CHAPTER 3: A CALL FROM HIM AGAIN

"So, what happened then?" Camille asked me after she had prepared popcorn, drinks, switched off the lights, and lined up the movie like she's really serious about listening to me about what happened to me.

"I don't know how to begin," I replied while hiding behind my face in embarrassment as she looks at me in confusion then hit my back like I'm just a kid.

"Ouch!" I complain.

"Valerie, cut the crap. What actually happened? God, where did you go last night? I've been searching everywhere for you. Why are your clothes so messy? Where did you find so much money and is that a funeral gown??Seriously, black of all colors? It could have been better if it were in white." She fired questions one after another before I could reply to the first one.

"Okay, okay. One question at a time, please?"

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Just tell me what happened exactly."

"I-I don't know where to start. But..... I met a guy." I stuttered.

"And? You met a guy and suddenly your uniform's all—" She stopped in the middle of the sentence. As if she caught herself thinking something.

"Wait. Wait. Valerie, please tell me I'm wrong about what I'm thinking." She asked me like I could literally read her mind. But I know she's right.

"Sorry." I muttered with my face covered.

"VALERIE??????????!!!!!! WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT??!!??!Undressing for some random stranger????" she yelled, rebuking me.

"I—I know. Judge me. Scold me. Hate me. Insult me. I—I did it for my tuition. And the house. You know I'm alone now, right? I don't have anyone else."

"Valerie, I'm still here. I've always been here."

"Sorry. I know I was wrong, but I did it. I know that even if I needed money, I shouldn't have done what I did. But you see how Ms. Fernando is. She always lied to me about my pay." I took a deep breath while playing my fingers like a kid then speak again, "And I was feeling guilty too, you've been treating me to meals. I've even been sharing in the allowance your mom and dad give you. Living here. Using your bed." I said one word to another while my tears are falling.

"No, Val. You know my parents treat you like their own daughter. You're like a sister to me. But.... I-I just didn't expect this."

"It's okay. Judge me—"

"No! I would never judge you, Val. I'll scold you, sure, but I'll never judge you. I'm not in your shoes. I don't know the full weight of your reasons."

"Thank you."

We couldn't hold back our tears anymore.

"Come on. Come watch the movie. After this, I will cook for you. Then you rest, and I go with you on your errands tomorrow." She said as she caressed me in her arms while brushing my hair with her hands like I'm a little kid.

I just smiled and nodded to what she said. Thank God I met Camille. We're five years together, so she treats me like her younger sister.

"Wake up, Val," Camille said softly as she woke me up from sleep.

"I'm still sleepy," I grumbled, eyes still closed.

Hey, it wasn't my fault she got me to binge-watch Twilight all night, okay?

"Go on, Valerie. Didn't you tell me you wanted me to accompany you to your school and to where your mom sold your house?" she said when she sat down next to me while pulling the blanket.

Excuse me? She insisted.

"Oh shoot! What time is it? The event at school is at 10AM!"

I found myself sitting up, surprised.

"Come on. I've been waiting for ages now. I figured you were too, but apparently, you're still dreaming. Perhaps you dreamed about that—"

"Ihhh! I'm already up! Stop talking!" I was annoyed by the her nonsense idea. Always so talkative. Plus, why would I miss that guy?

I got dressed after that and looked at myself in the mirror. "Damn, I look great."

"Stop before you shatter the mirror," she joked. "Come on, just bring your hair brush and I'll do it for you later on the way."

I rolled my eyes and took my bag. That made her laugh once more. She really gets happiness from the smallest of things. I really am her happiness pill.

We just took the public transportation as we do not even have our own car. We're deep in debt so how can we possibly afford a car? We don't even have a bicycle!

"Ugh, we missed it!" I complained when we realized the school was already closed. Just my bad luck, huh.

"Come on, let it go. Let's just go to the real estate you were talking about where your mom sold the house," she said, slapping me on the back and pushing me towards the tricycle terminal.

"I'll pay this time. You paid the last one." She said like it was already a big deal for her.

"No need. What's the point of having this money, right?" I said, raising my bag that was full of money.

"You're really something."

"Let's first have milk tea and pizza," I proposed.

We hadn't even had breakfast yet, and I was famished. We had two pizzas and purchased buy-one-take-one milk tea. We were budget-conscious because I'm still buried under debt.

If there's some money left, I guess I can use it to venture into small business. Even if it's just a little, I'm sure it would be enough to get me started. There simply isn't a good future ahead of me there at the hotel, not with Ms. Fernando remaining there, either.

"Getting off the subject, wasn't your mother's house pawned years ago? Can you still recover it?" she asked then took a sip.

"There was a deal. We can still recover it as long as the one ho was named after that propertty has not signed any documents. And if that person is recovering it, it is still possible but with extra charge."

"Damn, that's sorta brilliant. So your name is needed?"

"Right."

"What about the guy you met? Why did not you look for him for help? I mean, he gave you that amount of money, so..... you know."

"Unfortunately, no."

"Why not?" she exclaimed. Her brows furrow.

"Just... I don't think he's going to help. anyway."

"I'm curious. Did you boys use protection?" She asked in a random thoughts.

I choked. "What kind of question is that?"

"Hey, that's natural! They say it's safer if—"

"Here, eat," I said, sticking a piece of pizza in her mouth to shut up.

But then I got nervous all of a sudden. What if I'm pregnant? God, I don't even know what to do with my life and now a baby?

"Someone's calling you." She mumbled with her mouth still full of pizza.

I glanced at my phone and read: Unknown Caller.

"Just ignore it. Scam, probably."

"Come on, answer it. Could be important."

She managed to convince me, so I yielded and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"I told you to come at 8 but you didn't. I'll wait for you until 8PM today. Same place."

Then he hung up. It was on a loudspeaker so I guess Camille sure heard that.

"Well? Are you going?" she asked with an undeniable smile drawn in her face.

"Let him be. I might just get into trouble."

"Valerie, are you for real right now? You guys fucked—" I quickly covered her mouth to silence her. She don't really know how to stop her mouth but instead said whatever is in her mind.

"What?" she asked like she want to say 'it's true right?'

"Can you lower your voice?"

"Not until you agree. I'll go with you anyway."

I just rolled my eyes, thinking if I have to go. I don't want to see him anymore.