THE trees are dancing endlessly with the little raindrops falling from the dark sky. The streets are busy with the cars that are going back and forth. There are people walking through the street that are either from their work, school, or from their home. They may have a lot of unseen baggages that is heavy to bring and thinking of how to let them go and escape the reality.
"Hello, I'm home!" Mariah said once she opened the door that it made a creaking sound. The silence embraces her and slowly puts off her mask down and unknowingly her tears are slowly coming out.
"Meow, meow," Athena the cat repeatedly meowed when she saw Mariah sitting on the floor of her mini living room.
"What did you do the whole day?" she asked the cat even though she knew that Athena will not respond to.
She's been living alone since she left home where she used to have a happy and sweet family. She leaves her home because she wanted to be free from the multiple burdens that she have. She moved to a place where she do not know anyone. A new place where she thinks there is happiness and a peaceful life and she can finally be free but life is so cruel to her. She feel like a lost child in the middle of the busy street who do not know where to go.
A notification sound made her go back to reality. She opened her laptop and a username @openaih popped up.
"Good evening, Èrasme! What did you do today?" she asked me. I used Èrasme as my codename on this secret website because she doesn't want anyone to know who she is.
"Good evening, openaih! I just came home from work and I feel exhausted." she answered. Openaih an unknown person who is always sending a message to me. She's like a perfect person who is listening to my rants and she never invalidates my feelings.
"I understand what you feel. It might be hard today but someday it will come that you will realize that those are all worth it." she replied to me. I did not notice the time when we were chatting until I felt my eyes heavy and darkness occupies me.
The next day openaih greeted Mariah early in the morning as she opened her laptop. At exactly 4:00 in the morning she's already preparing to go to work. She's leaving her apartment as early as she can because she want to catch a ride to the Latex Train Station. Riding a train is easier than being stressful in the middle of the heavy traffic.
She's enjoying watching the longest river in the country not because of its unclean water but because of the pine trees on its side.
"Good morning, Professor!" a security guard in school greeted her
"Morning!" she said to him and smiled. I arrive in school at 6:00 and my class will start in 30 minutes. She is now teaching as a college instructor in the Social Work program. At first she didn't like it because she really wanted to pursue law school but she didn't have a choice to be practical in a country like this where surviving in every day life will cost you more than you are receiving rather than achieving her dream.
She walked across the covered walk until she reached the room where she is teaching. The whole room became quite the moment she entered the room. A brown eyes and a sweet smile of one of her students caught her attention while looking around.
"Good morning, get a whole sheet of paper and write an essay about the summary of what I have been discussing with you last meeting," she immediately instruct them about their activity. Shock and surprise look are visible on their faces. Some students are whispering and smirking while looking at Mariah. Maybe they are cursing at her on their heads but she do not care.
"Ms. Taliñas, please collect the paper and bring it with me to my office," she said to one of the students before leaving the room. She looks at her watch and it is already time for lunch.
"Here is the paper, Professor and I will go now," Zarnaih said while putting the paper on the table.
"Oh thank you, Taliñas... and maybe you want to eat lunch with me?" Mariah does not know why she was asking her student for lunch and hopefully she declines. Zarnaih is about to answer but a knock from the door interrupts.
"Good morning, here is a food delivery from Food Express!" the delivery man said and gave the paper bags to Mariah.
"I think it is a great offer from you Professor, and who am I to say no to you?" Mariah did not expect that Zarnaih would agree with her. While they are busy eating with their lunch Mariah she was still busy on her laptop waiting for a notification to pop up.
"You really love your work, Professor. Even its lunch time you keep on checking your laptop," Zarnaih can't stop herself to say something to her Professor.
"Silly, I'm just waiting for a notification from someone and it's not work related," Mariah answered.
"By the way Professor, can I ask you a question?" Zarnaih asked to Mariah.
"You're already asking," Mariah replied sarcastically to Zarnaih.
"Oh, sorry, I just wanted to ask the reason why you invited me to eat lunch with you?" Zarnaih asked.
"I j-just want to eat with someone and I can't eat alone because I feel melancholy," Mariah answered.
"Oh, I love some company while I eat too Professor! I would love to be here for you to eat with you again." Zarnaih said and Mariah felt warmth and comfort with Zarnaih.
There is something in Mariah's heart and it is a weird feeling that she just ignored it. They continued to enjoy their food pizza, pesto pasta, fries, nuggets, and halo-halo.
"Thank you Zarnaih for eating lunch with me," Mariah said to her while smiling.
"You're welcome Professor and I hope this is not the end," Zarnaih said to her while showing emotions in her eyes that pulled Mariah and made her feel drowned.