CHAPTER 3

"So what happened?" Camille questioned, an eyebrow raised as she settled next to me on the couch.

The room was black now because she'd flicked off the lights, loaded the film, and prepared popcorn and drinks like preparing for a girls' night in. But the tone of concern gave her away.

I sat quietly while my fists clenched over each other in my lap, and I released a deep breath, pushing the wavy strands of hair which always fell in front of my face. "I don't know where to begin," I whispered, covering my face in shame.

Camille scowled at me, her expression shifting from a confused look to one of sheer frustration. "Valerie, for goodness' sake, cut the bull. What actually happened?" she demanded, folding her arms. "God, where were you last night? I've been calling you over and over. You weren't picking up. I even went to the dorm. Not just once but twice! And what's with your uniform? It looks like it was put in a blender. And the money—Val, where the hell did you get so much money? And is that a funeral dress? Seriously? Black? Of all colors? At least wear white if you want to be dramatic." She was asking me questions so rapidly that I could not even breathe, let alone answer.

"Okay, okay!" I exclaimed hastily, holding my hands up. "One at a time, please?"

She scowled but remained silent, letting me get a word in. "So?"

I gazed down at my hands and I breathed a shuddery sigh. "I… I don't know where to start," I began in an uncertain voice. My heart pounded in my chest as guilt churned deep inside my belly. "But… I met a guy."

Camille's eyes narrowed, she blinked at me.

"And?" she said. "You met a guy and your uniform's all—"

She broke off. I saw her eyes grow wide as if something had just occurred to her. Her mouth dropped open, and the expression on her face changed in shock, disbelief. Perhaps, alarmed.

"Wait," she whispered, her voice deeper. "Wait. Valerie, tell me that I'm wrong about what I believe."

I couldn't even meet her eyes. My face was burning. My throat constricted. But I nodded hesitantly. "Sorry," I whispered, covering my hands over my face.

"VALERIE?!?!" Camille yelled. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!" Her voice shattered in a combination of anger and despair. "Stripping for some other man?! Val, are you being serious right now?!"

"J-judge me," I stuttered out, trying to maintain my shaking voice. "Scold me. Dislike me. Abuse me..... happily, I'll accept it. But I did it for the money. For tuition. For the house. You know I'm on my own now. I have no one else."

Camille's expression softened at once, but she did not release her anger. "Valerie, I'm still here," she continued to repeat with her eyes unfocused. "I've always been here."

"I know," I whispered, my cheeks aching with shame. "And I'm sorry. I know that it was wrong, but I did it. I know that even if I needed it, I shouldn't have done what I did. But you know Ms. Fernando. She always underpays me. Always makes excuses. And I felt so embarrassed… You've been treating me to most of my meals. I've been living on the allowance your parents are giving you.

I just..... I blamed myself for asking so much from you."

"Val," Camille whispered, her voice trembling as she stretched her arm across the distance between us. "You know my parents treat you like one of their own daughters, don't you? You're not a burden. You're family. You're my sister, almost. But… I hadn't seen this coming. I had been afraid."

I nodded, trying to hold in tears now rising in my eyes. "It's okay. Judge me—"

"No!" Camille interrupted. "I would never judge you, Val. I'll nag you, for certain. I'll harp at you until you plead with me to leave you alone. But judge you? Never. Because the thing is. I'm not standing where you stand. I don't know what it's like to be bearing what you bear. I don't know the depth of your reasons, and it would be wrong of me to assume I do.".

Tears flowed unceasingly now. I gazed at her, my friend, my sister and not with pity-colored eyes, but compassion and understanding.

"Thank you," I whispered. My voice cracked, and we both reached for the tissue box simultaneously, then laughed amidst the tears. We couldn't push them away any longer. We wept, together. Her arms hugged me, and I clung to her like I was drowning and she was my rope to throw. Because in so many ways, she was.

"Come on," Camille told me, rubbing her eyes and blowing back her tears. "Watch the movie with me. Then I'll make us something hot, then you rest. Tomorrow, I'll go with you on your errands. Whatever you need, I'm there for you."

I smiled in through my tears, the kind that felt genuine despite everything. "You don't have to—"

"Shut up," she said, batting at my forehead with a light touch. "I do. You're never alone, Val."

I nodded. "Thank God I ever met you."

Camille grinned. "Well, duh. You're five years younger, so technically you're my baby sister now. Deal with it.".

Both of us laughed as she pressed play on the remote and leaned in close to me on the couch. The movie ran through in the background but I hardly glanced at the screen.

I didn't know what tomorrow would be like. I still had battles to battle, things to get done, decisions to make. But tonight, in this quiet room with popcorn and tears and open wounds, I allowed myself to rest.

Because sometimes, healing starts with remembering that even on your worst days, someone still hangs in there.

"Wake up, Val," Camille breathed low in my ear, pulling at my arm.

"Mmm, I'm still tired," I growled, rolling over and putting my face into the pillow. Yeah, blame me for making me gorge on Twilight until nearly 3 AM, all right? Who knew it would require such an effort to watch vampires woodedly sparkle?

"Come on, Valerie. Didn't you tell me you needed me to go with you to your school? And to that other place where your mom sold your house?" she reminded me, plopping down beside me with that tone, sugar sweet but firm.

