Lessons of the Heart

CHAPTER 3: LINES AND LENSES

Aftermath of the Mall Encounter

Pag-uwi nina Lena at ang barkada mula sa mall, tahimik lang si Lena habang naglalakad papunta sa dorm. Si Aliza, Faith, Elizabeth, at Mary, siyempre, hindi papayag na hindi nila mapansin na may nangyaring kakaiba kay Lena kanina.

"Girl, kanina ka pa tahimik. Hindi pa ba obvious?" Aliza started, teasing, while walking beside Lena. "Admit it, nagulat ka kay Sir Rivera, di ba?"

Lena rolled her eyes, pero hindi niya maiwasang maalala ang nakita. "Wala akong issue, okay? Hindi ko lang in-expect na makikita ko siya doon sa mall."

"Oo nga, di ba?" Faith joined in, "And then with that woman pa. Sino kaya siya, noh? Close sila, parang they're having so much fun."

Lena let out a small sigh, trying her best to stay calm. "Baka colleague lang niya. Or maybe family? Hindi ko naman alam ang personal life niya, di ba?"

Elizabeth, who had been quiet until then, looked at Lena with raised eyebrows. "Are you sure, Lena? Baka may ibang... feelings ka na hindi mo lang na-explain sa sarili mo."

Lena was a bit taken aback by that. "Wala akong feelings, Elizabeth," she said quickly. "Tulad nga ng sinabi ko, wala akong issue. Medyo weird lang makita siya na ganun, yun lang."

"Sure ka lang?" Mary teased, grinning from ear to ear. "Baka siya na nga, girl. If I were you, curious ako kung sino siya. I mean, imagine mo—Sir Rivera, chill na chill, laughing with someone, tapos ikaw nandiyan lang sa mall, feeling awkward."

Lena rolled her eyes again. "Maya, wala talaga akong problema," she said, but her voice wavered slightly. "Please, focus na tayo sa report natin sa Ecology. We still need to finish it, okay?"

Maya threw up her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Pero kung ako ikaw, hindi ko kayang hindi mag-isip. Ang hirap i-imagine si Sir Rivera na nagla-laugh casually. It's like a whole new vibe na hindi ko kayang i-process."

Hindi na sumagot si Lena. Instead, she grabbed her notebook and started scanning their notes for the upcoming lecture. Pero kahit anong pilit niya, hindi niya maalis sa isip ang image ni Dr. Rivera na nakangiti, relaxed, at medyo kakaiba. Hindi siya sigurado kung anong nararamdaman niya, pero alam niyang nag-iiba ang tingin niya sa professor.

___

The next General Ecology class arrived, and as usual, Dr. Rivera took the lead in preparing for their upcoming field trip. His voice was authoritative and steady as he wrote detailed instructions on the whiteboard.

"Class, this fieldwork is crucial. You'll apply everything we've discussed about ecosystems and nutrient cycling. Groups will be assigned randomly to simulate real-world teamwork." He paused for a moment to look at all of them. "No one will be working alone. I want everyone to contribute equally. This is an opportunity for you to learn how to cooperate and collaborate."

Aliza whispered to Lena from behind, "Ay, sana group kita, girl. Kawawa ako kung hindi tayo magkasama. I swear, I'm just here for the vibe and snacks."

Lena chuckled lightly, trying to focus. "Focus ka muna, Aliza. Alright? We'll see who we get."

Dr. Rivera began calling out names one by one, assigning students to different groups. Unfortunately for Aliza, they weren't grouped together. Lena ended up with two classmates, Rina and Joseph—both of whom she didn't know well.

"Looks like we're partners," Rina said with a polite smile, adjusting her glasses.

"Yeah, let's do our best," Lena replied, matching her enthusiasm as much as she could.

Just then, Dr. Rivera's voice cut through the chatter. "Miss Lena," he called, making everyone pause. "You'll lead the data collection for this group. Familiar ka naman sa methodology, correct?"

"Yes, Sir," Lena answered confidently, but inside, her chest fluttered a little. Hindi niya alam kung dahil sa excited siya, or dahil sa pagiging nervous na siya lang ang na-assign na leader sa group nila.

Aliza, who was in a different group, leaned over and mouthed, "Special mention ka na naman, girl!"

Lena couldn't help but smile slightly at Aliza's teasing but quickly turned her attention back to her notes. "Focus na tayo sa checklist natin, guys," she said, trying to divert her thoughts back to the task at hand.

Elizabeth, sitting near her, caught her eye. "You sure you're okay with leading the data collection? I mean, you're basically running the show."

Lena gave a small nod, though a part of her felt uncertain. "Yeah, I think so. I mean, I've done it before, so it should be fine." But in truth, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a regular class project for her. Something felt off since the mall incident, and now that she was being given such an important role, she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Mary, sitting across from her, smirked. "Galing mo naman, Lena. Sir Rivera really trusts you, huh? I bet he noticed something special about you."

Lena's cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly masked it by focusing on the task at hand. "Let's just get this fieldwork done, okay? We need to be prepared for whatever's coming next."

The rest of the lecture proceeded, but Lena's mind kept drifting back to the mall, to Dr. Rivera, and the odd sense of disconnection she felt now. Why did it feel so strange to see him outside the classroom? And more importantly, why was it bothering her so much?

As the class ended, her friends surrounded her, teasing her lightly about her "special role," but inside, Lena couldn't shake the unease. There was something about Dr. Rivera that was changing in her mind, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it yet.

