Objection, Ms. Professor

Kabanata 2

First day of being a professor at Resian University felt surreal in a way I couldn’t fully explain.

The hallway I was walking through was wide, quiet, and polished to perfection. cream-colored walls lined with framed academic awards, the floor gleaming so much it reflected the overhead lights. Every step echoed softly, reminding me just how serious and elite this place was.

Professors passed by occasionally, all looking confident and composed, like they had every right to be there.

Habang ako? I felt like I was borrowing someone else’s life.

Habang naglalakad ako, abala ang kamay ko sa loob ng bag, at kinakalkal ang flash drive ko, ma ayos ko namang sinalansan ang lahat kanina bago ako umalis. My fingers brushed past notebooks, pens, charger cords, makeup at sa kung ano-ano pero wala ang hinahanap ko.

My mind was racing, replaying my schedule, my lesson plan, and my introduction for the first class.

Nasaan ba ‘yung flash drive? Doon naka-save ang slides ko. Hindi puwedeng mawala ‘to ngayon.

Dahil sa kaba at pagmamadali, hindi ko namalayang may naka banggaan ako.

The impact was sudden and strong, enough to knock the breath out of my chest. Hindi lang basta bangga, kase sobrang lakas. As in.

I lost my balance completely, my heel sliding against the smooth floor as I fell hard, landing on the ground with a dull thud. Pain shot through my hip, and before I could even process it, the contents of my bag scattered across the hallway.

Papers fluttered to the floor, a notebook slid several inches away, my flash drive rolled near the wall, and my lipstick bounced once before stopping.

Great, Ang aga aga sinusubok talaga ang pasensya ko.

“ANO BA?!” sigaw ko agad, pain and frustration mixing in my voice. “Hindi ka ba tumitingin sa dinadaanan mo?! Bulag ka ba?!”

I was too irritated to even look up. Yumuko ako agad, angrily gathering my things, my movements sharp and careless. The humiliation of falling in the middle of the hallway on my first day already burned my cheeks, and the fact na ni wala man lang kaagad na nag-sorry ang nakabangga ko made it worse.

Imbis na tulungan ako, or humingi man lang ng despensya.

Wala.

The silence stretched.

My irritation grew heavier, settling in my chest like a weight.

I stopped picking up my things and snapped again, my voice louder and sharper, fueled by embarrassment.

“Ano ba naman yan.” sigaw ko ulit. “Hindi ka man lang magso-sorry? Ganyan ba kayong mga students dito? Porket mayayaman kayo, hindi na kayo marunong humingi ng tawad sa mga nakakatanda sa inyo?!”

Hindi ko ugaling sumigaw, pero ito? nakaka banas talaga. Yung tipong ikaw na ang nabangga pero hindi ka man lang tinulungan.

I get it. may kasalanan din ako kase hindi ako naka tingin sa dinaraanan ko. Pero kahit man lang tulong or sorry ay wala eh.

That was when something felt off, There was a kind of silence that didn’t belong to a careless student. it was too controlled, and too deliberate.

I forced myself to focus on retrieving the last of my things, stuffing them back into my bag with trembling hands. Only when everything was finally inside did I straighten my back and slowly stand up.

And then I looked up.

The world seemed to pause.

Standing in front of me was Atty. Resia Hernandez.

She looked even more intimidating up close. She was dressed in a black long-sleeve polo that hugged her form perfectly, paired with a pencil-cut skirt that emphasized her authority. Her hair fell freely down her back, smooth and dark, framing her sharp features. while her arms were crossed over her chest, and one perfectly shaped eyebrow was raised as she looked at me, her expression unreadable, and her eyes calm but piercing.

My knees nearly gave out.

The anger drained from my body instantly, replaced by cold dread that crept up my spine.

Parang gusto ko nalang bumuka ang sahig, tapos lamunin ako pa ilalim.

“Ay..” My throat felt dry as I swallowed hard. “Ma’am ka-kayo po pala hehe. Huwag niyo pong pansinin yung pinag sa-sanabi ko po kanina.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Next time,” she said calmly. “look where you’re going so you don’t run into someone.”

For a split second, my pride flared.

Bakit parang ako lang ang may kasalanan? I thought bitterly. Eh siya naman ang bumangga sa’kin.

But the words stayed trapped in my head. Reality weighed heavier than pride in that moment.

Baka pag sinabi ko direct sa kanya, ay baka yung first day ko ay maging huling araw ko rin agad dito sa R.U.

“Sorry po, Atty.” I said instead, my voice smaller than I wanted it to be.

She didn’t respond right away.

Her gaze lingered on me longer than necessary, and I could feel the scrutiny crawl over my skin. Then her eyes moved downward. slowly, and deliberately until they stopped at my chest.

My heart skipped violently.

She looked away almost immediately, while her jaw tightening slightly before she spoke again, her tone low and restrained.

“Fix your clothes. Your button is open, and your undergarment is visible.”

A rush of heat flooded my face.

I looked down and froze.

The button of my polo was open, and there it was my bra.

Kulay neon green pa.

“AY!” I quickly fastened the button, while my hands shaking. “I–I’m sorry po, Atty.”

Inside my head, panic screamed. Unang araw ko pa lang, and of all days, and of all people sa harap pa talaga niya.

I could feel my ears burning as humiliation settled deep in my chest.

Bakit kasi neon green pa ang nakuha ko sa drawer ko? Of all colors, iyon pa.

Agaw-pansin, sobrang pa-pansin.

She glanced at me again briefly before straightening her posture.

“Go to your office. Your class will start soon.” she said evenly.

She turned slightly, already preparing to leave, then paused. “Before you enter your first class, make sure you look presentable. And make sure nothing is peeking out there.”

