Chapter 5
1111 Words
Maagang natapos ang party. Nauna ng umuwi and Daddy ni Paul at ang kanyang bunsong kapatid na si Lucy. Nang magpaalam narin si Paul sa kanyang pamilya, nagprisenta siyang ihatid ito sa kanilang gate.
"What you just told me, we've met before.. When was that?" Seryoso nitong tanong.
Hindi ito sumagot. Ngumiti lamang ito sa kanya.
"I have to go.. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow. Don't be late ok?" Kasabay ng isang mabilis na dampi ng kanyang labi sa kanyang pisngi.
"Take care.." ang tangi nitong nasabi.
Ilang oras na siyang nakahiga sa kanyang kama ngunit hindi siya dalawin ng antok. Paulit-ulit niyang sinasariwa ang nangyari kani-kanina lang.
Did he tell her about this?
Yun ba yung something na he needs to explain to his girl friend at hindi nya magawang i-share sakin when I ask him?
"I feel sorry for her.. anu ba 'tong pinasok ko." She felt guilty about it.
Nang makarating siya sa office kinabukasan, everyone is glad to see her.
Ramdam niya ang kasiyahan sa loob ng kanilang upisina.
"Hi! napaaga ka ata ngayon?" Nadatnan niya si Paul na nakaupo na sa kanyang swivel chair.
"Oh, I just don't want you to be waiting as always.."
naka-smile ito sa kanya.
'Nakakailang' Ito ang naramdaman ni Andrea na may halong 'kilig'.
Tumayo si paul at binitbit ang kanyang bag.
"Let's go somewhere.."
"huh? saan?" tanong nito.
Inakbayan siya nito, bagay na nakapagpatindig ng kanyang balahibo.
"Somewhere we could talk privately"
Then they left...
Hindi gaanong malakas ang sikat ng araw sa labas. Lulan sila ng kotse ni Paul na siya mismo ang nagmamaneho. Napansin niyang palabas na sila ng syodad.
Tagaytay City.... Eto ang nabasa niya sa isang landmark. Mas ginusto niyang manatiling gising kahit kanina pa sinasabi ni Paul na umidlip muna siya.
"Wow! Manghang bulalas niya ng makita ang Taal Volcano.
"Haha! It seems like it's your first time to see that." pangungutya nito sa kanyang fiancé.
"Yeah, I've never been here. This place is amazing.." tugon nito.
Pinark ni Paul ang kanyang sasakyan sa harap ng isang private resort. Bumaba si Andrea at nilanghap ang sariwang hangin. Medyo may kataasan ang resort kaya naman tanaw nya ang lawa ng taal at iba pang lugar na may mga sariwang puno.
"Where is this place?" Tanong nito.
"We're in Batangas"
"Come, let's go inside." Yaya ng lalake.
They were holding hands when they get inside the resort. Maayos ang loob at walang ibang tao maliban sa dalawang crew na nag-aayos ng mesang kakainan nila.
It was exclusively prepared for them.
Nakaramdam ito ng kaba,
Ilusyonada! saway niya sa sarili.
"Come on, let's eat." pag-aaya sa kanya ng lalake.
He put some stakes on her plate and poured some juice on her glass.
"Thanks." Nakangiti niyang pasasalamat.
Pagkatapos kumain, niyaya siya nitong maglakad-lakad sa labas. Sumakay silang muli sa kotse ni Paul at nakarating sila sa baba malapit sa dagat. Nagpasya silang lakarin nalang ito.
Napakasariwa ng hanging nagmumula sa dagat. It has been a long time since she saw the shore.
Napakanatural ng sayang kanyang nararamdaman habang nakatitig siya sa mukha ng lalake na kanina pa niya pinagmamasdan.
Malayo ang tingin nito, malalim ang iniisip.
Mahal narin ba kita? Paulit-ulit niyang tanong sa sarili.
"Why didn't you tell me that you love me then? you even scared me to death every time you arc those eye brows and yell at me.
Pabiro nitong sabi habang pinipisil ang hawak niyang kamay ni Paul.
She tried hugging his back.
Nagulat siya ng bitiwan nito ang kanyang kamay at dumistansya ng bahagya sa kanya.
"Did I? May sinabi ba akong mahal kita?"
Ito ang nagpalakas ng kabog sa kanyang dibdib.
"What do you mean?" she's beginning to worry.
"Matalino ka, you should have protested when I asked you to marry me. But you didn't. You made your own decision, so I won't say sorry for this."
"what made you think that I was sincere when I asked you to marry me?"
Mahaba nitong pahayag.
"So what are you telling me? Is this some kind of a joke?" Hindi siya makahagilap ng isasagot. Hindi siya makapag-isip.
"Andrea napakasimple! why would your father wants you to work in my company and not in your own business? Why would he gather all business tycoons and the media on his Party without any reason?"
Bagay na ilang beses narin niyang tinanong sa sarili.
"Your father and my father are not only friends. They are business man!" dugtong pa nito.
"And that business includes us..." nanginginig niyang sabi.
"The thing is, you didn't know that everything have been arranged between us even when you were just still inside your mother's womb." That pain that she could feel and sense on his words.
Parang binagsakan siya ng langit sa narinig.
This isn't true.
"I was asking you, but you didn't answer me." Tuloy-tuloy ang pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha.
"I hate doing this, I've always wanted to tell you this. But I didn't because I was expecting you would say NO... I don't know what's your reason why you said YES." Bulalas nito.
"I said Yes because I trust you and I don't want to embarrass you in front of the people even if I wasn't sure of what was happening."
she can't hide the pain anymore..
She pressed her head with her two hands. Hindi siya makapaniwalang nilihim ito ng kanyang ama all this years.
"I'm sorry-
He tried holding her in his arms but she pushed him away.
"Don't touch me!"
"Anung karapatan niyo para paglaruan ang buhay ko!"
Umiiyak nitong sigaw sa lalake.
"Andrea kung may isang taong pwedeng makaintindi sayo, ako yun. That is why I decided to tell you this. Ayokong ikulong ka sa isang bagay na ayaw mo." Mabilis nitong sabi.
"Ayaw ko? o ayaw mo?" marahan nitong tanong.
"Alam mo naman ang sagot hindi ba? ayaw kitang saktan. You deserve yo know the truth." He really wants her to understand.
"Ayaw mo akong saktan? o gusto mo akong gawing takip sa katotohanang hindi mo magawang sabihin sa papa mo? Bakit hindi mo sabihing siya ang mahal mo at hindi ako?"
punong puno ito ng galit. Gusto niyang puntahan mismo ang kanyang ama at sabihin ang totoo.
"Tawagin mo akong duwag kung yun ang gusto mo. Nangyari na ang nangyari. Everyone knows we're engaged. We can't just tell them we don't love each other. I already came up with a plan at wala kang ibang pwedeng gawin kundi ang sumunod because you yourself doesn't have any choice. You also need to marry me to get your inheritance."
A prenuptial agreement.....
that is only between the two of us.
- Writer
