Russia Ocampo and her choice

Chapter 9

Asia: Where are you?

Me: SB

Asia: The one near your department?

Me: Yeah?

Asia: Okay, on my way.

Me: Why?

Asia: I'll tell you in person.

I was ordering coffee with my guy friends when Asia messaged me. What she’s going to tell me is either urgent or she just can’t contain her excitement to tell me. She’s that type of person, it’s just not obvious ‘cause she looks like a fine lady with her chosen career.

“Dave, can you add 1 Java Chips Grande and a Cinnamon Danish?”

We'd be the next one to order, so I added an order for my cousin.

“Okay, nothing else?”

“Nothing more, thanks.”

We sat at a table big enough for 8 people. While we were waiting for our order, Asia arrived.

“Long time no see, Asia. You got lost?”

Jim said to Asia. I almost forgot that all of my friends have been Secta’s students since I don't know when. My friends and Asia may have been classmates before.

“Whatever, Reyes.”

Asia even rolled her eyes at Jim.

“What are you doing here, Ocampo?”

Ryan was looking at Asia seriously while waiting for my cousin to answer him. Ryan is like Kuya Arzt, slightly strict and unfriendly.

“Which Ocampo are you referring to, Ryan? You're facing two Ocampo right now.”

Asia then slumped herself beside me. Ryan is sitting across from us together with Mike and Jim. On my left is Carl, while on my right is Asia. Dave sat in a single chair at the center so he could conveniently stand up when the barista called his name for our orders.

My friends looked at me and Asia back and forth, trying to digest the information that I’m an Ocampo.

“What? You didn’t ask me for my family name, okay? So don’t look at me like I’m a freaking criminal because I lied. I didn’t lie, I just didn’t take the initiative to tell you I’m an Ocampo.”

“We can never win against a smartass.”

Carl grunt. The rest of my friends just shook their heads like I’m such a pain in the ass.

I am a pain in the ass.

“Sir Most-handsome-creature, your order is ready.”

I thought that knowing I was an Ocampo was the most shocking thing that could happen to us right now, but Dave, the scoundrel, stood up while laughing so hard when the barista shouted. So is he Sir Most-handsome-creature? He's so embarrassing.

We heard the laughter of other students, even the barista was laughing as well. Maybe Dave forgot to take his medicine. That's why his brain got messed up again.

“Nice one, Dude.”

Mike gave Dave a high-five when he came back with our orders. Such a mischief-maker, really.

“How did you end up in this group, Ryan?”

Asia asked Ryan after giving us a curious look one by one.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you are serious and a little strict. And they are naughties. I just can’t find anything common between you and the rest of them, aside from the fact that you're all Electrical Engineering students. Well, I understand why Russia is part of this group because she tolerated and learned from Paxton and Matteo, but you? I really think you shouldn’t be in this group.”

Actually, Asia is right. I got my mischievousness from Paxton and Matteo. I have always been the eyewitness of the troubles they stirred since we were kids.

“Nah, you don’t know Ryan if you think that. He's as weird as Russia.”

Dave said it in a matter-of-fact manner, he even shrugged before giving us our drinks and dessert.

“Really?”

Asia looked at Ryan amusedly. I saw a glint in her eyes, uh oh. I just gave her Java Chips and Cinnamon Danish.

“Thank God you ordered for me as well. Thanks, Russia. You are the best.”

She even gave me a thumbs up before sipping her drink.

“Yeah, right. So what do you need from me? I thought it’s urgent that you even came here? Look at the men inside the coffee shop, busy giving you an admiring look.”

“Yeah right. Will you do me a favor?”

“Depends on the favor. What is it?”

“Can you model my design?”

She gave me puppy eyes, which I answered with an act of vomiting.

“Are you really asking? I know you, Asia. I know that your design is really for me. That you design it thinking how I would look wearing it. You have had that habit since you started designing.”

She smiled at me. I just shook my head. And they wondered why I was seriously doing the duty that Granddad gave me?

“So is that a yes? It’s a yes, right?”

“Are you asking Ocampo, or your cousin doesn't have a choice but to agree? Domineering as always?”

“Mind your own business, Ryan.”

“You know you two, you’re acting like you had something in the past with your banter. Care to give us the details?”

Asia is acting unlady-like with Ryan, plus Asia called everyone by their family name except for Ryan and, of course, me.

“A big no! Your cousin has always annoyed the hell out of me since high school.”

“Nah, he's just annoyed at me because he can’t be honest to himself that he has a crush on me. Russia, know that you have a very beautiful and charming cousin.”

Asia cupped her face and blinked her eyes at Ryan. Ryan grimaced at her. I heard Carl laugh at them.

“Seeing Ryan act this way is refreshing, it’s not every day that we’ll see him get flustered.”

“I’m not flustered. This is plain annoyance.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Ryan.”

Jim wiggled his eyebrows at Ryan. We’re obviously shipping the two. I think they’ll make a great couple.

“I’m not going to fall for this woman.”

“You can’t say that, Ryan. Do you want to bet? I can effortlessly make you crazy for me.”

Before their banter would get out of their hands, I interrupted.

“Stop it, Asia. Let the poor guy live his life peacefully. When will you need me?”

