Chapter 4 The Letter

• The Letter
• “Uh, so you’re unfortunate for some reason, huh? Hmn…”, Mr. Salvador seems to tease Divina. Divina felt embarrassed, and for a short moment, she almost had forgotten that Mr. Salvador was her superior and went to glare at him because of his mocking smiles.
• "It was nothing, Mr. Salvador… just an expression.”, Divina answered in a grouchy manner. Her reaction only made Mr. Salvador laugh even more. It was very obvious that Divina was very touchy.
• "Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, Ms. Aljuego, that you are a sad and unfortunate woman.”, Mr. Salvador laughed again. Divina was not enjoying his jokes, and she continued to glare at him. She doesn’t want to say anything as he might use it against her to tease her even more.
• "So were you brokenhearted?”, Mr. Salvador asked innocently, but it was evident that he was just teasing her. This is Mr. Salvador’s personality, especially those he really trusts. Sometimes it seems to be too childish because he loves to tease everyone around him a lot, but when it comes to serious matters, he is very serious as well and treats the issue, not as a simple matter only.
• However, the scar that Alfredo had left her in her heart is no joke. It is not a laughing matter because she had dried her tears out, crying for him for a long time to the point that it’s as if she is only living in a colorless world now. Divina’s face turned red, not because of embarrassment but due to anger.
• “I apologize, Mr. Salvador, but I think there is nothing funny about mocking someone else’s pain.”, Divina said in a serious tone. Mr. Salvador stopped laughing, and he saw the seriousness in Divina’s eyes about how she truly felt.
• "If there is nothing else, pardon me, but I better head off first---“, Divina added but was cut off.
• "It’s not bad to feel pain.”, Mr. Salvador suddenly said. Divina looked at him and saw that his subtle smile was no longer there too. His tone was gentle, and Divina could see the sincerity in him.
• "Why did you say that it’s not bad to feel pain? If you are in pain, isn’t it just rightful to say that it’s not good? There’s no person in this world who would want to get hurt.”, Divina answered.
• "Of course. I agree with you. There’s no one who would want to be in pain. You’re right; it’s not also good to hurt each other. I am not saying that it’s good to hurt each other’s feelings or whatever. What I am trying to say is that it’s not bad to feel pain.”, Mr. Salvador replied metaphorically. Divina frowned as it only confused her about what Mr. Salvador was trying to say.
• "Aren’t you just basically saying the same thing?”, Divina answered while sounding confused.
• “What I want to say is that you should look at everything that happens in your life from a positive perspective. You know that you are alive if you still feel pain. If you no longer feel the pain, for sure you’re not breathing anymore.”, Mr. Salvador smiled. His smile annoyed Divina; it seemed like he was still teasing her instead of making her feel better.
• She still couldn’t understand what he was trying to say when suddenly, Mr. Salvador walked towards her, and all of a sudden, he promptly pinched her nose.
• “Ouch! That hurts!”, Divina complained and gently rubbed her nose to ease the pain.
• "Does it hurt?”, Mr. Salvador asked with a smile on his face. His question and his smile only angered Divina even more.
• “Obviously!”, Divina answered angrily, glaring at Mr. Salvador while still rubbing her nose. Mr. Salvador laughed. He seemed to be amused with Divina’s reaction.
• "You’re too serious. I pinched your nose because it’s beautiful. I adored it so much that I can’t help myself but pinch it, just like when we’re still kids, and we see a beautiful flower when we like it so much that we want and most of the time, we do pluck it… just like your nose.”, Mr. Salvador said. Divina is still looking at him with her furrowed brows.
• Why is this man talking in metaphors? Why can’t he just say it clearly?, Divina complained in her mind.
• "However… if you think and see it from a positive perspective, then you shouldn’t be mad. Instead, you’ll think that you are blessed and fortunate to have a beautiful nose that people around you appreciated it much.”, Mr. Salvador added, still smiling. Divina wanted to pluck his hair just like the flower he was talking about.
• "You are still fortunate because you found out earlier that the man you love is not worthy. What would’ve happened if you had married him and you found out that he was not worthy of your love? What if you had kids already… you just couldn’t put a spoonful in your mouth and spit it out easily. You are fortunate because you have learned to love.”, Mr. Salvador said in a gentle tone. Divina was stunned by Mr. Salvador’s wise words, and she looked at him in admiration, implying that she had understood now what he was trying to say. Mr. Salvador showed her a subtle smile like the usual as an answer to her reaction; at last, she had now understood.
• "You shouldn’t be too gloomy with your life. You are alive… you should feel alive.”, Mr. Salvador advised as he walked away while waving goodbye at her.
• Divina reflected on what Mr. Salvador had said to her. It seems like his words had eased the burden she has in her heart. Never had she thought that scenario; what if she found out Alfredo’s infidelity after they got married? It would definitely be more painful than what she is feeling right now.
• Divina sighed in relief. She smiled for the first time, a thing she couldn’t do every time she thought of her experience with Alfredo. She was so hurt, and all she could feel was pain, even though the only thing that was left with her was her scar, it hasn’t fully healed yet… but now, she will be able to smile because of what Mr. Salvador had told her. She should be thankful for his wise words. She shivered as she imagined what would've happened if she was already married with kids when she found out Alfredo’s unchastity. Now, she truly admired Mr. Salvador’s wise temperament.
• So that is why… Despite his young age, Mr. Salvador is indeed worthy of his position as the headteacher. Though he is not that old like most headteachers are, he still deserves the position that has been granted to him because he is both passionate about his job and compassionate with his co-workers., Divina thought as she admires Mr. Salvador's being passionate about his job as the headteacher.
