MONTE COSTA SERIES 1: SHORE OF HEARTS

Kabanata 15

MAKULIMLIM ang langit habang namamasyal sina Armani at Teissa sa hacienda. Pinasakay siya nito sa kabayong si Andres habang naglalakad ito at iginigiya ang kabayo upang hindi magwala o tumakbo.

Armani insisted on guiding the horse to keep her safe. Ngunit kahit na hindi naman maaraw ay naaawa pa rin si Teissa kay Armani dahil nakikita niyang basa na ng pawis ang likod nito.

Teissa tightened her grip on the rope supporting her as she rides the horse. Inipon niya ang lakas ng loob na tawagin si Armani upang sabihin dito ang nasa isip niya.

"P--Pwede kang . . . sumakay din." Her cheeks felt hot when Armani looked at her. Napaiwas siya ng tingin at kinakabahang itinuloy ang nais sabihin. "Huwag . . . huwag ka nang maglakad. Pagod ka na . . ."

Armani didn't answer. Tila ba nag-iisip ito kung tatanggapin ang alok niya o hindi. Maya-maya ay bumuntonghininga ito saka siya tiningnan. Her cheeks felt hot even more, and the longer their eyes remained staring at each other, the more she's losing her grip into reality.

She pursed her lips as she waited for his response. She could see the hesitation in his eyes as if something's going on in his mind.

Halatang ayaw sana nitong tanggapin ang alok niya kaya humugot siya ng hininga't lakas-loob na nagsalita.

"P-Please? Hindi ko . . . mae-enjoy ang pagsakay sa kabayo kung . . . inaalala kita."

Armani heaved a sigh before he finally accepted her offer. Umusog siya paharap nang makasampa ito nang maayos sa kabayo, ngunit dahil limitado lamang ang espasyong pagsasaluhan nila ay hindi rin naiwasang magdikit ang kanilang mga katawan.

"Teissa inhaled a sharp breath and held it as the horse started moving again. Pilit niyang pinipigil ang pagsandal ng kanyang likod sa hulmadong dibdib ni Armani ngunit nang marating nila ang paahong bahagi ng hacienda ay tuluyang lumapat ang likod niya sa katawan nito.

"Sorry," she heard Armani apologized. "Is it my sweat?"

Napakurap siya nang lingunin ito. "Huh?"

"You seem like you're too afraid to rest your back on my chest. Is it because of my sweat?" he asked.

Napaawang ang mga labi ni Teissa. "Oh, no no no I uhm." Nalunok niya ang sarili niyang laway. "I just . . . thought it wouldn't be appropriate."

His brow slightly lifted. "Because your husband would mind?"

Teissa pursed her lips as she gently nodded. "I just . . . don't want to give him reasons to think I'm cheating on him." Uminit ang pisngi niya. "With you . . ."

Hindi alam ni Teissa kung bakit tila umaliwalas ang mukha ni Armani. There was a ghost of a smile on his handsome face when he looked up in the sky.

"He wouldn't mind. I'm sure about it," he said then met her eyes again. "Trust me."

Teissa looked away, hesitating at first. Ayaw niya sana kaya lang ay hirap na siya sa pataas na bahagi ng nilalakaran ng kabayo.

Bumuntonghininga siya bago dahan-dahang hinayaan ang sariling sumandal sa dibdib ni Armani. She was anxious at first. Scared that people will judge her once someone sees them.

Nadama niya ang paghugot ni Armani ng malalim na hininga. "What's your shampoo?" he suddenly asked, breaking the silence between them.

Nilingon niya ito. "Hmm?"

Armani's mesmerizing brown eyes stared at her. "Your shampoo. What is it?"

"Oh, uhm shea butter with aloe vera," sagot niya. Sinabi rin niya ang brand.

He flashed a small smile before he slightly leaned to bury the tip of his nose on her hair. "It smells really good. I'll buy that."

Kumunot ang noo ni Teissa. "For you?"

He pursed his lips and looked away. "Hmm, no." Muli siya nitong tinitigan sa mga mata. Sa pagkakataong ito ay may mapaglarong ngiti nang nakaguhit sa maninipis nitong mga labi. "For my girl."

"Oh."

Napaiwas siya ng tingin nang makaramdam siya ng kirot sa kanyang puso. Alam naman niyang hindi siya dapat nakararamdam ng ganito pero hindi pa rin niya maiwasan. Armani was her first love. It would take a lot of time to fully forget her feelings for him.

Teissa swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Maybe if she will get hurt a little more, her heart will slowly pushed out her feelings for him. Kaya kahit magiging masakit ay nagdesisyon siyang magtanong tungkol sa babaeng tinutukoy nito.

"W-What is she like?" Nilingon niya ito. "Y-Your girl?"

Armani stared into her eyes for a few moments. His eyes glistened with admiration that confused Teissa's heart.

Humugot ito ng hininga saka siya payak na nginitian. "She's smart, ethereal, talented, kind, and most importantly, she's really brave."

