Years After (Completed)

30 - Time Alone

Days have passed but Thirdy have not decided on whether to tell or not to tell  Althea about his feelings for her. Pressure started to build-up as they only have a less than a month before their moving-up ceremony and yet he could not get the right timing to talk to her.

Another dilemma that he is into is having second thought on his chosen strand for senior high school. Before his talk with his dad, he already chooses the STEM strand in preparation for the information technology course in college, but now he is having second thoughts after he learns that his father is willing to sell a huge share of their business in case none among his children will be interested to run the business when he retires.

He knows how his parents worked hard to maintain the status of Royalties Hotel not only in Manila but also in Cebu. Now he is tossing between STEM and ABM strands, because now, there is a part of him that wanted to take over the business just so his father would not sell the it, he grow-up with Royalties Hotel and it has been his biggest playground.

He already accepted his sister Athena's disinterest in handling the family business, 'That is not my cup of tea.' he recalls his sister declared. He is the only one left to help his eldest sister Charmaine to take care of their precious Royalties Hotel.

If he chooses to manage the Royalties Hotel, there are a lot of things that he needs to sacrifice for the training, infact he has to sacrifice almost all, his dream career in information technology, his friends in Manila and Laguna, his soccer and Althea.

"Thirdy." A familiar voice called him. He turned around to confirm his hunch who owns that familiar voice.

His hunch is correct as he sees Althea Marie, the only girl who makes his heart beats so fast that he could not almost breathe.

"Althea, akala ko naka-uwi ka na." he said while he watches her walks towards him.

"Around thirty minutes pa raw, sabi ni Dad, late na raw kasi syang naka-alis ng office." Althea replied. "Anong ginagawa mo dyan, why are you alone?" she asked.

"Hinihintay ko rin yung sundo ko. Mukhang traffic eh" Thirdy replied.

"Naistorbo ba kita?" Althea asked.

"Of course not, come and join me, magkwentuhan muna tayo habang naghihintay tayo ng mga sundo natin." Thirdy said. "Where is Vino?" he asked as soon as Althea sits on the bench with Thirdy.

"Half day ang grade 1 to 6 di ba?" Althea replied.

"Oo nga pala, I forgot. Kaya pala wala sa practice si Anthony at Vino kanina." Thirdy said. "Where are your friends?" he asked again.

"They went malling." Althea replied.

"Hindi ka sumama?" Thirdy asked.

"Obvious ba, nandito ako di ba." Althea replied.

"Grabe napakaliteral naman, I mean, bakit hindi ka sumama?" Thirdy replied, chuckling.

"Nakakatamad eh, saka gusto ko nang tapusin yung canvas ko, kaya gusto ko nang maka-uwi." Althea replied. "Mukhang naistorbo nga kita, parang ayaw mo akong kausap, kung sino-sino ang hinahanap mo eh." she added.

"Naninibago lang ako na mag-isa ka ngayon, madalas kasing kasama mo yung mga friends mo, at sa uwian naman si Vino at yung mga pinsan mo." Thirdy replied.

"Oo nga ano, ngayon lang nga na iniwan nila akong mag-isa." Althea replied.

"Perhaps it is my lucky day today." Thirdy said.