Chapter 3: Professor

"You're really not a student, are you?" A hazy and tired voice broke the silence of the dimmed car.

Namulat ang nagpapahinga kong mga mata dahil sa tanong ni Develrick. I smiled as I looked at him.

"Hmm..." I responded with a nod.

Isa akong estudyante pero malapit naman na ako makapagtapos ng kolehiyo. I didn't want to lie, but I feel like he doesn't like the idea of having a relationship with someone who is still studying. Sasabihin ko naman sa kanya ang totoo kapag nagtagal na. I just don't want to lose him in this moment.

Kasi, sino ba naman ang babaeng gugustuhin na pakawalan siya? I know that he is years older than me, but it doesn't really matter because I prefer having someone who is older than me. Men my age are immature and boring.

Ngumiti siya at huminga nang malalim. I know that alcohol is ticking in our bodies, but my desire to have him is something I want to take seriously. Alam ko rin na gano'n siya. The way he moaned my name was proof of how much he wanted me, just as I wanted him.

I was never into relationships, but I want to make this boy mine. Ngayong gabi ko lang siya nakilala pero kakaiba na agad ang naiparamdam niya saakin.

If he does something unpleasant or bad in the future, I can just dump him. Easy as that. But I'm really hoping that he won't disappoint me like the other boys I met.

I looked at the watch on my wrist and realized that it was already too late. Malapit na ring magsara ang bar kaya hindi na kami puwedeng magtagal dito.

I brushed my hair and put my dress back on. Naramdaman ko ang titig ng katabi ko kaya sinulyapan ko siya. Is he having fun watching me dress up? I thought he preferred undressing me, though.

"You're leaving?" Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. He is staring at me as if he wants me to stay longer.

"Yeah," I replied while reapplying my lipstick. "I need to go home. Bakit, ibabahay mo na ba ako?" biro ko at ngumisi.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Ihahatid na kita."

Gusto ko sanang pumayag pero nakita ko ang hitsura niya. I grinned and bit my lip when I saw how cute he looked right now. He has his pants on, but he wasn't putting back his shirt. I could clearly see the purple hickeys and red lipstick marks that I put all over his body. I guess alcohol made me very wild tonight.

"I don't think you have any energy left to drive me back to my apartment. Sober yourself and go home. Kailangan mo magpahinga."

Halata naman na hindi pa tuluyang nawawala ang epekto ng alak sa kanya. His eyes look tired and his body seems so powerless right now. Masyado ko yata siya napagod kaya sobra ang panghihina niya ngayon.

Understandable. Who wouldn't be weakened by my lead?

He groaned in disagreement. "I just look like this but my mind is fine. Kaya kitang ipagmaneho, kahit sa ibang bansa pa 'yan."

I laughed at his words. Sinasabi niya 'yon pero halatang lasing ang boses niya. He couldn't speak clearly and his eyes were fluttering.

"My cousin is here. Sigurado akong lasing nanaman siya kaya kailangan ko siyang ipag-drive."

He pursed his lips and sighed in defeat. "Okay..."

Muli kong tiningnan ang sarili ko sa salamin ng sasakyan bago inilagay sa bag ang mga gamit ko. I don't want to leave this car looking like a mess. Gusto ko, maganda pa rin ako kahit lasing o pagod ako.

I opened the car door, but he held my hand to stop me before I could get off. Binalik ko ang tingin sa kanya at nakita ang inosente subalit malalim na titig niya saakin.

"You really are my girlfriend? Seryoso at walang bawian? Hmm?"

I felt my cheeks warmed up because of the deep stare he's giving me. Para siyang bata na natatakot maiwan. "Yes. Let's get to know each other soon."

I gave him a peck on the lips before I left the car. Mahina akong napamura nang maramdaman ang sobrang pananakit ng ibabang parte ko pero pilit ko 'yong ininda. Tumayo ako nang tuwid at tiis na naglakad nang maayos kahit nanginginig at gusto nang bumagsak ng mga paa ko. I know that he's still watching me inside the car.

Kaunti na lang ang mga tao nang makapasok ako. I saw my female friends drunk and preparing to go home so I bid them my goodbyes. Hinanap ko ang pinsan kong si Danica at nakitang may bagong lalaki nanaman siyang hinahalikan. I wonder how she never had a boyfriend despite being that wild. I guess she just hates commitments.

Kung wild ako, mas wild siya. I am just better when it comes to seduction and games. Siya kasi, basta magaling at may hitsura ay papatulan niya na. Unlike me, who always picks my targets carefully. Mas maarte lang talaga ako sa lalaki, pero siya ang mas madaming lalaki.

I was about to walk towards her when I saw her brother, Kuya Eldrich, talking to a middle-aged man. Ngayon ko lang ulit siya nakita, so I decided to approach and give him a hello. Binati ko rin ang tauhan ng bar na kausap niya.

