**ROSEANA**
It's been two weeks since I started working at Ric's club. I plan to look for other jobs besides that. I earn enough from the club. The truth is that the money I earn in this job is too much for my daily expenses. However, I want to save money for my future, which is mainly the reason why I want to look for additional work.
In my hand is the white envelope that contains more than six thousand pesos of my earnings in two weeks. I was surprised earlier when Macy's said that my salary was this much. My salary is usually below the minimum wage based on my past jobs.
I counted the money inside the envelope. In my head, I am thinking about my daily expenses, and I also want to pay Macy the money she loaned me. She lent me one thousand five hundred. That does not include my payment for the apartment, food, and the fare that Macy's paid for. I took two thousand, then I handed Macy the envelope.
"What is this?" she asked in surprise.
I smile widely at her. "This is my payment for the money you lent me as well as the payment for the rent, food, and the fare," I explained. I don't know if that money is enough to pay for what she spent on me. That seems to be lacking.
"I know it is not enough to cover the money you spent on me. With my next salary, I will pay the remaining balance.”
Macy's brow furrowed. She didn't seem to understand what I said. She is forced to open the inside of the envelope.
Her eyes bulged after seeing the amount inside. She glanced at me in surprise. She looked inside the envelope again. She was not satisfied and counted the money.
“Four thousand five hundred?” she asked me, bewildered by the amount of money I gave her. Her eyes were asking what the extra money was for, so I answered her even though she hadn't voiced out her question yet. "For all the expenses you shoulder when I have nothing to spend."
Macy's face crumpled. She rolled her eyes at me. She slammed the money back into the envelope and handed it to me.
"Get this. I don't want to receive more than the dime I lent you." It was obvious from her voice that she didn't like what I did.
I stubbornly shook my head. "No. I should pay you.” I didn't accept the envelope she handed me.
Macy looked at me fiercely. “Roseana, I'm not joking. Take this money you gave.” She groaned. "As far as I can remember, the money I lent you did not exceed two thousand."
"Besides, am I charging you rent for my apartment? Did I ask you to pay for the food you eat?” she asked me one after another.
In the dimly lit room, I can still see the glaring eyes that Macy bore into me. Her brows were knitted together in annoyance. The tapping of her feet on the floor echoed her annoyance. Her lips are pressed into a thin line. She didn't seem to like what I did.
"I don't want to burden you, Macy. I am aware of the responsibilities you have on your shoulders,” I elucidated. I calmly walked closer to her and sat next to her. We are at the club. It is Sunday and it is supposed to be our day off, but we are here to get our salary.
"You know what? You are breaking my heart because of this. I helped you because you are my friend, and you pay me for the thing I willingly spent for you made me feel like you don't consider me as your friend.”
I could not speak after hearing what she said. My tongue retreated.
"If I were in your position and you were the one who was capable of helping me, would you help me?" she asked me.
I agreed with what she said with a subtle, affirming nod.
"And I'm also sure that this is how you would feel if I did what you did," she declared.
I averted my eyes from her. My gaze fell to the floor, trying to entertain myself with my white shoes as if something was amazing there.
I heard Macy sigh. "Fine," she muttered. "I will take this one thousand five hundred that you gave me. This is for the money I lent you.”
"For you not to feel guilty, next month we will split the rent for my apartment and our food. Is that okay with you?” In the end, she was the one who gave up. She knows how stubborn I am.
"Of course!" I answered quickly. Her brow gracefully arched because of my reaction. I kept quiet.
The locker room door opened. Both of our attentions were focused on Ric when his head peeped on the open door.
"Let's eat outside. My treat.” A broad grin stretched across his face. He was even wiggling his brows.
Macy scoffed dismissively, a subtle roll of her eyes and a derisive snort escaping her lips as if to punctuate her disbelief. "If you want to eat outside, you can freely do so. Don't bring us with you," she snorted. Her eyes are already focused on her cell phone, and she is quickly tapping the screen. "It's too hot outside," she added.
I bit my lower lip. My eyes are dancing with suppressed mirth as I attempt to rein in the bubbling laughter. My cheeks are turning red while my shoulders are shaking. When I gazed at Ric's side, I laughed even more. His poker face after Macy's sarcastic response to his generosity is so funny to me.
"Fuck!" I even heard him cursing softly. If the evil look that Ric was giving Macy was deadly, my friend might not have been alive by now. But Macy, being the attitude girl that she is, didn't mind Ric's annoyed glares.
Suddenly, I want to feel sorry for the man. He just wanted to invite us to eat, but Macy’s teasing is what he got.
"That is not what I meant." Ric seems to be running out of patience.
Macy put down her cell phone and focused her gaze on Ric when she heard the annoyance in the man's voice. "Oh? What do you mean then?" she asked innocently.
I couldn't hold back my loud laughter. My laugh echoed in the room.
My goodness! Why are they so effortlessly funny?
“Shhh!"Ric scoffed. "I have changed my mind. I will not buy food for you. Let's leave her alone, Rose," Ric snapped.
Macy didn't seem to care about what the man said. She shrugs her shoulders and even motions for us to leave.
I laughed, got up, and went to the door. Before I could get out completely, I was stopped when I heard Macy's warning voice.
"Roseana, don't forget your envelope."
I quickly returned to where I had sitting earlier and took the envelope that I would have given to her, but she didn't accept it.
"Bye, Macy! I love you!” I kissed her on her cheeks and ran away. Ricardo just laughed at me.
"Why does your friend sound like a strict menopausal math teacher?" he asked me. I laughed out loud. People who passed by on the road looked at us, but I was laughing too much to be shy.