Chapter 15 - Old Friends, New Plans #2
She wrote things down.
Then—
"What if dumami?"
"Good problem."
"Hire?"
"Eventually."
"Teacher agad?"
"Depends."
"What if I teach everything myself first?"
"No."
She stared.
"What?"
"If it gets big enough that you're teaching every session yourself, you didn't build a tutorial center."
"What did I build?"
"A second job."
Celeste went quiet.
Then laughed.
"Planning pa lang, inaaway mo na."
"Good. Easier to fix before you suffer."
"Very Lia."
She looked at the notes.
"Registration?"
"When appropriate, yes. But don't sign a long lease and buy furniture before you know people will pay."
"So validate first."
"Yes."
"Then formalize."
"Within legal requirements, yes. Don't use 'validation' as excuse to operate forever without proper compliance."
She pointed at me.
"There. That's why I asked you."
"What?"
"You think of the boring part."
"The boring part keeps businesses alive."
"Very inspiring."
"Thank you."
"Not compliment."
"Still taking it."
We finished most of the business discussion before Celeste closed her notes.
Then she looked at me.
Different look.
I knew immediately.
"No."
She laughed.
"I haven't asked anything."
"You have a face."
"What face?"
"The personal-question face."
"You remember?"
"Unfortunately."
Celeste smiled.
Then—
"Single ka?"
There.
I leaned back.
"Yes."
"Seeing anyone?"
"No."
"Talking to someone?"
"Everyone talks to someone."
"Lia."
"No."
"Crush?"
"Why does everyone ask the same sequence?"
She laughed.
"Because it's efficient."
"Secret."
"Ah."
"What ah?"
"Nothing."
"Celeste."
She took a sip.
Then—
"Jane?"
I stared.
"What about Jane?"
"Friends lang?"
"Yes."
"Still?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"Celeste."
"What? I'm asking."
"Friends."
She nodded slowly.
"Okay."
I stared.
"What does that okay mean?"
"Nothing."
"That's never true."
She smiled.
"Honestly? Curious lang."
"Why?"
"Because she was the one with you Sunday."
"So was Chloe."
"Yes, but Chloe wasn't the name I heard repeatedly in college."
There.
I sighed.
"I mentioned lots of people."
"Not like Jane."
"Excuse me?"
Celeste laughed.
"Lia."
"What?"
"I knew you liked her."
"I know you knew."
"And she knew?"
"Yes."
Celeste blinked.
"She knew?"
"Of course."
"How?"
"I told her."
"Before college?"
"Way before."
Celeste laughed.
"Okay. That explains some things."
"What things?"
"Nothing."
"Stop saying nothing."
She leaned back.
"You mentioned her a lot."
"I mentioned school."
"Exactly."
I frowned.
Celeste started counting.
"Jane said this."
I stared.
"Jane sent me this."
"Stop."
"Jane complained about this."
I laughed.
"She complained a lot."
"Apparently."
"Still does."
Celeste smiled immediately.
"See?"
"See what?"
"Nothing."
I pointed at her.
"You're doing this on purpose."
"Yes."
She laughed.
"Pero seriously. Friends lang?"
"Yes."
"And okay ka?"
I paused.
That question was different.
Not:
Are you still in love with her?
Not:
Do you want something to happen?
Just—
okay ka?
"Yeah."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
I smiled.
"We've been friends for years."
Celeste nodded.
"She seemed nice."
"She is."
"Pretty."
I stared.
Oh no.
Celeste smiled.
"Polished."
"Don't."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Why don't?"
"Jane has ruined those words."
Celeste looked confused.
I shook my head.
"Long story."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Later."
"No."
"Fine."
Then she asked—
"Why didn't you tell Jane about us?"
I looked at her.
"Us?"
"Me. Mara. Adrian. College stuff."
"She knows now."
"That wasn't the question."
I shrugged.
"I didn't think I needed to."
Celeste nodded slowly.
"Fair."
"Jane and I mostly talked about academics during college."
"Safe topic?"
I looked at her.
"Yes."
Celeste smiled.
"I remember."
"Of course you do."
"You'd be upset, then suddenly your phone would light up because Jane sent something."
"Probably a complaint."