"Kuya!" tawag ko kaya napunta ang atensyon niya saakin.

His serious expression softened when he saw me. "Hey, cousin! Long time no see! How's my place?"

"Cool," tugon ko at sinulyapan si Danica. I pointed at her and looked back at him. "But that's not cool. You really let your little sister kiss several boys in your own bar?"

He shifted his gaze to his little sister. I was expecting him to frown, but he laughed instead.

"It's not like I can control her. She's wild as fvck." Kuya Eldrich chuckled as if he weren't talking about his little sister. "Please bring her to your apartment. I still have work to do. Hayaan mo, babawi na lang ako sa'yo."

I narrowed my eyes. "You must help me hide the fact that I went here. Hindi dapat ‘to malaman ni Dad. He would cut my credit cards once he found out that I'm going to parties again."

"Yeah, sure.” Tumango-tango siya. “I will also keep a secret that a mysterious boy took you to his car for an hour." He winked playfully.

My eyes widened and my cheeks flushed. How did he find that out?

"Paano mo nalaman 'yon?"

He smirked. "You're in my bar. I know everything that happens here."

I glared at him as a threat that I would strangle his neck once he let himself say a single word about this night to anyone. Tumawa siya. He acted as if he were zipping his mouth and threw away the invisible key.

I rolled my eyes and made my way to Danica who was still busy making out with a guy. Hindi pa nila napansin ang presensya ko dahil busy pa sila sa paghahalikan kaya inis kong itinulak ang lalaki para mapaghiwalay sila.

"What the fvck! Sino ka b—"

The boy was about to scowl at me but he got stunned when I flashed an innocent smile. "Hey, boy. The night is over. I'm bringing her home."

Hinila ko ang malanding si Danica palabas ng bar. Kinailangan ko pa siyang alalayan kahit masakit ang katawan ko. Damn her! Kung hindi ko lang siya pinsan, papabayaan ko talaga siya dito.

Isinakay ko siya sa backseat ng kotse niya at ako na ang nagmaneho. She threw up in the backseat, so I also needed to clean up the mess she made.

Kailangan ko pa hilamusan ang sarili ko at bihisan si Danica bago ako nakapagpahinga sa kama. Bagsak na bagsak ang katawan ko kaya hinayaan ko ang sarili ko na malunod sa isang malalim na pagtulog.

….

I woke up with my head bearing a very painful headache. Sinubukan kong imulat ang mga mata ko at umupo pero bumagsak ulit ako sa kama. I couldn't even move a muscle. What happened to me?

Hindi ako nakakaramdam ng pagkahilo o pagsusuka kapag tumatagay ako ng maraming baso ng alak. I never get drunk easily, but my hangovers for the next morning were always a bother and worse. Aware naman ako na malakas ang tama saakin ng hangover sa umaga kahit hindi ako nalalasing, pero hindi naman ganito kalala 'yon!

"Oh, the girl who said that she wouldn't drink is finally awake!" I heard my cousin’s voice entering the room.

Sinulyapan ko si Danica. She's wearing the pajamas I loaned her last night. Mukhang wala na siyang hangover kahit sobrang lasing siya kagabi. We are totally the opposite of everything.

"My body hurts so bad! Hindi ako makabangon sa kama. I can't even move a finger!" Ngumuso ako at ipinikit ang mga mata ko. The only parts I could move were my eyes and my mouth.

"Hangover?"

I felt her sitting on the side of my bed. Tinulungan niya akong sumandal, saka niya ako pinainom ng gamot at tubig.

I felt a little better after that. Nakatitig siya saakin na para bang hinihintay niyang maging mabuti ang pakiramdam ko.

"Now, sabihin mo na saakin the things that happened last night! Gosh!" excited na sabi niya.

I rolled my eyes as I smiled. Hindi talaga siya titigil hangga't hindi ko maikuwekuwento sa kaniya ang nangyari saakin. "I saw a hot guy last night. Gusto ko magpasikat kaya uminom ako. Then we—"

Namilog ang mga mata ko when I realized something. Natigilan ako at mariin na ipinikit ang mga mata ko dahil sa labis na inis.

"Damn it! I forgot to get his social media and number!" reklamo ko sa katangahan ko.

"Huh? Sino ba ang tinutukoy mo?”

"'Yung boyfriend ko!" sigaw ko at ngumuso.

Her brows furrowed. "Ang eme mo! Ikaw pa, magkaboyfriend? I know you never take boys seriously, so how could you have a boyfriend? Gosh, girl! Mas maniniwala pa ako kung boytoy ang itatawag m—

"I had sex with him." I cut her off, making her jaw drop in shock.

"What the heck!?" gulantang niya habang nanlalaki ang mga mata.