• ---
• “Mr. Salvador is indeed a good-looking man!”, a girl behind Divina whispered dreamily. She was on her way home, and she thought that the ladies behind her were talking to her.
• "I agree with you. Aside from his good looks, he is also diligent, conscientious, and smart!”, another woman answered behind her back.
• You should also add him being goodhearted to your list. It’s undeniable that Mr. Salvador owns a kind heart., Divina thought as if she was having a conversation with them on her mind.
• “The woman who will be able to capture his heart would be truly lucky.”, another woman added. Divina was surprised and glanced at the woman behind her. She was not expecting that the admiration they were talking about was not like the admiration she felt for Mr. Salvador. It’s because the women who were talking about him were all seeing him from a romantic perspective.
• The woman noticed Divina’s stares, and they curiously stared back at her.
• “Oh, pardon me, ladies, I didn’t mean to hear you talking. It’s just that I am also a teacher where your topic, Mr. Salvador, works as a headteacher. And at first, when I heard his name, I initially thought you were talking to me.”, Divina honestly said as an answer to their curious stares.
• “Oh? Is it so? Does this mean that you are close with Mr. Salvador?”, one woman happily asked her. Divina nodded slowly.
• "I work at that bakeshop near the school. Mr. Salvador always buys bread for his students and co-teachers there. I never thought I would meet a man like him, very caring towards his fellow.”, another woman added.
• "If it is so, would you mind if you could give my letter to him? I am so embarrassed to give it to him in person?”, one girl said shyly.
• "Oh.. uhmn, sure. But he might wonder---“, Divina tried to say more but was cut off.
• "It’s okay. The only important thing to me is that I would be able to let him know of my admiration for him.”, that woman said with her sparkling eyes. Divina couldn’t refuse her and just nodded to her request.
• "Thank you, Miss…?”, the woman added while handing Divina her letter.
• "Aljuego. Divina Aljuego."; Divina answered as she stretched out her hand to receive her letter.
• “Thank you so much, Miss Aljuego.”, the woman happily said while her other friends teased her in jealousy.
• "If you don’t mind, I should head home first, ladies. It’s already getting dark.”, Divina interrupted them.
• "Yes, go ahead, Miss Aljuego. Take care on your way.”, the ladies answered almost in chorus, and they also waved as a sign to bid Divina goodbye.
• While walking home, Divina stared at the letter in her hand. Before, the letter she was holding was for Alfredo, but now she is holding someone else’s love letter for Mr. Salvador. She smiled and found it amusing because she had been like this before too, and now she feels like she had gotten older.
• It was not so long ago when I was the one writing love letters, now I am just the messenger for someone., Divina gleefully thought in her mind.
• ---
• The next day...
• “Where’s Mr. Salvador?”, Divina asked her co-teachers.
• "He’s in his office most of the time. If not, he might be doing his rounds around the campus.”, Maria answered. Divina nodded.
• "Why? Do you need to see him?”, Maria curiously asked.
• "Well… yes. I wanted to give him this letter.”, Divina answered and smiled as she once again remembered the ladies who adored Mr. Salvador so much.
• "Is that so? Then you should just put it on his table if he is not there.”, Maria advised her.
• "Okay then.”, Divina agreed.
• Divina knocked on the door three times, and when no one answered, she decided to follow Maria’s advice and went inside. Divina saw Mr. Salvador’s neatness and orderliness on his things. She was surprised and admired him even more for it. She didn’t waste any time observing Mr. Salvador’s office, and she hurriedly left the letter on his table and went out of his office.
• “He’s not there?”, Maria noticed as she saw her friend had hurriedly gone back. Divina shook her head to imply that Mr. Salvador wasn’t around.
• "He’s not inside. I just left the letter on his table as you said.”, Divina answered. Not long after talking with Maria, she went on to teach her class. Maria stayed at her table as her class was still on for the next hour.
• After a few moments, Mr. Salvador passed by her, and Maria greeted him briefly since he was still strict with him. Maybe unlike Divina and other veteran teachers, he hasn’t accepted her as a real teacher yet. Mr. Salvador went inside his office, and like the usual, he would spend most of his hours there, thinking of ways to improve the school. However, it hadn’t been 5 minutes yet when he went inside when his door suddenly sprang open.
• “Who went inside my office and put this letter on my table?”, Mr. Salvador frowned. His voice was intimidating, as if he was angry, which made everyone shocked in fear. Everybody fell silent because this was the first time they saw Mr. Salvador act this way. They were used to seeing him smiling and happy.
• What might have been written on that letter---, Maria was stunned when she realized that the letter Mr. Salvador was holding was also the same letter Divina was holding earlier.
• "Di-Divina?"; Maria unintentionally blurted out her friend’s name when she realized it was Divina’s letter.
• “Yes! It’s Divina. I also heard her and Maria talking about a letter. Maybe that’s the letter. Right, Maria?”, a nosy co-teacher said. Maria glared at her.
• "Is it true?”, Mr. Salvador turned to Maria. Maria couldn’t hide her guilty face.
• "It was I who told her that if you are not inside your office, she should just leave the letter on your table because she still has a class to attend to---“, Maria tried to explain and defend her friend.
• "Tell Miss Aljuego to come to my office. I need to talk to her.”, Mr. Salvador cut off Maria’s words and said them with full authority.
• Oh no!, Maria thought as she panicked.