Cleopatra's Firsts

Chapter Two: The Engagement

"You're going to marry my daughter."

Napanganga kaming lahat na nandoon nang marinig namin ang salitang 'yon galing kay Daddy.Even mom was shocked, but she tried to calm him down.

"Dad! Kalli is only twenty," Alexandria said, raising her hand.

Isaiah's parents were also there. Even his grandparents. The head of the Lopez family.

I can't read Isaiah's emotions. Hindi ko alam kung galit ba siya o naaasar sa mga nangyayari.

And I understand where my dad came from. Grandfather taught him to be a man.

Isaiah's dad cleared his throat.

"Okay let's have a deal. Isaiah will marry your daughter. But we will give them time to know each other. After all, nothing happened between them."

Silence.

"Sounds fine. Ayaw ko din na mapapasubo sila pareho sa kasal na hindi naman nila gusto. Divorce is not an option if they both wanted to have separate lives later."

"Isaiah will propose to Kallista now!"

Shocked made me speechless.

Isaiah put his mom's wedding ring on my finger.

Everyone is silent.

"Dad- I-I'm not sure if I am happy with this," I said, eyeing the engagement ring.

"I don't care if you are happy or sad. All I care about is for that man to stand up to what he did."

"Dad! It's not like something happened between them. Kalli is still too young to be engaged."

"Keep your mouth shut, Alexandria."

My dad is so furious that he didn't even bother to say goodbye to Isaiah's family when he left the room. Mom smiled at them apologetically.

Then she gave me a tight hug.

"Everything will be alright, sweetie. Now come on."

My sister asks me to follow her outside after everyone left. We still have a day after we go back to Manila. Our parents were in the study talking to Violet's parents.

"I can't believe you're engaged," she exclaimed.

"Me too. This is all Alexander's fault. If he didn't drag me to the dance floor-"

"I think it's fine. Isaiah is good-looking and he is a pilot. You won't be having trouble finding yourself a husband because you already have one."

"No kidding. He's too old for me."

"He's not. Maybe you should look at the positive side of this situation. You go date him. Maybe one day, you'll fall in love with him and you two will live happily ever after."

"Why are you being supportive all of the sudden?"

"Because now that you're engaged, maybe dad will let me have a boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend."

"But mom and dad don't know that. As if they will let me date, Augustine."

"How about, Alexander? He has so many girlfriends."

"He's a guy."

"It is so unfair."

"Nothing is fair, Kali. Come on, let's get inside."

Kinaumagahan ay maaga akong nangabayo dahil babalik na kami sa Manila kinahapunan. Hindi ko akalain na sa kuwadra pa kami nagkita ni Isaiah.

Tatalikod na sana ako nang makita ako nito.

"Kallista!"

Nakangiting hinarap ko ito. "Hello."

"Are you avoiding me?" His hair is messy. Mukhang kakagising lang nito. I wonder what made him wake up this early.

"Huh? N-no! Why should I?"

"Because of what happened last night." He said leaning on his horse.

"I am sorry about it. You're right, I should've listened to you."

Nagkibit lang ito ng balikat. "Do you want to race?"

"I-I..."

"Come on!" Binuksan nito ang kuwadra ng kabayo nito.

"Allright." I whistle to call my horse, Kaia.

"The first one to reach the hill is the winner," he said with a grin on his handsome face.

Tumango lang ako at sumampa na sa kabayo ko. My attention is not on the race. It was to the fact that the two of us are engaged.

"You're making me win!" Sigaw nito sa akin nang malampasan niya ako.

I raised my hand in defeat. "I'm not in a mood."

"Alright," dahan-dahan nitong pinatigil ang kaniyang kabayo para hintayin ako.

"What is wrong?"

"Aren't you mad? It's my fault that you're engaged with me."

Umiling ito, "I don't really mind. Getting mad will just make things more complicated. Besides, there's nothing I can do anymore. Do you want me to get mad?"

"N-No! It's just... You have a girlfriend. Did you two broke up?"

He smiled sadly, "I think so, she left without saying goodbye this morning."

"I feel bad."

"Don't be. I'm fine you don't need to worry."

Nang marating namin ang burol ay agad kaming bumaba sa kaniya-kaniya naming kabayo. Isaiah sat on the trunk of the biggest tree at the top of the hill. And I chose to sat on the grass.

"You can still have girlfriends you know. I don't mind."

Napataas ang kilay ko nang bigla itong tumawa ng malakas. "You do?"

"Y-yes."

"And you'll be dating other guys too?"

"N-no! Why should I?"

"Because you wanted me to date other women. So, I'm guessing you intend to date other guys too."

"N-no! I know you guys have needs and I can't give it to you."

"Who told you that?"

"My brother?"

"How kind of you to think about my needs. But don't worry, Kallista. I will be fine."

Naglalakad na ako pabalik sa dorm ko para sana kumain na ng lunch. Hindi kasi ako kumakain sa restaurant's ng school dahil maraming students ang nakapila. And I don't like crowded places. Makikita lang ako sa mga restaurants kapag kasama ko ang aking pamilya. Mostly with my sister. Most of the time, sinusundo niya ako para sabay na kami mag-lunch dahil malapit lang naman ang tina-trabahu-an nitong hospital sa University na pinapasukan ko.

Nagtaka ako nang maabutan kong nagkakagulo nanaman ang mga dormmates ko sa labas ng room nila. For sure ay may isang boyfriend nanamang bumisita. O manliligaw. Madali pa naman kiligin ang mga kababaihan. Kaonting kibot lang ay hihiyaw na.

"Took you long enough."

