The entire Room 302 was silent. It was time for the Major Subject in Accounting and Terror, the professor Ms. Castillo. No lateness, no noise, and especially no cellphones.

In the middle of the discussion, the back door opened. Ana, a 3rd-year student, entered. She looked disheveled, her eyes were swollen, and she was carrying a heavy backpack in front of her.

“You’re late, Ms. Reyes!” Ms. Castillo shouted.

“What time is it? Did you think this was a park where you could go whenever you wanted?”

“Sorry, Ma’am…” Ana replied weakly. She slowly sat down at the end.

Just a few minutes later, a strange sound was heard from Ana’s bag.

Uhaaa! Uhaaa!

The class fell silent. Ms. Castillo stopped writing on the whiteboard.

Uhaaa! Uhaaa!

The crying got louder. Ana opened her bag and pulled out a baby wrapped in a blanket. She tried to calm him down.

“Shhh… baby… don’t make a noise…”

Ms. Castillo blushed.

“Ms. Reyes! What’s that?!” the teacher snapped.
“You’re inside the university! This is not a daycare center! Why are you bringing a child to my class?!”

“Ma’am, I’m sorry… I don’t have—”

“I don’t care about your reason!” Ms. Castillo interrupted.
“You’re so irresponsible! You’re just studying, you’re flirting right now! And now you’re bringing the fruit of your anger here to disturb us?! Rude!”

The other classmates laughed. Others whispered,
“Huh, he already has a child?”

Ms. Castillo stood up and pointed to the door.

“Get out! Get out of my class! Don’t come back until you throw that nuisance away!”

Ana stood up, her knees shaking and tears streaming down her face. She hugged the baby tightly. She grabbed her things.

She was about to open the door to go out, but she stopped. She faced the teacher and her judgmental classmates.

“Ma’am…” Ana’s voice was raspy.

“I didn’t flirt. And this is not my child.”

Page: SAY – Story Around You | Original story.

Ms. Castillo was stunned.
“What?”

“This is my sister’s child,” Ana continued while sobbing.

“She died yesterday in the hospital from cancer. We no longer have any parents. I am the only one left in the world for my niece.”

Her classmates’ eyes widened. The smiles on their faces disappeared.

“We don’t have money to pay the nanny. I also don’t have any relatives to go to. I want to study, Ma’am… Because this is my niece and I’s only hope for survival. That’s why I brought her even though it’s forbidden… Because I have nowhere else to go.”

Silence.
It was so quiet that even everyone’s breathing could be heard.

Ms. Castillo’s face, which had been filled with anger and contempt, gradually softened and was replaced with deep shame and pity.

Ms. Castillo let go of the marker she was holding. She approached Ana who was about to leave.

“Ms. Reyes… wait a minute,” the teacher interrupted.

Ms. Castillo grabbed the student’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry. Forgive me. I don’t know…”

Ms. Castillo took her chair from the front and brought it next to Ana.

“Sit there,” the teacher ordered in a gentle voice.
“Don’t go out. Stay here. He’s mine for now.”

The teacher reached out her hands. She took the baby from Ana.

“Take down notes. We have a quiz later. I’ll take care of him while I teach,” Ms. Castillo said.

Ana started sobbing even more.
“Ma’am… it’s embarrassing…”

“There’s nothing embarrassing about being a good sister and aunt,” Ms. Castillo smiled as she cradled the child in her arms.

Ms. Castillo returned to the front of the class, carrying the baby in her left arm while writing on the board with her right hand.

No one laughed anymore.

No one murmured anymore.

The entire class silently wiped their tears.

That day, they didn’t just learn Accounting, but the most important lesson in life: Compassion.

Before we judge, let’s first know the weight of our neighbor’s burden.

Disclaimer: The stories here are just fiction and not news. What is important is the lesson and emotions that can happen to anyone. Thank you, SAY! 😊