The Coffee Guy, Jarvis

CHAPTER 3

Danaia doesn't curse—well at least not that often. Kaya naman halos lahat ng nasa klaseng iyon ay napatingin sa direksyon niya, maging ang bago nilang substitute teacher.

Jarvis was quick to hide his surprise though. Agad nitong binuklit ang hawak na folder to check who she was—as if he didn't know her name. Pero nakakasiguro siyang after the events from last night, hinding-hindi nito makakalimutan ang pangalan niya.

"Is there something wrong, Miss... Uychengco?" tanong nito sabay adjust ng suot na black-rimmed glasses.

Kung sa normal na araw lang ay ang gwapo nito, dumoble pa iyon now that he's wearing a suit and a pair of glasses. She involuntarily crossed her legs as she tried to compose herself.

"Um... Nothing—it's nothing, sir," natataranta niyang sagot. "I thought I saw a m-mouse."

She buried her face on her desk to avoid embarrassing herself any further. But Solyn wasn't having any of it.

"Hoy, Danaia!" She whisper-shouted as soon as Jarvis—a.k.a. their new substitute professor, turned away. "Anong drama 'yan ha? And 'wag mong sabihing may nakita kang daga dahil wala naman akong nakita."

She felt her cheeks burn. Why is he here? What kind of sick joke is this? After last night, akala niya'y hindi na niya ito muling makikita pa. Her thoughts wondered back to the events of the other night.

"So, this is it," ani Jarvis nang inihinto nito ang sasakyan sa tapat ng condominium complex na kasalukuyang tinitirhan. "Sucks dahil ang lapit lang pala ng bahay mo sa café."

"Balak nga sana kitang ligawin eh," saad niya naman in an attempt for a final flirting session. "Para tumagal-tagal pa kahit papano 'yung paguusap natin."

Agad naman itong napabaling sa kanya.

"This isn't the last time we'll be seeing each other," nagaalala nitong tanong while looking straight at her. "...right?"

Isang nakakalokong ngiti lamang ang ibinigay niya dito bago ito lumabas sa kotse at pinagbuksan siya ng pinto. Great face, great personality and a gentleman. They're definitely meeting each other again.

"Thanks uli," aniya pagkababa ng sasakyan. "It was nice meeting you. A great bonus after that cheesecake."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, too," anito sabay abot sa kanya ng kanyang mga kagamitan. "Good night, Naia."

"Yeah. Good night."

The tension between them was too much for her to handle so she immediately turned around and went straight into the building.

Dazed from what just happened, she almost tripped on her way to the elevator. Good thing she had pretty decent reflexes.

Jarvis in one word is perfection. He was smart, easy to talk with and good looking. Plus, he knows the right words that could run a great conversation. Just as she was about to enter the elevator, she heard someone call her name.

"Naia!" he called out.

Agad siyang napahinto at napabaling dito. Isang humihingal na Jarvis ang muling bumati sa kanya.

"May nakalimutan ka sa kotse," anito sabay abot ng kanyang dos na term paper.

"Oh, thanks," aniya pagkaabot ng kapirasong papel. "You didn't have to."

"I just thought you might've needed it pr something," he said rubbing his nape adorably. "So... I'll be going...?"

Isang simpleng ngiti at matipid na tango ang kanyang sinagot dito. But she was actually screaming inside for him not to go. Patuloy ang pakikipagtalo niya sa sarili whether to call him back or not. Hindi naman araw-araw ay makakakilala ka ng taong makakapalagayan mo ng loob nang ganito kabilis. She liked him. Really liked him.

May gayuma ata 'yung kinain kong cheesecake...

But she decided not to. Tumalikod siya't nagpatuloy maglakad patungo sa elevator. As the door closed, a part of her was regretting not calling him.

Sayang. Sayang na sayang—

Nagulantang siya nang biglang tumigil sa pagsara ang elevator. Jarvis had his hand stopping the elevator doors from closing.

"J-Jarvis?"

"May nakalimutan pa pala ako."

Her heart started to pound heavily and her breathing was ragged.

"A-Ano 'yon?"

"This."

Bigla na lamang siyang tinulak ni Jarvis papasok ng elevator at pinaglapat ang kanilang mga labi. Much to her surprise, gumanti siya dito. It was both passionate and intense. Hindi na niya inisip ang posibleng maging dulot nito sa kanya. She wants this. They both want this.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she tiptoed while kissing him. Wala na rin siyang pakialam kung pinagpi- piyestahan na ng mga nagbabantay ng CCTV ang pag me-make out nila. They can watch them all night as long as they don't disturb them.

