The Unwanted Engagement

Chapter 1

The Unwanted Engagement:

Date started: July 21, 2021

Chapter 1

"You should marry him Eliza. Sya na lang ang natitirang pag-asa ng kuya mo! Pamilya na lang nila ang handang tumanggap satin!" My father said to me. He looked very persistent.

Nanginginig ang kamay nya dahil sa matinding pagkakahawak sa lamesa.

Nanatili naman akong nakayuko. Pinipilit intindihin ang winika ni Papa.

"Bakit ako pa, Pa? Markus has an elder sister. Sya na lang at si kuya ang ipakasal tutal si Kuya naman ang dahilan kung bakit tayo humaharap sa ganitong sitwasyon ngayon! He is the reason so he should be the solution!" matigas na sagot ko, na mas ikinangini g ng kamay ni Papa.

"Elizabeth!" Galit nitong tawag sa pangalan ko. Halos napuno ng katahimikan sa kusina dahil sa sigaw na iyon ni Papa. Kahit ako ay unti-unti ng tinatablan ng takot, ngunit pinili 'kong wag magpahalata. I need to stand firmly. This is for my freedom, and also for Markus'. "Nasa kulungan ngayon ang kuya mo kaya kahit gustuhin man nya wala syang maitutulong sa sitwasyon natin ngayon. And about Markus's sister, we all know that she was engaged a long time ago! There is no other person whose available except you and Markus! Magkaibigan naman kayo, hindi ba? Tiyak na magiging masaya kayo sa isa't isa!"

"Markus has a girlfriend, Papa!" Sabat ko naman. "I cannot let my family problem ruin his love life!"

"Markus knew that being in a powerful and rich family means no to such things like true love. Fixed marriages is very common in their family's circle, Eliza. We are sure that Markus will accept his fate." Dad tried saying to still persuade me.

Napa-iling ako.

"I cannot do that, Papa." mahinang sambit ko, "Pasensya na pero...hindi ko kayang itali sakin si Markus ng dahil lang sa pinagdadaanan ng pamilya natin." Dugtong ko bago tuluyang tumayo at tinalikuran si Papa at Mama.

"ELIZABETH ARAGON! DON'T TURN YOUR BACK AT ME!"

Malakas ang boses na wika ni Papa ngunit hindi ako nagpa-tinag. Tuluyan pa rin ako sa paghakbang paalis ngunit ng marinig ang sumunod na nagsalita ay duon ako napahinto.

"Eliza nagmamaka-awa kami ng papa mo. Iligtas mo ang kuya mo at ang pamilya natin..." Sa tagal naming nakaupo sa kusina, ni isang salita mula kay mama ay walang lumabas. Ngayon lang. Ngayon pa.

Nanginig ang labi ko dahil sa nagba-badyang luha. Ni minsan ay hindi ako pinilit ni mama sa kahit na anong bagay at ni minsan hindi ko sya narinig na magmakaawa.

Ngayon lang...

"Para sa pamilya natin anak...kahit para na lang sa pamilya natin..." dagdag na wika nito na nasundan ng matinding pag-tangis.

Duon ay sunud-sunod ang naging pagpatak ng luha ko. Hindi ko napigilang mapahikbi. Nanatili akong nakatalikod mula sa kanila, ngunit ramdam ko ang titig nila sa aking likuran.

Buo na ang desisyon ko kanina. Hindi ako papayag sa gusto nila. Wala na akong pakialam kung tuluyang mawala ang pamilya namin sa pangalan ng mga tinitingalang pamilya sa Pilipinas.

Ngunit tila unti-unting natibag ang paninidigan ko ng marinig ang munting pagmamaka-awa ni Mama.

Lalong lumakas ang hikbi ni Mama, habang si Papa naman ay nanatiling tahimik.

"You are the only hope of our family, Eliza..." wika ni papa gamit ang malungkot at nanginginig na boses. "Alam mo ang hirap na pinagdadaanan namin ng mama mo marating lang natin ang ganitong pamumuhay. Galit kami sa kuya mo dahil sa ginawa niyang matinding pagkakamali, pero wala na kaming magagawa pa para ibalik ang nakaraan anak." dagdag ni papa. "Kaya naman imbes na baguhin ang nakaraan gusto namin na gawan ng paraan ang kung ano 'mang pinagdadaanan natin ngayon. Ikaw lang ang nakikita naming solusyon, anak. Kayo lang ni Markus ang makakasalba sa pamilya natin..."