She subtly pointed toward my chest without looking, then turned away completely.

I stood there, stunned, unable to say another word as she walked past me, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. And her posture remained flawless, her pace steady, while her face completely neutral.

But as she moved farther away, I noticed something.

The tips of her ears were red.

Pulang pula ito, pati na din ang mukha niya. Hindi rin naka takas sa paningin ko ang bahagyang pagkagat niya sa ibabang labi niya.

I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. First day pa lang, and I had already managed to collide, literally and figuratively with the most powerful woman in the university.

*****

My first class at Resian University felt heavier than I expected. Hindi dahil mahirap ang lesson, dahil kabisado ko na iyon. Hindi rin dahil sa mga estudyante, kase sanay na akong humarap sa mas rowdy, mas pasaway. Ang bigat ay galing sa ideya na bawat galaw ko ngayon ay may katumbas na pagsusukat. Na sa bawat salitang bibitawan ko, ay may standard na kailangang abutin.

The classroom itself was intimidating in its own way. Spacious, air-conditioned, rows of sleek desks arranged perfectly, and a large digital board that lit up the room with soft white light. The students looked polished. branded bags, neat uniforms and confident posture. They didn’t look like they doubted their place here.

Ako lang yata ang ganoon.

“Good morning,” bati ko, while forcing a steady tone as I stood in front of them. “I’m Professor Alessia Guerrero.”

May mga nagbulungan, may tumango at may ngumiti. I took that as a good sign.

As I began discussing the syllabus, I slowly relaxed. The rhythm came back to me. the familiar cadence of teaching, the way my hands moved naturally as I explained concepts, the way I made eye contact, and the way I injected small jokes to keep them engaged.

This was my comfort zone.

For a moment, nakalimutan ko kung nasaan ako.

Until may kumatok na nagpatigil sa pag tuturo ko sa harap.

The sound echoed through the room.

I paused mid-sentence.

“Excuse me.” sabi ko, and walking toward the door.

Pagbukas ko ay tumambad sa akin si Atty. Resia.

She stood there calmly, dressed in neutral tones this time. still sharp and still intimidating. Her presence alone seemed to suck the air out of the hallway. Students nearest the door straightened instantly, whispers dying down like someone had flipped a switch.

“Good morning, Atty.” bati ko agad, surprised but respectful.

“Good morning, Professor.” she replied coolly.

My heart skipped, but I kept my composure. “May I ask po kung anong kailangan ninyo?”

“I’ll be observing your class.” she said simply.

Wala nang paliwanag, at wala ring tanong.

Before I could even respond, she stepped inside.

There was nothing I could do but nod.

She walked toward the back of the classroom, her heels clicking softly against the floor, then sat down in one of the empty seats. Wala siyang dalang folder, notebook, o tablet. phone lang ang hawak niya, resting casually on her lap.

That somehow made it worse.

Observation without notes felt more.. personal.

I returned to the front, and swallowing hard. “As I was saying..” I continued, trying to sound normal.

But I wasn’t.

Every move suddenly felt deliberate. Every word felt like it was being weighed. I could feel her presence behind me. unmoving and watching. Parang may ilaw na nakatutok sa likod ko, kahit hindi ko siya tinitingnan.

I wrote something on the board, then erased it, suddenly conscious of how I stood. I adjusted my posture, my voice and my pacing.

Hindi ako mapakali.

Kalma lang, Alessia. Nag-oobserve lang siya. Hindi ka kakainin niyan.

Still, my palms were slightly damp, and

the students noticed it too. Their eyes kept flicking toward the back of the room, curiosity written all over their faces. Some sat straighter and others looked nervous.

To ease the tension, I smiled.

“Relax lang kayo.” sabi ko. “Ako lang to.”

A few students laughed softly. That was when a hand shot up.

“Yes?” I said, pointing to a boy in the second row.

He grinned, clearly feeling brave. “Prof, may asawa na po kayo?”

The class erupted into light laughter and

I laughed too. natural and unbothered.

This kind of banter was nothing new to me.

“Wala nga eh,” sabi ko ng pabiro. “Bibigyan n’yo ba ako?”

Tapos nagtawanan silang lahat, may mga nagtutuksuan na crush daw nila ako.

The boy leaned back in his chair, grinning wider. “Pwede po ba akong mag-apply, prof?”

Before I could even reply, a book fell to the floor.

The sound was loud enough to silence the room instantly.

Lahat kami napalingon sa likod.

Atty. Resia sitting there, her face was blank. no anger, no irritation and no amusement. Just cold neutrality. And the book that had fallen lay at her feet.

She looked directly at the student.

“This is not a flirting school,” she said, her voice calm but sharp. “If you want to flirt, enroll somewhere else. Not in my university.”

The air in the room turned heavy and

the boy went pale.

“I–I’m sorry po,” he stammered, bowing his head. “Pasensya na po, Atty.”

Silence followed.

I felt my chest tighten.

I turned toward her, while nerves buzzing. “I’m sorry po, Atty.” I said carefully. “Okay lang naman po sa akin. Katuwaan lang naman po namin ‘yon para ma-less yung kaba nila.”

She stood up slowly.

“I don’t care,” she said flatly. “Do not allow your students to flirt with you.”

Her gaze flicked to me. Like sharp and warning.

Before I could respond, she walked out.

The door slammed shut behind her and

the sound echoed.

No one spoke.

I stood there, and stunned, while my heart racing, and my thoughts tangled in confusion, embarrassment, and something else I didn’t want to name.

Anong problema niya? at bakit parang galit siya?

I cleared my throat.

“Alright,” I said softly, forcing a smile. “Let’s continue.”

But my focus was gone.

And so was she.