When they managed to get inside her condo, agad na isinara ni Jarvis ang pinto. Then immediately carried her to the nearest surface—which in her case was the kitchen counter. Pinaupo siya nito dito as she started to unbutton his shirt. He was about to do the same with hers but hesitated for a quick second.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "There's no turning back after this."

Instead of giving a solid answer, she pulled him by his collar and crashed her lips on his. If that wasn't a clear enough answer for him, she didn't know what else would.

"Hoy, Danaia!" pabulong na pukaw sa kanya ng kaibigan which made her snap out of her flashback induced trance. "You're spacing out. What's up with you?"

"H-Ha? Wala!" Tanggi niya agad. "Iniisip ko lang kung na-maxed out na ba ni Uno yung credit card ko. Alam mo naman 'yon..."

"Uno? Uno as in your cousin Uno?"

"Oo. Nagpahatid kasi ako kaninang umaga eh malelate na 'ko so kailangan ng bribe—"

"Ladies at the back," ani ng bagong professor. Gulat namang napatingin siya't si Synn sa harapan.

'Prof. Javier Montecillo,' written in bold letters was written on the board.

"Is there anything you'd like to share with the class?" dagdag pa nito. His voice was a thousand folds manlier as it echoed through the four corners of the classroom. She involuntarily bit her lower lip.

"Don't bite your lip, love. It's making me crazy..."

Biglang napaubo si Mr. Montecillo na mukhang naalala rin ang sinabing iyon sa kanya. Synn gave her a scrutinizing gaze like she knew that there was something up. Mabuti na lang at busy si Arika ogling Mr. Montecillo to even notice kundi baka maging ito'y hindi siya tatantanan ng tanong.

"It's nothing, sir," sagot niya agad. "We were just um... discussing the um... the term papers. Yeah. The term papers."

Hindi nanaman niya napigilang kagatin ang pangibabang labi.

"Okay. Just please stop doing that," anito. To what he's telling her to stop doing, she had no idea. "As I was saying, Miss Rivera asked me to sit in 'til she returns from her sabbatical. I was also told that Miss Rivera will only be requiring a term paper for your midterms and another one for the finals—which I will be grading. Aside from that, lectures lang at paminsan-minsang pop quiz."

Nagulat siya at si Synn nang biglang itinaas ni Arika ang kanyang kamay.

"Yes, Miss..."

"Matsunaga," sagot nito sabay baba ng kamay. "May I ask if ilang taon ka na po ba?"

Ngumiti ito. She could clearly hear every girl in the room swoon.

"Twenty-four," sagot nito. "I just finished my masters last semester kaya nakapagturo na ako agad dito sa San Agustin."

"Eh girlfriend, sir?" dagdag pa ng kanyang kaibigan. "If you don't mind me asking. Ang gwapo niyo po kasi. Baka sakali lang naman—"

"Arika!" pabulong na saway niya sa kaibigan.

"What? Don't tell me you're not curious," diretsahang saad nito. "Kanina ka pa nga natutulalankay sir eh."

Pinamulhan siya agad ng mukha. So she noticed. May sa traydor 'din 'tong kaibigan niya.

Actually, halos lahat ng mga estudyante sa classroom na 'yon ay curious sa isasagot ng guwapong substitute professor. They were all busy murmuring about the possible answer to even notice what Arika just commented about her staring.

"No, I don't have any girlfriend at the moment," sagot ni Mr. Montecillo na pumukaw sa atensyon ng lahat. Especially her as if hindi niya alam ang bagay na 'yon. "But I am seeing someone..."

Nakatingin ito sa kanya. Her throat ran dry and she suddenly felt claustrophobic. Siya ba ang tinutukoy nito? A second later, he averted his gaze leaving her a blushing mess.

Synn raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" she mouthed. Umiling na lamang ito.

"Any other questions before I dismiss this class?" tanong nito. "And if magtatanong kayo kung may kapatid ako, yes, I have. I have an older brother. Twenty-six."

Arika's hand immediately raised. Napa-facepalm na lamang si Synn.

"Sir? Siya po ba eh, not seeing someone?"

Natawa naman ang lahat sa sinambit ng babae.

"He's not but he's currently in a relationship with his work," simpleng sagot nito.

"Ay ako sir! Keri ko maging kabit ng trabaho niya, sir!" ani naman ng isa pang babaeng estudyante. Marami pang sumegunda dito at mukhang ready na mag-apply sa kung saan man nagtatrabaho ang kapatid nito.

The discussion about his personal life went on as Mr. Montecillo got bombarded with tons of questions. Hindi siya maka-imik dahil from time to time ay binabato siya nito ng napakalagkit na titig making her insides go weak.

"He's talking about you, isn't he?" ani bigla ni Synn as soon as i-dismiss ni Mr. Montecillo ang klase. She was currently fixing her things nang bigla siya nitong kompruntahin. "You're the girl he's currently seeing, am I right?"

