She's My Little Monster

CHAPTER 02. THE GENIUS

Kinabukasan

Masayang naglalakad si Chelsie papuntang gate. And because she became one of the candidates, it’s inevitable to catch other student’s attention. Nginingitian niya na lang sila at binabati whenever they approached her. She didn’t want to leave any bad impression to everyone. And she felt better, happier and more excited because she knew that he was back.

Yusef is back.

She wanted him to be proud of her. She wanted him to know that his efforts that he had done before were never wasted.

Gusto ko na siyang makita...

Hanggang sa may narinig siyang pumalakpak. At ang excitement na nararamdaman niya kanina ay napalitan ng takot.

Sana pala hindi na lang ako lumingon.

“S-syren Ford...”

“Waa... What’s with the face? You’re making me feel bad. Nakakahiya, tumitingin na sila.” He acted, like, covering his face in embarrassment.

Hindi napigilan ni Chelsie ang takot. Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng mabigat na paghinga, na tinatawanan lang ni Syren.

“Chill. I’m not here to make fun of you or something. I’m here to congratulate you. You’re one of the candidates. Isn’t that awesome?”

Napakunot ang noo niya at medyo naguluhan sa narinig.

Does he really mean that? She thought.

“You want to catch Yusef’s attention, right? Your knight in shining armor, your savior, I mean your hero!—”

“T-tigilan mo na ko, Syren.” She stopped him with all of the strength she had.

“Woah,” he suddenly chuckled. “Easy ka lang. Matagal na kitang tinigilan. You’re now useless. I just came here honestly, to congratulate you. So, goodluck.”

U-useless?

He was about to go when Chelsie spoke.

“What do you mean...useless.?”

Nginitian lang siya nito, shrugging his shoulders.

“Secret. Baka umiyak ka lang.”

After he said those words, he went away whistling happily while playing with his car key. Samantalang hindi mawala sa isip ni Chelsie ang sinabi sa kaniya ni Syren.

Useless...

“Yusef Kenneth Austria, is your name. Tama ba ‘ko?”

“Yes po," nakangiting sagot ni Yusef.

“You’re now under my class. I’m Ms. Nancy Lambitan. But I prefer to be called Ma’am Nancy. Alam mo na, naaasiwa ako sa surname ko eh. Kaya nga maghahanap ako ng gwapong mayaman na may magandang surname. Ahahaha! Sorry ang daldal ko.” Napangiti na lang siya sa inasal ng adviser niya.

Nandito siya ngayon to settle his papers for transferring again in Ford High Academy. He has been a product of this school since elementary. Kinailangan kasi nilang pumuntang France noon because of business. Nung naayos na, his mom, Stef, decided to go back. At dahil second month na since the first day of class, marami siyang na-missed na discussions.

“Tuturuan nyo na po ba ‘ko?” He asked.

“Ah. Hindi ko pala nasabi sayo. In-assign ko ang pagtuturo sa top student namin. Mahihirapan ka na kasing hagilapin ang mga teachers ngayon lalo na’t malapit na ang pageant. So, pinahandle kita sa kapwa mo estudyante. Don’t worry, hindi ka mad-disappoint sa kanya kasi genius siya. Actually nga minsan, nalalaman nyang lutang ako at nagkakamali na 'ko sa mga tinuturo ko. Huhu. Nakakahiya yun para sakin! Nasisira ang reputasyon ko sa pagtutur—”

“Ms. Lambitan, nandito na ko.”

“Waaah!”

Napatakip bigla ng bibig ang adviser nila. Even Yusef, got surprised sa biglang pagsulpot ng isang babae.

“Ano ka ba naman, Ms.Montez!”

“0.88 seconds.” She suddenly blurted that made the both of them confused. Yusef looked at their adviser and he almost laughed when he saw their adviser tearing up, nearly crying. “Calculated time ng pagsasalita niyo kanina.”

Woah. He was surprised. Seriously? Is that really matter?

“Tatanda talaga akong dalaga sayo. Hindi mo na kailangang kinocompute pa yon, okay?” she said habang hinihilot ang sentido nya. “Anyway, Yusef, this is Gwynette.”

Then he saw their adviser's point finger moving like she’s calling someone to come near her. Tinuro ni Yusef ang sarili na takang-taka sa nangyayari ngayon.

“Oo ikaw nga. Lapit.” He just followed her. “Siya yung genius na sinasabi ko.” tiningnan niya naman ang babae na nasa harap niya.

This girl?

“Kahit wirdo siya, marami ka namang matutunan kaya pagtiisan mo na lang, hmm?” She patted his shoulders. “Fighting!” He just smiled anxiously.

Hindi ko alam kung sinong mas weird sa kanila. Sa isip-isip niya.

“So, Gwynette,” Nancy looked at her. “He is the transferee that I’m talking about yesterday. Since, kakapasok pa lang niya, ikaw nang bahala sa mga lessons na na-missed nya. I have a great trust on you. Okay? Sige na. You may leave.” Tumayo na si Yusef at nag-bow.

“Sige po. Yung 0.88 seconds po pala, I meant it as a joke, Ma’am Lambitan.” Nanlaki ang mata ni Nancy sa narinig.

“Ma’am Nancy nga, Gwynette! Ano ba~!”

Natawa bigla si Yusef. He seemed to feel a great bond within them. He looked at her—the girl who would tutor him. And the first thing he noticed was her facial expression.

Ako lang ba or is she really this emotionless?

“Mag-aasawa talaga ako ng gwapong mayaman na may magandang surname! Huhu.” Napatingin si Yusef sa adviser at napangiti.

But to his surprised...

“Nasaan na po siya?” He asked their adviser while sobbing—pretending to sob.

“Kanina pa sya umalis.”

“Po?”

