The TEEN-sitter

1

Note: This chapter is a combined edited version of Chapter 1 and 2 in LWTG.

Last Edited. (1) 7/5/14 & (2) 6/22/14

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Cross Roads

"I got fired from the store," I told Claudia, my bestfriend, the moment I sat on the chair in front of her. She told me to meet with her at Pacing's Food Haus to have lunch. I got out from work and got my wage for like half a month.

She raised an eyebrow as she gets a newspaper from its stand. She immediately opened to the Classified Ads and scanned it. "What did you do this time?"

"Well, napag-initan lang naman ako ng isang co-worker ko sa storage area. Bully yun eh. Kaya upang uminit lalo yung ulo niya sa akin," I paused to chuckle, "I set his hair on fire." I placed my bag on the table as she still wasn't looking at me. "Too bad there were stuffs that got burned."

"And then..." she urged me to continue.

I sighed in defeat. "Unfortunately, the manager saw happened and the dude blamed me. I didn't deny because it's true, anyway," I saw her raised her right brow. "Oh, come on. You know I'm not really good at lying."

She was silent.

"But don't worry, I'll find something somehow!" I raised my fist in the air, "I think," as I slowly put it down.

This was the time she looked at me. "Reian! Here! How about this one?!" she showed me the text her finger pointed at.

As I read the bold letters, I smacked her head slightly. "Gaga! Waitress ng isang bar. Are you out of your mind?!"

Hinamis-hamis niya yung ulo sa sakit habang nakakunot noo nang konti. "Ikaw na nga yung tinutulungan eh. And it's your fault why you become jobless. Again!"

"Yeah, well. Those jobs aren't right for me."

"We can't do anything about that," she breathe in to think then sighed. "Seriously, Rei, I'm going to the States tomorrow and you lost the job that could've help you in living." She looked at me with worried and a hint of plead in her eyes. "Why can't you just come with us?"

I closed my eyes when she asked me that. Not again. I placed my hand on top of hers and said, "Claudia. Malaki na ang utang na loob ko sa pamilya mo. You have taken care of me for years---"

"Three years. Exagge mo naman," she interrupted.

"Wag ka nga. Okay, three years. I'll never forget what your family has provided me. Even the love was unexpected, too. I'll pay you back someday. When I'm stable," I gave her a promise like I was sure that it will ever happen in my life.

Claudia somehow got teary-eyed because of what I said. She blinked for them to go away.

"I'll be fine. I'm a strong and determined fella," I assured her with matching show of muscles.

"Ew! Di bagay. Ano ka lalake?" at tumawa kaming dalawa. "Mag-order na nga tayo."

"Aling Pacing!" tawag ko sa may-ari ng karinderya. We were greeted by her and asked her worker to get our orders. She even talked with us and we accidentally spilled what happened earlier that made her shook her head in amusement. Suki kami dito eh.