THEODORO RAVONTE III [SPG]

CHAPTER 5

Tiningnan ko ang tinutukoy niya at nakita si Chelseah na nakangiti habang papalapit sa'min. She looks like a model in her floral spaghetti strap dress na hanggang hita tapos nakasuot ng crisscross ankle strap wedge platforms sandals.

Chelseah has a natural wavy red and brown hair, upturned eyes, pointed nose and natural pink lips. She looks expensive in her Chanel black quilted caviar leather backpack bag and accessories.

What you can say about her? She's the daughter of the owner of the most expensive publishing magazine here in the Philippines.

Chelseah got it all. Beauty, brain, sexy, sweetness, and fame.

"Well! Well! Kumusta ang 'mapansin ni Gus' plan mo?" bungad na tanong sa kanya ni Trevis ng makaupo siya sa tabi ko.

Chelseah just sweetly smiled at him. "Not really successful though, pero nagtanong-tanong pa ako sa mga taong kilala siya," she sweetly said.

"Look, Chelseah. Do you think Gus will notice you? The only girl he's talking to and close to be with is your half-sister, Kreselle," Trevis sarcastically said.

Nawala ang matamis na ngiti sa labi ni Chelseah at sumimangot na umirap kay Trevis. "Stop ruining my mood, Trev! I already know that and I couldn't just accepted it!" inis na sambit niya. "I mean, all of the girls in our campus, why her? Grabe naman talaga ang tadhana sa akin."

"Chel, chill," I said, patting her shoulder to make her calm.

"Baka isipin pa ni Gus, kaya ka lang lumalapit sa kanya para maghiganti sa half-sister mo. Ikaw pa naman?" natawa si Trevis sa huling sinabi.

Cheli pouted her lips before rolling her eyes at him again. "Ang sama mo sa'kin!" nagtatampong sambit nito kay Trevis. "I like Gus for sure, Trevis. Hindi lang dahil sa kapatid kong anak sa labas. Wala akong pakialam pa sa kanya. I want to know Gus."

"Kung papansin ka niya," mapanuya na sabi ni Trevis. "but if you really like him, then I can't do anything about it. Just a piece of advice since you're my friend, Chel." naging seryoso ang tono ni Trevis. "ang kagaya ni Gus, mahirap pasukin ang looban n'yan. He looks like he's hard to read and the type of guy who wants to finish his studies first before entertaining girls."

Tumango-tango ako sa sinabi ni Trevis. I turned my head to Chelseah. "Just be careful, Chel. It looks like you're really serious about him, but don't forget yourself too. Ayokong nakikitang nasasaktan ka," malumanay na payo ko sa kanya.

"Ang cute-cute naman ng mga kaibigan ko," now, she acted like she was crying. "you guys are really the best! Nakaka-touch ang payo niyo, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm gonna make August Jameson Chavez fall for me harder to the point that he can't live without me by his side. Fighting, Elisse Chelseah Bennett!" aniya bago niyukom ang dalawang kamao.

Parehas kaming napailing ni Trevis sa sinabi niya. Kahit na mukhang mataray ang babaeng 'to, napaka-clingy niya at hyper.

She's the sweetness sa aming tatlo. Lahat ng gusto niya nasusunod dahil nga nag-iisang anak ng mga Bennett. She grew up independently dahil nasa Amerika ang Mommy niya. While her Father left them when she was young.

Kaya galit siya sa Tatay niya. Ginamit lang nito ang Mommy niya para magkapera at iniwan nang malaman na may anak ito sa pagkabinata. Pero kahit na ganoon, lumaki si Chelseah na mabait na tao.

Nang dumating ang alas-nuebe ng umaga'y agad kaming umalis at naglakad na kami ni Chelseah para pumasok sa unang subject namin.

"Have you heard the news?" she excitedly asked while we're walking.

Kaming dalawa na lang ang magkasama dahil malayo sa department namin ang chem engineering kung saan ang department ni Trevis.

"Naaksidente raw si Mr. Cruz, kaya ang pamangkin niya ang magiging sub professor natin habang wala siya," she happily said before she giggled. "and guess what? I've heard that Mr. Cruz nephew is drophead gorgeous and hot!" she exclaimed.

Huminto ako sa paglalakad at tiningnan siya bago tinaas ang isang kilay. "Akala ko ba seryoso ka kay Gus? Why are you excited about our so-called sub professor?"

"I'm just excited since you know Mr. Cruz, Cel. He's strict and very private person. Hindi ko alam na may gwapong kamag-anak pala siya," she smiled sweetly. "but, Gus is still the most handsome man I've ever seen. Walang kapantay! Walang kupas!"

Nagkibit ako ng balikat bago nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. "Bakit naman kaya na aksidente si Sir. Cruz?" takang tanong ko.

Nakita ko ang department namin. Marami na ring estudyante dahil pasukan na. Actually, late na nga kami, eh.

"Ewan," nagkibit siya ng balikat. "pero taga Ateneo raw ang pamangkin niya," sagot ni Chelseah habang paakyat kami building.

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. "Taga ibang school, pero magiging sub professor natin? How come?" I furrowed.

Something's fishy naman.

"I don't know, but maybe power?"

Nagkibit balikat na lang ako bago kami papasok na dapat sa room namin when our professor is already inside our room. Ngunit hindi ako roon nagulat.

I was shocked because the man who's standing in front of our classroom is Theodoro Ravonte III!

His blue eyes went to us and to mine, sending shivers down to my spine. Agad akong kinabahan dahil sa uri ng tingin niya.

"You're late, Ms. Cohan and…" buong boses na wika niya bago muling tumingin sa papel. Siguro attendance. "Ms. Bennett."

Nahigit ko ang hininga habang nakatingin sa kanya. Oh my God! Don't tell me, he's Mr. Cruz nephew? And he's gonna be our sub professor!

Oh s**t!

Is this even real?!

Siya talaga?!

"Ms. Cohan?" napaigtad ako sa muling pagtawag niya sa apelyido ko.

Kinakabahan na tumingin ako sa kanya. "Y-yes, Theo? I-I mean... Sir?"

He looked at me, straight into my eyes. Pakiramdam ko tuloy nagkaputol-putol lahat ng internal organs ko dahil sa tingin niya.

"I am asking, why are you late?" tanong niya bago nagtaas ng kilay. "care to explain to me?"

Napalabi ako. "Ahm..." humigpit ang hawak ko sa dalang libro. "S-Sir... because..."

"Because?"

'Wag kang tumingin sa'kin ng gan'yan! Nawawala ako sa sarili!

"Sir. Ravonte, we're so sorry that Celeste and I are late," si Chelseah na ang nagsalita. "na traffic po kasi kami papunta rito."

Theo looked at Chelseah. "You should be here on time next time," kalmadong sabi niya bago muling tumingin sa'kin na akala mo natatae dahil pinagpapawisan ako. "go and take your seat now. We have a lot of things to discuss."

Napayuko ako bago kami sabay na umupo ni Chelseah. Nang makaupo'y agad akong bumuga ng hangin bago mariin na napapikit.

I want to slap myself for being stupid in front of him! Hindi ko nga alam bakit ako nagkakaganito sa kanya, tapos ngayon magiging sub professor pa namin siya?

How can I survive everyday when he's our sub professor!?