Lalong nanikip ang dibdib ni Teissa. She doesn't see herself that way. Hindi siya kasali sa achievers noong high school. Hindi rin siya kasing ganda ng ate Tammy niya. She can draw but doesn't think she's that good to be called talented. Kind? Hindi niya pwedeng sabihin iyon dahil ibang tao lamang ang makapagsasabi, at brave? She sighed. She doesn't think she's brave either.

Napaiwas na siya ng tingin. No wonder Armani never pursued her. Her qualities didn't even meet half of his standards.

Armani cleared his throat. "What did Atty. Capistrano said about your arrangements with your spouse?"

Teissa moistened her lips. "'Yong terms lang naman ng agreement gaya ng hindi ko pwedeng malaman kung sino si Andres. Hindi siya pwedeng magpakita sa akin o ipaalam sa akin kung sino siya dahil kapag nagkaalaman habang hindi pa ako nakakapagtapos ng kolehiyo, mapapawalang-bisa ang kasal at hindi ko na rin mababawi ang hacienda." She scoffed. "Ang weird lang kasi pwede naman na siyang magpakilala sa akin nang matapos na ang kasunduan. Sa kanya na rin ang hacienda kung sakali. Masyado siyang mabait."

"Or maybe it's the marriage he truly wants to keep, not your family's acres of land."

Tiningala niya ito. "You think so?"

He gave her a half smile while his eyes glistened with admiration. "Who wouldn't want to be married to a girl like you, hmm?"

Tumambol ang puso ni Teissa. Uminit ang kanyang pisngi at labis na nagwala ang mga paru-paro sa kanyang tiyan kaya kinailangan niyang umiwas ng tingin nang hindi nito mapansin ang epekto sa kanya ng sinabi nito.

"P-Pero hindi naman siya sigurado na hindi ako hihingi ng annulment oras na makilala ko na siya." She swallowed. "S-Sabi ni Attorney, nasa akin ang desisyon. Kung makilala ko na siya at . . . gusto ko nang putulin ang pagsasama namin, kailangan niya akong palayain at ibigay sa akin ang hacienda."

Nadama niya ang paghugot ni Armani ng malalim na hininga. "But what if your husband will manage to make you fall in love with him?"

"Parang mahirap naman 'yon, Armani. Hindi ko naman siya pwedeng makita. Hanggang usap lang kami sa telepono."

He scoffed. "Trust me, Teissa. A desperate man will do everything. Besides . . ." He rested his chin on top of her head, making her purse her lips. "Sinabi lang na hindi siya pwedeng magpakita bilang asawa mo. He can be smart and make you fall while still playing by the rules."

"Uhm, what do you mean?" she asked.

Humugot ito ng malalim na hininga. "Your husband will surely do everything to keep your marriage, Teissa. One way or another, I know he will win your heart."

Umismid si Teissa. "Hindi naman tayo sigurado kung mahal ba talaga niya ako. I mean, paano naman nangyari 'yon? Ipinagkasundo lang kami alang-alang sa hacienda. Saka baka . . . pinili siya ni Lolo na maging asawa ko kasi inisip ni Lolo na . . . masyado akong mahina para humarap sa buhay nang mag-isa." Basag siyang napangiti. "Maybe Lolo thinks I'm not that strong to live on my own."

"That's not true, Teissa. There's a reason why your grandfather chose him to be your man. Sinisiguro kong hindi 'yon dahil tingin sa'yo ni Don Lino ay mahina ka. Na kailangan mo ng lalake para mabuhay sa mundo. Your grandpa chose him . . . because it's him who couldn't see his future with you in someone else's arms, Teissa. He could never . . . live a life knowing that he didn't have you as his other half."

Armani let her hold the rope. Maya-maya ay hinawakan nito ang mga kamay niya't pareho nilang iginiya ang kabayo. A part of her was telling her that it's not right to be this way with Armani, but her stupid hard refused to let her rational mind win over it. Kaya kahit alam niyang hindi dapat, natagpuan niya ang sariling hinahayaan ang mga kamay nila sa ganoong posisyon.

Teissa sighed. "Do you . . . really think that my husband loves me? Na . . . hindi lamang kami mag-asawa sa papel?" Lumamlam ang kanyang mga mata. "Kasi kahit gaano kababaw ang gusto ko, pinangarap ko pa ring maranasan 'yong pagmamahal na pinagsaluhan ng Lolo't Lola ko."

"He loves you, Teissa. Your grandfather wouldn't approve him for you if he didn't work hard in proving to Don Lino that his intentions are pure," he answered as if he was so sure about it.

"Sana nga," Teissa said under her breath.

Tahimik na lamang na sumandal si Teissa sa dibdib ni Armani. Ang lumamlam na mga mata ay tumitig sa malawak na lupaing dahilan kung bakit siya nagpakasal.

Teissa swallowed the lump in her throat. If only she could tell Armani that her husband will have a hard time winning her heart . . . because it already belongs to someone else.

Him.