Episode 20

The next few days passed in a blur of tissues, fever, and Jenna’s relentless fussing. I stayed bundled up in bed, half-listening to her recount her day at classes and half-wishing the ache in my head would disappear. It wasn’t until the fever broke that I started feeling human again, and with that clarity came the gnawing anxiety about facing Ms. Celeste.

It was Thursday morning, and I was finally ready to return to class. Jenna handed me a scarf as I shrugged on my coat. “Just in case you’re still feeling cold,” she said, her tone light but her expression serious.

“Thanks, mom,” I teased, rolling my eyes.

“Anytime, kid,” she shot back with a grin. “Now go face your mysterious professor and try not to make a fool of yourself.”

I didn’t dignify that with a response.

---

The walk to class was uneventful, but my nerves grew the closer I got to the building. The memory of Ms. Celeste draping her suit over me replayed in my mind, and I shook my head, trying to focus. It was just her being considerate, I told myself for the hundredth time. Nothing more.

As I entered the classroom, I spotted her immediately. Ms. Celeste stood at her desk, flipping through a stack of papers. She glanced up when I walked in, her sharp gaze softening for a fraction of a second before she resumed her work.

I took my usual seat, ignoring the curious glances from my classmates. Jenna’s words from earlier echoed in my head. Say thank you properly. The thought made my palms sweat, but I knew she was right.

When the lecture ended, I waited until the room had mostly emptied before approaching her desk. She looked up as I stopped in front of her, her expression unreadable.

“Ms. Cruz,” she said, setting down her pen. “Feeling better?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, fidgeting with the strap of my bag. “Thanks to your advice... and your suit.” I forced myself to meet her gaze. “I just wanted to thank you properly. For everything.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re feeling better.” She leaned back in her chair, her eyes studying me. “You seem… hesitant. Is there something else on your mind?”

I hesitated. Her directness always caught me off guard, but this time, I decided to be honest. “I guess I’m just wondering why you… went out of your way to help me. It felt… personal.”

Her smile widened slightly, though her eyes held a hint of amusement. “Does kindness always need an explanation?”

“No, but…” I trailed off, unsure how to articulate my thoughts.

She stood, closing the distance between us with a few measured steps. I had to tilt my head to look up at her, my breath catching as she stopped just a little too close for comfort.

“I help my students because I care about their well-being,” she said, her voice low and steady. “But if you feel there’s more to it, Ms. Cruz, perhaps you should ask yourself why that is.”

My heart raced, her words leaving me both flustered and confused. Before I could respond, she stepped back, her professional demeanor slipping back into place.

“Take care of yourself, Alexis,” she said, her tone final. “I’d hate to see you miss another class.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, my thoughts a tangled mess.

---

That evening, back in the dorm, Jenna immediately pounced the moment I walked through the door. “So? Did you talk to her? What happened?”

I dropped my bag onto the floor and flopped onto the couch. “I thanked her.”

“And?” Jenna prompted, plopping down beside me.

“And she turned it into some cryptic life lesson,” I groaned, covering my face with a pillow. “She’s impossible to figure out.”

Jenna laughed, pulling the pillow away. “Or maybe she’s just not as complicated as you think. What exactly did she say?”

I recounted the conversation, and Jenna listened intently, her grin growing wider with every word.

“You’re so dense,” she said when I finished.

“Excuse me?” I shot back, sitting up.

“She’s into you, Alexis,” Jenna said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“She’s my professor,” I argued. “That’s not—”

“Doesn’t mean she can’t like you,” Jenna interrupted. “Look, I’m not saying you should do anything about it, but maybe stop overthinking and let things play out. You’ll drive yourself crazy otherwise.”

I sighed, leaning back against the couch. “I don’t know, Jenna. It’s just… complicated.”

She patted my shoulder, her grin softening. “Life usually is. But hey, at least it’s not boring.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. Complicated or not, one thing was certain: Ms. Celeste had a way of keeping things interesting.

---

Over the next few weeks, I tried to take Jenna’s advice and let things play out. Easier said than done, of course, especially when Ms. Celeste was involved. She was as composed and enigmatic as ever during lectures, her focus never wavering. Yet, there were moments—fleeting glances, subtle smiles—that left me questioning everything.

