2: The Bride
1259 Words
It is currently nine in the morning, the sun is up for a while now, but Irene's day have been nothing but gloomy. Of course, she woke up with a bunch of emptied out beer cans and glass bottles from the terrace of their house up to the living room. It's a small house, without a doubt, that would be enough to make the whole place reek of the disgusting liquor scent. It is what she hates the most, but she can't escape from that.
Especially when the man who is living with her is an alcoholic. Her uncle, Mando, the source of her headaches.
And then when she have to meet up with her friend, Cassie, for their biology report, she rode a jeepney that malfunctioned in the middle of the road. She had to walk a couple blocks to reach the waiting shed before finally arriving late at the cafe.
She was there early, surprisingly. Cassie ran later than she was. So, she had to start without her friend to make good use of both their times. She thought the day would finally look better for her when she ordered her favorite iced matcha latte with extra pump of simple syrup and whipped cream on top. But she was served with a bitter iced matcha drink without milk, and no sugar. It tasted like hell. But she wasn't really the type that would complain and demand for her order to be corrected.
A few minutes later, Cassie finally arrived. They talked a bunch. It was nice, and enough to brighten up Irene's mood. Then two good looking men entered the cafe. Oh, that was the highlight of both their days, for sure!
The one who looked a little bit older seemed like a really nice guy. He even gave them two a quick smile as a greeting when their eyes met, just to be polite. But the other one who did not move a single muscle on his face from the moment they entered up to when they sat down on the next table, that guy, he's the one.
The girls, mostly Cassie, couldn't stop herself from snapping a few stolen shots of him. He looked like a god from any angle, it's insane how perfect he looks. You can tell how rich he is based on how he blink, Irene claimed it to be different from how mere human does. And Cassie giggled while agreeing.
It's also not a big surprise when her fun time was cut short when Cassie accidentally spilled hot coffee on her. She had to lock herself inside a cubicle and sob a bit while cleaning up. At this point, she just accepts anything as part of the bad luck that she attracts. It is nothing new for her.
"Natapos ko na!" Cassie exclaimed. She finished the part of the presentation that Irene originally started with. Since she accidentally did the same part, Irene let her finish it and she did the other topics instead. "Irene, thank you ha?" malambing na bumulong ang dalaga habang ipinapatong ang ulo sa balikat ng kaibigan.
"Hmm? Bakit?" tanong ni Irene habang binabasa ang libro na hawak niya.
"Alam mo na sobrang lala kong mag panic lalo na kapag ganitong bitin tayo sa oras. Kaya kahit na nagkamali ako, hindi mo ako sinisi. Pinili mo pa na saluhin ang problema na ako talaga ang may gawa," she said.
"Ano ka ba? Alam mo naman na hindi ito problema sa akin. And see, natapos mo na. Puwede mo na akong tulungan ngayon dito sa mga huling topic natin! Na-solve rin naman lahat ng problema, 'di ba?"
Cassie nodded, "Ano pa ang hindi tapos?" she asked.
"Simple nalang naman, ito nalang tungkol sa process ng blood flow. Kahit siguro flow-chart type nalang ang ilagay natin sa slide preparation. Kaya na nating mag explain nang diretso."
"'Wag mo akong idamay loko ka. Kung ikaw kaya mong mag explain gamit ang simpleng flow-chart, ako hindi ko kaya," Cassie laughed.
"Ako na ang bahala, okay? Just make the best flow-chart in the world. Ikaw na ang bahala kung papaano mo mapaganda 'yan."
"Bakla, 'wag kang mag alala, lalagyan ko ng falsies para maganda," sagot ni Cassie.
"Lagyan mo ng lip tint, tanga."
Sabay pa silang natawa habang nag bibiruan. Kaya lang napansin nila ang biglaang pag tayo ng lalaki na kanina lang ay hindi nila matigilang titigan. Malungkot na ngumuso si Irene, tila binibiro ang kaibigan na paalis na ang crush of the day nila.
Kaya lang nakita nila na nang lumabas na nga ito, ang kasama naman niyang mas nakakatanda ay naroon pa rin sa upuan niya. Lumingon doon si Irene para tignan siya, at laking gulat ng babae nang makita niyang sa kan'ya rin pala nakatutok sa kan'ya ang mga mata nito.
"Irene, maiwanan muna kita ha? Magbabanyo muna ako," sabi ni Cassie.
"Ah sige, babantayan ko ang mga gamit mo," sagot sa kan'ya ni Irene.
Nang makaalis si Cassie, tumutok na naman si Irene sa kan'yang laptop. Kaunti nalang din naman kasi at matatapos na siya sa report nila. Magagawa na nilang makapag- relax habang naghihintay ng oras para sa pagpasok.
"Miss," she looked up to see the man from the other table. He sat across from her and said, "I am Tomo, the assistant of Jaero Aoki Aghero."
"Huh?"
"'Yong lalaki na kasama ko kanina, nakita mo ba?" tanong ni Tomo.
"Ah, opo? Ano po ang maitutulong ko?"
Kitang- kita niya ang pangamba sa mga mata ni Tomo. Ngunit ilang sandali pa ay harap- harapan na nitong sinabi ang nasa isipan.
"Bibiglain na kita ha? Alam ko na rin naman ang mangyayari. Para lang masunod ko na ang utos sa akin. Ayaw ko naman na mapatalsik."
"Ano po 'yon?"
"Gusto kang pakasalan ni Mr. Jaero," he said before giggling and scratching the back of his head.
Irene's eyes widened, "Ano po ulit 'yon?" she asked.
"Si Mr. Jaero, ang may-ari ng Ikoa Corporation," itinuri ng lalaki ang convenience store sa kabila. "Gusto ka niyang pakasalan."
Irene looked at the store and then back at the man, "Seryoso po ba siya?" hindi inaasahan ni Tomo ang pagtatanong tanong nito.
She did not look bothered or weirded out by his question. Irene looked like she's really intrigued if he's bluffing or not.
"Maniwala ka man o hindi, seryoso talaga siya. Naghahanap siya ng babaeng pakakasalan sa lalong madaling panahon."
Irene nodded and instantly started to dig inside her bag. She then pulled out a binder of her important papers.
"Ito po," sabi niya sabay abot sa lalaki ng binder.
"Ano 'to Miss?"
"Mayroon po akong birth certificate, photo copy ng national ID, pati na rin ng student ID ko. Tapos mayroon na rin po akong police clearance d'yan. Kung may kailangan pa po kayo sa akin, sabihin niyo lang po."
Kumunot ang noo ni Tomo, "Ha?" tanong niya.
"May contact details na rin po ako d'yan. Sabihan niyo lang po ako kung kailan niyo ako gustong makausap. Pumapayag po ako sa kasal."
Due to shock, Tomo covered his mouth with both his hands. His eyes couldn't believe this woman in front of him. He can't even tell if she's joking right now. But when he peaked over the content of the binder that he have, he can see a copy of her ID.
"Irene Mae Pascua," he murmured.
Irene firmly nodded, "Opo, ako po 'yan," sabi niya. "Reserved na po ba?"
"Reserved?"
"'Yong slot po, mine na ba?"
"Wo- wow," natatawang sabi ni Tomo. "I guess so, Miss Pascua."
- Writer