Napalunok siya.

"H-Hindi 'no!" tanggi niya agad. "What gave you that idea?"

"Aba ewan ko. Maybe it was that eye-f*****g that gave it all away," saad nito. "I'm not blind, Naia. Kitang kita ko 'yang s****l tension sa pagitan niyo ni Mr. Montecillo."

"Ano ba 'yang pinagsasabi mo, Solyn," pagdedeny niya. "Writer ka nga. Ang galing mo gumawa ng kwento."

"You can't sass your way out of this, Danaia," asik nito. "I'm curious so I demand some answers—"

"Synn! Naia!" putol bigla ng tinig ni Arika dito. "Dalian mo na diyan. Kanina pa daw nasa cafeteria si Yoon. Imbyerna nanaman ang bakla!"

Synn narrowed her eyes at her before standing up.

"Hindi pa tayo tapos, Danaia," banta nito. "You are giving me those answers whether you like it or not."

"Wala nga kasi. Ang kulit neto—"

"Solyn!"

"Oo na! Papunta na!" Muli ay tinapunan siya nito ng tingin habang naglalakad patungo sa may pinto. "Sige lang. Deny it all you want. But that won't change the fact that you've been eyeing our new hot teacher—"

"Miss Uychengco?"

Sabay silang napatingin ni Synn kay Mr. Montecillo.

"Sir?"

"Can I speak with you for a minute?"

Tumingin muna siya sa kaibigan bago sumagot dito. "Um..."

Mukhang nakatunog naman si Synn sa ibig mangyari ni Jarvis. Bigla siya nitong tinulak pabalik ng silid.

"Mauna na kami sa cafeteria ni Arika. Text ka na lang," anito sabay kindat.

"Synn—"

"Alagaan mo 'to sir si Naia. Campus Beauty 'yan," dagdag pa nito sabay iwan sa kanya. Papalag pa sana siya pero mabilis na hinablot ng babae sa braso si Arika papalayo.

Wala na siyang kawala. Silang dalawa na lamang ni Jarvis—Mr. Montecillo, ang natira sa loob ng silid.

"Naia, I—"

"Bakit hindi mo sa'kin sinabi na professor ka pala?" bungad niya dito. "You saw my paper, right? And you know I study Business in UDSA."

"I didn't think it mattered," katwiran nito. "And hindi ko rin naman alam na I'll be taking over Miss Rivera's class kasi I'm already handling the Ethics one. I just received the call this morning."

"Kaya pala hindi pa tunitilaok ang manok, wala ka na kagabi," she accused. "You know what, Mr. Montecillo? Aminin mo na lang na pinaglauran mo ako. It's much easier to accept it that way—"

"No!" agad nitong tanggi. He even held her wrist. "I would never do that to you, Naia. Hindi—I left early because I got the call from Miss Rivera. I left a note on your table. Hindi mo ba nabasa?"

Hindi siya nakasagot. At wala rin siyang sulat na nakita sa condo niya.

"That doesn't matter," aniya sabay hablot ng kamay mula rito. "We can't see each other anymore."

"Why?" tanong nito. "Look, Naia. If this is about me being a professor, it's not the first thing I tell girls. Especially college girls who I share a connection with."

Napataas ang isa niyang kilay. "So you chose to lie?"

"But I didn't," angal nito. "Hindi ko lang namention na professor ako dahil hindi naman napunta doon ang usapan."

"Wow," bulalas niya sabay pinagcrus ang mga braso. "The logic you have, Mr. Montecillo. Lying isn't just about not telling the truth. Not telling someone information as critical as this can also be considered lying—"

"Naia, please listen to me," pakiusap nito sabay hawak sa kanyang kamay which sent shivers down her smile. Even at this state, he still has that effect on her. "I didn't mean to not tell you. I just... I just like you. A lot. Natakot ako na kapag maisingit ko sa usapan na professor ako sa USDA, it would blow my chances on having a relationship with you. No matter how slim that chance would be."

Hindi siya nakasagot. His deep eyes were at it again. And she was drowning in them. Hindi niya rin naman kayang ikaila dito ang kanyang nararamdaman. Idagdag pa na sobrang hot nito tingnan in a suit plus the specs. She sighed.

"I like you too, Jarvis," pag-amin niya. "But you're a professor. At estudyante mo ako. There are rules specifically against these types of relationships. Plus, what would everyone say—"

Hindi na siya nito pinatapos. His lips landed on hers which she instinctively welcomed. Yung kaninang inis na kanyang nararamdaman ay parang yelong biglang natunaw.

"Just think about it first, okay?" He said after taking a step back. "I really like you, Naia. And I refuse to make this a one-time thing."

-