Mariely sat impatiently, waiting for her mother. They were supposed to go to the PRC so she could register for her licensure exam review.
"Mom is taking forever," she complained to her brother.
He simply ruffled her hair and replied, "Let it go."
Instead of arguing, she sighed and continued to wait.
As she and her mom had agreed, Mariely would begin reviewing for the board exam while teaching at a private school. She had already applied to five schools and completed demo lessons at three. Another demo was scheduled for Monday, and her nerves were starting to creep in.
I hope at least one school accepts me, she thought, silently praying.
Finally, her mother appeared.
"Let's go. The PRC is probably packed by now," she said.
Their trip would take them to a nearby town, and thankfully, it wasn't too crowded when they arrived. They were able to finish all the necessary steps in one go. It really was exhausting—all that work just to be eligible for the exam. Still, it was worth it.
By the time they got home, night had fallen, and Mariely was completely drained.
I just want to sleep, she grumbled, heading straight to her room and collapsing onto her bed. She didn't even bother eating dinner—she drifted off to sleep right away.
A loud knock on the door jolted her awake.
She groggily got up, opened the door, and was met with her mother's face.
"Why, Mom?" she asked with a yawn.
"Answer the phone," her mother said in a serious tone.
"Huh? Why?" Mariely asked, confused and scratching her head.
"No more questions. Just go."
Her mom grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room. Mariely saw her older brother Gill still on the phone. He glanced at her and gestured for her to come over. She frowned, puzzled.
Gill gave her a look, so she obeyed and walked over.
"Here she is," he said into the phone, then handed it to her.
Mariely took it.
"Hello, this is Faith Mariely Abad-Celestial," she said politely.
"Hello, Miss Faith Mariely Celestial. Congratulations! You can start teaching at our school, St. Joseph Academy, this coming Monday," said the voice on the other end.
Her mouth dropped open. She was speechless.
"Please arrive early. We'll go over some school policies that day. Once again, congratulations!"
"Thank you so much, Ma'am," was all she managed to say.
"Good day."
The call ended, and Mariely slowly lowered the phone. She stood frozen, stunned by the news.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her—it was her brother.
"Let's celebrate this good news," he said with a wide smile.
"Brother," she murmured and hugged him tightly. She was overjoyed. Her dream of becoming a teacher was finally starting—even if love hadn't arrived, this was the dream that truly mattered.
Later that evening, the family held a small celebration for her.
"There you go! You've been hired. Now you just have to pass the board exam and get your license," Nadia said cheerfully.
"Yes, Nadia. I'll work hard. I'll balance teaching and reviewing," Mariely said, smiling brightly.
"I know you can do it, El," her brother added with pride.
Their belief in her touched her deeply. She didn't want to let them down. She simply bowed her head and smiled.
That night, she couldn't sleep right away. Thoughts swirled in her head.
I hope I can teach them well—not just about Filipino, but about life too.
She smiled at the thought.
Alright. Time to sleep, Mariely.
Monday arrived faster than expected.
Mariely was up early and headed straight to St. Joseph Academy. She made her way to the principal's office.
A woman was seated behind the desk, typing on a laptop. Mariely instantly assumed it was the principal.
"Good morning, Ma'am," she greeted respectfully.
The woman looked up and smiled warmly. "Good morning. Are you Miss Faith Mariely Celestial?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Mariely smiled in return, remaining standing until invited to sit.
"Take your seat, Miss," the principal said with a nod.
"Thank you, Ma'am," she replied and sat down.
"I'm Mrs. Becca Jordan-Montero, the school principal. It's nice to meet you, Miss Celestial," she said, offering her hand.
Mariely shook it politely. "Nice to meet you too, Ma'am."
They proceeded to discuss her job details—salary, school policies, and the classroom she'd be handling.
"It's great to have you on board. You may now head to your assigned classroom," Mrs. Montero said. "You'll be in charge of the last section. I hope you have lots of patience—those students can be quite the handful."
The last section? A wave of doubt washed over her. Can I really do this?
Yes, I can. I have to. She gave herself a silent pep talk.
Just then, the door opened.
A man stepped in. Tall, handsome—and looking right at her.
Their eyes met briefly. Surprised, Mariely quickly looked away.
She stood and bowed slightly. "I'll head to the classroom now, Ma'am. Thank you very much."
Mrs. Montero smiled. "Congratulations, Miss Celestial. Teach them with your heart."
Mariely returned a quiet smile and glanced at the man again. He was still staring—not rudely, but curiously.
She didn't engage and promptly walked out of the office.
With deep breaths, she made her way toward the faculty room to drop off her things. After that, it would be time to face her first class.
The start of her real dream had finally arrived.