The Wayward Daughter

Chapter 18

JOAQUIN MENDIOLA, isang English instructor sa isang institute sa Quezon City, madalas tuksuhin ng kapwa instructors na maraming estudyante ang nahuhumaling sa gandang lalaki niya. Kakaunti lang ang tinatanggap niyang klase dahil sa nature ng trabaho niya bilang isang musikero. Pagpasok niya lang ng building nila na may anim na palapag, marami na ang bumabati sa kanya mula sa guwardiya.

‘Sir Joaquin’ siya sa paaralan, pero madalas ay Sinatra Blue ang tawag sa kanya ng mga nakakakilala sa kanya sa labas.

He chose not to talk about his career as a musician between his co-instructors but they are well aware of his reputation, however little it may be.

He doesn’t engage his students with talks of gigs and which bar he frequents or what event he’s doing tonight. It doesn’t sit right with him that they are too close for comfort. Although his media presence doesn't hide the fact of his whereabouts, he kind of wanted to ignore those familiar faces just because.

Sometimes he would nod, smile, and wave, but that’s it.

Ngayong semester ay tatlong klase lang ang hawak niya. Panay irregular students ang mga naka-enroll dahil kahit sino naman ay pwedeng kumuha ng English 1 unit. Ito ang madalas bumuhay sa kanya, ang hanapbuhay na regular siyang sumasahod.

He likes teaching, it wasn’t a calling but it’s a nice feeling to teach young minds while they’re still fresh out of high school, just the right balance of foolishness and boldness.

One thing he learns from years of teaching is that he has to make it interesting for his students to be engaged.

And it’s not different from performing.

At school, he follows the curriculum, but not to an extent. He wants them to be focused but also having fun, enough reason to attend school.

May mga estudyante kasing pagkatapos ng isang semestre, mawawala na lang, hindi na makakasalubong sa pasilyo ng maliit nilang building.

Kaunti lang naman ang populasyon ng mga mag-aaral nila at kabisado at kilala niya ang mga hinawakan at hinahawakang mga estudyante. Tinuturing niyang isang tagumpay ang makitang makapagtapos ang mga estudyante niya. There’s no greater feeling than that as a teacher. Over time he made it his ultimate goal.

Kaya ganoon na lang ang atake niya sa pagtuturo.

He wants them to stay in school, graduate, find work and not struggle in life. All Joaquin knew about was to struggle in life. He’s tired of it.

But he doesn’t have a choice.

What else could he have done differently? This was always a hard question for him.

Kahit pagbaliktarin man ang mundo, hindi niya isusuko ang musika. Pero sa ibang pagkakataon, gusto niyang hilingin na sana hindi ito ang naging first love niya sa buhay. He could have chosen a different path. Sell his parents’ house and lot, pursue masters abroad, upskill, build his curriculum, and hopefully land a job he wouldn’t hate doing until retirement.

But no, it was always singing and performing.

He grew up watching Robert Powell-Richardson, the American singer-songwriter who gave many hits albums after albums. His groove and charisma on TV was a sight to behold. The way he would tease and encourage the audience to dance, his waist following the beat of his song. Of course, RPR doesn’t only sing. He could also dance and he’s great at it.

Joaquin’s dancing skills were 404. Cannot be found.

He resorted to learning the guitar. He tried acoustic guitar first.

His thinking was, it can’t only be singing he’s good at. There must be something else that people could relate to, find him enjoyable because not only he could sing, he could also finger a guitar, at that.

But he’s not Robert Powell-Richardson, son of a famous singer before him, with wealth that could make him a stay-at-home dude.

He’s only Joaquin Mendiola, an English teacher by day—this was his first job ever since he graduated college, his means to pursue his love for music, and it was because of this job that he could do whatever he wants as Sinatra Blue who rages about old timey songs of the country, sadly still without an original song because unlike Robert, his idol, he also couldn’t write his own songs—and a singer who would go by Sinatra Blue and women would be drawn to his name, his stage name flows smoothly, it rolls, it’s pretentious but it fu/cks.

He thought he would be a performer for all types of casual listeners, but it was mostly women. They like his looks, and his singing comes second.

Joaquin chuckled at the thought.

It was his branding that came first, his face value second, then at the lame spot, the third spot, his singing prowess.

Joaquin sighed deeply as he continued to grade his students’ papers. He still has two classes’ worth of test papers to check.

