Chapter 22
1531 Words
Chapter 22 - I Will Learn How To Love Me for Others
“Haa... Leche, hirap talaga `pag hawak ka sa leeg ng kumpanya,” the professor mumbled later that day.
“You were saying?”
“Wala.” He looked at the new batch of dissertations piled high on top of his table and pulled at his thick brown hair. “Pedro!” he called outside his office. “`Alika nga rito!”
“Sir?”
“Ano nanaman `tong nakapatong sa mesa ko?!”
”Sir, mga research po ng mga intern, awaiting your approval.”
“Oo, alam ko kung ano ang mga putang-inang basura na `to!” he shouted, “Ano’ng ginagawa n’yan sa mesa ko?! `Di ba’t sabi ko ikaw na ang bumasa sa mga `yan? Ano pa’ng silbi nang pagkaka-regular sa `yo kung sa `kin mo rin lang ibabagsak ang pagbasa sa mga `lang ka `wenta-wantang mga basura na `yan?!”
“Sir, naisip ko lang po na baka gusto n’yong – “
“Ano’ng gusto ko? Na ma-invade ng katangahan ang utak ko?!” he grabbed the first folder on top of the pile and read the title; “’A Study of the Omega Hormone’?! Ano `to? Elementary school? Hindi pa ba n’ya alam kung ano ang omega hormone? Anong klaseng study ang ginawa n’ya? Eh, mas may laman pa book report ng pamangkin ko’ng 10 years old kesa rito, eh!” he threw the folder out of the cubicle. “Sinong abnoy ba ang gumawa n’yan?!”
I heard someone gasp and saw a young woman burst into tears and run away.
Seems like we just lost another intern.
“Tignan mo `tong isa... `How to Live as an Omega in Today’s Society’, ano `to? Lifestyle section ng tabloid magazine?” and out of the room it flew. “Ito pa isa, `A Dissertation of the differences of Alphas and Omega’. Wow, parang ang hirap nila’ng i-differentiate, ha?! At bakit isang omega lang ang pinaghambingan n’ya? Sigurado ka ba’ng mga post grad students ang nagpasa ng mga `to?!”
“Sorry, sir, kukunin ko na lang po...” Pedro was about to reach for the pile of folders, when Prof. Antonio grabs them and throws them out the door, one by one.
“Sigaan mo lahat `yan! At `wag kang maglalagay sa mesa ko ng basura hangga’t `di mo `to nababasa at nakikitaan ng kapaki-pakinabang na laman!”
“Opo, sir,” the other replied, picking up the folders and hurriying out of the room.
Prof. Antonio, on the mean time, pushed another pile of folders off his desk and placed his long legs on top of it, while he sat on his swivel chair and massaged his temples.
He gave a big sigh and tilts his head back, placing his good arm on top of it.
“Are you okay, professor?”
“Mukha ba ako’ng okay?”
I closed the door of his workstation and gently placed a hand on the professor’s tense shoulder.
“You are too hard on them.”
“Dapat lang! Pano sila matututo kung `di sila itatama? Biro mo? Umabot sila ng grad school, ni `di sila marunong gumawa man lang ng matinong thesis title?!”
“There is a better way to educate them.”
“Wala ako’ng panahon para i-educate sila in a better way!” he snapped.
“Then why are you accepting interns in the first place?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Tanungin mo ang putang inang HR na `yan! Tanungin mo si Mrs. Frankenstein na gusto’ng magpa-good shot kaya nagtatag ng `training program’ for young minds!” he kicked off another pile off his table. “Lintik na... ako ang napeperwisyo sa mga katarantaduhan nila, eh!” he grumbled. “Palibhasa puros mga rich kids `yan mula sa mga pang-mayaman na mga schools na pinapasok dito ng mga magulang nila’ng nasa taas natin!” he continued, “Feeling ata nila sasantuhin ko mga anak nila, eh, putangina, pano kung balang-araw maging palpak na scientists ang mga `yan?! Lalo lang sila makakaperwisyo kesa makatulong! At idadawit pa nila pati pangalan ko dahil dito sila nag-intern!”
