Chapter Twenty Three

❀

"So, tell us more about yourself," her grandma asked using a firm tone.

We were now sitting at the dining table and began eating and as we ate, we continued talking.

I'm having a quite hard time introducing Beatrice Smith because I hadn't thought of giving Beatrice a made-up profile, family history and previous love life. Everything's on the spot and it is quite challenging most especially that I hadn't had any experience at all. Then I suddenly remembered about the background of the character that I've been working on.

Maybe I'll use that too and make it alive.

"I'd love to," I started and smiled.

Like her, my smile was forced.

It wasn't genuine.

Mostly because I felt nervous and maybe intimidated by this old lady. But that doesn't mean I am going to back down.

And hey, at least I smiled at her.

I continued my statement and began making up a profile for Beatrice on the spot. Here goes nothing. "I am an only child," I began. "I am currently living with my mother and my father." I was interrupted by Tom's grandma so I stopped talking for a while. She looked at Tom and again, began talking using their native language.

"Kasama pa ang nanay at tatay sa i-isang bahay? Hindi 'to independent. (Still living with her mother and father? She's not yet independent)" Then I saw her made a thumb down which is definitely NOT a good sign. "Bawas puntos (minus points)"

Although this is just an act, I could feel the weight of pressure. Then Tom's mother began talking using their native language.

"Ma! 'Wag kang ganyan. Bigyan natin ng chance, (Mom! Don't be like that. Let's give her a chance)" Esmeralda said. "Hindi pa natin siya nakikilala ng buo. (We haven't even know her fully yet.)"

"Ang gusto ko lang naman, maging maayos ang magiging kasama sa buhay ng aking apo, (I only want to have my grandson a suitable partner in life.)" I heard his grandma said. She looked at me and made a force smile, again. She made a gesture that says, go on. Continue.

She doesn't have any faith in me, doesn't she?

I'll prove her wrong.

Well, at least in the act.

I flashed a smile and continued speaking. "And although I am still living under the roof with my parents, I work part-time." I lied. I am not even a part of any school's club and here I go, saying that I have a part-time job.

Her grandma's eyes lit up a little and that little light gave me hope that I'll be able to tame her using my act.

"That's nice to hear!" Her grandma said. "Can you tell me your part-time work?"

"Absolutely. I work at a café shop as an intern marketer," I said. "It's a bookstore café shop."

"Really? That sounds interesting," his father said. Then I remembered that his father loves to read. "What's the name of the bookstore? I'd love to pay a visit while we're here."

Good thing that there is really a bookstore café around here.

"BookSweets Café Shop," I answered. "If you turn at the corner street, you'd find it immediately."

"Thanks for that info. I'll pay it a visit tomorrow," he said. "Can you come with me?"

"I'm sorry but I have a class during weekdays," I said, giving him an apologetic sad smile which is of course, a fake one. An act.

"That's too bad," he said. "But I understand if you're busy at school." then smiled.

I feel bad for our play-pretend. His family looked nice but here we go, lying to his family.

"What's your working hours? You have classes to attend after all." Esmeralda asked.

"Fortunately, my manager gave me flexible time. He knew that I was still attending school," I began. "He said that as long as I can market at least 3 hours a day, I will be paid," I continued. "So after class, when I get home, I immediately start working for 3 hours."

"Hey Tom, why didn't you tell us that your girl is hardworking?" his dad said.

I sure hope that I am a hardworker but I am not.

"Well, I'd like to surprise you to show you how lucky I was to catch her," he played along and winked at me.

"You better take care of her, iho," her grandma said. "She's a catch," then in their native language, she said. "Sayang siya kung pakakawalan mo pa. Masipag, makakatulong sa buhay mo lalo't kapag wala ka ng pera. (It's such a waste if you'll let her go. She's a hard worker and could help you especially when you're running out of finances."

I have totally no idea what that meant but Tom looked a bit... pissed?

"Sorry lola, pero hindi pang-labor si Beatrice, (sorry grandma, but Beatrice is not only for labor-purposes)" I heard him say. "Bilang partner niya, tutulungan ko po siya. At naging nobya ko siya dahil sa nararamdaman ko sa kanya. (As her partner, I'd help her out. And she became my girl because I have feelings for her.)"

"Ang sweet mo naman iho, "(You're sweet) her grandma said and smiled genuinely. "Kung tingin mo na siya na talaga, maging tapat ka at mahalin mo siya ng buo. (If you think she's really the one, you have to be faithful and love her unconditionally.)"

Oh, how I wish there was subtitles. Like a remote that could connect to their language and be translated in a language that I could understand too. They are making me more anxious!

They stopped talking when Esmeralda began asking me, "Have you dated anyone before?"

"Tom's the first one," I said and looked at him. "And I'm glad that he's the first guy I've dated."

"Well maybe he could be the last too," his dad said. "Welcome to our family, Beatrice."

Oh, they don't need to welcome me to their family because first, this is only an act. I am simply helping Tom because he's my friend. I wonder when they will be leaving?

Although this is just an act, I still said, "Thank you,"

"You better take care of my grandson," his grandma said then looked at Tom. "You better take good care of her too," she then added. "Don't give up on each other and be faithful."

Wow. His grandma isn't as bad as I thought.

But I am still wondering what they were talking about because I only understood the terms, labor, partner and sweet. Maybe I'll ask Tom about it once they are gone. This play pretend is kind of tough and tiring. I hope this day will be over.

"How long are you gonna stay here, dad?" Tom asked.

"We'll be staying here for a week," his dad answered. "I have to get back to work since I only took a leave for a week. Same goes to your mom and grandparents too."

