Chapter 7 - It Sold #2
I stared.
"Lunch isn't ready."
She looked at the bread in her hand.
"This is not lunch."
"You've been here how long?"
"Twenty minutes."
"And you're already eating."
"Tita gave it."
Tita from the kitchen—
"Kumain ka rin, Lia."
Chloe smiled.
"See?"
I sat.
"Fine."
Lunch was loud.
Jane's brothers were there.
Ate Patricia too.
Not formal.
Not a birthday.
Just Sunday.
People moving in and out.
TV playing.
Someone asking where the spoon was.
Tita telling someone the rice was in the kitchen despite everyone knowing where the rice was.
Normal house.
One of Jane's brothers looked at me.
"O, Lia. Businesswoman na daw."
I laughed.
"Small business lang."
"Printing?"
"Yeah."
"May ipapagawa ako sayo."
Jane immediately groaned.
"Lahat nalang kayo."
I pointed at her brother.
"Send details."
He laughed.
"Business agad."
"What do you want me to say?"
"Family discount."
I stared.
"Why is everyone asking for family discount?"
Chloe raised her hand.
"Because you're family."
I looked at her.
"That was suspiciously sweet."
"Don't get used to it."
Better.
Ate Patricia sat beside Chloe.
"Lia, yung friend ko gusto daw invitations."
"Already paid."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Ang bilis."
"Thank you sa referral."
"Commission?"
I stared.
"No."
She laughed.
"Kuripot."
"Apparently family trait na manghingi discount at commission."
Jane looked at me.
"You're earning because of us."
"Correct."
"Then?"
"Friend rate."
"See?" Patricia said. "Meron naman."
I shook my head.
This family.
After lunch, Jane looked around.
Her mother was starting another conversation with Chloe about work.
One brother was asking me about stickers.
Tito had joined the conversation.
Ate Patricia wanted to see packaging samples.
Jane looked at us.
Then—
"Tara sa room."
Chloe stood immediately.
"Bye."
Tita laughed.
"Ayan, tatakas na naman kayo."
Jane:
"Ma."
"What?"
"Ang dami niyo tanong."
"Eh ngayon lang sila pumunta."
"We'll come back out."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
I picked up my drink.
Tita pointed at me.
"Lia, ilabas mo lagi si Jane ha."
I laughed.
Jane stopped.
"Ma!"
"What?"
"I can go out by myself."
"Eh di lumabas ka."
Chloe covered her mouth.
I nodded seriously.
"Yes po, Tita. I'll schedule her."
Jane looked at me.
"You're dead."
I froze internally for maybe one tenth of a second.
Then smiled.
"Worth it."
No one noticed.
Good.
Inside Jane's room, Chloe took the chair again.
Jane stared.
"Again?"
Chloe settled in.
"First come, first served."
"I live here."
"And?"
Jane looked at me.
"Move."
I was sitting near the edge of the bed.
"There's space."
She sat beside me.
Single bed.
Three adults.
Excellent architecture.
Chloe crossed one leg over the other.
"So ano chika?"
Jane sighed.
"Every time."
"Yes."
We spent almost an hour doing absolutely nothing useful.
Which was becoming one of my favorite activities.
Chloe scrolled through videos and periodically shoved her phone toward us.
Jane complained about an application.
I answered two messages, then caught myself.
Locked the phone.
Jane noticed.
Didn't say anything.
Just—
looked at me.
I noticed her looking.
"What?"
"Wala."
I waited.
Nothing.
So I let it go.
Friends looked at each other.
Normal.
Chloe shoved another video toward us.
Problem solved.
A little later, Jane sat cross-legged on the bed.
I was beside her, leaning against the wall.
Chloe still owned the chair.
Jane was talking about someone from high school when I noticed—
her lips.
Dry.
Again.
I stared.
She stopped mid-sentence.
"What?"
"Lip balm."
Her face immediately changed.
"Oh my God."
Chloe looked up.
"What?"
Jane pointed at me.
"She's doing it again."
"Your lips are dry."
"I know!"
"Then use lip balm."
"I forgot."
I sighed.
Opened my bag.
Pulled one out.
Jane stared.
"May dala ka?"
"For me."
She held out her hand.
"Give."
I handed it over.
She applied some.
Then paused.
Looked at the tube.
"Ginamit mo na 'to?"
"Yes."
"So?"
I stared.
"So what?"
She shrugged.
"Nothing."
Applied more.
Chloe slowly looked up from her phone.
I saw her.
"No."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"I literally said nothing."
"Your face did."
Jane laughed.
"What now?"
Chloe shook her head.
"Nothing."
Smartest thing she'd done all day.
Jane handed the lip balm back.
I looked at her face.
Long enough.
Apparently.
She caught me.
"What?"
I leaned closer.
"Wait."
"Pores?"
Chloe burst out laughing.
I stared at Jane.
"You remembered."
"Trauma."
"Your skin looks better."
She immediately smiled.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
I looked closer.
She let me.
Less dryness.
Better texture.
"Using the niacinamide?"
"Yes."
"Salicylic?"
"Twice a week."
"Good."
"Sunscreen."
She pointed toward her bag.
"I brought it."
I nodded approvingly.
"Excellent."
Jane narrowed her eyes.
"Proud ka?"
"Very."
She laughed.
Then I realized—
we were still close.
Face to face.
