Chapter 8
The murmurs in the canteen faded as the group finished their meal. Jeremy pushed his chair back, preparing to leave, when Professor Arceta stood and grabbed her bag.
“Can you hold my bag?” Aiah said, her voice calm but firm.
Jeremy instinctively reached out, smiling politely. “Of course—”
But Aiah shifted slightly, pointing her bag toward Colet instead. Her sharp gaze locked on Colet’s, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Colet blinked, caught off guard by the silent command. She froze, her hands gripping the edge of the table as if grounding herself.
It wasn’t until Maloi nudged her elbow and whispered, “Hoy, ikaw ‘yung tinutukoy ni ma’am,” that Colet snapped out of her daze.
Reluctantly, she reached out and grabbed the bag, her cheeks burning as she avoided Aiah’s eyes. “Fine,” she muttered, slinging the bag over her shoulder.
Aiah gave a small, satisfied nod, then turned to Jeremy. “You should get going. Baka malate ka pa sa trabaho.”
Jeremy hesitated, glancing between Aiah and Colet. “Ah… right. Well, I’ll see you around, Aiah.” He waved awkwardly and offered a polite nod to Maloi and Colet before walking away.
Maloi waved back, stifling a laugh at the awkward tension lingering in his wake. “Sige na, Colet. Hatid mo na si ma’am,” she teased, earning a glare from Colet.
Colet trudged beside Aiah in silence, the professor’s bag swinging heavily against her shoulder. The afternoon sun filtered through the campus trees, dappling the path with golden light, but Colet barely noticed. Her mind was a whirlwind of frustration, confusion, and lingering embarrassment.
Aiah, meanwhile, walked with her usual composed stride, her expression unreadable.
As they neared the faculty building, Aiah suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Caught off guard, Colet didn’t notice in time and bumped directly into Aiah’s back.
“Ow!” Colet yelped, stepping back and rubbing her forehead. “Ma’am, bakit bigla kayong huminto?”
Aiah turned around slowly, her arms crossed as she regarded Colet with an arched brow. “That’s what I should be asking you.”
Colet frowned, confused. “Ano pong ibig niyong sabihin?”
Aiah tilted her head slightly, her sharp gaze softening just enough to reveal a trace of concern. “Why are you acting like this?” she asked quietly. “All of a sudden, you’re cold, distant… barely looking me in the eye. What happened?”
Colet tensed, the weight of the question pressing down on her. For a moment, she couldn’t find her voice, the words lodged somewhere between her chest and throat.
“I’m not acting any way, ma’am,” Colet finally said, her tone defensive as she avoided Aiah’s eyes.
Aiah took a step closer, her voice firm but calm. “Yes, you are. And I want to know why.”
Colet swallowed hard, her hand tightening on the strap of Aiah’s bag. “Baka… baka napapansin niyo lang, ma’am. I’m just busy, okay?”
“Busy?” Aiah echoed, clearly unconvinced. “That’s not it. Something’s bothering you.”
For a fleeting moment, Colet’s resolve wavered under Aiah’s steady gaze. She wanted to say something—wanted to confront the confusing feelings swirling inside her. But instead, she plastered on a tight smile.
“Wala po, ma’am,” she said with forced cheerfulness. “Siguro nag-o-overthink lang kayo.”
Aiah’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she could see right through Colet’s facade. But after a moment, she stepped back, letting out a quiet sigh.
“Fine,” Aiah said, her voice cooler now. “If you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you.”
Colet bit her lip, guilt gnawing at her even as she tried to maintain her indifferent act. “Ma’am…” she started, but the words died on her tongue when Aiah turned and resumed walking.
When they reached the faculty room, Aiah stopped at the door, glancing briefly over her shoulder.
“Leave the bag there,” she said, motioning to the desk beside her.
Colet nodded silently, setting the bag down and stepping back. Her gaze lingered on Aiah for a moment longer, but when the professor didn’t look her way, she turned and walked out.
As she headed back to class, her chest felt heavy with unspoken words.