Chapter 9: Chapter 8: His Tutor, Her Past

Vi POV

We were walking on the sidewalk of a busy street. The road was filled with cars and heavy traffic as always. It was already dark when we went to the nearest store to our school.

I faced him and gave out a radiant smile. "Based on your scores, you are steadily improving. Congratulations for your efforts!"

He giggled. "My scores improved because of you. I want to treat you with dinner once we get there."

I shook my head. He doesn't need to treat me outside. "No need. It's entirely your own hard work which made it happen. I just guided you a bit. Plus, it's already late and you need to go home."

"Then let me pay for your meal today. You did guide me after all. One day I'll repay you back for your kindness and efforts. I am your typical sweet and persistent friend after all."

"Friend? Even if I tried to break off our friendship before?"

"Honestly, I wanted to repair our friendship back. After all of the mistakes I made, I want us to be like we used to be.

He didn't move an inch after his reply. Everything went into slow motion, just like those typical romance movies. Except that we weren't in love. It's far from the romance I imagined.

***

I woke up from the buzzing sound from my cell phone. It was my alarm again.

It felt so surreal and flattering. No one these days treats girls out with food so easily unless they are in a relationship. "Sana All" will be my reaction, a famous line of every Filipino which means that we wished that everyone has that "thing" in our lives.

His kindness made me blush. Maybe we'll become close friends. Well, I hope so. I mean who doesn't want free dinner?

I looked at the notifications appearing on my notification bar. It's my mother sending me messages.

"Tell me, what is your score in the Chemistry quiz?"

It's my mother again. She never greets me whenever we talk nor care about my well-being. She only cared for my grades. I texted back. "31 out of 34".

"You should have aimed for a perfect score. That is still a low score. How will you even become DL if you cannot get a perfect score in at least one quiz?"

I'm tired of reaching their expectations while they are expecting that studying is really easy. It is not. It is way different from the curriculum of most schools.

"Don't worry, I'll try to perfect the next quiz."

"You should. Don't you know how ashamed we are facing your father and my friends and relatives? You are the only one who hasn't been recognized as an achiever. Tell me, why couldn't you?

I let out a sigh. She only cared about reaching everyone's expectations and pleasing them "I have to go. I need to prepare for school." I quickly put down my cellphone on my bed with its screen facing down. I don't want to deal with this yet.

My father and mother met a lot of successful people from their relatives and friends. Most of them are doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, business managers, etc. For my mother's and father's family, I am the only one who hasn't achieved anything since high school. Everyone has become really competitive when it comes to rankings. I wouldn't wonder why they're so popular in their high school days.

I missed staying young because I didn't have to worry about anything. There wasn't any peer pressure from my family. I was a top student before, wrote multiple winning essays, and I had a true friend. But now, I know that it seems like I lack so much knowledge. I have true friends yet my parents were against it. I became pointless to them.That is why I wanted to become a DL student so that my parents will become proud of me for at least once.

After classes, I went straight to the fourth floor, where the remedial rooms are located. I arrived five minutes earlier than the said schedule so that I will not be late. I decided to read and analyze the story of "Romeo and Juliet" for English. I remembered watching the film adaptation of it and I really liked it even though the ending was so tragic.

One of my classmates went in and sat on another chair a bit farther from mine. Frank and I were both volunteers for the school year's remedial sessions.

Frank turned to my direction and waved. "Vi, how are you lately? Is it fun being in your section? I wished we were still classmates up until now."

Frank is one of the best students in the Mathematics field. Every volunteer of remedial sessions had participated for at least a single math competition, I'm the only one who didn't. I'm lucky that my teacher still accepted me in her proposed activity.

I replied back to him, "I know, right? Anyways, could we both go back to the dorms together after this session?"

"I would love to Vi but I can't. I want to go back to the dorms but I'm preparing for this year's MTAP. Sorry Vi."

I wish that I will compete in one too but it's impossible. I can never reach his level.

After a few minutes, some of the students came in one-by-one. Frank's tutee already arrived while mine isn't here yet. What is keeping my tutee so long?

I decided to take a nap for a minute. I buried my head and covered my face with my arms.

A voice kept on repeating while my vision was surrounded by darkness."What if we can change the future this time?"

I lifted my head the moment I heard the twist of the doorknob and the door's squeaky sound. It was ma'am Bea bringing in my tutee. I was right, it was Dan.

Ma'am Bea gestured her hand to me and introduced me as his tutor for the whole school year. "Violet, Daniel Roberts is here today for him to take remedial sessions from you. You may start and interact with each other now. Daniel, know that you're in the right arms."

"Okay ma'am."

"Alright, I'll leave you two now. Vi, make sure to give me your progress report at the end of the month."

"Noted ma'am."

Silence prevailed after our teacher left me with Daniel.

I decided to break off the silence first, "You know me as Violet Drimunan but you can call me Vi if you like. Just please don't call me ma'am. I'm not a professional tutor, alright?"

He laughed at my statement which got me confused. It was a lame joke.

I suddenly remembered the first time someone made a lame joke two years ago. He was someone who made me smile before my graduation in elementary. He was someone who gave me a spark of motivation throughout my student life.

***

Two years ago

I arrived wearing my polo shirt and glasses at Rutherford's tutorial center while carrying my laptop bag. While I was walking towards the designated room, I noticed some students who greeted me with "good morning" or "hi ma'am". There were also some who asked if I will be their teacher for their whole semester. I laughed it off and said that I'm not their teacher rather a high school student. They got shy and apologized after knowing. Now that I mentioned it, I'm really concerned whether I look that old or I just look like a teacher today.

I instantly spotted my Math tutor looking confused as I entered the room. Before we started our session, he suddenly faced me and asked, "Are you a grade 11 student? You carried a laptop bag here so I'm assuming that you are rushing for your research. How is your research?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his statement.

"Sir, she is only an incoming grade 7 student," emphasized by ma'am May.

His eyes widened. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought that you would rush writing a research paper after this session."

"Oh It's alright, sir. There were even a lot of students who greeted me today. People nowadays always assume based on looks."

He giggled. At least he is not the only one, right? The students a while ago judged me with my looks.

"Anyways, my name is Mateo Alvarez. You can call sir Mat, future engineer mat, even calling me kuya is okay for me."

I nodded my head, "I'm Violet Drimunan. Vi for short. Most of the people I know call me Vi."

"Okay, Vi. Let's proceed with the lesson?"

"Yes sir."

End of flashback

I continued speaking, "Just so you know, we don't have to be too formal with each other since we are already classmates. What a small world, I'm your club mate, tutor, and classmate. I have only one home rule: at the start of every remedial I become more serious. I don't want to seem serious to the point that I'll look furious. We can have our chit-chat every once in a while but let's concentrate entirely on our lessons."

He replied back, "Okay Vi."

"So. let's start with this session?" I said enthusiastically.

I'm astounded. Someone who had average scores in grade seven is now taking remedial sessions from me. He didn't have any difficulty before but why is he here? And taking remedial sessions?

***

From my brief dream, it showed me someone who I didn't want to encounter. The person I've dreamt of was the person I despised the most.

I picked up the phone and answered the call. It was him again. "Vi, I want to know if you are fine. Please answer me, I already missed you."

Why is he bothering my life again after all these years? Our friendship was purely solid after meeting him but it crumbled from the intense pressure we both felt from our environment.

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