"Won't you pick up Faith today?" Nadia asked him curiously.
Nathan sighed deeply, pausing in thought. "Should we pick her up today?" he asked back.
Nadia raised an eyebrow and stared at him, unimpressed. "I'm the one asking you, aren't I?"
Just then, his phone vibrated. A message popped up—his sister had texted.
"No need. She's already home," he told Nadia.
She simply nodded in response. The sun was beginning to set, and both of them were busy with wedding preparations. They'd scheduled meetings with their wedding planners, carefully coordinating every detail.
"I'll drive you home," Nathan said, starting the car. He was at ease leaving his sister alone—he trusted her.
By the time he arrived home, twilight was setting in.
"Ma," he greeted his mother respectfully, taking her hand to his forehead in the traditional gesture.
He then settled into the sofa to rest his body and mind. He scrolled through Facebook and Messenger for a while, then played a movie on his phone. The house was quiet.
Eventually, tired of lounging in the living room, he headed to his bedroom and lay down. He let out another sigh just as he heard a knock on his door.
"Gill, it's time to eat," his mother called out.
He got up and went to the dining room.
"Where's Ely?" he asked.
"Could you call her, son?" his father replied.
Nathan walked over to his sister's room and knocked. There was no answer. Opening the door, he saw her fast asleep at her desk, slumped over her laptop.
"El, El," he called gently.
She stirred and rubbed her eyes. "Ah, brother… it's you."
"Come on, time to eat."
She nodded and followed him out. As they sat down for dinner, Nathan couldn't shake the strange silence in the house. Something felt off.
But he dismissed the thought, figuring everyone was just tired today.
*****
Mariely was exhausted. With the distribution of report cards coming up and the second quarter exams finished, there was still plenty to do. She had brought work home—grades to encode, cards to finalize—and as the new adviser of her class, she needed to update the files herself.
She also couldn't afford to stay late at school. Public transportation got scarce after hours, and her brother was too busy these days to fetch her.
"Hey, Mariely!" Veron called out to her.
Mariely looked up.
"Tired, Beshie? Don't forget we have a meeting today," Veron reminded her.
"We do?" Mariely asked, confused.
"Yes! You forgot? Classes are shortened today, remember?"
Mariely closed her eyes in frustration. She had almost forgotten.
"We'll be here a while—there's a deliberation after the meeting. Prepare yourself," Veron warned.
"You're the worst," Mariely muttered playfully.
Just as Veron said, the meeting took place. It was about upcoming school events and the deliberation of students' grades.
"There's been a lot of improvement in Grade 9, Section D," one teacher remarked cheerfully, glancing Mariely's way.
"Good job, Miss Celestial. You're doing great with that section," said another.
Veron elbowed her, grinning proudly. Mariely blushed, a bit shy about the compliments.
But not everyone was impressed.
Mr. Natividad sat silently at the corner of the room, observing.
"Yeah, she's doing her job… but she still doesn't know how to discipline her students," he muttered, shaking his head.
"She's new to this field; that's why it's easy for students to manipulate her. She can't even uncover the truth about the cheating incident in her class."
"Cheating?" one teacher echoed, surprised.
"Yes. Her student cheated during one of our activities," Mr. Natividad said.
"But the student told me they didn't cheat, and a classmate backed them up. They swore it didn't happen during the activity," Mariely calmly explained.
"Are you sure?" he asked, challenging her.
"Yes, sir. My students may be a handful, but I know when they're lying or telling the truth," she replied with measured confidence.
"Her students are honest," another teacher chimed in. "When they don't understand a lesson, they ask. Miss Celestial may be new, but she studied for this profession."
"A person isn't truly a professional until they pass the board exam," Mr. Natividad shot back. "Besides, look at their math grades. No deliberation needed—those students are all hopeless."
Mariely clenched her fists under the table. She wanted to stay professional, just like her mother always advised her when dealing with difficult colleagues.
"I admit, sir, my students are stubborn. I know that. But they listen when you speak to them properly. Yes, they're rebellious, but they're growing. I try to understand them. Please… don't underestimate students who are still learning to change," she said with quiet dignity.
"Stop making excuses, Miss Celestial. Those are my final grades for the second quarter. No honors for your section," he said coldly.
"Sir, please… Give them a chance. Maybe allow them to take a removal exam. That way, we can determine if cheating really occurred," she suggested.
"It's a waste of time. I have other things to do," he dismissed.
"Why not try her suggestion?" the principal interjected. "I'm not saying you're wrong, but it would be fair to test the students if there's doubt. Let's not judge them right away. Give them an opportunity. I'll leave it to you."
"Fine. If that's what you all want," Mr. Natividad said reluctantly. "But if they're caught cheating, the entire class will be suspended. Understood, Miss Celestial?"
"Yes, sir," she replied.
Mrs. Becca intervened to calm things down and resume the meeting.
Mariely sighed deeply. Veron gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
They finished late in the evening, and just as they were leaving, Mariely received a call from her mother.
"El, I'll take you home. Let's stop by the condo first, and then I'll drive you," Veron offered.
"Thank you, Veron," Mariely said softly.
"You're always welcome. Come on. I know Tita's probably worried about you by now."
Mariely silently thanked the universe for blessing her with a friend like Veron—someone who always showed up when she needed it most.
As they walked to the parking lot, Veron casually slung an arm around her shoulder, grounding her again in comfort.