"Pero kaibigan ko si Markus, papa. Ayokong sirain ang pagkakaibigan naming dalawa, at mas lalong ayokong sirain ang relasyon nilang dalawa ni Kate."

"You have to ignore all of those, Eliza...for our family..." Nilingon ko si Papa at kitang-kita ko ang sakit sa mga mata nito. Somehow, I feel pity towards them.

Am I being selfish?

Is choosing friendship over family an act of selfishness?

I bit my lower lip as I stared at them. They both look too hurt.

Mariin 'kong ipinikit ang aking mata, bago tuluyan silang tinalikuran at patakbong lumabas ng bahay. No one from them called my name so Its an indication that they are letting me leave.

Thankfully I brought my car key's with me. Sumakay ako sa kotse at dali-daling pinatakbo iyon patungo sa condo unit ni Markus.

Markus and I are very close friends. Parehong lumaki sa maginhawang pamilya kaya namin naging mag-kababata kaming dalawa. Markus's family is very close with mine too. Bukod sa magka-sosyo sa negosyo ay naging matatalik na din itong magkakaibigan, to the point na sa bawat araw ay hindi nila nagagawang hindi magkita.

My car entered the parking lot of the condominium unit where Markus is staying for over a month. His parents didn't know this place. Only me, together with Kate—his girlfriend know about this place.

I left my car and immediately ran towards the elevator. Sakto naman na ako lamang ang sakay niyon kaya't hindi ko napigilang maglabas ng luha.

Sobrang sikip ng dibdib ko ngayon, ang daming gumugulo sa utak ko, that resulted for me to feel confused. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

Hindi ko na alam kung ano or sino ang dapat 'kong piliin!

I continued crying to the point that I ended up sitting at the corner of the elevator.

But when the elevator door opened up right at the exact floor, I immediately wiped my tears and stand.

I gulped hard before going out and walked towards his unit.

I rang the bell and waited outside. Wala na akong pakialam kung namumula ang mata ko at kung may natitira 'pang luha sa pisngi ko. All I want to do now is to know what should I choose.

Napapikit ako muli ng mariin kasabay ng pagbukas ng pinto.

"Finally you're back! Come in, Liz!" anyaya agad ni Markus sa akin.

Napamulat naman ako. Naabutan ko itong nakasuot ng puting T-shirt na may tatak na Balenciaga, at naka-shorts lamang na itim. His attire perfectly fits his physical appearance. Black hair in a comb-over cut, white skin, typical pair of black color eyes and a height of 181 centimeter. He's a heartthrob, no argue with that.

Bukod sa talagang gwapo ay mayaman din ito kaya masasabing 'every girls dream guy' sya.

I even had a crush on him way way back, but the mere fact that we are best of friends stopped me from falling even deeper. The fear that he might feel awkward and chase me away pushed me to just forget those feelings.

As much as I can, I don't want to do anything that can ruin our friendship.

"Tatayo ka na lang ba dyan?" wika niya ng mapansing hind pa rin ako pumapasok ng unit nya.

Duon lang rin naman ako nakabalik sa katinuan at napangiti na lamang dahil sa kahihiyan. I stepped inside his unit. Mabilis niya namang sinarado ang pinto, and without second thought, he held my hand and pulled me towards the couch.

He jokingly pushed me to the sofa, and then lay on top of me—ofcourse, he's facing the other direction.

"Come on, Markus! Ang bigat mo!" Reklamo ko habang tinutulak-tulak ito palayo sa akin. Pero sa bigat nya, ni wala man lang nagawa ang mga tulak ko.

"No. I'll stay here. Na-miss kitang daganan, Liz! Hahaha." He said and laugh.

I rolled my eyes while still trying to get him off of me. See, we're this close. Halos komportable na kami sa isa't isa.

I wished before that our friendship will always be cool. That it will never change nor vanished.

And I silently hope that it will come true.

"Markus, you know that we need to talk about serious stuffs, right?" mahinang wika ko na agad nagpatahimik ng paligid.

Here comes the sudden silence, the one giving me fear and nervousness.

Slowly, Markus get up and faced me while standing. His face is now serious, just like me.

