Hot Night With My Professor

“Then, why not support her financial needs?”

I was surprised by the angry tone of Dad’s voice. He stood up, removed his table napkin from his lap, and walked out. He didn’t even look at me.

Mom and Joth did the same. They left suddenly. Good thing Roxsielle, said goodbye to me properly, who is not even my family. She even thanked me.

That’s when what Dad said sank into me. Does he mean he won’t give me allowance anymore? Is Mom the same? After I tried my best to get in here even if I didn’t want to?

I heaved a sigh. They are really pushing me to the limit. How can they talk like that as if I am not a member of this family? Don’t they know that I was the one who suffered the most when the two of them broke up? I stood to become Joth’s parent. I was the mother, father, and sister to my youngest brother, but even he didn’t show any respect towards me. It’s annoying because I can’t fight back, even though I know I am the type of woman who confronts everyone who stands in my way.

And now they are telling me to let my professor support my financial needs? What kind of people are they to make me rely on others for their obligations? Do they really not consider me family, even at least as a human being, but still they don’t even give me respect? They all talk shit about me in front of my salad, and I’m losing my appetite even though I know this might be my last expensive meal in my life.

“Miss Alvandra…” I felt him holding my hand that had been clenched in anger.

I looked at him, but as soon as I saw him, my tears began to fall. I quickly wiped it off. “Sorry, you witnessed this.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Miss Alvandra. Shit happens every time, and most of the time it happens when you’re with your family.”

He caressed my hand, trying to comfort me and make me calm, but as long as I get to remember what just happened a while ago, I can’t help but feel really mad. I hate them all so much.

“I thought I would be happy seeing them complete, but I guess a complete family is not for me,” I said. “They are whole when throwing rocks at me, Ismael. They’re joining forces. But when I need them, they disappear one by one, unlike when they need something from me. I don’t know what I have done to them that makes them hate me so much-to humiliate me in front of you. They even tried to disgrace you. My family doesn’t deserve to be called a family,” I ranted. My lips trembled like a child reporting to him.

Ismael touched my cheek and moved his hand to my shoulder before he caressed it with his thumb. He’s not talking but just listening and watching me while taking my time to calm down and breathe fine.

If the service attendant hadn’t come to ask if we were finished, I wouldn’t have stopped crying. Why do I always choose to cry in public? This is so not me. Why does it seem like my brain doesn’t work when I’m with Ismael? Why do I always cry when he’s here? As if my emotions are all set up front, with a little push, they will come out.

“Your bill, sir.”

I lost my mind when I heard that. Hell? Is Dad’s reservation not consumable? This is fucking embarrassing.

“Do you accept cards?” Ismael asked. “Yes, sir.”

“No, no, no. What are you doing?” I stopped Ismael from taking his wallet from his coat. “You are not obliged to do this. My father should pay for this. He’s the one who made this reservation.”

“I apologize, Madam, but Mr. Alvandra had no deposit when he made the reservation, and he also left.” I turned my gaze to the service attendant. Fuck. What kind of father is he? Leave me and my companion to pay? And they really chose this expensive restaurant to dine in? Did they plan for this?

“It’s okay, Miss Alvandra. I don’t mind.” Ismael took his wallet to pay with his card. I noticed something fall from there while he was talking to the service attendant.

A white paper. I picked it up and I was almost stunned to see that it was a receipt-a receipt from the hospital that he paid for Roxsielle when she was rushed because of sudden bleeding. This is the bill. And I can see how much Ismael paid for it. It is worth eighty thousand.

I bit my lip, waiting for Ismael to meet my eyes. How can he lie about this to me? He told me it was fifty thousand. He even told me he didn’t get the receipt, but what is it?

“Thank you, sir,” said the service attendant before handing Ismael’s card again. I quickly hid the receipt I got and forced myself to smile, even though I was dying from holding back tears. How can he be so kind to me? And he even paid for dinner.

“Shall we?” Ismael asked when he looked back at me. He held out his hand for me, which Dad did not accept. Dad missed the opportunity to hold the hand of a good man. Well, maybe because he might be burned. But for me, I would gladly hold this forever. How can this man waste his money on me?

We walked out of Black Gourmet hand in hand. Ismael’s car, which was taken care of by a valet, arrived immediately. Ismael opened the door for me, which he always did before he entered the other side. He is indeed taking care of me and giving me a princess treatment; no, he’s treating me like a queen. I don’t know why he’s doing this.

“Ismael…” I called him while he was busy driving.

“Hmm?” He glanced at me for a moment before returning his gaze to the road.

“Why are you so kind to me?” I asked, trying to suppress my heart by calling his name.

“Because no one is trying to be kind towards you, Miss Alvandra. You need at least one kind person to survive in this world,” he stated, but still, he can’t make me understand. “If you need financial support, you can apply for a scholarship.”

“I’m graduating already, Ismael.”

“We’re not sure about that,” he joked, which I knew he was doing to try to put my mind at ease. “Oh, I remember, your section is exempt from my final exams, so I guess your statement to your brother earlier is going to be true.”

“How can you have such energy, Ismael? After what you witnessed with my family?” I asked seriously while still looking at him.

“Well, my family is worse than yours.”

I remembered what Mrs. Estanislao said to me then-about Ismael’s family.

“We’re the same, Miss Alvandra. My parents got divorced when I was a child, and since then, I haven’t seen or been with them. I only know that they remarried to someone else.”

He probably didn’t know that I already knew about that.

“How do you know we’re the same?” I asked out of curiosity.

He smiled. “Because I am your professor, Miss Alvandra. I know everything about you. And even about where you got your bad attitude, I think I know now.”

Right. After he saw my family and I bickering with each other, of course, he would know. “But you’re tolerable, Miss Alvandra. I can still handle you. You still have a good heart.”

I didn’t expect him to say that. “Just like you,” I mumbled between my breaths.

He glanced at me again and smiled. “Speaking of a good heart, how’s the cat?” I frowned and laughed. What connection does a good heart have with a cat?

“He’s fine.”

“Do you feed it and take care of it?” He was still curious.

“Of course, he likes to eat my cereal and do his business whenever he likes. Sometimes I get annoyed because it’s hard to find where he defecates,” I explained to him with a complaint.

“Wait, did I hear it right? You’re giving him cereal instead of cat food?” I nodded innocently, which caused him to step on the break. “What in the world, Miss Alvandra?”

He maneuvered his car, and the next thing I know is that we were in the same pet shop that we visited last time. Fortunately, it’s still open, even though it’s almost 9 p. m. already.

I was about to ask what we were doing at the pet shop when I saw the bags of cat food that looked like a year’s worth of aid in such a large quantity. He also bought some vitamins. Also, that cat litter that I didn’t know existed. He even bought a bed for the cat. Is he trying to waste his money? Is he really this rich, and what he spends is just paper for him? Hold on, I remembered my financial problem again next month. I just hope that some grace will come to me.

“Miss Alvandra,” Ismael called me as he finished my prayer. He carried his purchases. “Let’s go now.”

I nodded and followed him. I was about to help him when he prohibited me. He said he didn’t need the hand of a murderer. What the eff? I didn’t kill his cat!

He started the car again, and it wasn’t long before we arrived at my house.

“Maybe you want to let me in,” he said. I was going to appeal because it looks like he really had to come in to bring in the cat food. Well, it’s a good idea for him to tidy up my house because I don’t know what he bought.

“Fine, come here inside.”