Why Does Love Hurt?

Mariely is already in her class today.

These kids really surprise me every day. She just thought to herself, noticing that it was doing tasks on its own, like cleaning, and she also noticed that it was following the school's policy of wearing a complete uniform.

She knew she wasn't that strict with her subordinates, but she was pleased that she was finally gaining the children's respect. Not all, but she sees improvement.

She just smiled. She sometimes fights, but she's here to help the youth.

"Good morning." Mariely greeted the students immediately.

They stood up and greeted her as well. She called out the students' names one by one.

"Mendez, Shaina." She announces the name of one of her students.

The other students, especially the women, looked at each other.

"Ma'am, her mom sent this; it's an excuse letter." It said this and immediately gave the excuse letter.

She put it on the table for the other teachers to see who was absent today.

She sometimes wonders why one of her students is absent almost every Monday and Friday. She's thinking deeply.

But she just ignored it. She immediately went straight to class, and the students were listening to her at that time.

"By the way, study the lesson we discussed today; we'll have a long quiz tomorrow. Goodbye." Mariely reminded the students before she exited the class.

It was recess time for the children, and she was busy digging through the documents on her table. She looked for the children's personal details to see if she could find their parents' contact numbers.

"Mariely," Veron called to her.

She was able to raise her head. "Ah, why, Veron?" She asked, still busy sifting through documents.

Veron just shook her head. "You seem busy right now. What are you looking for there?" Veron asked her.

"Ah, I am looking for the children's personal documents; perhaps I will find Mendez's contact details here." She just blurted it out.

"Is that Shaina?" she asked her. 

Mariely nodded then. "I've noticed that she's always absent on Mondays and Fridays; she has an excuse letter, but I don't know, I just can't shake this feeling." Mariely explained the situation and sighed.

"Yes, I've noticed that it happens quite often too." Veron also sighed, and concern was evident in her voice.

While sifting through the documents, she also found a paper containing the contact numbers of her subordinates' parents.

She took out her phone, first searched for its name, and was grateful that it provided a contact number.

"I'll call her parents." She added.

"Faith, let's eat first." Veron says to her.

"Ah, yes, just a moment, I'll save the number first," she said. After saving it, she quickly followed Veron. 

They are now in the canteen, while she is waiting for Veron to buy something to eat. She called the number; it rang, but no one answered.

Maybe they're just busy. I'll just text Shaina's adviser so the parents are aware. She just said it to herself.

XXX

Veron noticed that Mariely was just holding her phone now, and Veron noticed that she even sighed. So Veron sat down in front of Mariely and drank the shake she had bought.

"What's the problem?" Veron suddenly asked Mariely.

Mariely sighed again. "They didn't answer; maybe they're busy." She saw the worried face of her.

"Aren't you hungry?" She asked her.

The query made her smile. "Are you pregnant? You bought so much food, huh?" Mariely even laughed after being asked.

"Does having a lot of food mean you're pregnant right away? Is it just that I'm really hungry?" she asked her.

Mariely just laughed at her. Veron just furrowed her brow and ate quietly.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" she asked Mariely.

"Nothing, I was just thinking." She added, looking at her phone.

"Are you waiting for a call?" Veron asked her curiously.

"No, I'm not." Mariely is still lying to her. "You know, you're really bad at lying to people." She just shook her head while eating the food she bought. "Oh, just eat that." She just gave the food to Mariely.

"I'm just worried." She heard a heavy sigh.

"I've heard something about that child." She just blurted it out. "I don't know if it's true or not; you know how gossip can be, right?" she asked.

"You know, you're so suspenseful; just tell me already." Mariely blurted out at her.

"You're really ruining the moment." Veron is really teasing Mariely.

She even saw Mariely arching her eyebrows. "What's that gossip about?" She already ate the biscuit she gave her earlier.

"Well, she has a child and might be living with a man." She even said that straight…

Mariely coughed in surprise at what she said. "Are you kidding? We're only talking about someone who's 15–16 years old." She was reminded again.

"That's why it's gossip; there's no truth to it, but they say someone saw her with a man. Then, the parents of that child are separated." Veron also mentioned the rumors she used to hear back then.

"Who saw it? Is she her classmate?" Mariely asked, her brow furrowing.

"Yeah, ask Rodel or Neil, because Shaina's house is close to those two cousins." She even said that.

They thought about it, and they were surprised when the bell rang, signaling the start of the children's class.

"Are you free right now?" They are walking back now in the faculty.

"Nope, I still have class in the pilot section." She also said to her.

"Let's go together. Just know that, besides, their former adviser no longer interferes in their lives." Veron also said to Mariely.

"It's a shame if that's how that child ends up; Shaina is a smart kid." Mariely could only sigh and shake her head.

"By the way, Mariely, where are you currently studying?" Veron asked.

"Why?" Mariely asked her, surprised. 

"It's nothing; I just saw you before. That day, I accompanied my mom to the grocery store in preparation for my Sunday review. I was going to drive you, but my mom bought so much stuff that I wouldn't know where to put you." She even sighed.

She saw Mariely's eyebrow raised. "That's no problem, right?" She even laughed at her.

"I saw you with Ma'am Becca's child. Are you two in a relationship?" she asked in a whisper.

"You know, you're so quick to suspect." Mariely even told her. "We're not in a relationship, you idiot; he just gave me a ride back then because the traffic was terrible and I couldn't get a jeep right away, and besides, I paid him for the fare." Mariely explained it to her.

"Just be careful there." She still warned her friend. "I'm telling you, he's a womanizer." She also said she was worried about her companion.

Mariely even laughed at her. "There's nothing to worry about; this face is a blessing in disguise. Someone like me wouldn't be interested in that." She walked ahead of her, shaking her head.

Is she really clueless? Doesn't she know she's beautiful? The issue is that she struggles with presenting herself well and appears quite plain. Veron just shook her head.

If I have the opportunity to be with you, I will help you become more beautiful. She said that and followed Mariely.

"Oh, let's go to the classroom together; we're just nearby." She added as he entered the faculty room.

"Yes, hurry up." She replied to her.

They walked together towards their classroom.