___

Fieldwork day arrived, and their class gathered at the designated mangrove site—a sprawling ecosystem where dense roots seemed to weave into the water, creating a labyrinth of life. It was a humid morning, the salty tang of the sea mixing with the earthy scent of the mangroves. Lena adjusted her cap, trying to keep the sweat from trickling down her forehead. Excitement buzzed in the air, though it was weighed down by the seriousness of the task ahead.

Dr. Rivera, as expected, stood at the forefront of the group. His dark polo shirt and khaki pants were neat despite the sticky weather. He held a clipboard, his piercing gaze sweeping across the students. Lena couldn't help but straighten her posture, clutching her notebook tighter.

"Huwag niyong kalimutang i-calibrate ang instruments niyo. Accuracy is everything," he reminded them, his voice firm yet calm. "We'll be analyzing the water quality, biodiversity, and salinity levels in different quadrants. Make sure na walang data gaps."

The class responded in unison, "Yes, Sir."

"Miss Lena," he added, his gaze landing directly on her, "I'll expect a detailed methodology from your group in your final report."

"Yes, Sir," Lena replied, trying not to sound too flustered.

Aliza, from behind her, leaned in and whispered, "Bakit parang lagi kang target? Kilig ka no?"

"Focus, Aliza," Lena muttered, though her lips twitched into a faint smile.

The students broke into their respective groups, setting up their equipment near the designated quadrants. Lena's team—Rina and Joseph—seemed cooperative enough, though Lena quickly took charge.

"Okay, let's start with the salinity readings," Lena instructed. She handed the refractometer to Joseph and monitored the setup of the quadrat sampling frame with Rina.

"Lena, ikaw na lang mag-take ng notes," Rina suggested. "Mas maayos handwriting mo."

"Sure," Lena replied, already jotting down the initial observations. The rhythmic sound of water lapping against the roots was soothing, but Lena remained focused.

Dr. Rivera moved between groups, his presence a quiet but commanding force. As he approached their group, Lena felt a twinge of nervous energy.

"Miss Lena," he said, crouching to examine their notes. "You've missed recording the salinity levels for this quadrant. Ensure na walang data gaps, understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Lena answered quickly, grabbing her pen to make the corrections. She felt her cheeks flush, though she wasn't sure why.

"Good," Dr. Rivera said, nodding before moving on to the next group.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Aliza's voice floated from a nearby group. "Girl, seryoso ka na naman. Parang finals na agad!"

Lena turned to glare at her friend. "Shut up, Aliza," she hissed, but the small smile on her lips gave her away.

"Hmm, noted!" Aliza teased, mimicking Lena's professional tone.

The sun climbed higher in the sky, making the humidity almost unbearable. Lena's shirt clung to her back as she and her group trudged through the muddy terrain, carefully collecting water samples and cataloging their observations. Despite the challenges, Lena found herself fully immersed in the work.

"Ang init," Rina complained, wiping her forehead. "How much longer, Lena?"

"Last quadrant na tayo," Lena replied, checking her notes. "We just need the pH and biodiversity counts here."

Joseph sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Akala ko mag-sunset na tayo dito."

Dr. Rivera reappeared just as they were wrapping up. He glanced at their setup, then at Lena's notebook. "Good progress. But double-check your biodiversity counts before submitting. Sometimes, small errors go unnoticed."

"Yes, Sir. We'll do that," Lena replied, her voice steady despite her racing thoughts.

Dr. Rivera gave a small nod before addressing the entire class. "Pack up your materials properly. I expect comprehensive analyses in your reports by next week."

As they began walking back to the bus, Faith sidled up to Lena.

"Alam mo, parang special ka kay Sir," Faith whispered conspiratorially.

Lena frowned. "Wala yun, Faith. Standard lang na teacher-student interaction."

"Standard ba 'yung lagi kang chine-check?" Elizabeth teased, raising an eyebrow. "Baka naman—"

"Maya, stop," Lena interrupted, though her cheeks burned.

"Eh bakit namumula ka?" Elizabeth teased again, laughing when Lena swatted her arm.

Back on the bus, Lena found herself staring out the window, the rhythmic hum of the engine lulling her into thought. She replayed the day's events in her mind, from the focused fieldwork to Dr. Rivera's occasional comments.

It was nothing, she told herself. Dr. Rivera was simply doing his job, ensuring everyone was performing well. Still, there was an inexplicable weight in her chest—a mix of pride and confusion.

"Lena," Mary called from the seat behind her. "Huwag mo masyadong dibdibin. Malay mo, mas gusto niya lang talaga na magaling ka kasi ikaw 'yung bet niyang maging top student."

"Huh? Hindi naman ako nag-o-overthink," Lena lied, adjusting her cap to hide her face.

"Sure ka? Kasi kung ako ikaw, iba na iisipin ko, lalo na kung gano'n ka ka-close ang prof ko," Mary teased, raising her eyebrows.

Lena shook her head, pretending to be annoyed. "Mary, ang ingay mo. Matulog ka na lang kaya."

"Fine, pero eto lang last na—aminin mo, na-inspire ka kay Sir Rivera today."

Lena didn't respond. Instead, she buried herself in her notebook, jotting down thoughts for their upcoming report. But Mary's words lingered, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the image of Dr. Rivera's intense gaze from her mind.