“NO. Selen does not have to sign that stupid contract,” Reinald said in a stern tone.
She was surprised by his reaction. Her friend was always reserved, yet now he was acting that way. And as much as it surprised Selen, it also puzzled her. What made her friend act that way towards Marceline? It seemed to her that Reinald was hiding something from her.
Selen sighed and reached for his hand. His knuckles loosened a bit.
“Rei, it’s okay with me. I understand that Sage has to protect his privacy,” Selen told him calmly.
He locked his fingers with hers and pulled her up. Reinald took him out of the restaurant, and she just let him do that. The next thing Selen knew, she was sitting on his car’s passenger seat.
“Selen, not because you are from the countryside, you will act naïve. Be smart. Why would you sign a contract you haven’t read?” There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.
“I scanned the contract. I understand what was that for,” she countered. “I may not be as privileged as you when it comes to education, but I understand it very well. I am not an idiot.” She let out an exasperated sigh.
Selen did not know why, but this time Reinald had hurt the little ego that she has.
“I am sorry,” her friend said afterwards.
He may have sensed that she felt bad about it.
“You’re forgiven.” She leaned her head on the windshield and focused her eyes on the view outside. “What’s with you and Sage?”
Now she came to realize that there must be something between them. She remembered how her friend addressed Sage as a jerk last night. Selen gave Reinald a side-way glance and saw him driving with a stiffed back. It was enough confirmation.
“We’re neighbors,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, Selen. I know that you know I just want to protect you because you’re my best friend.” He looked at her for a second and smiled.
“I know…”
Reinald had been protecting her since they were kids. And she will always be grateful for that.
“Do you want some ice cream?” he asked nonchalantly. “Well… I thought the turn of events might have stressed you out. I know that eating ice cream gives you comfort.”
“Hmm… I want some vanilla ice cream.”
Reinald groaned.
“Damn, Selen, why do you always like vanilla? It’s so plain,” he complained.
“There is nothing wrong with vanilla.”
“You should try the mint choco.”
Selen grimaced upon hearing his suggestion. “Eww!”
“What was that for?” He laughed.
“Might as well brush my teeth, don’t you think?”
He laughed too hard. “Silly.”
Reinald pulled over in front of a convenience store to buy ice cream. Selen stayed in the car and waited for her friend.
Then her phone rang. It was Nana Violy.
She took a deep breath before she answered the call.
“Where are you now, Selen?” asked Nana Violy.
“I’m with Rei, Nana. Don’t worry about me.” She leaned her head on the windshield, facing the store’s entrance.
“How can I not worry about you when Sage’s manager came here for you?” Nana Violy sighed. “Do they want you to compensate him for the accident yesterday?”
“No, Nana. It’s not like that.”
“Then care to tell me what it’s all about?”
“I will tell you when I got home, okay?”
“You should. Ate Cora will not let this one slide, Selen.”
“I know, Nana.”
“Okay. You tell Reinald to take you home before sunset,” Nana Violy said before ending the call.
Selen shoots her phone inside her pocket when she saw Reinald come out of the convenience store. But instead of hopping in, he went to the passenger side and knocked on the windshield. Reinald beckoned her to get off and pointed to the park just across the street.
She did.
She and Reinald walked to the park and sat on a bench. He put the pint of ice cream between them.
“Choco Vanilla?” She turned her gaze on him after seeing the label.
“Yours is vanilla. Chocolate is mine.” He handed her a plastic spoon. “Don’t dream of a whole pint of vanilla ice cream. I know you, Selen. You can’t finish eating it in one sitting.”
Selen just shrugged and scooped her vanilla ice cream.
“Selen…” Reinald said after a while.
She turned to him. “Hmm?”
“Do you still like Sage even after knowing his real character behind the camera?”
Selen scooped again. She even kept the spoon inside her mouth as she stared at the calm blue sky above them. If truth be told, she hasn’t given a full thought about it.
“Does it really matter to me?” Selen was asking the same question to herself. She turned her gaze to Reinald. “Don’t you think we are all actors and actresses?”
His brows furrowed. “I’m not an actor. I don’t even dream of becoming a star.”
She hit his arm.
“I wasn’t referring to that, moron. We all wear a mask to hide our true selves, especially when we are in front of strangers.” Then she remembered something. “Once in my life, I pretended to be strong and brave to protect someone when, in fact, I am a witch in distress who’s always being saved by you. Sage isn’t a different case. Because he is an actor by profession, he had to act in front of everyone. He had to smile even though he was bothered by something. He had to smile when he is not feeling well—”
“Stop right there.” He sighed exasperatedly. “All you have to say is yes or no, yet you ended up telling me a lot. I get it. You still like him. And I guess I couldn’t do anything to change that.” Reinald waved his hand dismissively.
She gaped at him. “Wah… I did not expect you to be like this towards Sage.”
“Come on, Selen. You can’t expect everyone to like your favorite.”
“And not because he is not your favorite, you have the right to be like that. Leave my Sage alone.” She breathed exasperatedly. “I can’t believe that my best friend turned out to be his anti.”
“You should pay me for this ice cream,” he said, changing the topic.
She sneered. “Why would I pay you when you ate half of it?”
“Then pay me half of the price.”