

***