At What Price (Completed)

II

#AtWhatPrice 2

"You see things; and you say, 'Why?'

But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'"

– George Bernard Shaw

•••

Nandito ako ngayon sa condo ni Margot. We're studying for our upcoming test mamayang hapon. Walking distance lang naman ang school.

Na-distract ako nang marinig ko ang malakas na tunog ng blender niya.

She noticed my glare and shyly smiled. Nag-peace sign siya at pinindot ulit ang blender.

"What are you making?"

"Blueberry smoothie." she said in a singsong manner.

"Yuck." I said with much distaste.

"It's not yuck!" Pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata. "Blueberries contain more antioxidants than nearly any fruit or vegetable, you know. They're really healthy."

Afterwards, nilipat na niya ang blueberry smoothie sa baso.

"No thanks. Pangmayaman kasi dila mo. I once ate a blueberry cake, sobrang mahal pero ampangit ng lasa. Eww."

She rolled her eyes. "Hater!"

"Let's study na," I ate a bit of my cookie and flipped through the pages. "For example, there is a suspected theft in the company. How can we check if the money got stolen?"

"Well, do a bank reconciliation. If the adjusted balance of the cash per ledger is less than the cash in bank, then it is probably stolen." She answered. "I did a good choice. Accounting really knows internal control. My genes will make up for the business skills." She let out a confident smile.

Simpleng conversation lang, pero di siya nawawala sa usapan. I rolled my eyes at her. I don't comment a lot but she probably knows what I'm thinking.

"I'm worried about the bank to book method and vice versa. I haven't really mastered it dahil deretso agad sa proof of cash." I muttered.

"Then let's answer more problems tomorrow!" she chirped but frowned again. "Proof of cash is really easy but it is so freaking confusing! I swear ang hilig tayo lituhin ni prof."

Her phone rang. "Hello, this is Margot."

I tapped my fingers on the book. I wanna get over this exam but I am so not confident.

What is usually followed in handling petty cash? Imprest fund system.

When a note is negotiable, who may obtain cash before maturity date by discounting the note at a bank (or other financing company)?
The payee, the one entitled to the payment of the maker of the promissory note.

How to discount a note? The payee must endorse it.

"Yeah, believe me, I'd love to go. If only I didn't have school. I promise I'll make it up soon! Yeah. Byeee." Margot ended the call.

She groaned frustratedly. "We should've been partying in BGC too!"

"Let's drink soju on Friday. We still have to endure this week." I told her. I needed a drink, too.

"Peram reviewer, sis."

"Sa bag."

Nangalkal siya sa bag ko. "Di naman halatang gamit na gamit!" komento niya. There were a lot of annotations tapos tinupi ko pa yung mga papel.

"Mag-aral ka na lang, nang-iinsulto ka pa."

"Luh, ano 'to?" I saw her raising a keychain.

It was that guy's keychain with a stethoscope design!

Mabilis ko iyong kinuha mula sa kamay niya. "Nothing."

"Anong nothing?!"

Napapikit ako. Di ako titigilan nito. I ended up telling her what happened on the train yesterday.

Her jaw dropped.

"Oh my gee, baka chance mo na 'to sa love life!"

I glared at her. "I wasn't thinking that. Besides, it's not like we'll see each other again. Malaking school 'to."

She giggled. "Oh, you will. Believe me."

"Shattap. Kala ko ba mag-aaral tayo? Nagchikahan lang tayo eh."

"Iiih! Eto na nga!"

•••

We just finished the exam.

I shut my eyes. Nag-aral naman ako. Feeling ko kahit di ako matulog, kulang na kulang pa din.

Tama ba talaga ang pinasok ko?

I sighed. Naglalakad ako ngayon papuntang train station. Margot and I patted ways. How convenient on her part, may condo siyang malapit. She actually offered to have me there but my mom won't allow it. Medyo traditional sila. Kaya naman daw mag-commute. The stress takes a toll on me, though.

I tapped my beep card and waited for the train. My eyes wandered a bit.

Am I expecting something?

Anyway, the train finally came and thankfully, may free seat akong nahanap. I took the chance to sleep.

"I f-cking hate you! Lagi kang epal sa buhay ko! Why can't you just get away from me if you think I'm so dysfunctional?"

He's always like this when I argue with him. He doesn't try to match my temper. Hindi ko talaga siya mabasa.

I try my best to be a good friend, but something in him riles up my nerves.

"I don't need your care, why not take care of another girl since you're so caring?" There was bitterness in my mouth.

San galing 'yun? Why am I upset?

He kept just staring at me. Then he pulled me close and nibbled my lips. He kissed me intently. Something inside me says he's always done it.

My breathing stopped and focused on kissing him back.

What the f-ck am I doing?

We both stopped after a while.

Sino siya?

I tried my best to look at him. His face was blurry, and then his features appeared slowly. I gasped.

The train guy!

I felt the world stopped. My eyes opened.

"Vito Cruz station. Vito Cruz." The intercom played. "Please don't lean on the doors. Protect your belongi—"

Pinakiramdaman ko ang dibdib ko. My heart is racing so fast. The hell was that dream? Goodness, sobrang stress ko na yata.

I really need that soju.

---x---

See photo for the design of the keychain. Isipin nyo na lang H nakasulat na letra don.

Also, unlike Claudia's dream, isang malupitang horror story ang napanaginipan ko. Huhuhu.

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