"Faith, your bathroom looks really clean. I saw your students coming out earlier," Veron commented.
"They broke the rules, so I had to punish them. They were also fighting. I dealt with the two cousins first," Faith replied with a sigh.
"Ah, Rodel and Niel. Those two are really close. Last month they kept getting into fights—sometimes even throwing punches," Veron said.
"They won't be fighting again," Mariely added confidently.
"What were they fighting about?" Veron asked, curious.
She chuckled. "Love."
Veron burst into laughter. "Kids these days. They seem to understand love more than we ever did at their age."
"Yeah, but let's just leave it at that. We're here to guide them, aren't we?" Mariely smiled.
Veron nodded, thoughtful. "You're right, Faith. As teachers, it's our job to help them find their way."
Mariely simply smiled in agreement.
****
It was a typical Saturday. To save on fare, her brother drove her to where she was reviewing for the board exam. The day passed quickly. Now, she was helping her mother clean the house, which she could only do on Sundays.
"El, go grocery shopping first, okay? I just need to finish something," her mother said.
"Yes, Mom," she replied with a smile.
"Your brother and his fiancée, Nadia, will go with you."
She nodded. "Mom, did you prepare the shopping list?"
"Ah! Almost forgot." Her mom quickly handed her the list.
"Okay, Mom. I'm heading out."
Her mom waved her off.
"Shall we go?" Nadia asked.
"Sure," she replied.
They arrived at the supermarket in town. Nadia was also running errands of her own, and her older brother joined them.
"Oh, that's so expensive. This probably won't fit into Mom's budget," Mariely muttered, frowning at the price of milk.
"Here, El. This one's cheaper—500 ml," Nadia offered, handing her another option.
She checked it. "Oh, this works. Thanks, Nadia." She smiled.
Nadia playfully ruffled her hair.
"What else is on the list, Sis? We'll help you find it," her brother offered.
She handed the list to him.
"Alright, I'll go find these. Hon, stay with El, okay?"
Nadia nodded. "Yes, dear."
They were always so sweet. Even just watching them made her feel warm. Nadia stayed beside her while they shopped.
"Nadia, what did you come here to buy?" she asked.
"Just household stuff. You know, errands like yours," Nadia said with a chuckle.
Mariely smiled.
"Oh, you're here, Yllana."
A male voice caught their attention.
They turned. Mariely recognized him immediately—one of the principal's sons. She still couldn't recall his name.
"So, you're with your future sister-in-law," he added, glancing at her.
Mariely frowned.
"What a miracle. Are you at the supermarket? Looking for victims again?" Nadia crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
The man smirked. "You're so dramatic—almost Mrs. Celestial. Didn't I get an invite to the wedding?"
Mariely said nothing. She just observed them, not one to interrupt.
"We'll think about it. Six months is a long time," Nadia replied coolly.
The man chuckled and looked at Mariely. "Nice to see you again." He leaned in. "Still a crybaby? Maybe your students always make you cry, huh?"
Mariely raised an eyebrow. "You're still as annoying as ever," she shot back.
He smirked, stepping closer. "How's school? Can you share your day with me?" he whispered into her ear.
She shivered. She wasn't used to men getting that close. Suddenly, someone pulled her arm—she leaned into her brother's chest.
"Quit playing around. Why don't you help your mom with the groceries instead of whatever this is, Zean?" Nathan said firmly.
Zean raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Nathan. I was just asking how your sister's doing at work."
"You're not the principal. As far as I know, that's still your mom," Nadia snapped, arms crossed.
Mariely's heart was still pounding. Thankfully, her brother had stepped in.
"I'm happy for your upcoming wedding," Zean smiled before turning away.
"Let's go, Frank. You're always the same," said Ma'am Becca, who had just appeared.
"Nathan, Nadia, I'm sorry. He hasn't changed," Frank's mother added.
Nathan said nothing, still holding Mariely protectively.
"Let's go," Zean added, flashing Mariely one last meaningful smile before leaving with his mother.
When he was finally out of sight, Nadia immediately turned to her. "Are you okay?"
Mariely nodded. They finished shopping, and on the ride home, she dozed off in the backseat—until she heard them talking.
"I'm worried about Ely," Nadia said softly.
"If he hurts her again, I'll be the one to deal with him," Nathan replied, voice steely.
"You saw what he did earlier. He's clearly interested in your sister again. I'm afraid for El. She doesn't know how to handle someone like Zean. What if she falls for him again?" Nadia's voice trembled with concern.
Nathan stayed silent.
"I can't stop her if she falls for him again. That's what I'm afraid of. He's a player. He doesn't care if someone loves him. Damn it—if he ever hurts my sister again, he'll face hell," Nathan said bitterly.
"And we had to send Ely away, transferring her to another school. Wasn't the reason that she was having trouble handling her section?" Nadia added, surprised.
"Shh. Calm down, love. El might hear you. You know how much she loves teaching. That naïve sister of mine doesn't give up easily," Nathan said, glancing at the rearview mirror.
Mariely heard Nadia sigh.
"We've been dealing with this for a long time. Of all the men out there, Zean is the last person she should be near. I shouldn't have left her alone in the office that day," Nadia whispered.
"That was years ago. It's not your fault. We'll figure it out. I just hope it's not too late," Nathan replied.
Nadia nodded quietly. Neither spoke again. The weight of concern hung heavy in the car.