"Usually."
I laughed.
"Exactly."
Celeste looked at me for another second.
"Different ka."
There it was.
I kept my face neutral.
"How?"
"Quieter."
"I've always been quiet."
"No. You're..."
She thought.
"Less frantic."
Interesting.
"That's insulting."
"It's true."
"Maybe I learned."
"At twenty-four?"
I smiled.
"Advanced learner."
She laughed.
"Sure."
Then—
"You look happier."
I stopped.
Just briefly.
"Maybe."
Celeste smiled.
"Good."
There it was again.
Apparently the entire universe had agreed on one word.
We left around eight.
Not late.
No business emergency.
No dramatic reunion.
No rekindling.
Just an old college friend with a business idea.
Useful conversation.
Coffee.
History.
Normal.
Before we separated, Celeste said—
"Send mo sakin yung template?"
"Expense tracker?"
"Yes."
"I'll send a simple one."
"Not your thirty-column psycho sheet."
I laughed.
"You don't deserve my columns."
"Thank God."
"Start getting students first."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Don't."
"CEO?"
"Celeste."
She laughed.
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye."
I was halfway home when my phone buzzed.
Jane.
Photo.
Celeste.
New post.
I stopped walking.
Stared at the screen.
Then at the sky.
Unbelievable.
YOU JUST SAW HER THREE DAYS AGO
Jane:
new pic
I opened it.
Celeste at some café.
Very pretty.
Very polished.
Excellent—
No.
Jane:
pretty?
I typed:
I literally had coffee with her tonight
Pause.
Then—
WHAT
I smiled.
There.
Finally.
Something she didn't know.
tutorial center consultation
Three dots.
oh
Then—
business lang?
I stared.
yes
okay
I narrowed my eyes.
what does that okay mean
Jane:
nothing ??
Oh, fuck off.
Then—
very nice legs?
I laughed in the middle of the sidewalk.
JANE
She sent another laughing emoji.
Then:
did she ask about me
I stopped.
Interesting.
yes
Immediate response.
WHAT DID SHE ASK
I smiled.
secret
LIA
goodnight
LIA
I put my phone away.
Let her suffer.
Character development.
The next morning, Celeste sent me a message.
good morning
Then:
first inquiry ??
I stared.
already?
coworker's niece
I smiled.
Good.
don't rent a building
BWISIT
I laughed.
Then sent her the simple tracker.
Students.
Sessions.
Payments.
Expenses.
Materials.
Hours.
Nothing fancy.
Start small.
Learn.
Then build.
At work, Assistant One asked—
"Ma'am, bakit nakangiti kayo?"
I looked up.
"Nothing."
They smiled suspiciously.
"Friend?"
"Yes."
"Pretty?"
I stared.
Slowly.
They immediately turned back to the computer.
"Work po."
"Excellent decision."
Assistant Two laughed.
My business had become infested.
At noon, Jane messaged again.
did she really ask about me
I stared.
Persistent.
yes
what
I considered lying.
Then—
if friends lang tayo
There was a pause.
Longer than normal.
Then:
and?
I said yes
Another pause.
okay
I laughed.
there's that okay again
what else would I say
Fair.
Then:
why did she ask
I typed:
because apparently I mentioned you a lot in college
Three dots.
you did?
I stopped.
Interesting.
apparently
about what
mostly your complaints
Jane:
BWISIT
I laughed.
There.
Normal restored.
Then—
did you tell her I complained because your PPTs were ugly
I stared.
MY PPTS WERE NOT UGLY
some were
BLOCKED
growth ??
I put the phone down.
Work.
Actual work.
By six, printers were off.
Employees out.
Door locked.
Home waiting.
Celeste had one potential student.
Jane had discovered she had apparently appeared in more of my college stories than she realized.
The tutorial center did not exist yet.
Good.
No rent.
No furniture.
No logo.
Just one teacher.
One inquiry.
One spreadsheet.
That was how businesses should begin.
Not with what they wanted to become.
With someone willing to pay for what they could already do.
I started walking home.
My phone buzzed.
Jane.
I looked.
excellent nose?
I closed my eyes.
Then laughed.
Some systems apparently could not be improved.