"I understand," Tom said. "In that case, let's make this moment the most of it."

I'm glad that Tom's having fun because I am feeling anxious. I'm surprised that I was able to act like I am not being anxious on the spot.

Being interviewed by another's family is quite nerve-wrecking and now I am wondering if going into HR interviews feels this way too. I'll find out after this year. After all, we'll become a fresh grad once this year is over.

Maybe I'll try as a marketer when I graduate.

***

A

Apparently, his parents and grandparents were staying at a hotel so now, I am here alone with Tom in his dorm.

They left at 7PM and I stayed with Tom for a while just to lend him a hand with cleaning his dorm.

"Not only you helped me with this play-pretend but you also helped me with cleaning," Tom said. "Thanks a lot!"

"You used me," I said while weeping on the floor with a broom. "And you used me well."

"Hey! I didn't use you," Tom said. "Using is when the other was forced. You volunteered, remember?"

"Well, my memory says that you forced me into becoming your pretend-girl," I said. "I only volunteered with the clean-up."

But of course, I was only teasing him. I helped him willingly with both. Although he used me, the experience gave me an idea for the next chapter of my novel and in addition, I get to portray my own character in the novel. I had fun yet, but I was anxious a while ago. But now that they are gone, I feel calm.

While we were cleaning, a familiar guy barged inside Tom's dorm.

"Hey, dude! Wanna hang ou -" he trailed off when he saw me and I am not sure whether he recognized me or not but in the end, he didn't recognize me at all.

I don't know why he failed to recognize me because first, he already saw me not wearing my eyeglasses. It made me wonder why NJ failed to recognize me? But it's a good thing that he didn't.

"Who's this girl?" he asked and I just smiled shyly, still pretending I am Tom's girl. Tom noticed that I was still pretending so he played along.

Oh boy, this was unexpected.

"Meet Beatrice, my girlfriend," Tom said. "Babe, meet my Nico. A good friend of mine."

The term babe made me cringe. Was it really necessary for couples to have endearment? Guess so. Maybe just to make each other feel special.

"You didn't tell me that you're dating someone!" NJ said and smiled at me, clueless. "Hey, I'm Nicholas. Nice to meet ya!"

"It's nice to meet you too," I said and smiled. "I heard a lot about you from Tom." I lied.

"Really? Like what?" he asked out of curiosity.

"It's a secret!" I said and giggled.

He looked at Tom and said, "Why did you get a girl before me and you didn't even tell me!"

"Life's unfair, you know?" Tom said with a smirk. "We've been dating for a while now."

"Well, life SHOULD NOT be unfair with me!" NJ said, acting like a child and I've been trying to stop myself from laughing. "That's it! I'm asking B out!"

"And you think that B would agree?" Tom asked.

"Can't you at least encourage me?" NJ said. "Be supportive! And I'm single so why can't I?"

He has no idea that Beauty Smith is just standing in front of him.

"Because she has no interest in dating?" Tom answered.

"Well, I'm gonna make her say yes" NJ said in a determined tone.

"Just because I have a girl and you don't, doesn't mean that you can date B or anyone just like that," Tom stated. "Stop being jealous of me." he laughed.

"You don't understand, dude," he said, starting to become serious. "That's not the reason. I haven't told you this before but I like B."

"Are you two friends?" I asked.

"Yep, we are friends. But I don't wanna be just friends," he said. "I wanna be something more."

Oh. No.

NJ, please tell me you are also playing-pretend too. I see NJ as a good friend of mine but more than that? I don't know. And I definitely don't want to break the friendship we built by him, barging in our house without any notice.

I looked at Tom and he seemed to be in shock too. He looked at me and then looked back at NJ.

"S-so, what are you planning to do?" I asked.

"Well, I'm going to ask her out," he said. "And I'm going to remind her of the things that she may have forgotten."

Things that I may have forgotten?

Like what?

As if Tom was able to read my mind, he asked, "What do you mean by that? You just met her this semester and if it wasn't for the buddy system, you won't be getting close. What is there to be forgotten?"

"I have known her since we were in highschool. We met at a beach camp during summer," he said. "But for some reason, she hasn't recognized me. I even gave a few hints!"

What the hell is he talking about?

I couldn't remember going to a beach camp when I was in highschool. The first time I met NJ was the first day of our first semester and we even hated each other's guts back then. Did his memory get tweaked or something that led to believing that we met during the summer of my highschool days?

"What hints?" I asked, trying to fish for more information. Did we really meet before this semester and I just forgot about it? I don't think so. Even if I forget him, I would remember because I still have my photo albums from when I was still in highschool and none of those photos have a memory of a summer camp in it.

"I knew that B used to hate writing and when I told her that, she seemed confused about how I knew about it. Another hint is me, trying to stick with her. She should have realized by now that I have a reason for clinging onto her." he told me.

I continued listening. "The last time we spoke and bid a goodbye was during the winter of the same year of the summer camp we first met," he heaved a sigh. "She thought I left but I'm always watching over her without her knowing it."

"You creep," Tom said. "What are you? A stalker?"

"Stalker," I said. "But that's kind of sweet too in the creepiest way you could think of."

Maybe I will try to refresh my memory.

If I do, I'd probably remember what the hell he was talking about.

Or maybe, he's just playing a prank on Tom.

He sounded serious but who knows?

I could feel my head pounding so I told Tom that I'd be going home. He offered me a ride but NJ's with us so I said that I'd just take a cab so I could get home.

And while I was inside the cab, with my cheeks placed on my palm while watching the cars, city and the traffic lights, I couldn't help it but to rewind what NJ told us.

The summer camp

The first meeting

The winter

And the fact that he likes me.

❀