circled tracks

02

act 01, scene 02
❝ banquet ❞

celeste requested for a leave of absence after a week. she hesitated before leaving US. she can't believe she will be on vacation when she realized she had a backlog of work, and the worst part is that her parents told her so. she can't accept she'll follow her father's instructions.

she mumbled to herself, "I can't believe what I'm doing right now." she got her phone in her hands with a swift movement. making the brightness higher increased the number of missed calls, which was really frustrating.

father (26 missed calls)

"what a tenacious old man," she said whispering. he has been contacting her for the past month, pressing her to return home. she keeps claiming that she has a large case or several unfinished cases to justify her stay here. but for the time being, she has opted to call her father.

her hands were at her phone when the phone rang, moving her arms away from her ear so she wouldn't hear his father's nagging. a beep was heard.

"celeste! saan ka?" he questioned if his tone indicated that he was upset.

"andito ako sa condo ko, bakit?" celeste wondered, concerned by her father's agitation.

"bumaba ka, mag-suot ka ng pormal na damit. kung ayaw mo, ako ang pupunta d'yan!" he said feeling irritated.

"bumaba ka, mag-suot ka ng pormal na damit. kung ayaw mo, ako ang pupunta d'yan!"

"don't tell me? nandito ka?" celeste exclaimed, defeated. she had not expected her father to find her down and bring her home.

"oo, pero wala ako sa baba ng condo mo. andito ako sa airport. abay, bilisan mo ang pagkilos. may pupuntahan pa tayo," marcelo frantically explained. "Huwag ka nang magdala ng mga damit mo," dugtong niya.

"I was going to inform you that I'm about to go as well, but I didn't believe our schedules would coincide," she explained.

"bumaba ka na 'riyan at pumunta ka na dito," responded Marcelo.

———

her sunglasses and formal dress give her the appearance of a lawyer, and you can tell she is one. celeste, being as busy as she is, seldom times only splurge on clothes. after taking walk for a while longer, she met her father, who was already waiting for her in the private plane's stairwell, looking annoyed.

"you certainly take up a lot of my time, cel," her father said as he climbed the stairwell. celeste whispered, thinking her father hadn't heard her. "who told you to come pick me up?" "ano? anong sabi mo?, who wouldn't pick you up if you don't answer any of my calls or texts?" marcelo said to celeste as he gazed backwards.

———

when they settle into their seats with ease. marcelo closed his eyes quickly, wishing to sleep. but for celeste's curiosity she suddenly asked her father "father, why are you so persistent in making me come home?"

"am I that persistent? ha? celeste, i've been calling you since last month," he remarked, angry, in response to celeste's curiosity.

"I simply want to know why. you're so agitated, and why do you need me to go home?" celeste fought back

"I need you to be right here for the approaching national election; I need you to consult my decisions in building a link to a certain politician or corporation." said her father