Chapter 2

"TEACHER? Why are you sad po?"

Asja was thrown back into her seat when she heard the voice of one of her students. She looked at her student quickly before looking around. There, her two eyes could see the anxious children staring at her.

"Kanina pa po kita tinatawag kaso ayaw niyo po akong pansinin," muling ani ng kanyang estudyante na nagtanong sa kanya kanina.

She touched the child's cheek and smiled. But just before she could speak, her student preceded her.

"Kaya po ba ayaw niyo kaming pansinin kasi magulo po kami? Hate niyo na po ba kami Teacher kasi naging bad kami kanina?" nakayuko nitong tanong.

Tumingin siya sa iba niyang estudyante. Binalik niya ang tingin sa batang Celestine at hinawakan ang baba nito para inangat ang mukha.

"No Celestine, iniisip lang ni Teacher kung ano ang maganda iregalo sa inyo ngayong Christmas." palusot niya sa batang malapit ng umiyak. 

"Really po Teacher?!" sabay-sabay na tanong ng mga batang makukulit sa kanya.

"Yes," Asja said while chuckling. 

Celestine hug her and whispered. "I wanted to be with you po on Christmas,"

It's been a year since she left her hometown and live with her Auntie Gia. At first, she struggle to find herself in the middle of nowhere, every night and day. She even tried to end her own life because of sorrow when her adoptive mother leave her at an unexpected time.

Having anxiety and depression is like being scared tired at the same time. It's the fear of failure but no urge to be productive. She wants friends but hates socializing. She wants to be alone but does not want to be lonely. She's caring about everything then caring about nothing. She feels everything at once then feels paralyzing numb. That's how she felt and thinks that time. It's was hard, for twenty-two years old. Thanks to her cousin, Mirajane, who help her to move forward. 

Umayos ng pagkakaupo si Asja upang mahagkan siya nang maayos ng bata na nasa kanyang mga bisig. "Why? Christmas is like a family day. You should enjoy your time with your loved ones, especially your Mommy and Daddy."

And it's been nine months since she graduated and passed her board exam. Nahirapan siya sa unang isang buwan niyang pagtira sa Tita Gia niya. Dahil may pagkakataon na sinisigawan siya nito, at minsan kapag nahuhuli siya ng bayad ay pinapalayas siya nito. At kapag dumarating ang puntong iyon, wala siyang magawa kung hindi ang umiyak.

"I do have a Mommy but..."

"But?"

Siniksik nito ang kanyang ulo sa tyan ng kanyang guro bago ngumuso. "But most of the time, she's not in the house."

Celestine is a five-year-old kid and a first-grade schooler. She spends most of her time drawing a family tree and having a chit-chat with her friends during break-time. For Asja, Celestine is the most caring and kind in the whole class. Pero hindi naisip ni Asja na naghahanap ito ng aruga at pagkalinga ng magulang. She never thought that Celestine has a broken family.

"Don't worry okay? I will give you a very fundamental present on Christmas, okay? Kaya smile ka na because Teacher will cry if you keep that unfortunate look," pang-aalo niya sa bata.

Mabilis na umalis sa pagkakayap sa kanya ang bata at dali-daling itong ngumiti sa kanya. "Promise po, Teacher Asja?"

Natatawang tumango si Asja. 

Mabilis na bumalik si Celestine sa kanyang upuan. Tumingin si Asja sa bintana sa kanyang gilid. Doon, kitang-kita niya ang bawat pagpatak ng ulan at ang bawat paggalaw ng mga puno. She misses her Mom so much. She wants to her angelic smile once again, the way she smile and the way she touched her cheeks every night.

She closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and spoke. "So... who want some candies?" her students smile and put their hands on the air. 

Ilang na oras ang nagdaan, hindi namalayan nila Asja at kanyang mga estudyante na tumunog na ang bell na ang hudyat ay tapos na ang klase. Dali-daling inayos ni Asja ang kanyang lamesa. Pagkatapos, tinulungan niya ang kanyang mga estudyante na mag-ayos ng kanilang sariling gamit.

They bid goodbye to Asja before leaving with their parents. Nang makalabas ang huling bata na naroon, nagsimula ng mag-ayos si Asja ng mga nagulong lamesa at upuan. At nang matapos ay sinimulan niya nang mag-ayos ng sariling gamit.

Pagkatapos noon, kaagad ng binuhat ni Asja ang kanyang bag at handa nang lumabas ng may napansin si Asja sa isa sa mga upuan sa pinakadulo. At laking gulat niya nang makitang bumukas ang pintuan ng banyo at iniluwa no'n si Celestine.

"Mahabangin-- Celestine!" magkahalong gulat at pagtataka na mataas niyang sambit.

"Bakit po Teacher Asja? Are you going home na po ba-- Ay! Did I startled you po?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Celestine nang makitang nakahawak si Asja sa kanyang d****b.

Kaagad na nilapitan ni Asja ang batang si Celestine na kakaupo lamang sa kanyang upuan.

"Bakit ka pa nandito? Anong oras na ah? Hindi ka ba sumabay sa mga classmate mo na palabas kanina?" sunod-sunod niyang tanong nang makalapit siya.

Umakto na parang nag-iisip si Celestine bago tumingin sa kanyang guro. "Nandito lang po ako kanina pa, at hindi pa po ako lumalabas dahil wala pa po ang sundo ko,"

Bahagyang napakamot ng kanyang ulo si Asja sa sagot nito. Iniisip niya na iwanan na lamang si Celestine sa guard at umuwi na para hindi maabutan ng rush hour. Ngunit sa kabila noon, napagpasyahan niya na samahan na lamang ni ang bata. 

