Starting Over Again

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Red-Handed

"You should've seen your face!" He barely puffed out from his mouth because of excessive laughter. Patuloy ko rin siyang sinasapak dahil sa inis.

We played a lot of games, and I was extremely competitive, believe me, but I guess I still haven't played enough hours of shooting games to beat a guy who doesn't have a life besides holding his Xbox.

"Whatever!" I shouted in exasperation.

"Alam mo namang I'm better at you at everything," he stated, a grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes. "Excuse me, kahit hindi ako sporty, I'm better at you at physical activities. And literature. And musical instruments." I said as-a-matter-of-factly. "You only know Math, by the way."

Mahina niyang sinuntok ang braso ko.

That was true for as far as I know it. I don't think he does anything physical. I don't do much either because I'm always at home reading books or getting into whatever class my mom has enrolled me in. That's Kelsea's life for you. However, I play badminton once in a while. Still at home, but a recreational activity nonetheless.

Maybe Caleb is so rich he has people feeding him his rice. Yikes.

Patuloy lang kami sa paglalakad patungo sa isang karenderya. It's a place we haven't been to before, pero pinilit niya akong 'don kami kumain for lunch. I suggested we'd eat at McDonald's or sa Jollibee man lang, pero sabi niya na it's for a change.

"I never thought you'd eat at a karenderya," I told him as we were looking for a table. It's noon already, so there are a lot of people occupying the area.

"Of course, I do. Why, don't you?" He asked.

"No, I do. Pero I don't think you do. You make it look like you're from the royal family, so I never thought you'd eat here." I explained.

Caleb and I have been inseparable for months basically because we're so much alike and that he sits in front of me in school. I think everybody knows that he's boastful because he speaks like he has peasants to serve him, but sometimes, he looks really, really rich, which is why I got to believe that he's picky with places.

"They make great food." He stated. He then pointed an empty table for us to get seated on. "Also, I don't get the point of spending P200 on one meal at a food joint when you can spend P30 at a karenderya."

"I think that's like an indirect way of saying you're cheap," sabi ko na nakangiti. I get his point, really. But sometimes, when bringing someone down is a source of entertainment, you just have to go all in.

Plus, I'm paying for lunch so I really don't mind.

"You know I never surrender at arguments," he stated, "but I guess I really am cheap. With my personal money, at the least. I like saving. It's a virtue you need to cherish to get richer when you grow up."

"Parang mas gusto kong gamitin yung salitang 'successful' kesa 'rich.' I'm not even sure what people describe 'successful' as. Probably 'rich,' pero I never think it's like that." Paliwanag ko.

"Well, what makes you say so, Ms. Philosopher?"

I chewed the marshmallows I won in an arcade earlier. "'Successful' is subjective kasi, eh. Pero para sa akin, being successful means that you've achieved your goals. I personally don't aim to be rich, instead, just happy. I think I can be happy living with little to go by, just as long as contented ako sa buhay ko."

Binigyan niya ako ng isang masigabong palakpakan bago siya tumayo para iiwan ang kanyang bag.

"That's what you think, but I would be really happy to have a fat wallet with me everywhere I go when I grow up, so I think I have to use the word 'rich.'" He smirked. "For now, kailangan mo na akong ilibre ng lunch. Gutom na gutom na 'ko, Kels."