Nakaramdam ako ng kilig nang maalala ang nangyari. I know that we weren't sober, but I could still remember the wild night we shared together vividly. His moans, his body, and his large, big member inside me were so hot!

"So, you're not a virgin anymore?! Teka, that's not the most important thing. Did you use protection?" nag-p-panic at sunod-sunod niyang tanong.

Nanlamig ang buong katawan ko dahil sa tanong niya. Malay ko ba naman kasi na may makaka sex ako last night! I was just planning to tease him at first but I got caught up by the moment. He was the first guy to let himself be completely controlled by me. I loved how he let me be dominant and take the lead. Hindi ko pinagsisisihan ang nangyari saamin.

Umiwas agad ako ng tingin. "We did not..."

Naramdaman ko agad ang kamay niyang malakas na hinampas ang balikat ko. "How could you be so reckless?! Paano kung nabuntis ka, ha? Tito will definitely papagalitan me if that happens!"

"Eh bakit? You are the one who insisted on bringing me with you to that place naman! You're the one who wanted me to flirt and have fun!"

Well, I did have fun! So much fun! Pero paano nga kung mabuntis ako? It would become a big problem! Pero, I remember him pulling out his member before cumming, so I could be safe, right?

I made sure to drink a pill to avoid the chance of being pregnant. I stayed in bed because my lower body still hurts as fuck.

I took my laptop out excitedly and searched for the name he gave me. Buong pangalan ang ipinaalam niya saakin kaya inaasahan ko na makikita ko agad ang social media niya, but minutes had passed but I never saw him on any platforms.

Sinubukan kong i-type ang possible nicknames ng pangalan niya, even his name written backwards, pero wala! There were people who had the same name as him but they were never him! Pati nga sa G****e at dating apps ay sinubukan ko siyang hanapin, pero wala talaga.

Nakakainis! He gave me his full name, and yet I cannot find any information about him? Hindi kaya't pekeng pangalan ang ibinigay niya saakin?

How dare he, if that's the case! I am not going to let our paths end this way!

I spent my free days searching for him on the internet. Sa gabi, bumabalik ako sa bar at nagbabakasali na nandoon siya. However, he never showed up.

I decided to ask Kuya Eldrich about it. Nakakahiya pero kailangan kong mahanap ang lalaking iyon.

"I can't give you my customer's private information, dear cousin." seryoso niyang saad at tinaasan ako ng kilay. "Why? Did that man ghost you?"

Natigilan ako. Did he ghost me? Ako, ma-g-ghost? That will never happen. Kung totoo man 'yon, sisiguraduhin kong mahahanap ko pa rin siya at magsisisi siya na pinahirapan niya ako sa paghahanap sa kanya.

Alam kong aasarin ako ni Kuya kaya hindi ko na siya pinilit at umalis na lang sa bar. I can’t believe I’m the one who is having a hard time right now. Ang mga lalaki dapat ang naghihirap para saakin.

The new semester finally started, so I decided to pause my search for him and focus on my studies. However, something unexpected has occurred.

In the class which I often find boring, there stands the man who has been troubling my mind for the past few weeks. My boyfriend whom I'm having a hard time looking for.

Huling klase ng araw. Isang matangkad na lalaki ang pumasok ng silid at hinarap kaming lahat. My jaw dropped when I met his dark, piercing eyes.

Nilibot niya ang kaniyang paningin. "Good morning, everyone. Welcome back for the second semester, the last path of your journey on graduating from college. My name is Joseph Develrick Flores, and I am—"

Natigilan siya sa pagsasalita nang mapunta ang mga mata niya saakin. Tulad ko ay nanlaki rin ang mga mata niya dahil sa sobrang gulat. It seems like he also wasn't expecting to see me in this place.

I smirked before looking away. I wanted to wave my hand with a surprised and excited smile but, I don't want the others to notice that me and the professor in front are familiar with each other.

Develrick cleared his throat. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakitang nakababa ang mga mata niya sa sahig, halatang pilit na itinatago ang gulat. "Apologies. Please let me repeat my introduction."

He was able to put himself back in his professional mode. Nagsalita siya na para bang wala siyang nakita. His fast action made his students feel no sense of confusion.

"Again, I am Joseph Develrick Flores, your professor for Mathematics and Home Economics.”

The strict energy he's giving makes my blockmates quiet and feel intimidated. However, I'm pretty sure that they are also looking forward to his skills in teaching the class.

Muling sumulyap saakin si Develrick. He sighed and immediately looked away. I bit my lip as I felt the butterflies getting crazy in my stomach.

I couldn't explain the shock, confusion, and excitement I'm feeling all at the same time right now. Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko dahil muli ko siyang nakita— at sa isang pagkakataon na hindi ko inasahan.

So my boyfriend turned out to be my professor, huh? How exciting! Siguradong araw-araw na akong gaganahan pumasok simula ngayon.