My eyes snapped open. "Oh crap! What time is it? The thing at school is 10AM!

She laughed. "Come on. I've waited a long time now. I thought you're already on your way out, but I guess you're still dreaming. Maybe you were dreaming about him—"

"Ihhh! Already standing! Stop talking!" I grumbled once more, pushing the blanket off me. She laughed, always so talkative, so annoying, but so soothing.

Having dressed rather hastily, I took a quick look in the mirror. "Shit, I look wonderful," I said grinning.

"Before you shatter the mirror," Camille quipped rather swiftly without losing track of her train of thought.

I rolled my eyes and picked up my bag, but I couldn't help the grin spreading on my face. Camille really delights in the little things. I like to consider that I am her happy pill, but the truth is, she's mine too.

We commuted, naturally. We did not have our own vehicle—heck, we did not even possess a bike. Debts pushed us deeper than our aspirations would ever be able to. But we persevered, even if it meant going on tricycles for a ride or waiting for the next jeepney on the scorching asphalt.

"Ugh, we missed it," I grumbled as we reached school, only to be told that the gate was closed.

Camille exhaled and rubbed my back. "Come on, let go. Let's just proceed to the real estate."

"I'll pay this time," she said as we reached the tricycle terminal. "You paid the last."

"No need. If I have money, then why not spend it for something that truly matters, right?"

"You're something else," she said, shaking her head.

"Let us have milk tea and pizza first," I proposed. We never ate the entire day, and my growling stomach was as hungry as a beast. We shared a promo, a buy-one-take-one milk tea and two mini pizzas. Super tight budget, but sufficient to feel like a banquet.

"I've been thinking," I said, taking a bite, "if there's a bit left over from the money, I could try to start something small. A little business. Anything's better than going back to that hotel with Ms. Fernando."

"Good idea," Camille said. "Changing the subject wasn't your mom's house pawned years ago? You can still repossess it?"

"There was an agreement. Because the heir didn't sign anything, the right to claim it still belongs to me. But there's additional pay, of course."

"So your signature is important?"

"Yes."

"Umm… what about that guy you met? You didn't ask him to help you out?"

"No, unfortunately."

"Why not?"

I hesitated. "Just… I don't think he will. Something tells me he already thinks he did enough."

Then suddenly, Camille blurted out, "Did you guys use protection?

I gagged on my drink. "What kind of question is that!!"

"Hey! That's a logical question! They say it's safer if—"

"Eat. Here," I told her, grabbing a piece of pizza and forcing it into her mouth to shut her up.

Even as she laughed, however, my smile went a little softer. Because suddenly I was terrified. What if… what if I am pregnant?

God, I don't even know what to do with my life. And now… a baby? The mere concept constricted my chest. And I' wasn't prepared. Not for this. Not for anything.

Not yet.

"Someone's ringing you," Camille told me, gesturing toward my phone, which had begun to vibrate on the table.

I looked at the screen and it says unknown Caller.

I took a deep breath. "Just don't answer it. Most likely scam."

"Come on, pick up," she urged, leaning against me. "Could be something important. Maybe it's the school or something."

I held back, thumb poised over the screen. But her insistence cautioned me she wasn't going to drop this.

Sighing, I picked up the phone and hit the loudspeaker button. "Hello?" I tried to sound natural, as though my heart wasn't seething inside my chest.

There was a moment of silence. Then his voice rang through the speakers. "I said I wanted you here at 8, and you weren't here. I'll wait for you until 8 P.M. today. Same location."

Click. The phone hung up like that.

There was silence between me and Camille, thick and heavy. I didn't even need to say a word. I didn't have to look at her. The instant drop of her jaw spoke volumes.

"Well?" she spat, voice icy. "Are you going?"

I jeered, attempting to cover the stunned surge of adrenaline through my body. "Leave him alone. I could quite easily get myself in trouble."

Camille's brow rose even higher, and she wasn't pleased. "Valerie. Seriously right now? You two had sex—"

My hand rushed to cut her off from continuing as I desperately looked around. "Will you shut up? For real?".

She tugged my hand back and furrowed her eyebrow like I was being overdramatic. "What?" she inquired in her most innocent tone, then leaned in close and whispered, "It's true, isn't it?"

I shot her a dirty look. "Can you at least keep your voice down?"

"Not until you promise you'll go," she said stubbornly, arms folded. "I'll go with you anyway. I won't let you go alone, especially if he's the sort to just throw orders around like that. What if it does matter?"

"I don't know if it matters," I gave in, voice softening. "I don't even know him.".

"But you do," she whispered. "Even if you don't trust him yet, you're curious. I can tell by your face."

I didn't say anything because she was right. There was something within me that needed to know and needed closure… or perhaps an explanation. Or perhaps something more frantic, verification. Verification that I meant something. That I wasn't just a momentary thing.

"Alright," I finally said, taking a deep breath. "But if you're coming with me."

Camille grinned and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Always."

No further words were necessary. In that moment, I was both on edge and at ease. On edge because I had no concept of what I'd be dealing with at 8PM. At ease because whatever did and didn't occur, I wouldn't be going through it alone.