Diana had been zoning out since she woke up. She’s been thinking about Albert’s date invitation. He called her up again last night to ask but she didn’t agree; nor she decline the offer.
“Hey sissy! You’ve been sweeping the same spot for 15 minutes now. What’s wrong with you?” Grace asked.
She was taken back to her senses. She shook her head. ‘
“Nothing, I’m just thinking about something.” She said and finished sweeping.
“Are you sure? Because I’ve been watching you for a while now. I know there’s something bothering you.”
“I’m sure, sis. Don’t overthink too much.” She smiled at Grace and went to her room.
She slumped herself on the bed, burrowing her face on the covers.
‘Gosh, Lord… what will I do? I really don’t want to go but I don’t want to hurt Albert’s feelings… Will you help me out, please? Yes, I know Albert, and we were friends but I’m not confident around him and I want us to be just friends. So please help me out Lord, will you?’
Upon saying those, her phone rang. She lazily reached for her phone on the bedside table. She looked at the caller ID: it’s Mrs. Mayo, their school principal. She immediately took a seat on the bed and answered the phone.
“Hello, ma’am?” she began.
“Good morning Ms. Pangan. Sorry for disturbing you, but are you free today?” Mrs. Mayo asked from the other line.
“Yes, ma’am. May I ask, why?”
“That’s a relief. Can I tap you for a 2-day seminar? There is a seminar that I had to attend at St. Claire this afternoon and tomorrow but I had an emergency situation at home. Anyway, the seminar starts at 1 pm this afternoon if it’s okay with you?”
“No problem, ma’am. I will go.”
“Oh, thank you, Diana. You’re a savior. The registration is already paid. Just tell them to change my name to yours, hon, okay? ”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Thank you again.” The principal said and cut the call.
She throw her phone lazily on the bed. She sighed thinking about the long, boring seminar, but then she realized… she smiled and reached for her phone when she got another call. It’s Albert! Now she has a reason not to go. She answered the call.
“Hello, Albert.”
“So, have you decided?” he cheerfully asked from the other line.
“Yeah, about that… I just had a phone call from our school principal and she’s sending me to a seminar at St. Claire this afternoon. It’s a 2-day seminar actually, I’m afraid you need to cancel the invitation…” she finally declined. There’s a silence from the other line. “Albert?” she called out.
“Then, I guess I’ll just have to pick you up after the seminar then.” He said and cut the call.
“Al – great! I couldn’t even say no.”
She put the phone back to the bedside table and looked for a formal outfit. She found a black slacks and a white satin long sleeves. She pulled it out of the closet and hanged it at the closet handle. She went outside the room.
“Where’s Janwill?” she asked Mel and Grace who were both sitting and reading at the couch.
“Outside.” Mel answered.
She went outside the house and saw his brother playing with her dog.
“Janwill, could you come here for a minute!” she called out.
The young man ran towards her.
“Why sis?”
“Kindly go to Nez’s house and tell her to come here.”
“Why don’t you just call her?” he said, irritated.
“I don’t have a load subscription okay. Go now! I don’t have all the time in the world. I need to attend a seminar this afternoon.”
He grimaced and with droopy shoulders, he trudged away. She went back to her room and start ironing the long sleeves and slacks she’s going to wear.
She was about to finish her ironing when she heard Nez’s voice talking to Mel and Grace.
“She’s in her room, just knock.” She heard Grace answering.
She opened the door and Nez went immediately to her.
“What’s the news? Janwill said it’s urgent.” Nez began.
Diana closed the door behind them.
“I declined Albert’s invitation… well not intentionally.” She said.
“Why? How is it ‘not intended’?”
“My principal called and she wants me to attend a seminar at St. Claire.”
“And you agreed to go there?”
“Of course! It’s for my professional growth.”
“And how about your emotional and relationship growth?”
“Well, that could wait. Besides, I don’t really see myself having a date with Albert. He’s really just a friend to me Nez. And a really good one. And I don’t want to lose that friendship.”
“Well, I agree with that. Albert is really for keeps. But, someday, somehow you need to tell him that. That you don’t want to be any more than just friends. Because if you keep declining him without telling him your reason, that friendship you’re holding on to, might lose as well.”
It hit her. Nez’s words hit her. Maybe she was really mean and rude to him.
“You went silent. You realize now that I’m right, you’re being mean to him.”
She looked at her best friend. She nodded.
“I didn’t mean to do that.”
“But he doesn’t know that. A piece of advice, tell him before it’s too late.”
She bit her lower lip.
“Okay, I get it, you don’t know how to say it with the right words. Do you want me to tell Albert then?” Nez suggested.
“Gosh, no! It’s embarrassing. I’ll just find a way to tell him. Not now but soon, maybe.”
“Make that ‘soon’ the soonest. What time will be your seminar, by the way?”
“1 pm. I still have 2 and a half hours to prepare.”
“I should get going then. I told my mom I won’t be long. Bye, love you.” Nez said and kissed her on the cheeks and rushed out of the room.
Diana was left alone in her room again. She laid down just to be startled with the knock on her room door. Mel peeped on the door.
“Lunch is ready.”
She took a seat on the bed.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” She said. Mel nodded and left.
She went out of the room and ate lunch. After lunch, she took a bath and prepared for the seminar. When she’s done fixing her lipstick, she went out of the room.
“I’ll just attend a seminar.” She told her sisters and went straight out of the house.
She hailed a tricycle.
“Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked.
“At St. Claire, please.” She get in and went to St. Claire.
When she arrived at the venue, there are already people gathering around the registration area.
There’s not even a single person she know. It’s a mixed of new and old teachers, but she can’t recognize anybody. She waited for them to leave the registration area before she went to register.
“Hi, sir. I am here in lieu of Mrs. Mayo.” She said.
“Yes, ma’am. She told us ahead of time. Just write your full name so that we can change the name in the certificate.” The man in the registration told her.
“Okay, thank you.” she said and wrote down her name.
She went to take a seat on a vacant seat in front. She was just minding her own business when she overheard the teachers behind her.
“Have you heard the news?” the teacher just behind her asked the other teacher.
“What news? I’m not updated.”
“The son of Mr. Altamira, the owner of Altamira Learning Center, just quitted the seminary.”
She rolled her eyes. People are really people, talking about other’s personal lives.
She was on that state of mind when someone seated beside her. She looked at the person and she was dumbstruck…