“Sir Joaquin, lunch break na, sabay ka na sa amin?” tanong ng isang co-instructor niya mula sa likuran. Nang lumingon siya ay nasa pinto na ang iba pang instructors, hinihintay ang kanyang sagot.

He shook his head. “Mauna na kayo. Marami pa akong tatapusin.”

“Saglit na lang ‘yan, balikan mo na lang,” anang isa pa nilang kasamahan.

“Hindi na, tatapusin ko na para wala na akong nakabinbing trabaho,” aniya.

Nang makaalis ang mga ito ay inilabas niya ang baunan at nagsimulang kumain habang isinisabay ang pag-check ng midterms ng unang klase na hawak niya.

Casual lang ang pakikitungo niya sa ibang instructors, dahil pagkatapos ng trabaho ay agad naman siyang umaalis. Hindi pa siya nakapag-hang kasama ang mga ito. Uma-attend siya ng mga parties na isinasagawa ng institute pero hanggang doon lang.

Sa isip-isip niya, wala siyang makita na posibleng makapagpalawak ng network niya. Pero hindi niya naman isinasara ang pinto tungkol sa usaping iyon. Baka isang araw ay surpresahin na lang siya at may mag-imbita sa kanya sa isang magarbong okasyon at doon siya madidiskubre.

Wishful thinking.

Pero wala namang imposible.

Narinig niyang bumukas ang pinto ng opisina, nasundan ng yapak ng paa, at dalawang katok sa nakabukas na pinto.

Lumingon siya at nakita niya ang transferred student na si Charlotte. Irreg din ang isang ito. Now this one is an eye candy. But all Joaquin could see was her use of broadening his network. Charlotte knows people, her family is in the industry, and she uses it to her advantage.

She’s not failing English 1 but she always makes excuses to see him in private, or after classes when everyone else left the classroom.

One could say Charlotte is drop-dead gorgeous. Her long, shiny hair was styled into curls, plump lips that were way too glossy, great, big racks, sexy love handles. They don’t wear uniforms in this school so he knows what he’s talking about.

But she’s way too young. And he’s not a cradle snatcher. Youngins are not his type.

But his co-instructors? They would kill for her type. It’s definitely frowned upon and disgusting, and he always shuts them down when her name is mentioned, or any other girls’ student’s name.

“Good morning, sir,” ang bati ni Charlotte, nasundan iyon ng isang magandang ngiti.

He smiled back. “Good morning. Ano ang kailangan mo?” he asked, trying to sound busy.

He could smell her faint scent.

She walked closer to his desk. “How would you like to perform again in our restaurant next week?”

Hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa papel na binibigyan ng grado, saglit niya lang itong tiningnan mula sa gilid ng mata. “I don’t want to ask in exchange of what. I’m not interested.”

The first time he was offered to play at their place, his ‘payment’ was exposure. The moment he stepped off the stage, got in the dressing room to rest for a bit, Charlotte popped in and brought him a cup of cold water. He was halfway chugging it when Charlotte leaned closer and whispered something in his ears.

All he understood was she wanted to have se/x with him.

And that was it. He bolted as fast as he could.

Charlotte was always liking his social media’s posts, always commenting, and sharing it.

She knew of him before he could get to know her. She’s aggressive, that one.

“Why not? My dad’s friends would be there. They’re publicists, they could write about you,” she said sweetly, touched his shoulder for a bit, then took it upon herself to get a chair so she could sit beside him. “Pretty please?” sabi pa nito.

Umisang subo pa siya sa baon niya saka iyon niligpit.

“Hey, finish your food…” si Charlotte.

Isinunod niyang iligpit ang mga nagkalat na test papers.

“Are you leaving na?” wika pa ni Charlotte sabay hawak sa kanyang braso. “Come on, Sinatra Blue, you have to go. This could be your moment.”

Iwinaksi niya ang kamay nito. “Touch me again or I’ll kill you,” matigas na sabi niya.

Hindi nito inasahan ang sinabi niya. Natameme ito at pinapanood lang ang pagliligpit na ginagawa niya. Mas lalo niyang binilisan ang pagkilos, at bago pa muling makabawi si Charlotte ay palabas na siya ng opisina.

Hinabol siya nito at itinulak pasara ang pinto.

Sa sobrang lakas niyon ay natakot siya na baka may pumasok para i-check kung anong nangyayari sa loob ng opisina.

Charlotte pressed her body against him, grabbed his neck, but before she could say and do anything, he knocked her hand out of the way.

Muli niyang binuksan ang pinto at naglakad palayo. Hindi na siya lumingon.