Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Alonzo
Maya
have u heard of this study app for phl law students? mybe it will help
Alonzo
Yeah, I use that when I’m commuting or working out but it has limited functions.
Did you look it up for me? I’m flattered
Maya
of course u r
Alonzo
You already know that I’m into you. It’s nice to know you think about me too.
“Do you have any plans this weekend?” Mama asked as I sat down at the kitchen table with my scrambled eggs and rice.
“The usual, school and work.” Unless I could convince Maya to stay.
And what, Alonzo? You’ll make her wait for you to finish your class and your shift? Or are you skipping both of those?
I paused, holding the utensils above my plate. I couldn’t comprehend the reality that in less than forty-eight hours, she would be gone. We didn’t even have two whole days left, just a handful of hours that I needed to stretch out for as long as I could.
For so much of my life, I’d wanted to speed up time so I could get to the place I wanted to be. Now I just wanted to slow it down, at least when it came to the hours I got to spend with Maya. It had taken all my self-control to say goodbye to her after our date, but I had a point to prove.
“Tala suggested a brunch place for Sunday,” Mama said. “Did she text you?”
Shit. I forgot to read the messages in our siblings’ group chat. “I’ll check now.”
“Are you okay, Lonzo? You seem distracted.”
I glanced up from my phone and found Mama studying me with a look of concern. “Yes. I just have a lot on my mind.”
She opened her mouth, but Papa spoke up before she could.
“What did I tell you?” he said, joining us at the table. “You need to focus on the most important thing—your studies. Instead, you’re always out all night.”
I was about to tell Mama that I’d be sleeping at a friend’s tonight. Of course, Papa had to beat me to the topic.
“I’m not out partying. Most of the time, I’m working and studying,” I pointed out. “And I’m almost twenty-two.”
“You’re still a student, and you’re still living here. That means you follow my rules.”
“Juan.” Mama frowned at him.
His words set off my temper. “I’ve always followed Mama’s rules. You just made up new ones.”
“Because you disappeared on us and ruined your record,” he retorted. “Obviously, the old rules aren’t enough.”
Heat flashed up my neck, and I spoke without thinking. “I can look for my own place.”
“And how will you pay for it?”
“Juan,” Mama repeated, sharper this time. “There’s no need to move out, Alonzo.”
“So Papa won’t be upset that I’m staying over at a friend’s house tonight?” I asked in a challenging tone.
Her expression didn’t change. “No.”
“We don’t know who this friend is,” Papa argued.
“We didn’t know everything Tala and Luna were up to in college either,” she told him. “At least Alonzo’s just in Manila.”
Papa snorted. “Maybe right now. With the way he’s been behaving?—”
“If me coming and going is an issue, I’d rather just move out,” I interrupted. “I can take out a loan.”
“No,” Mama declared. “This is your home, and you shouldn’t get a loan when you don’t have to. As long as you let us know ahead of time that you’re going out, that’s okay. Right, Papa?” She gave him an expectant look. When he didn’t answer, she added, “We already talked about this.”
Papa shook his head. “If you fail law school?—”
“I won’t.” It was as promise to him as much as it was to myself.
He glowered but didn’t say anything else.
I shoveled in my scrambled eggs and rice. After I cleared my plate, I said, “Thank you for breakfast, Mama.”
“You’re welcome.” She gave me a small smile, and I took my dishes to the sink and washed them along with the pans and utensils she’d used to cook.
After I finished, I excused myself and headed for the shower. The water helped cool down my anger, but it didn’t erase the sting of Papa’s clear lack of trust. I was walking on a tightrope with him, and one wrong move would get me either grounded or thrown out.
I had never felt least at home in my own home than I did now.
Good thing I was seeing Maya tonight. I’d have to get through my shift first, but she was the bright spot at the end of my day. This time around, I wasn’t leaving until I absolutely had to.
Cam
Cam
r u taking ur meds?
Inang
Yes. Stop nagging me.
Cam
jst making sure. il b back early sat am
Inang
You’re not staying longer? Nikki said you saw Lonzo
Cam
no
Inang
Just making sure
Smiling came easier today. Not easy , because I was trapped in a glass building with a bunch of guys. But considering I was chatting with the person I hoped would be my new boss, the act of curving my lips upward wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
Surely, it was because in two days, I would be back home, where the air smelled like sea and sunshine. It wasn’t related to a person. No way.
“I’m glad you were able to join us for the boot camp,” Faye told me. “We wanted to meet our applicants in person so we can ensure we’re choosing someone who will fit in with our team.”
I nodded. “It’s good to talk with you face to face.”
“Isn’t it? Out of curiosity, do you come to Manila often?”
“No,” I answered without hesitation. Seeing her brow pinch at my abruptness, I followed up with, “I haven’t had a reason to go here since I work remotely. Thankfully, I have everything I need to work in Juana.”
“I see. I ask because although the role is a remote one, we’re transitioning to having regular in-person meetings. We believe face-to-face time is essential in building teamwork and collaboration.”
So much for easier smiles. My facial muscles seemed to stiffen with this recent update. “When you say regular, what does that look like?”
“We’re still ironing out the details, but we’re planning for a few days every month.
Many of our team members live outside Metro Manila—some farther than La Union—so we’re considering the simplest way to go about this.
That said, we will definitely have in-person days.
I wanted to bring this up now so we can determine if this will be workable for you. ”
“I appreciate the information. I’m really interested in the opportunity, and of course I will make sure to be present for all meetings if I do get the job.” I held my breath, agonizing over whether I had said the right thing.
Her expression didn’t change, so I figured I was in the clear. Whether I would get the offer or not was up in the air, but at least I hadn’t blown this meeting.
Faye and I chatted for a while longer, mostly about Juana and my hobbies. Then she wished me luck for the remaining sessions and told me to have a safe trip back.
I would have preferred to end the meeting with a clearer idea of where I stood, but I supposed she needed to evaluate the boot camp’s final results.
The news about the regular in-person meetings, though? That hit me out of nowhere.
My initial instinct had been to write the whole thing off. But then came the relief that I could see Alonzo more often. I wouldn’t have to wait for him?—
No. I shouldn’t wait for him. And he shouldn’t factor into my decisions, most of all when they related to my career.
If I got the offer—no, when because I couldn’t consider the alternate possibility—I would decide based on what made sense for my long-term goals of financial freedom and independence. The two things I’d been working toward for so many years.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy Alonzo’s company just for now.