At What Price (Completed)

V

#AtWhatPrice 5

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
– Epicurus

•••

"F-cking hell. Cost accounting is so complicated." I muttered to myself.

I cranked my neck, side to side. As usual, I'm early in Margot's condo. Kanina pa 'ko nag-aaral, ang sakit ng batok ko. Seriously, what makes cost accounting difficult is because it's too much work. Ang daming amounts na involved.

"If items in stock are not sold in time, it becomes "obsolete" (or spoiled) and becomes unsellable. This spells a huge loss for the business." basa ni Margot sa libro niya. "Ah, gets ko. Parang yung cooking game sa phone. Nababawasan pera dun pag sunog na 'yung hotdog saka 'yung patty."

I laughed at her comparison. "We shouldn't have underestimated online games."

"...Not to mention the many costs incurred during the storage, maintenance, and transportation of the produce or material inventory. Ang dami namang babayaran! Ayoko na mag-business!"

"Tell that to your parents." I joked.

She gave a crazy laugh. "I'll be disowned."

•••

"Tangina, I wasn't expecting her to flip to the next topic," Margot almost cried. She was so down. "Wala akong nabasa dun kahit isa!" humikbi pa siya. I patted her back. 

I feel her naman. I was surprised, as well. Kakatapos lang ng classes namin. Puro majors pa naman. College is really full of surprises. Most of the time, unwanted. Thankfully, nakasunod ako sa topic kanina kahit di ko pa nababasa.

I sighed and share my problem, as well. "Yung isa naman nating major, he's too technical. Kahit ilang beses akong magbasa, di ko siya masundan. Sana man lang may digested version yung mga sinasabi niya."

"I know. I hate his method too," masabi pa rin ang loob ni Margot. "Don't worry, I'll give you understandable notes." she offered, mukhang medyo nahimasmasan na.

"Thanks."

"I hate their timelines." she added. Same.

"And when I think the problem is easy, he manages to make it more complicated." naglabas pa 'ko ng sama ng loob.

"Preparation sa boards, eh." she shrugged. Ngumiti ito. "It's fine. We'll just study more. Few years from now, ang pag-uusapan naman natin ay kung saang review school tayo aattend."

I answered with a smile. Always the optimist.

"Tara! I need to de-stress!" she shouted to nowhere. I flinched a bit 'cause her movements scared me, but I remained emotionless.

Oh no, matagal-tagal kami nito.

•••

We're at the mall. When she means de-stress, that equates to shopping. 

Pero dahil di naman ako yamings, it's now thrifting.

I taught her how to thrift when we became better friends. Of course, at first she was wary. But now, she loves it. It's a good thing our university is situated at a thrifting hub. Andaming stores na malapit. Hindi namin talaga napapansin 'yung oras... tulad ngayon.

And she taught me how to be stylish in return. If not for her, a glow-up wouldn't happen at all. I looked at my high-heeled boots that she picked up for me before. It fits so right and it became my instant favorite.