It didn’t help that Jenna seemed to delight in pointing out every interaction. “She totally smiled at you just now,” she’d whisper during class. Or, “Did you notice how she said your name? So soft.”

I started bringing an umbrella everywhere, just in case it rained again. Not that it mattered—Ms. Celeste had become a permanent fixture in my thoughts, rain or shine.

---

I got super busy because there was so much to do. My schedule was packed, and I barely had time to catch my breath. Everything just kept piling up, one task after another.

Amid all the chaos, I couldn't escape the nagging feeling that there was more to my interactions with Ms. Celeste than I was willing to admit. Despite trying to focus on my responsibilities, my thoughts kept circling back to her—the way she seemed to notice me, the way she was always so calm and collected, and the odd undercurrent of something unspoken between us.

One particularly hectic day, when I was drowning in assignments and group projects, I found myself staring at the clock in class, wishing the day would end. Ms. Celeste was in her usual spot, delivering a lecture with the precision and poise that always left me in awe. But today, something felt different. I couldn’t quite place it, but every glance she gave me seemed more charged than usual.

As the class ended, I didn’t even notice that all the students had already left because I was so caught up in my work for other subjects. I was deep in focus when suddenly, Ms. Sungit sat beside me.

"Doing some work for another subject in my class, huh?" she said out of nowhere, surprising me.

I jumped slightly at her voice, startled out of my thoughts. When I turned to face Ms. Celeste, she was leaning casually against the desk, an amused expression on her face.

“Uh, yeah,” I stammered, quickly closing my laptop. “Just trying to keep up with everything. Lots of deadlines coming up.”

She raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking briefly to the papers in front of me. “I see. You always have a lot on your plate, don’t you?”

I nodded, feeling the weight of her observation. “Yeah, I guess I do. It’s been pretty overwhelming lately.”

"Let me see," she said suddenly, and before I could react, she opened my laptop again.

I froze, unsure how to respond. The last thing I wanted was for Ms. Celeste to go through my work while I was still trying to get a handle on everything. But before I could protest, she was already skimming through the pages.

“You’re doing well,” she said, her voice calm, yet her eyes studied the words with surprising intensity. “Though it looks like you’re juggling a bit too much. This might be a good time to prioritize.”

She taught me with such seriousness, but I couldn’t help teasing her sometimes. I noticed that sometimes she’d get a little frustrated, but I felt comfortable around her. The way she taught—so focused, yet so intense—made it hard not to be drawn to her.

Now, I realized... I really do have feelings for her. But will she ever feel the same way if I confess? I doubt it. It just seems impossible.

---

Finally, I finished it, and I owe it all to this professor. She taught me—or more like, she practically did my project for me. It's so embarrassing.

As I looked at the finished project, I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. She really helped me a lot, probably more than I deserved. I glanced at her, hoping she wouldn’t expect anything in return, but then again, she didn’t seem the type to ask for anything from me.

"Thanks again, Ms. Celeste," I said, my voice a bit quieter than usual.

She just nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Just don't let this happen again."

I couldn’t help but laugh, "I’ll try my best."

meron ako biglang idea...

I looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction. "As a thank you, are you free later? I’d like to treat you to a restaurant, or if you prefer, I can cook something for you at my dorm."

I tried to sound casual, but deep down, I was hoping she would say yes. "I don’t think Jenna will be coming home tonight; she has to stay over at a classmate’s," I added, not entirely truthful.

She paused for a moment, then looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You’re offering to cook for me?" she said, clearly amused.

"Yes," I said, trying not to let my nervousness show. "Only if you're interested, of course."

She thought about it for a second before shrugging. "Alright, I guess I could give it a try."

I couldn't believe she actually agreed. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to act calm and composed. "Great! I’ll make sure it’s something you’ll like," I said, trying to hide the excitement in my voice.

She gave me a slight smile. "You better," she teased before standing up. "I’ll give you a heads up before I come over, so don’t go overboard with whatever you're cooking."

"Of course, I’ll keep it simple," I replied, even though I was already planning a full meal in my head.

As she turned to leave, I felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. What was happening? Was this just a friendly gesture, or was there something more to it? Either way, I couldn't deny the fact that I was looking forward to this moment.

:))

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