Page 31 of Chasing Mr. Prefect

“That looked intense,” Cholo said, taking a step towards me, his eyes on the spot where Liana vanished. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“I just needed to go, that’s all,” I said, uncomfortable. Something was bubbling up at the pit of my stomach and I recognized it as remorse.

“I saw you run out of the club room and then Juliana followed you. Some people inside the room were having a go at Summer. What did she do?”

“No, no, it was me,” I said immediately. Yes, Summer had a part in that but I was not going to blame her for this particular mess. “I was being an asswipe. Can I just?—”

“Do you want to tell me later on the way home?” he asked. “CR ka muna. We’ll wait for you before we start the meeting.”

The last thing I wanted was to go back to the club room but now that he saw me I was not about to just skive off. It also would have been unprofessional.

“Okay.”

“Are you sure you’re fine?”

“Babalik ako, don’t worry,” I said, dismissing him.

Things were definitelyawkward when I came back. I did not dare meet anyone’s eye but, to my relief, Liana, her friend, and Summer were nowhere to be found. I tried to concentrate on the meeting and was relieved when it was finally over.

I found myself having dinner with Cholo at North Mall’s food court an hour later.

Over our dumplings and rice combos, I told him what happened—Summer figuring out that she was excluded in the weekend hangout, Liana’s friend handing out invitations, my foot-in-mouth moment, and Liana confronting me.

He listened without interrupting.

“And that’s when you came in,” I said, sipping on my gulaman drink.

“So that’s why Kristine looked like she was about to bite Summer’s head off,” he said, folding up the lid on his food. “You should have seen how quickly Summer escaped.”

“You know what’s annoying, though? I’ve been mean to Liana all these years and the one time I didn’t intend to be mean is when she decides to be offended about it. What gives? It just doesn’t make sense.”

Cholo adjusted his glasses and looked at me in a way that reminded me of that first day in the prefect’s office.

“You know what they say about the straw that broke the camel’s back?”

“Yes, I mean, I understand that. Maybe she’d been bottling it up all these years. But over that? Really? Did anyone really think I would be insinuating that someone who hands out fancy cards for their birthday would be starving?”

“No. But maybe you could have explained that better instead of daring her tobite you,” he said, gesturing quotation marks in the air with his fingers. “Was that necessary?”

“No. But what she said hurt. So Evil Vinnie took over.”

I stood up and threw my trash on the nearby trash can. He then led the way to the parking lot, which was empty.

“I thought I’d seen the last of her,” he said as we walked.

“Oh, Evil me? No. That’s always here to stay,” I said, my head still quite hot. He looked like he still wanted to argue so I cut him off. “You know what, just leave it.”

“Maybe you and Liana could talk when you get home? You’re both adults, and with cooler heads, I’m sure you both will be laughing about this tomorrow.”

“I saidleave it,” I countered, folding my arms. I was getting annoyed with him now. No, Liana was not going to be laughing with me tomorrow. She hated me now and it was too late to do something about it.

God, how massive was this parking lot? Where was the damn car?

“Please don’t raise your voice like that, Vinnie. I’m trying to help here,” was Cholo’s exasperated reply.

I knew that. For that short time that I had reconnected with him, Cholo helped, listened, understood—always. Gian did that, too, but differently, as Gian used sarcasm and anger back whenever I was being difficult. Cholo, on the other hand, would take my jabs, smile, and make me feel comfortable enough to tell him why I was being a piece of work.

But my default reflex was to snap and I could not control it.