Please, My Professor

Chapter 6

“I'm glad your doing well, Prof. Kenny." Tanging nasabi na lamang niya sa kaniyang professor habang nakatingin ito sa kaniya. Even how much he tried to dig deeper down into her soul, he couldn't do it. How he wished he could read minds, then perhaps he would understand what this strange stares of her. And maybe there was a reason behind, that no matter how much we tried, we were not born to deceive others. We were born to be good.

Sometimes, we often think that everything we do is base on reason. Perhaps, Kevin have also thought of it million of times, that there must be a reason lurking behind all of this.

“Hmmm…” Tugon naman ng kaniyang professor habang nakatitig ito sa kaniya ng malalim. Parang huminto ang mundo nya knowing how his professor looked at him, so hot.

“Are you feeling good, Kenny?" Tanong ni Prof. Jayon sa katrabaho niya. Sure he was so worried about her. It was clear in his certain.

Oftentimes, when we look at something so certain, we never doubt it because there is nothing to be doubted. And that's quite a principle that governs us, that if there is something so clear and lucid as not to be doubted, that's the time we have to believe. But believing is a doubt, as they say. We only believe when we are not sure of it. Believing and knowing is a different thing. We cannot believe that we have parents, we know we have parents. And that's the real deal. If there is something so clear and lucid as not to be doubted, that's not the time to believe, that's the time to say we have knowledge about it. We cannot believe what we already know. And perhaps, Kevin, he believe there was something wrong with him and his professor Kenny. He was not sure.

Napalingon naman si professor Kenny kay professor Jayon at bilang tugon ay tumango lang ito sa kaniya.

Some faculties thought that professor Kenny and Jayon had a secret relationship, but the truth is that they are best friends. Siya lang palaging nakakasama ni Prof. Kenny and knows all about her. They know each other way back on their college life. Matagal na silang magkaibagan at nauna lang ng dalawang taon si Prof. Jayon sa kaniya, kaya ganoon na lang ang pag-aalala ng nito sa kaniya.

Pumasok naman sa loob ng room ang isang nurse at kasama si Doc. Glen– ang doctor ng school clinic.

“Mabuti naman at nagising kana, ma'am Kenny. We're so worried about you." Ani nito sa nakahigang professor.

“Hmmm…salamat ha, Doc. Glen. Kung hindi dahil sa inyo baka natuluyan na ako.”

" Ano ka ba? ‘Wag ka ngang magsalita ng ganiyan.” Sagot naman nito at napalingon kay Frances at sinabing lumabas na lang daw muna sila dahil may importanti silang pag-uusapan.

Nang makalabas ay naghintay na lang ang dalawa sa holding area habang si Kevin naman ay panay pa rin ang pag-aalala sa kaniyang professor.

Sa loob ng room, habang nag-uusap sila Doc. Glen, ay pumasok naman ang isa pang doctor.

“So you're awake…” Napalingon ang lahat sa may pintuan, at napatayo si Doc. Glen sa kaniyang pagkakaupo sa kama.

" Doc. Zam…ah…this is Doc. Zamoras. Siya ang tumulong sa ating dito sa ospital."

“Thank you, Doc. Zam." Ani naman agad ni professor Jayon at bilang tugon at tumango lamang ito sa kaniya.

" So, Ms. Kenny, sure you already know why you're here, right?” Sabi ni Doc. Zam kay professor Kenny na ngayon ay nakatulala lang sa may bintana at pinagmamasdan ang alapaap sa kalangitan.

" The cancer cells in your blood have spread rapidly. You have stage 4 leukemia, Ms. Kenny. And kaya ko sinasabi sa’yo ‘to ay alam kung matagal mo ng alam na may cancer ka.” Yumuko ang doctor ng dahan-dahan, at bago pa man niya itinaas ang kaniyang tingin sa pinagmamasdang ulap ni Prof. Kenny ay sinabi niya ang pinakanakakatakot na marinig ng isang tao. “ You only have at least a year to live, Ms. Kenny. "

Nabigla naman si Prof. Jayon sa kaniyang narinig. Si Doc. Glen naman, ang Doctor na assigned sa school clinic ay napayuko na lang din.

“Do-doc Zam…wala na bang ibang paraan pa?” Tanong ni Prof. Jayon sa kaniya. Halata sa kaniyang boses ang pangamba at pagkabahala. He was really nervous, and don't know what to do. Perhaps, that's what natural instincts does when facing trying times.

" We all know that cancel is incurable.”

" How about operation? Transplant? Wala bang ibang paraan!?” Napatingin siya kay Doc. Glen, malalim ito ay tila naghahanap ng kasagutan sa kaniyang mga katanungan.

" Doc. Glen? Wala bang ibang paraan!?”

" Meron…" Sagot ng doctor.

“We can operate bone-marrow transplantation, ngunit kailangan natin ng donor na match sa DNA ni professor Kenny."

“Then we'll find some, Doc Glen. Hahanap tayo!"

“Bone-marrow transplantation has 50% successful rate." Sagot naman ng isang Doctor.

“Napakaliit ng chance na mag success ang isang bone-marrow transplantation. It's very risky."

“What!? Are we gonna wait for that moment to come!? Ganun na lang!? Hihintayin nating may mangyari pang masama!?”

" Jayon!” Nagulat naman ang professor ng bigla niyang marinig ang boses ni Prof. Kenny.

“Stop it." Ani pa niya. “I have to accept it. This is my fate."

“No…no…no… Kenny! We have to find a donor, okay? We'll find so…!?

" Jayon!” She interrupted him.

" Ke-kenny?” Malumanay na sabi nito habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Hindi niya maatim na makita ang kaniyang kaibigan na nahihirapan.

Mahirap isipin, ngunit sa totoo lang, iilan lamang ang nakakaalam ng tunay na kahulugan ng katapangan. Hindi ang pangarap sa panganin sa ngalan ng ipinaglalaban. Hindi sa pamamagitan ng maduging pakikibaka, kundi sa pamamagitan ng malayang pagtanggap sa katotohanan. Sometimes, the truth hurts so bad that you could even wish you never knew it at all. It is better to hurt by the truth, rather than being comforted by a lie.

“Tama na, Jayon…” Dagdag pa ni Professor Kenny habang dahan-dahang pumapatak ang kaniyang mga luha. Malayo man ang kaniyang tingin, ngunit nararamdaman ng kapaligiran ang kaniyang pagdaramdam. Nasasaktan siya, at nahihirapang tanggalin ang katotohanan, ngunit ano pa ba ang dapat niyang gawin? It is hard to trust with a little bit of chance, maybe.

" I've been enduring this for almost 5 years, Jayon. Ang you know how much I tried to live. I had enough. Long before this time comes, I already accepted the fate that God had given to me. We can do nothing about this, Jayon."

" Huh!” Napahiyaw ang professor sa narinig niya mula sa kaniyang kaibigan.

" Ke-Kenny? We can win it. I know we c…"

“Jayon!" Lumingon sa kaniya ang professor habang pumapatak sa kaniyang mga pisnge ang kaniyang mga luha.

“Please, do not make thing more complicated to me.” She took s deep sigh, gazed up, then leaned back and forth, to him.

" You know how much I wanna work with you. With this institution. This is my passion– teaching. I want to work ‘til the day comes, please.”

She looked at him, locked her eyes up as her tears dropped.

" Jayon, this might be the my last request."