Illusory of Playtime

Chapter 2

"Hello? Ba't ka napatawag? Make sure what you're going to say has some sense or I'll end this call immediately. I am doing something important," Gen's voice immediately registered in my ears right after she accepted the call.

I rolled my eyes, "You don't say that. You still owe me an apology for not spoiling the series. 'Yan tuloy, hindi ako maagang nagising."

"You don't even want me to tell you in the first place— Anyways, what are you going to tell me? I am doing something here."

I took a deep breath, gaining strength to tell her, “I was arranged for a marriage with a guy."

I dropped the bomb, however, after a couple of minutes I never heard any reaction from her. I even brace myself for whatever she's about to say. I'm almost ready to rant about all of the frustrations I have right now.

"Ano te? No reaction man lang? So shocked that you couldn't react or you just plainly don't care?" I flatly asked her.

"You know what? A piece of advice from a friend.

Stop being delusional and make whatever projects or paper you have for school. Wala kang mapapala sa pagiging baliw, Lex."

My brow raised, "I hate you."

"Likewise."

"Why don't you believe me? Argh!" I grunted in frustration while I smashed my hand on the bath water, "I am really frustrated here about it and you just don't care. For a friend, you have no love for me, at all."

Gen and I have been friends since we were kids. We went to the same primary school, high school, and now we're enrolled in the same university. Hindi uso sa amin ang mga sugar-coated words.

"Gusto mo paniwalaan kita? You know how protective your Mom and Dad of you. Pasalamat ka na nga lang at hindi nila alam 'yang flirting activity mo dahil todo tago naman kami ng pinsan mo sa'yo. That's why, I don't believe you."

"That's the thing. They're too protective that I am now arranged for marriage. They worry that no one will take care of me when they're gone— Gosh! I couldn't even bring myself saying that. They're such a worrywart."

"You can't blame them to worry about you. What I don't understand is they're strict. Lalo na si Tita Ellise."

I sighed and played with the bath water, "I cannot turn them down now. I've said yes already... after knowing it's a guy."

"Stop joking around!"

"I'm kidding," I tried to laugh it off.

After a minute of silence, I cannot help but to say what's on my mind. It's the exact thought that crept into my mind when they said about the arrangement.

"Felling ko pinapamigay na ako—"

I was immediately cut off by Gen, "Don't say that..."

Nang hindi ako sumagot ay siya na ang nagsalita.

"They love you and you know that. You have the right naman siguro to back out if the guy is not treating you well, or if he's homophobic. Let's just say that they arranged you to a family they knew well for them to decide like this."

"Do I have a choice? I'll maybe strangle him to death if ever he's homophobic."

She just laugh. She knows me so well. I was never the demure type. I grow up being told that I am strong and capable. I grow up knowing that I have someone to back me up when things will go sideways. No man will ever being this confidence down.

The call ended.

I spent the rest of the day trying to occupy my mind with things. I watched movies. I tried helping Manang Dahlia cook merienda.

In the afternoon, I'm at the garden. There's a small gazebo which is surrounded by different kind of flowers. My favorite of all is the lone pink roses in a big flower box.

"You sure have a lot of things going on inside your head."

Gulat akong napatingin sa bagong dating. Inirapan ko si Jabe, ang pinsan ko. My hand's still on my chest.

"Is it not a common custom to announce your presence? Nakakagulat kaya!"

He just shrugged his shoulder and proceed on sitting opposite to my seat. I narrowed my eyes and sent him glares when he extended his hand to get a brownie.

He raised his brow, "Stop giving me that looks. You look like a stray cat."

I rolled my eyes. Naririnig ko pa nga lang boses ni Jabe ay naiirita na ako. How much more that I am seeing his ugly and blood-pressure-raising face?

He cleared his throat purposefully, "I heard the news... I rushed over here the moment I heard it from Mom."

"Hmmm?"

"Don't take this lightly like how you flirt with your men, Jas."

I raised my brow, "Was I taking it lightly? Do you even know what I really felt about it?"

He sighed, "I'm sorry."

"You should be."

Defeated, he looked at me with pleading eyes. He always have a hard time dealing with my attitude. He always sticks his nose to my business, that's what I hate about him. Despite being cats and dogs, he always come to my rescue.

"Do you want me to talk to Tito and Tita about this? This feels so abrupt."

"Same thought. Pero wala naman akong magagawa. They've decided already. As much as I am frustrated about it..." I just exhaled my surfacing frustration.

He nodded trying to say that he understood me.

"I know you didn't ask but I knew of the guy. I saw him in one of the business conventions I went to with Mom and Dad last year. I tried to search for his background right now after confirming it's him, but he's too private."

That piqued my interest. I faced him.

"What was he like?"

He scoofed, "A playboy."

"Don't be such a judgemental. Lahat naman ng lalaking na nilalapitan mo sinasabihan mo ng masama."

"Not this one though. If I'm not mistaken, he was even dragged out of the venue for making a scene. Imagine, making out with the daughter of the host corporation."

So, Mom and Dad were lying to me about him coming from a good family? Or, it's just the image?

"I will be the one to judge if I see him."

He looked at me as if he already read my mind. I smirked.

"Don't even think of this as a game you can play with, Jas."

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo? I'm not thinking anything like it."

"Oh, I know you very much."

Umiling ako, "If what you say is true, let's see who play better. But... I hope not. I don't want Mom and Dad to worry about me."

Binawi ko din ang sinabi ko. Ayaw ko naman kasi talagang gumawa ng bagay na ikaka-alala nila. I have been very careful of my shenanigans in life. They don't even know about my adventurous college life — partying with an excuse that I was having a group work with a classmate and my flirting activities with boys.

That night, I tried to search him on social media but I found none. It seems Jabe was right, he's indeed private.

'We'll be home late. We're talking with Javerson's parents. We'll be having dinner with them by next week.'

Hindi ko alam kung anong oras na ako nakatulog nang mabasa ko ang text ni Mom sa akin. I don't know what this feeling is that's gripping my stomach.

Is it excitement or nervousness?