He sighed. "Okay, let's talk..." he paused. "...seriously." wika nya kaya naman agad akong bumangon at umayos ng pagkakaupo sa sofa.

Markus also sat beside me. We are now sitting next to each other, both are looking in front.

I know that he's waiting for me to talk. To break the silence around us.

Kinakabahan ako. I know that one word from me can change everything. It can ruin us—our friendship.

But I know I have to choose.

I wet my lower lip before facing him. Nakatingin pa rin naman ito sa harapan.

"Marry me...Markus." I shamelessly said using my trembling voice.

Markus immediately turned his head at me. There's a frown in his forehead. "What did you say?"

I gulped. "Marry me...and save my family..." pag-uulit ko. The only thing that I have in mind is my family, the earlier scene of my parents crying and almost begging me just to do their favor is running inside my head.

"Tang ina Liz! Napag-usapan natin 'to diba?" biglang lakas ang boses na sagot ni Markus. "Alam 'mong may girlfriend ako! Ano na lang ang iisipin ni Kate nyan? Are you bluffing me, ha? Its not funny anymore!"

I looked at him, "You think I am bluffing? I don't have a choice, Markus! Kailangan 'kong tulungan ang pamilya ko. Kuya is in jail! My family is ruined. And it may sounds unfair to you but we need your family to build our ruined name again." Saad ko bago tuluyang nagpatakan ang luha. "If you think that I am being unfair and that I don't fulfill those promises of mine then I'll let you think of me that way. Ang gusto ko lang ngayon ay matulungan ang pamilya ko. And marrying you is the only one that can help us. So I'm sorry..." Mahabang wika ko, na agad ikinatayo ni Markus.

Batid sa hakbang nito ang matinding galit. I sobbed.

I know that letting those words out of my mouth can change a lot of things between us. It can ruin the friendship we're having for how many years.

But then, my family is also important to me.

I will do this for them, but I still blame everything to Kuya. Kung hindi lang sya nagpadala sa mga kaibigan nya at naging drug addict, sana...sana okay pa ang sitwasyon ng pamilya namin ngayon.

"Tang ina! Tang ina!" magkakasunod na mura ni Markus na agad nasundan ng pagkabasag ng kung ano sa kusina.

Agad akong tumakbo patungo roon, at naabutan ko ang basag na basa malapit lamang sa pintuan. I was shocked.

Nagtama ang tingin namin ni Markus, at halos manlamig ako ng makita kung gaano sya namumuhi sa akin. Pakiramdam ko dinudurog ang puso ko ng makitang galit sa akin ang best friend ko.

"Markus..." I tried calling his name but he looked away.

"Hindi kita pakakasalan." aniya, "We are only bound to become friends, Eliza. I love Kate, so much and I cannot lose her just because of you and your family!" he said which made me get close to him in a fast pace.

I get a hold of his arm and while holding it, I cried. "Please Markus...marry me. Help my family, please...I promise, even though we're married I assure you that you can still do everything that you wanted. If you still want to be with Kate, I don't care, you just have to marry me. Please..."

"And what? You'll make Kate as a mistress of mine?"

I looked down at that.

"Tang ina napag-usapan naman natin 'to, diba? Nangako ka sakin na pipilitin 'mong makausap ang pamilya mo tungk—"

Without letting him end his words, mabilis na akong lumuhod sa harapan nya. I can sense that Markus was shocked because of what I did.

Minsan lang ako magbaba ng pride ng sobra, at isa na ito duon.

"I need you, Markus. Even if you hate me, or you'll get angry with me, wala na akong pakialam. Ang gusto ko na lang ngayon ay matulungan ang pamilya ko, lalo na si Kuya. Marrying you is our only hope, Markus. Kaya naman pasensya na pero desidido na akong pakasalan ka. So I'm begging you to just marry me, please... Para sa pagka-kaibigan natin, tulungan mo kami..." puno ng pagpapa-kumbabang wika ko.

I never begged in my entire life.

Ngayon lang, at sa harap pa ni Markus.

Isinantabi ko ang pride ko para lang sa pamilya ko.

But Markus didn't say a thing. He just walked away and leave me alone in his unit.

I cried hard because of that.

Alam ko ngayon na magi-iba na ang sitwasyon naming dalawa. He hates me. And I'm sure that our friendship is also ruined now...