“By Friday next week, during the student week. Our Department is going to have a fashion night during the opening day. 10 students from our department are going to showcase their designs. Of course, I need you to do a catwalk during that night.”

“A catwalk? You're asking too much.”

“I know, but you're the perfect model for my design. And it’s not like it’s your first time.”

“That was five years ago, Asia.”

Five years ago, Tita Andrea persistently asked me to be part of her winter collection fashion show. She would ask me every single day for a month. That made me give in. That was the first and last catwalk I did.

“But you're a natural, so it won’t be a problem. Pretty please? Come one, Russia. I’ll pay you if you want.”

“How much?”

“You know what, you’re acting like a beggar. Didn’t you have millions in your account? You have stocks as well. You are the richest among all of us, yet you're acting like you're the poorest. Tell me, where do you spend your money?”

My family didn’t know that I had made a foundation. It is a foundation for people who want to get treated in our hospital but can’t afford it. The hospital can’t cater for all these kinds of situations, they can’t be that generous or else they’ll go bankrupt. But they are donating to the foundation without knowing that I’m the founder, even the triplets are donating as well. I hired a very competent manager to oversee the foundation. The manager will then review the papers of every person who asks for help and if it meets the criteria, he’ll forward them to me. If I don’t see any problem, I would approve it and then the manager would take care of the remaining steps like calling the hospital so that the bills for a certain patient should be billed to the foundation.

I entered the stock market when I was in high school. Every excess allowance that I had, I would use it to buy equity. All the money that I made, I would give 70% of it to the foundation. Kuya Arzt knew about the foundation and the stocks because I used his name to buy and sell shares, because remember you should be 18 years old to be allowed to make stocks. He’ll sometimes give me his spare money as additional capital. I would just transfer the income to his account, and he would allow me to take some to donate it to the foundation. In other words, I’ve been managing his finances.

“It’s none of your business. But you tell me now, how much are you going to pay me?”

“15k? Since it’s just one night.”

“Fine. Just give the instructions about what I should do, and I’ll give you feedback as well.”

“That’s why I want you! Because you’ll give me feedback.”

“I know, now go away, and we still have to do an activity.”

We have a group activity. That’s why we’re in SB right now. We’ll answer it here. Nothing beats a cup of coffee for a stressful task. You can’t have coffee inside the library and the study areas are always full of students who are just messing around and those nerd wannabes. So annoying!

After we said goodbye to Asia, we started doing and discussing the activity. We were grouped into six members. We had the decision to choose our group mates. After 30 minutes, we finished it easily. No sweat, because my friends are smart even though they are crazy people. When my friends and I decided to form our group, even all of our classmates found it unfair. But Ryan looked at them intimidatingly, it made them instantly shut their mouths.

A bunch of scaredy-cats.

We were all starting to stand up and about to go out when someone pushed me down. I slumped back in my seat. The push is not hard, it caught me off guard.

“So it’s my dear cousin whom I’ve been hearing about that was monopolizing the elite first-year students of our department?”

I removed Paxton’s hand on my shoulder. He’s with his engineering teammates. Paxton is currently a third year student of Software Engineering. He’s following Tito Jovan’s steps.

“It’s Asia earlier and now you? What’s with you, siblings, that you just appeared in front of me anytime you like?”

“It’s valid to see me here because I’m an Engineering Student like you, it’s Asia who is not. Enough of that, aren’t you going to introduce me to your companions?”

Kuya Paxton might be thinking that there’s Tristan who he needs to keep watch of then only to find out there’s more?

“Fine. These are my friends; Carl, Jim, Mike, Dave and Ryan. I’ll repeat, okay? They are my FRIENDS, F-R-I-E-N-D-S. Guys, my cousin, Paxton and his friends.”

He smiled at me sweetly. He shook each of my friends' hands.

“Did I say anything?”

“No, but you're murdering them with your glares.”

“Am I not allowed to act like your Kuya? There’s already someone who’s trying to pass through, right Tristan?”

Tristan just smirked at him. Being courageous? Tristan is also an Engineering student. I think Chemical because of their family business, which is Pharmaceuticals.

“Whatever, I’m not going to stay here and listen to your nonsense. We still have class in 30 minutes, so we have to go.”

I was about to walk past Tristan when he held my arm. I stopped on my track and looked at him.

“I’m happy to see you after a week of not seeing each other, yet you're with other guys, you're making me jealous, Russia. Aren't you going to comfort my bruised heart?”

“You are really a f*****g s**t, Tristan. I’m here! I can hear you flirting with my cousin. You are definitely going to run 50 laps during practice later.”

I didn’t mind what my cousin was blabbing about.

“Why would I comfort your heart? Are you my boyfriend? No right? Just drink water to ease whatever’s clogging in your heart.”

I smirked at Tristan and tapped his shoulder as if sympathizing with him. I looked at my cousin and winked at him.

“Boom! Tristan, your heart’s on the floor lying and about to die because you don’t have the right to her. Here, let Daddy give you a kiss to ease the pain.”

I heard them teasing Tristan, but I didn’t look back and just walked out with my friends.

“That’s our Russia! Sorry Dude, but she's tough, isn't she?!”

I heard Paxton say to Tristan before I totally got out of the shop.