Why Does Love Hurts?

Mariely has arrived at the faculty room. Everything is quiet; maybe they're already in class. She immediately saw the vacant table.

"Are you the new teacher for third-year section D?" Mariely was surprised by the woman's sudden appearance in front of her. Mariely just nodded.

"Ah, sorry, I think I startled you." The woman smiled at her and just scratched her head.

"I'm Veron Camille Ronda, by the way." Veron then presented her extended arm.

"Ah, Faith Mariely Celestial." She immediately shook hands with her new colleague, smiling at Veron.

"Let me go with you. I'm going that way too; our classrooms are right next to each other." Veron said

"Thank you, Veron. This school is enormous, and I might get lost." She said, smiling.

Veron just laughed, and they went to the classroom together.

As they were heading to the classroom, they chatted. She felt comfortable with Veron, and she also found out that she was a new teacher just like her and a fresh graduate. She's an English major who, like her, is also reviewing for the board exam.

Before they separated, Veron said something to her. "Mariely, even though Section D is noisy and unruly, they still need a teacher who understands them." She said the phrase and smiled at her.

Mariely just nodded and smiled at Veron, who was also in Section C. Before she entered, she took a deep breath. 

The noise from the students she would be teaching and advising was already audible outside the classroom.

She entered immediately. Mariely was very surprised to see people fighting and punching each other. The students stopped and looked at her for a few seconds. No one even said good morning to her. The noise is back again, and they're even betting on who will win the fight.

Oh my God! Please give me a lot of patience with these disobedient students. She was filled with prayer. 

Mariely didn't even put down her things and immediately stepped in between the fighting students.

***

"So, is that the new teacher here?" He asked the woman in front of him.

"Yes, she is a fresh graduate," Becca replied to him. "So, what are you doing here again, son?" Her mother asked him while gazing and sizing him up.

"Oh, nothing." He sat down in the vacant seat. "Is it not okay to visit my mother here at school?" He asked.

"I know you, Zean Frank Jordan Montero. What are you doing here?" His mother said she was staring at him seriously. When it mentions its full name, it's not joking.

"Whoa, Mom, calm down." He said while surrendering his mom.

His mother just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Seriously, I just came here. To evaluate the newly hired employee." He said.

"Then?" Becca asked, looking at the paper and busy arranging her papers on the table.

"Do you still believe she can change the students here?" Frank asked his mother directly.

It raised its face. It didn't speak, as if waiting for him to say more.

"In today's world, even educators require financial support. I don't believe what you'd like to believe. Believe me, it's a waste of time and effort." He said to his mother. 

"Young people are different these days, and that won't change overnight." He added.

"Are you finished?" Becca was ignoring what he was saying.

He just sighed.

"Yeah, bye, Mom, I have work to do." He said and went out of his mother's office.

Ever since his mother became principal, she's been busy all the time. He understands this. His mother's work as a teacher never ceases.

Really, he respects his mom as a professional teacher. Since he was a child, even though she was busy teaching, she never neglected her duty as a mother to him.

However, he is uncertain about the new generation of teachers and students.

He hates the teaching profession; one thing is that life doesn't improve, and you don't get rich from teaching. His mother, on the other hand, was born with the promise of wealth.

He just sighed. Each time a teacher walks past him, he can't help but smile. Its teacherly demeanor is disappearing, and it's reverting to being a teenager. Women will always be girls. He said to himself and just shook his head.

But the new teacher who just entered the school, Frank was interested in that woman. He admits that this is nothing new to him. But he knew this was different from the women he was with.

Hmm... Let's see. He only considered what was said in his mind. He was already out of the gate and immediately sped away in his car.

***

"Stop it, all of you!" Mariely shouted at the class when she stopped the two students who were fighting. Even though she's scared, she has to do it. She already wants to faint in front of her students.

The class became quiet. She found time to separate the two students who were fighting. One has a nosebleed, and the other's face is covered in bruises. She noticed that the other student was about to punch him again, but she stopped herself.

Mariely took a deep breath and spoke, giving the two arguing students a sharp look.

"Can you tell me why you're punching each other?" Mariely asked in a calm voice.

"Eh? Who are you?" A student sitting in the chair asked a blunt question and looked at her.

Patience El, patience... She repeated it in her mind and answered the student's question.

"Before I introduce myself to you, please all sit down." She looked at the whole class. One student was annoyed with her, but the others followed her orders. "And you two," he turned to the two who were punching each other. "Let's talk later. Go back to your seats." She said. 

Mariely saw them staring at each other and knew they'd fight again soon.

"Return now." Marielye said to the two students and eyed them. The two who were getting heated up immediately complied.

She picked up her things and went to the front. Everyone was silent, watching her to see when she would speak.

She cleared her throat first. "First of all, I will be your advisor here." Mariely spoke to the students.

After she said that, she heard laughter. The laughter came from the man who had disrespected her earlier, and it continued in succession.

"Guys, we have another teacher to make cry and resign, and we're free again!" Someone said it was the one whose hair had a different style from other students.

"Do you think you can handle us?" A man who was smirking at her asked.

Mariely's blood suddenly boiled in response to the disrespectful question posed by the student. She noticed few women in the class, about ten, and one of them was shaking her head, clearly scared.

She's breathing deeply.

"By the way, I'm Ms. Faith Mariely Abad Celestial. I will be your homeroom teacher starting today." She didn't answer the rude student's question.

"So? Now, I don't have any rules and regulations for you for now. You're free to do what you want. But, once I've established the rules and regulations, make sure to follow them." She said this while looking at the whole class.

"Let's see how strict our new teacher is. Who's joining?" One said.

She just shook her head. "Think twice before placing your wagers there. I'm about to start class. Oh, by the way, I'm a Filipino major." She smiled meaningfully at her students.

"Ugh! Filipino." She heard her student say. 

Let's give it a try. Mariely said to herself...