"Ganoon ba? Sige, wait natin ang sundo mo dito ah? But for now, while we're waiting, let me take a look at your drawings, is that okay?" Tumango si Celestine.

"MR. DUSKANO, what can you say about Mr. Gamboa's proposal?" Mr. Yu asked, one of the board members.

Rogue is still at the conference meeting. Looking high and mighty on his chair, while listening to the person speaking in front.

Rogue rolled his eyes before answering. "I've heard that a million times, is there nothing new? Is there one of you who can take their job seriously? We are in the middle of a dilemma and what?! You're sending me here just to listen and sign that useless thing?" he screamed.

After that shout, the whole room immediately fell silent. No one intended to speak. Rogue is being known as a presumptuous and hard-hearted CEO of Duskano's Airline and Industry.

"Are you making fun of me? That plane can crash at any time and yet you want me to waste time on the nonsense you say? Right now? Great!"

He pressed his lips together. He stood up and started walking towards the door.

If this continues, he might go crazy with the old people inside. He doesn't want to involve in that kind of position where he needs to stop punching those old men. If it weren't for his mother, he might have long removed their investments from his company.

"Sir, your sister is on the line and she wanted to talk to you." bungad sa kanya ng kanyang sekretarya.

"I just got here and that's your welcome statement for me?" 

Her secretary gulped because of fear when she saw Rogue's forehead furrowed. "I-I'm sorry sir b-but Ms. Rhiannon said it was u-urgent, b-but if don't want to--"

"Give me the phone," malalim nitong sabi.

She quickly handed it to the moodless Rogue. Pagkatapos makuha ni Rogue ang telepono, kaagad siyang bumalik sa upuan niya sa labas.

"What do you want?" panimulang bati niya.

When he sat down, Rogue took a deep breath, this day was the hardest and stressful day for him. He was going back and forth to his office and to the airport to take action on the plane that fly earlier. And due to unforeseen circumstances, there was a strong south wind coming from which was the direction towards their plane.

"Woah, so rude. Is that how you should greet your younger sister?"

He took a deep breath to prevent himself from yelling. "I don't have a time for chit-chat Rhea. What do you want?" ulit niya.

"Actually... I'm out of town, so... Can you pick up my Celestine for me? Please? My handsome and loving brother, please?"

As soon as Rhea said that, his thin patience was immediately broken. Immediately, a vein came out of his forehead and his face began to blush with anger.

"Rhea! Do you know what time is it?! It's already five in the afternoon! Ang uwian nila Celestine ay kanina pang alas dos! It's been four hours, Rhiannon!" His jaw tightened and his fist clenched.

Rogue could hear the noise in Rhea's line which made him even angrier. He knew that his sister was an irresponsible mother but he didn’t know it would end like this.

Rhea was ixteen years old when she became pregnant. At first she had no intention of letting her parents know except the man who got her pregnant. And when she told this to the man who made her pregnant, he immediately left her and denied that he was the father of her child.

"What? I call you several times already!"

"Don't yell at me, Rhiannon!" galit na sabi ni Rogue. 

Rogue can hear the cheering in Rhea's line. As if Rhea was doing something nude.  "I didn't!" anito.

"Go home and we'll talk," Rogue heard the giggled of Rhea before cutting the line.

"Geez!"

MASAYANG nangiti si Asja habang nakatingin sa batang si Celestine. Hawak ang lapis at papel na ginamit sa pagdra-drawing, masaya itong tumatakbo. 

"Teacher Asja!" Celestine gleefully ran towards her and embraced her legs tightly as she looked up at her. 

She felt a warm hand caress her heart. This cute little girl is as if she can be her mother here in school and she couldn't say otherwise because she doesn't want to disappoint her.

Lumuhod siya para magpantay ang mukha nila ni Celestine saka masuyong sinapo ang cute nitong mukha. "Come on, let's eat." Tinuro niya ang mesa na may nakalagay na juice at monay na may palaman na peanut. 

Kaagad na umaliwalas ang mukha ng bata. "Yay! Snack time!"

Asja felt happy as she eat with Celestine. Simpleng bagay lang iyon pero sobrang saya na niya. Celestine just was too cute, so sweet and so cuddly not to be adored. Panay ang kwento nito habang kumakain sila.

"Sandali lang Celes okay? Kukuha lang si Teacher ng tissue para pamunasan natin ang madungis at cute mong mukha," tumango ito.

Tumayo siya. Wala pang isang minuto na kumuha ng tissue ay sumunod kaagad sa kanya si Celestine. Humawak ito sa laylayan ng kanyang damit.

"T-Teacher... I-I can't b-breath po..." mabilis itong nilingon ni Asja.

Lumuhod si Asja at tinignan si Celestine na nakahawak sa sarili niyang school uniform necktie."Ha? B-Bakit?" 

Natatarantang binuhat ni Asja ang namumutlang si Celestine at inuupo sa Teacher's Desk. "A-Anong nangyari baby Celes? N-Nabilaukan ka ba? Try to breath in and o-out okay?"

Paalis na dapat si Asja para kumuha ng gamot nang may napansin siya sa balat ng nahihirapang huminga na bata.  Nanlaki ang kanyang mata ng makita ang mga pantal na kumakalat na sa buong katawan nito.

"Celestine!"

Mabilis na lumingon si Asja sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Asja was stunned to see the man's full face. And for no reason, her heart suddenly go crazy. Hindi niya namalayan na nakwelyuhan na siya nito. 

"What did you do? You punk!"