Without me knowing?

“Oo. Sabi ko nga sayo weird yun, diba? Pagtiisan mo na lang.” He suddenly chuckled.

Weird nga.

Before he followed her, naglabas siya ng panyo at ibinigay sa adviser niya at natawa naman siya nang nagpupunas ito ng mata kahit wala namang luha.

“Wag po kayong mag-alala. Mahahanap nyo rin po si ‘Gwapong mayaman na may magandang surname.’ Sige po, Ma’am Nancy.” Tumalikod na siya at sinundan na si Gwynette.

“Wait lang!” Yusef shouted pero patuloy pa rin si Gwynette sa paglalakad. Binilisan niya lalo ang paglalakad para maabutan niya ito and to his surprised, may dala na syang notebooks.

“Gwynette, right?” He sighed and walked with her. He was trying to be friendly and waited for a response but he got none from her. He started to get confuse. “Where are we going to study?”

“Library.” She replied but to his surprised again, he felt the coldness in her voice.

“Ahh,” was all that he could say.

He was thinking of another topic to open when she suddenly stopped, so he also stopped. Hindi niya namalayan na nasa tapat na sila ng library. Pumasok si Gwynette sa loob at sinundan naman siya ni Yusef. Napakamot siya bigla sa batok.

Seriously, does she know that I’m with her?

“Good morning, Gwyn.” The librarian greeted. “Oh, may kasama ka ngayon. Himala. Hello, young man.” Sa bati pa lang ng librarian masasabi mong madalas siya dito.

Yusef replied with a smiled.

“Hello din po. I’m the new student here.”

“Ahh. Tuturuan ka pala niya. I’m thinking of seeing new things. Haha. Sige na, sumunod ka na sa kanya.”

Sumunod?

Pagkatingin niya sa tabi ay wala na pala siyang kasama. He immediately chuckled.

“Sige po.”

Napailing na lang siya at sumunod na. Naabutan niya itong nagbabasa na ng libro habang ang mga notebook na dala nito kanina ay nakalagay na sa mesa.

He sat on the chair in front of her. Another silence came so he started the conversation.

“Ehem, so what are we going to do now…Gwynette?”

She stopped reading at tiningnan siya. All of a sudden, he felt it again—the coldness. But this time, in her stares.

Why is she…like that?

"Notebooks ko yan. Kabibili ko lang ng mga 'yan kahapon. Nandyan lahat ng mga napag-aralan ng klase na hindi mo naabutan. If you have questions, ask me.”

She went back to the book she had brought to read. One thing she just mentioned that got him surprised was the words, ‘kahapon lang.'

Didn’t they use notebooks right from the first day of classes? He was a little bit confused.

He just sighed and got the notebook that labeled ‘SCIENCE’. When he opened it, nanlaki ang mga mata niya.

Wow...

Yusef was amazed. The lectures that she wrote were complete and organize. It was easy to understand too, since ginamitan niya ito ng illustrations. And when Yusef recalled that Gwynette did mention the words 'kahapon lang' about sa notebook...

Did she do this all just...yesterday??

He was speechless.

“Did you just... Wow. Would you mind if I asked this?” He didn’t get an answer but then he continued. “Have you done taking IQ test? I’m just curious on the result.”

“180.”

“You’re great! Does your family also have that mind? Wow.” He couldn't help but to smile in admiration. “I’ve never met someone like you. Amazing. You are amazing. Alam mo, you will have many opportunities in the future. You can go further beyond this place.”

Until he noticed that he was just talking to himself. He chuckled and continued to read her notes. But he was so curious that he wanted to know more about her.

“Have you joined competitions?” He tried asking again.

“…”

“So you are the rumored genius? I can’t believe you’re in front of me, right now.”

“…”

“What club did you join? Are the geniuses like you had another hobby aside from reading and studyi—”

*blag*

Nagulat si Yusef sa bumagsak na libro sa harapan niya at tiningnan siya ni Gwynette ng sobrang lamig. She suddenly pointed the sign beside them.

‘Observe Silence’

At bumalik ulit siya sa pagbabasa. He became silent for a moment.

Did I just overdo my actions?

Funny, as it is, he was not like this before. He didn’t even notice na ang dami na pala niyang sinasabi. He was, like, dying to get her attention. He chuckled on his own idea at binuklat ko na lang ang notes na nasa harapan niya. Then, he suddenly thought of an idea to get her attention. He didn't know if that would be effective but he wanted to try.

“Sabi dito sa notes mo, ‘the tireless energy of the heart is one of the most remarkable of all natural phenomena.’ May I ask why?”

"Because heart beat consists of an alternate contraction, which is the systole, and the relaxation, which is the diastole.”

To his surprised, she immediately respond. He smiled unconsciously.

“70 times per minute ang pagtibok ng puso natin and with each heartbeat lasting about 0.85 seconds.”

“Is that so?” Napansin din niya na tinigil nito ang pagbabasa.

She’s talking to me right now! Yusef couldn't help his excitement.

“So, day after day, year in and year out, from before birth until death, wala syang tigil sa pag-pump and supplying life-giving blood to every cell of the body. Kaya, during an average lifetime, two to three billion beats ang nagagawa niya. Kaya siya tinawag na ‘remarkable of all natural phenomena’.”

After her explanation, he saw her eyebrows wrinkled. Yusef was looking at her with the smile on his face. They were staring at each other’s eyes as he had planned.

“We haven’t introduced properly since we met each other.”

He broke the silence around them but not the stare. It was like they're having a staring contest that neither of them couldn't afford to lose.

“Can I call you, Gwyn?” Yusef asked as he flashed a smile while she just kept on her cold stare and didn't utter a single word. He leaned his right hand forward.

"I’m Yusef. Nice meeting you…Gwyn.”