Neither of us had moved yet.
Jane looked at me.
I looked at her.
Two seconds.
Maybe three.
Then—
Chloe's chair squeaked.
I leaned back.
"Anyway."
Chloe smiled at her phone.
She didn't say anything.
I appreciated her growth.
Around four, Jane's brothers started drinking outside.
Not a party.
Just Sunday.
One of them called from the doorway.
"Lia, inom."
I looked over.
"No."
"Isa lang."
"I don't drink."
"Isa lang nga."
Jane looked over immediately.
"Hindi nga umiinom yan."
Her brother laughed.
"Isa lang naman."
"Wag niyo lasingin."
I looked at Jane.
"I'm twenty-three."
"I know."
"Thank you."
"Low tolerance mo."
I paused.
She remembered.
Of course she did.
High school and college had provided enough evidence that alcohol and I were not especially compatible.
Chloe looked at me.
"Try."
I stared.
"You too?"
"Isa lang."
Famous last words.
I knew enough about alcohol from Original Life to know one drink wasn't going to kill me.
Probably.
But current twenty-three-year-old body had current twenty-three-year-old tolerance.
Which was—
almost none.
"Fine. One."
Jane pointed at her brothers.
"One lang ha."
One of them laughed.
"Oo na."
I looked at her.
"Why are you supervising?"
She looked at me like the answer was obvious.
"Because ikaw yan."
Fair.
One became one and a half.
Not because they pressured me.
Because apparently the second one tasted less terrible after the first.
Problematic discovery.
Jane noticed before I did.
I was reaching for the glass again when her hand landed over the top of it.
"No."
I looked at her hand.
Then at her.
"What?"
"Enough."
"Half lang."
"Exactly. Enough na."
"I'm fine."
"I know. Stop habang fine ka pa."
Her brother laughed.
"Hayaan mo."
Jane shook her head.
"Hindi nga sanay uminom."
I stared at her for a second.
There wasn't any teasing in her face now.
Not really.
Just that quiet, familiar look she used when she'd already decided something and expected me to cooperate.
I released the glass.
"Fine."
"Water."
"Bossy."
"Water, Lia."
I took the bottle she handed me.
"Yes, Ma'am."
She watched until I actually drank.
"Happy?"
"Medyo."
I laughed.
By six, I was not drunk.
I was—
warm.
Very warm.
My face felt warm.
My limbs felt slightly delayed.
Chloe looked at me.
"You're red."
"No."
"Yes."
Jane had been checking me periodically for the last twenty minutes.
Not staring.
Just—
looking.
Every few minutes.
Like she was quietly making sure I hadn't deteriorated.
Now she moved closer.
"Lia."
"Hm?"
"Okay ka?"
"Yes."
"Dizzy?"
"No."
"Nahihilo?"
"That is literally dizzy."
"Answer."
"No."
"Nasusuka?"
"No."
"Sure?"
I laughed.
"Jane."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
She touched the back of her fingers lightly against my cheek.
I blinked.
"Ang init mo."
"It's hot."
"Hindi ganito kainit."
Chloe watched us.
For once, even she didn't make a face.
Jane pushed the water toward me again.
"Drink."
"I already drank."
"Again."
I drank.
"Happy?"
She kept looking at me.
"Hindi pa."
I laughed.
"What else?"
"Kumain ka."
"I ate lunch."
"That was hours ago."
She stood.
Then came back with bread and something from the kitchen.
I stared.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
"I'm not hungry."
"Kahit konti."
I looked at her.
She looked back.
No smile.
Okay.
I ate.
Jane visibly relaxed after a few bites.
Interesting.
Chloe finally smiled.
"Parang bata."
I pointed at her with the bread.
"Shut up."
Jane immediately caught my wrist before I accidentally waved food everywhere.
"Easy."
I looked at her hand.
Then her face.
She released me.
"See?"
"What?"
"Delayed ka."
"I am not."
"You are."
Chloe nodded.
"Medyo."
"Traitors."
Jane laughed, but she still kept the water beside me.
I checked the time.
6:31.
Dark outside.
Papa was expecting me home eventually.
Mama too.
I reached for my phone.
"I should go."
Jane looked at me immediately.
"No."
I blinked.
"No?"
"Gabi na."
"I can go home."
"You drank."
"One and a half."
"And you're already red."
"That's genetics."
"Lia."
"I can book a ride."
She shook her head.
"No. Dito ka na."
I laughed.
"Why are you deciding?"
"Because kung ikaw magde-decide, sasabihin mong okay ka kahit hindi."
That—
was annoyingly accurate.
Tita noticed the conversation.
"Lia, wag ka na umuwi."
I looked toward her.
"What?"
"Gabi na. Tapos uminom ka pa."
"Konti lang po."
"Kahit. Dito ka na."
I opened my mouth.
Jane cut in—
"Ma, dito na nga siya."
I looked at her.
She ignored me and took my empty glass away.
"Tita, okay lang po talaga—"
"Dito ka na."
There.
Decision made.
Jane looked at me.
"Don't bother."
"I can go home."
"Pwede. Pero sasabihin mo kay Mama mo uminom ka tapos gabi ka uuwi?"
I paused.
Excellent point.
I texted Mama.
Ma, dito nalang ako kala Jane. Gabi na.
Then, because lying was stupid—
Uminom konti with her brothers.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.