There. That face. The way this Winter’s jaw dropped. I did not expect to have only 1 victim for this prank but it’s still very satisfying. I was laughing inside hehe.

“You’re joking.” She can’t believe it. Of course, she can’t.

“I am-”

“Oh, thank God. Una na-”

“No! I mean! I AM! IN FACT! NOT JOKING. Look, this is my ID.” I showed my ID and pinned it to my chest. Lumapit sya saken to check. As if naman magsisinungaling ako. 

Wait, lumapit sya saken para basahin yung ID ko… and now her face is too close to where my ID is. She’s squinting to read my name. Damn, her face is a work of art. Pero malabo mata? Still, she’s too close. I can smell her. Johnson’s baby powder? Well, I did not expect that.

“Yes, Winter? Naniniwala ka na ba na teacher mo ko?”

“Ka...ri…na…Yoo…fa…cul…ty… ” She traced the letters of my name on my ID using her index finger without touching but almost touching it. Mga 1 millimeter yung layo ng daliri nya sa pagtrace ng ID na nasa chest ko. I swear she wasn’t touching me or anything, hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit nakikiliti ako sa ginagawa nya. 

“Miss Karina.” She said as she looked up to check my face as if confirming kung ako nga yung nasa picture sa ID ko.

“Y-yes. I just told you.” I don’t know kung bakit medio nabulol din ako. 

“Oh. Akala ko po student ka. You look young. Sorry po.” Umalis na sya at umupo na lang sya sa unahang seat. Thank God.

 “Don’t mind it. I planned to prank the whole class anyway. Pero ikaw lang talaga today?”

“Opo. Hindi pa enrolled yung iba kong classmates.”

“3rd year ka right? This is your 4th semester?”

“Yes, po.”

“So talagang walang umaattend ng 1st day of class based sa experience mo?”

“Opo.”

“And knowing this, pumasok ka pa rin, why? You came early too…”

“I-” she can’t seem to answer and it's getting awkward so I just cut her off.

“Oh, no need to answer that. Shall we start our class?”

“Ah…” the student sighed. halatang disappointed tong student na to.

“What is it, Winter?”

“Uhm. Miss, do we have to? I mean… dalwa lang po tayo”

“I don’t see the problem. Merong teacher, merong student, nasa school tayo. The teaching and learning process is possible, right?”

“I mean… It's the 1st day of class. Usually po, hindi nagkaklase ang mga teachers sa 1st week para di na nila ulitin yung topic next week kapag kumpleto na ang mga students.”

“Leave if you want to.” 

Silence.

Ooops medio mataray ata pagkakasabi ko. Huhu natarayan ko ang nag-iisang student ko today. Medio nakonsensya ako na natahimik sya.

“I’ll give you 10 seconds to decide.” I added.

After 10 seconds, she stayed pero malamang natakot lang sya saken. Still, I smiled. Iiyak talaga ako kung umalis to.

“Okay then. It’s the 1st day of class. Wala pa naman tayong ididiscuss na actual lessons talaga but this is when we introduce ourselves to each other, talk about our expectations sa class. We will also go over the syllabus for the semester and all the requirements you have to submit to pass this class.” napansin kong nakatitig sya saken blankly. Nadidistract ako kasi nasa unahan na nga sya and I can feel and trace her stare na nakafocus sa lips ko habang nagsasalita.

Naconscious na naman ako sa kanya. Tama ba ang desisyon kong ituloy ang klase? Dapat ata next week na nga lang.

“Are you