Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Cam
M y phone rang, showing a name I should have deleted from my contact list. I immediately canceled the call. Asking Alonzo for help last night was a bad idea. I should have known he wouldn’t do anything without wanting something in return.
Typical.
I was about to block him when my phone rang. This time, it wasn’t Alonzo.
It was Nikki.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Glad to know you can answer the phone,” Nikki drawled.
Damn it. “You talked to him.”
“Before you threaten me, you should know that your guy’s at the registrar’s office right this moment trying to get the document you asked for.”
My body froze at the words registrar’s office .
“He was calling because they’re asking questions he can’t answer. Maybe try talking to him before you give me the whole traitor speech.”
I unlatched my tongue from the roof of my mouth. “Fine.”
“Call him now, Cam.” Nikki hung up before I could respond.
The line hadn’t been dead for a couple of seconds when my phone rang again.
I picked up, and Alonzo’s voice flooded my ear.
“Hey,” he said. “The staff at the registrar’s is asking for your full name and student number.”
I answered him without thinking, shooting out the familiar numbers like I’d used them just yesterday. Funny what two years of conditioning could do to your brain.
“Got it. Can you hold on in case they have other questions?” He sounded short and formal, nothing like the guy I’d known briefly.
I nodded like he could see me. “Alright.”
Muffled noises came on—a faint female voice followed by Alonzo’s deeper tone. The exchange continued for less than a minute before he addressed me again. “Okay, they’re getting it ready.”
“They didn’t ask for anything else?”
“Nope. I’ll just wait here. Thanks for picking up.”
“Wait,” I blurted out.
There was silence as I tried to find the words. When I still hadn’t spoken, he said, “Wait for what?”
“Thanks for going there.”
“Sure.”
I licked my lip. “Okay then.”
He chuckled quietly. “Bye, Cam.”
We hung up, and I stared at my phone, wondering how he’d managed to turn my mood—no, my entire day—around.
I went from stressing over having to go to the city just to get a document I should have had in the first place, to puzzling over why he did what I’d asked even after I had been a bitch to him.
The cynic in me whispered that the favor wouldn’t come for free. I wished that part of me didn’t exist, that I didn’t automatically question someone’s motives or expect the worst from them.
That was the thing about repetition. Experience something often enough, and your brain gets stuck in the pattern of computing if this happens, then this follows . X leads to Y.
I could be wrong. I’d love the best-case scenario to play out, but I preferred to prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised. Better that than to keep my hopes up only to end up falling flat on my ass. The crash hurt far less when you had a safety net down below.
The jury was still out on whether Alonzo would actually pull through for me. Either way, I’d be damned if I wasn’t ready for the outcome.
Alonzo
After class, I dropped off Cam’s papers at a nearby mailing center and went home.
Mama looked away from the television as I entered the house. “Alonzo,” she said, pausing her show.
“Hi, Mama.” I swapped out my shoes for slippers and padded over to her. “Where’s Papa?”
She tilted her head to the side so I could kiss her cheek. “He has dinner with his officemates. You’re home early.”
“Yeah.” Putting my bag on the floor, I sat next to her on the sofa. “I figured I’d just study here.”
She beamed. “I’m glad. It feels like we haven’t talked for so long.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “We had breakfast together this morning.”
“Yes, but you were in a rush.”
“I didn’t want to be late for class.” My voice sounded defensive even to my own ears. I knew she wasn’t scolding me, but after Papa’s sermon just yesterday, it felt like I couldn’t do anything right. “I’m sorry.”
She put her hand on my thigh. “No, I know you’re busy and you’re under a lot of pressure. I just miss talking to you like we used to.”
I nodded, because I did too. As long as I could remember, Mama worked tirelessly, but she always made time to have at least one meal per day with me and Luna.
After Luna followed Tala to the US, it had been the two of us for over a year.
Then Tala and Papa came home, and things changed. “You have Papa now.”
“Yes, and I’m happy he’s home,” she said. “But it’s different, spending time with my children.”
“Even though I’m the one you see the most?” I teased.
She narrowed her eyes but smiled. “I’m not picking favorites.”
“You don’t have to. I know I’m yours.”
She laughed and shook her head.
I had been planning to heat some food and eat it in my room while studying, but now— “Are you hungry?”
“I already ate, but there’s sinigang in the fridge. I can heat it for you.”
“I’ll do it. But I’d love the company if you can take a break from the TV.”
She turned it off and beamed at me. “Of course.”
“This is delicious, Mama,” I said as I made quick work of my food.
Her face lit up. “Luna showed me how to tweak the flavor so it’s closer to your lola’s. I’m glad you like it.”
“Thanks for cooking.”
“It’s good you’re here to eat the food.” There was a long period of silence while she watched me eat. And then: “How are you, Alonzo?”
“Tired.” The word slipped out before I could filter my answer. I followed it up with a smile. “You know, classes.”
“Are you enjoying law school?”
“Enjoying isn’t the word I’d choose. But I guess that’s how school is, right?”
“ You used to enjoy it,” she reminded me.
“Because college was fun. It’s different now. This is more like work, only I’m not getting paid. I’m not doing well either.”
“It’s a tough path,” she said. “But you should know that no one’s expecting you to get straight As.”
“Good, because I’m not getting them,” I muttered. “But I promise I’ll do better.”
“Your grades don’t determine how I see you. I love you with or without your achievements.” Sighing, she folded her hands on the table. “I wish I’d told you kids that more often when you were growing up. I was too busy?—”
“You were providing for us, Mama. I never doubted that you loved us. None of us did.”
“If I had been around more often, I could have showed you that there’s more to life than getting good grades or working hard and being successful.”
“I mean, it’s not like I don’t have a life outside of school.” I had my part-time job and my friends. I used to have Dani. Just looking at my college life, I’d say I had a well-rounded experience—though whether that translated to law school was still up in the air.
Mama hummed. “How are you and Dani?”
My hands lowered, clattering my utensils on my plate. I took a breath and said, “We broke up.”
She stood and rounded the table to give me a hug. “I’m sorry, Alonzo.”
I patted her arm. “It happened over the holidays, but I didn’t want to tell you because—” Because I was afraid to admit I’d failed at that too.
Sitting beside me, Mama gently said, “You don’t have to, but do you want to talk about it now?”
“Honestly? Not really.” I tried to smile. “It’s going to mess with my head, and I need to study.”
“Alright. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”
“Thanks, Mama.”
Later, when I was at my desk with my readings spread out in front of me, my phone pinged with a text from Cam. I’d sent her a photo of the file envelope at the mailing center and told her it should get there in two to three days.
Cam
thx. hw much do i owe u?
Alonzo
Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to help.
Cam
the site said 180. u have gcash right?
Alonzo
Seriously, don’t pay me back. I don’t want your money.
Not a minute after I replied, I got a notification from my e-wallet app that I had received a money transfer. I shook my head.
Cam
sent 200
Alonzo
Has anyone ever told you how stubborn you are?
Cam
good doing business w u
Alonzo
Anytime, Camaya Cruz :)
My mouth broke into a grin as I pressed send. I’d been waiting to use that since she told me her full name. There was something lyrical about those four syllables and how they rolled off the tongue.
I imagined her reaction to it, and when several minutes went by without a reply, I figured she was back to being annoyed.
I almost wished I could have delivered her papers in person, if only to bug her into replying to me.
Maybe then I would have even convinced her to tell me the story behind that honorable dismissal.