My report will be presented on the second half of the morning's schedule. I was trying to pay attention to the lectures but my eyes are not cooperating. I wanted to doze off, but I just couldn't because the class is following an alphabetical type of seat arrangement based on each student's family name. Having the family name Alcala, I am burdened to seat in front of the class, with almost a hundred percent eye-to-eye contact with the professor.

To kill some time, I looked at the persons at the back. It is a hetero class where there are different types of students, girls and boys, attentive and sleepy like me, while others are smiling at me. "He's looking at me!" one of my classmates giggled, which I assume was referring to me looking at her. I stretched my neck up a bit further trying to catch a glance at Nathan. But I could not see him. The girls at the back were already making giggles and tee-hees as they might have thought I am looking at them.

"Ahem." Someone said.

I ignored it and still trying to look for Nathan – maybe he transferred to another seat, or he is napping down and making me not to see him.

"Ahem." Someone said it again. "Ahem," and again. "Mr. Alcala." That is me.

I looked in front and the professor is glaring at me, "Sir?"

"Are you listening to me?" he asked with his bass vexed voice. "Y-yes sir. I am listening."

"Then, would you please narrate to the class the history of the Mughal Empire and its Dynasty?" Professor asked, without hesitation whether I can answer it or not. I stood up, and answered what he was asking me. "Mughal dynasty is a Muslim dynasty of Turkic-Mongol origin that ruled most of northern from the early 16th to the mid-18th century. The Mughal dynasty was notable for its more than two centuries of effective rule over much of India, for the ability of its rulers, and has a notable seven-year ..." the narration took for more than half an hour.

The second period has already started. I started presenting the findings on the case I was assigned with. I was midway in my discussion when Nathan entered the classroom. I paused for a while and glanced at him as he was making steps to his seat. Everyone in the class noticed my pause, and looked back. He seemed to have just finished his P.E. class, but he is very sluggish. I continued my presentation until the plenary discussion began. The plenary discussion is similar to a round-table discussion being manipulated by the head of the group, which in the class' case, the professor. He can ask questions ranging from very relevant to very irrelevant from what I just presented, or open another case like the topic, or just simply share and ask ideas from the class.

The problem in this plenary, however, is that Professor Plump is bad-ass jerk teacher who uses his intellect to fool around with his students. And the first student to be bombarded with questions is Nathan. I was continously hitting my pen on my desk, making a resounding beat of whatever I was feeling that time, but I was sure it was blank. A fading concern that Nathan can answer the questions. 

The rally of question and answer lasted for more than 30 minutes. The scope and range of questions were far from what Mr. Plump usually reaches. He had insane questions which were not even discussed yet and, worse, is not even part of the curriculum. For the past half hour, Nathan was able to answer and expound all of it. Not a single question was left unanswered. I know the fact that he is innately intelligent in terms of his academic track. He passed all his subjects for the past three years in senior high with one singe lowest grade of B- or 80 mark in Dyamical Systems and Differential Equations, which is an advanced course we took.

"How do painkillers work?" Professor Plump asked. His arms are crossed over on his chest. He is directly looking at Nathan, not allowing the young student to look for anyone else's help. Professor Plump sighed. He's breaths are deep and slow.

Nathan, on the other hand, has drops of sweat forming on his forehead. He wipes a few of them with his hands, brushed his temple and moved his hand across the back of his head. He took a deep inhale, and a long exhale. 

"Aaah," was the only sound he made.

The question is no longer associated with the scope of the topic Anatomy of Muscles I presented, but is relevant. Nathan continued answering, more confidently than how he answered the previous questions. He was fluent and direct. Although there are pauses in between his answers, I think he was just catching his breathe. 

Another question was asked, and it was obvious in his reaction that he was surprised. I was confident on his answers for the questions he answered because those were somehow topics we discussed and reviewed together, but painkillers and its effects were not yet discussed and I am not sure if it is part of the curriculum. I am not even sure what the answer to this question could be, but I have an idea.

Nathan changed his posture, trying to relax. He moved his right foot forward, relaxing his right leg. He has still drops of sweat forming on his forehead and on his nose that he tried to wipe by his hand. 

I raised my hand and requested, "Professor, I wish to interrupt that some of the questions were highly irrelevant from the topic I discussed a while ago. And if you wish, I may answer the remaining questions on behalf of Mr. Zairre." I said, trying to break the mild tension.

Professor Plump glared at me. I stopped for a moment, "I can give an answer to the question, Professor."

"Mr. Zairre, would you like to share some of the points you earned to Mr. Alcala? If he answers this question, a portion of your points will be allocated to him?" Professor Plump asked, while looking back to Nathan.

"But I have already presented a topic worth of my requirements for this semester," I remarked. But Professor Plump did not miss a second to exchange his classic wisdom with me.

"But he had already fought for this entire time for his pride. If he wanted your help, or anybody else's help, he should have had beckoned the white flag for your rescue. But he didn't. It's because he can stand on his own, or he just does not need you anymore," he scorned. "Do you, Mr. Zairre?" he paid his attention again to Nathan with his eyes glaring, while Nathan's response were dull eyes staring at nothingness.

From what he said, Professor Plump's sarcasm never fails to annoy me – I thought.    

"We sense pain due to the transmission of a specific signal to the brain through the spinal cord. Pain relief medications work by preventing this pain signal from reaching the brain," Nathan interrupted us with his answer. "Although I am not sure if the pain signal can only be stopped once it reaches at the spinal cord or nearing membrane, or it can already interfere at the site of the injury and it is possible to stop it on the brain itself," he added.

He looked straight at me. His eyes were blank but his lips smiled. I responded with a smile. The smile froze when Professor Plump asked, "The medicine field generally uses two types of painkillers. What are these?"

"Aspirin-type that block the body's prostaglandins, and the Narcotic-type medicines, or the opiates extracted from poppies, which are typically used for much more severe pain relief." Nathan replied to Professor Plump's questions without hesitation and seemed assertive on his answer.

I sighed almost smiling. I thought the Q&A rally has already ended, but Professor Plump never gets tired, "Enumerate the sub-types of these painkillers and their uses."

"Aaah." Nathan voiced. "Sub-, sub-types of ... are ..." he started to stammer.

"There are at least five general sub-types," Professor Plump said giving a hint to Nathan. There was a couple of seconds of silence. Nathan seemed impassive but his eyes are worrying. "Well, if you do not know, that's a shame." Professor Plump uttered.

"Three of these are Aspirin type – Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol," Nathan surprised Professor Plump. "Professor, While Morphine is a sub-type of Narcotic. The last sub-type should be ..." he stopped.

The bell for noon break rang. I saw a deep breathing made by Nathan as his shoulders moved up and down. He's been lifted from the rally and was saved by the bell. I was thinking that something was wrong, but I can't directly identify what it was.

"Codeine." Professor Plump said. "Class, those are the five sub-types of pain killers."

Everyone was preparing for the noon break and the throng of hurrying students to take their lunch was slowly clearing up. The girl sitting beside me clapped my back and said, "You need to talk to him. Don't you?" she said while smiling. "I'll have my lunch. See you at the cafeteria," and left.

As I was about to approach Nathan, who rests his head on the rail of his chair and his hand above his head, Professor Plump was already beside him and was advancing toward Nathan's face. I wanted to come closer but I thought that Professor Plump had something to tell to Nathan. From where I was, I saw him whispering something to Nathan. After a minute or so, Nathan stood up and walked outside the room with Professor Plump - with the professor's right hand around Nathan's waist, and Nathan's arm anchored on professor's broad shoulder.