I touched his other shoulder.
“I see, that could really pose a problem,” I said as I massaged him, “The last batch were quite exceptional, though. I look forward to their return, in case they decide to work here after they graduate.”
“Hmph. Akala mo lang matitino. Alam mo ba, ang isa sa pinasa nila sa `kin noon, eh, `How to Love Me as an Omega’?”
“Yes, I seem to remember Pedro say you burned it in front of the student who made it.”
“Worth it. Naaalala ko pa `yung opening remark ng loko; `I know a lot of people don’t love me an omega so I will learn how to love me for others.’ tapos may smiley pa sa dulo. Biro mo, habambuhay ko’ng maaalala ang lintik na `yun?”
I was speechless.
I guess it really is hard for someone like the professsor who has photographic memory to read useless research.
“I will try to talk to Dr. Francisco about the interns,” I told him. “Look on the bright side, at least you finally get your cast removed later.”
Prof. Antonio gave a deep sigh and touched my left hand.
“Habibi...” he stared up at me.
“Yes, professor?”
I looked down on him. He reached up to my face and stroke my cheek.
“Nana-nantsing ka nanaman, ha?”
He slapped my cheek. Not so hard, but enough to sting. Then he stood up, stared at me, and pulled my lasso off. My hair fell on my shoulders. This is his new way of teasing me.
“Gawan mo nga `ko ng kape para mawala init ng ulo ko.” he said.
I did as the professor asked. When I came back with his cup of coffee, I saw him lost in his thoughts, staring at the picture of his favorite niece. I placed the cup on his table and went to work on my own experiments.
On my way to a free work-station, I saw four of the interns discussing amongst themselves. Some of them were still crying about the professor’s outburst earlier.
“Grabe, na this, ha? Hindi ko akalain na ganoon pala kasama ang ugali ng professor na `yun!”
“And did you see how he makes Dr. Abdel and kuya Peter do all his work? If I knew better, tingin ko, si Dr. Abdel ang tunay na genius dito, and that ogre is just taking all the credit!”
“Oo nga, he’s like a sick p*****t, pouring out his anger on us, just because napagalitan s’ya upstrairs! And the way he keeps calling Dr. Abdel Habibi?! The nerve! Someone should slap him with a s****l harrassment case para matuto s’ya!”
“Why? Sinabon ba s’ya ni Dr. Gonzaga?”
“Malamang, biro mo, for the past 3 weeks, wala s’yang tinuturo sa `tin? We haven’t even seen him working on anything! Tapos ang suot pa lagi, jogging pants or shorts!” the three of them laughed.
“Yuck, `di ba?”
“Buti pa si Dr. Abdel, he looks so immaculate in his white lab gown and three piece suit!”
“Gosh! Crush ko na nga s’ya, eh, he’s my prince charming, who’s literally a prince!”
“And best of all, he’s also an omega, like us!”
“Oo nga, not some disgusting beta like Prof. Antonio!”
“I am nothing like you.”
I stepped out into the open.
The three froze and looked at me with guilt.
“D-Dr. Abdel, it’s you pala... sorry po, we were just having a private conversation.” one of them said.
“Have you finished the tasks given to you for today?” I asked them.
“Yes, sir,” they answered. “We always finish our tasks ahead of time.”
“Good. You may leave.”
“Thank you po, sir...”
“And do not bother coming back,” I continued, “if you cannot respect Prof. Antonio, then there is no reason for you to stay here.”
“Sir?”
“Surrender your identification cards to Pedro. You may leave your lab coats near the entrance for disinfection.”
“Pero, sir – “
“Go to HR for your time cards and tell them that you have been dismissed.”
“Sir!”
“Good bye.”
I flip my hair and made my way back to the professor’s room.
- Writer