Nagulat ako nang makita na nakasandal sa pintuan ng kuwarto ko si Isaiah.

"What are you doing here?" mabilis na nilapitan ko ito.

"Let's get out of here." He said while looking at me with bored eyes.

"I can't. I only have an hour."

"We'll be back within an hour."

"Fine." I followed him.

Pilit na tinakpan ko ang aking mukha ng hawak kong libro.

Dahil puno ang elevator ay nakipagsiksikan pa kami doon. I flinched when Isaiah wrapped his arms around me. Sa amin lang tuloy nakatingin ang mga kasabayan namin. Ang iba ay nagpapa-cute at nakipaghikgikan pa.

"Where's your car?" tanong ko nang makababa na kami sa lobby.

"I didn't bring a car because of the traffic. I parked my motorcycle over there."

"It's too hot. Why are you here?"

He stared at me, "Is there something wrong when I want to have lunch with my fiancee?"

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "That was just a joke. They're not serious about it."

"Well, I am. Where's your ring?" tanong nito sabay kuha ng kanang kamay ko.

"Inside my room?"

Napakamot ito ng ulo. "Magla-lunch ba tayo o hindi?"

"We can but it's too hot and I'm wearing a skirt I can't ride in your motorcycle. You don't have to do this, you know."

"Why not. I have enough time to take you to lunch before I go back to the airport." He handed me his coat.

"I forgot you're a pilot." Yes, he's a pilot and I'm looking forward to seeing him fly a plane with me.

I swore under my breath when I realized I am daydreaming of something that will never happen. All of this is temporary. Eventually, Isaiah will find a woman perfectly fit to be his fiancée.

"And you're a future surgeon. We will be perfect couple," he said as if hearing my thoughts.

"You really think this will work out?" natatawang tanong ko nang sumampa na ako sa likuran ng Harley Davidson nito.

"I guess so. I don't want to disappoint your parents."

"They will not be disappointed if one of us broke the engagement."

"Better you than me."

Well, there's part of me that doesn't want to broke the engagement. I have a lot reasons why though.

We stop and eat our lunch at a Thai restaurant. And his favourite is Thai chicken risotto.

After that, he drove me back to my dorm. Kissed me goodbye on the cheek and he's gone.

I was reviewing my notes for my next subject when my phone chimes.

Let's meet.

It's Mac. Mac is a pharmacist and I we've been talking for almost four months now but I have never met him in person yet. He graduated from the same University that I am attending. We met each other from social media.

He said he's in love with me, but last time we talked he told me he had s*x with his co-worker, which I don't find cute because I think what we have is serious. But I think I am the only one being serious.

I ignored his message.

My phone chimes again. I hate it when Mac-

Napatayo ako nang biglang mag-ring ang aking cellphone.

"Hey, I'm engaged already!"

Yes, I could use my engagement as an excuse to ditch Mac.

"With me."

I double-check the name registered on my phone. It is only a number.

"Isaiah?"

"Are you expecting someone else?"

"No! Do you need something?"

"I want to ask you to come with me to Davao this weekend."

Napatingin ako sa aking desk calendar. "I'm not sure if Dad will let me."

"I already asked him."

"You what? What did he say?"

"They said yes of course! I am your fiancé and they want us to know more about each other. Besides, you'll be staying at the Montemayor's. How about that?"

"I'm not so sure about that. I have an incoming exam."

"We'll be back before you know it. I will help you study."

Natahimik ako. I didn't expect him to say that.

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"How's the 2 am flight with you?"

"That's too early or too late."

"Okay, then I'll just go back to my condo and fetch you at 6 am?"

"What do you mean go back?"

"I have to pilot an international flight and I'll be in Manila at 1:00 am."

"Fine. Fetch me at 2:00 am."

"See you then!"

Antok na antok pa ako habang pababa ng elavator ng dorm. Isaiah was on the other line of the phone and he doesn't want me to end it until I reached the lobby.

I ended the call when I saw him standing beside his car.

"It is so cold out here," he said

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's alright. Let's go?"

I nod my head.

Dumaan muna kami sa isang fast food para mag-take out ng pagkain.

We are eating our food inside the car silently when Isaiah's phone rang.

"I need to answer this," he told me as he opened the door beside him.

I nod my head. When he came back after a few minutes, I am already done eating my super early breakfast.

"It was Dad's pilot. We cannot use a private plane since they use it. Have you ride a Cessna before?"

Nakatingin lang ako dito. I almost ride a Cessna before. When I was fourteen, with him. But I don't think he remembers it.

"No, I haven't."

"There's always a first time," he grins.

The one thing that I like about Isaiah is his adventurous side. That side of him was the reason why I fell in love with him at the age of thirteen.

"We're not going to take a normal plane?" kunot-noong tanong ko nang mapansin ko na ibang daan ang tinatahak namin. When I say normal plane, ang ibig kong sabihin ay 'yong bibili kami ng ticket at sasakay sa eroplano kasama ang iba pang pasahero. But when you are Aiden Isaiah Lopez, normal plane isn't an option. I'm starting to wonder if he tried flying with a hundred of passengers including himself.

"No. Im a pilot remember? It's time for me to show you one of my talents."

I wonder what other talents he have. Making women fall on their knees in front of him?. Well, he's very good at that.

He took my bags and put it at the back of the plane. "You're going to be my co-pilot."

"I don't have any idea about flying a plane."

"I'll teach you the basics. Come on."

I swallowed hard when he leans forward to put my headset. He smells like mint.

He look at me with a wide smile on his face when he started the engine. That moment, I realized I still love him, even after all those years. His smile is the scene that I want to see everyday when I wake up until the day I die.