Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

I carried my guilt well into the next week.

Cholo and Liana pointedly ignoring me made me realize how small my circle actually was. Kristine and Seth were around, and Gian, too, but I had been spending so much time with Cholo that I found myself restless and reaching for my phone to tell him every little thing that I thought would amuse him or make him laugh. (There were a lot of things . Dammit.)

It was so bad that I felt my heart jump when my phone lit up with a notification that had his name on it.

CHATBOX

Ephemere (ALL) Semester 2

Cholo Valiente

Hello, Team! Quick meeting at 5:30 pm today.

Library conference room 1, please

Kristine Andal

Uy, top secret? Not in the club room eh

Cholo Valiente

My conflicting thoughts and guilty feelings distracted me that whole day, which was bad. I already had a raging migraine when I woke up that morning and I was sure I bungled up all of my answers during today’s class recitations.

I was thankful when the day ended as I would only have the club meeting left. I thought I would be relieved but as I sat inside the conference room, I found myself dreading facing Cholo and Summer in the same room.

Deciding to worry about that later, I took a nap instead. I had maybe fifteen to twenty minutes of shut-eye before people came in.

“Psst, Vinnie, okay ka lang? You look pale as heck,” someone asked and I felt someone plopping down beside me. I opened one eye and saw that it was Kristine.

“Bad migraine. The sooner this is done, the better. Any idea what this meeting is about?”

Kristine’s face lit up.

“We’re getting a launch party!”

“Ssshhh!” said a voice and I saw Cholo with the rest of our teammates entering the room.

I felt the bottom of my stomach vanish as I caught his eye and I turned to Kristine instead.

“Sorry na,” Kristine said.

Cholo shook his head but was smiling and then he led the rest of the group inside the room.

“In you go, bilis,” he was saying to the last person. Our teammates waved at me and Kristine as they got in, all smiles, and Cholo closed the door. “So. We’re getting a launch party for Ephemere.”

There was an explosion of cheers and Cholo wildly waved his hands to silence them.

“Shh! We’re going to get kicked out if you don’t stop that!” he said.

“Let me get this straight, we’re getting a launch party…for another party?” said someone from the Finance team.

I could not help but laugh at that.

“One of our partner brands, Exonerate, liked our promo material work and they’re sponsoring our launch party for revealing the concept, poster, and event title, paying for the venue and all that.

Technically, it’s their launch for their new men’s skincare line called Exonerate, as they need help with brand awareness in the college market. But! It’s still a big deal, it’s a big push for our event promotions.”

Seth whistled and more clapping ensued.

“Thank you, thank you. I know some of you have Accounting review classes after this so everyone except Pub and Marketing are free to go. I just wanted to make the announcement in person. A round of applause, please, for Miss Exconde from Pub team who put together the promo video that caught their eye!”

Some of the team clapped, while another person loudly commented “ Luh, Miss Exconde daw?”

I looked down, feeling my ears grow hot. People started leaving their seats while my teammates remained seated on either side of my chair.

“Pub and Marketing,” Cholo said, coming over to our area with an official-looking piece of paper. “Sorry to keep you here but the catch with the free launch party is they need a longer version of the video you made for them.”

Cholo handed Kristine the paper and I looked up to find Seth and Kristine looking at me .

“That’s the memorandum of agreement. Let me know if you’re happy with the terms so I can sign it off,” Cholo said.

Seth and Kristine stood up.

“We’ll look at it together,” Kristine said, pulling Seth out of the room with a knowing look on her face. I raised an eyebrow at her and I could swear she just ran even faster.

Cholo cleared his throat, bringing me back to the present.

“So I know you made the initial video and the contact specifically asked for you,” he said. “Will you be free to meet them next week, maybe Wednesday afternoon? It’ll just be in Katipunan or something.”

“Yes, that should be fine.”

“Thanks. Here. Have a Ponstan. You can hand these papers to Miss Co afterwards,” he said. “I won’t be there on that day, though, so I’ve asked Seth to drive you if you need–”

“What’s this?” I asked, lifting the paper.

“Your disciplinary sign-off document saying you’ve held up your end of the bargain for Ephemere,” he said, looking annoyed at being cut off.

“I have?”

“Well, technically after the final video but you can hand that in to Miss Co whenever you want. You can text me if you have questions but that document paints you in a very good light and I imagine you won’t have any complaints, Miss Exconde.”

The last bit felt like an ice bucket poured over my head.

“Miss Exconde? Wow. Is that what we’re doing now?”

“ This is you being given an out, if you want it,” he said, showing me his prefect smile. “You’ve been a great addition to the team but all things considered, Pub’s work is done. You’re a free elf. That’s all it is.”

“It feels like you getting back at me for what I said to you last week.”

He looked at the door, as though to check if there was anyone nearby, and then back at me.

“As bad as I was in grade school, I’d like to believe I’m not that cruel,” he replied. “But you did say you were only doing this for BA 170.”

Okay, this was frustrating. And this was Cholo. He was not the vindictive, cruel one— I was. This offer was generous. I thought of all the time and Saturday mornings I was getting back and found that I did not want them.

“What if I want to help and see this event through?”

“Then we’ll be happy to accept your help. You’re free to do as you please.”

He smiled a little and opened the conference room door.

“You know our BA 161 bet is still on, right?” I called out.

“Is it?”

“The exam results are coming out soon,” I said, pushing my luck. “I’d like to change the conditions. If I get a higher score, you’ll drop this formal bullshit and treat me like you usually do.”

Cholo sighed. “I’ll be allowed to care again, then?” he replied and that took me aback. He saw that I was lost for words and took full advantage of that. “Okay. Not changing my conditions, should I get the higher score. You are still not to swear for one week.”

“Deal,” I said, extending my hand.

He looked at it before clasping it in his warm, slightly calloused one, and I felt my heart jolt inside my ribcage. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Exconde,” he said, letting go of my hand. “Don’t forget the Ponstan. It’ll help with the headache.”