Years After - Continues (Completed)

13 - Acquaintance Party

When the convention started Thirdy and Althea were not able to spend much time together. The former got too busy helping his mother attending to the participants of the convention. They only have Hi and Hello whenever they bump-in to each other then goes back to their regular itinerary. In a way Althea deliberately avoids an encounter with Thirdy as she is not yet decided whether to tell Thirdy or just keep mum about Rebecca and Santino.

In the five days duration of the convention, despite meeting new friends Althea is still bothered on the thought of Rebecca's unfaithfulness. But, the anxiety is more about her as she could not understand why she feels no hatred for Rebecca inspite her infidelity to her best friend.

"Althea." She heard someone called her while she walks to the function room where the convention is being held.

"Tita Dei. Good morning." She greeted.

"Good morning, I am happy to see you again. How are you?" Dei asked.

"I'm good, thank God, last day na ng convention today." Althea replied.

"Yeah, I hope makabalik ka dito sa Royalties for a vacation naman next time." Dei said. "What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"Early morning flight, Tita Dei. Naka-impake na nga ako kasi sobrang aga ng flight ko going back to Manila." Althea replied.

"Why not stay a little longer para sabay na kayo ni Thirdy and Rebecca na bumalik sa Manila?" Dei asked.

"Hindi po pwede, Tita Dei. I promised my Dad to come back immediately after the convention. I also missed my siblings kaya excited na rin po akong makauwi." Althea said.

"I understand. O sige na iha, baka naistobo na kita, your session is about to start." Dei said.

"Sige po, I'll see you later po." Althea politely uttered and Dei replied a sweet smile at her before she walks to the function room.

Most of the participants are already in the function room waiting for the session to start. She joins her new found friends at their assigned table and they were teasing Althea for coming in late. "Late na kasing nag-on-line si Harold kaya late na akong nakatulog, kaya eto, late na rin akong nagising." She explained.

She did not hide to her new found friends her relationship status. She uses it as a shield for those guys who show interest in her at the first day of the convention.

She may be spare with the guys interested in her because of her declaration about Harold but otherwise with the girls who were smitten with Thirdy. Those girl participants sees how freely she can moves at much more how she is being treated by the Royalties Hotel staff.

She did not hide them how close she is to the owners but her past relationship with Thirdy is an exception. In fact, she feels that most of the girls befriend her to meet and get close to Thirdy. Like what she did with the boys, she too, told the girls about Thirdy's relationship with Rebecca. But, this does not stop the girls to annoy her about Thirdy.

"There's a party for the participants later, isama mo naman si Thirdy." Melissa told Althea. Among her new girl friends Melissa is the most annoying one. She never stops to ask Althea to get acquainted to Thirdy, this girl only shrugs of the fact that Thirdy is already in a relationship

"I am not attending the party tonight. Maaga ang flight ko tomorrow, I cannot afford to stay late tonight." Althea replied.

"Makisama ka naman kahit sandali lang. You don't have to stay until the end of the party. I'm sure we will have fun tonight." Melissa said.

"Okay, I think I could stay for while." Althea said.

"Great, make sure na kasama mo si Thirdy ha. If not, magtatampo ako sa iyo." Melissa declared. Althea just smiles to acknowledge Melissa though in her mind she does no really care if her friendship with the latter stop after this convention.