MONTEBELLO'S MAID FOR MARRIAGE

CHAPTER 5

Claire’s Point of View

15 years later…

Wearing my black tube dress and black high heels and of course, expensive silver earrings, I entered the bar. It’s Saturday and it’s my liwaliw time. Sinuway ko lang naman ang parents ko na pumunta ako ng airport with them, with a valid reason of course!

“Hey! Claire, it’s been a long time nang huli tayong nagkita-kita,” Lisa said and gave me a drink, a tequila.

“Oo nga, sobrang tagal na rin because we have a busy life na as part of being adults and being independent. Anyway, pinayagan ka ba nina Tita and Tito na pumunta rito?” Risa also added and I laughed after having a sip of tequila.

“Girl, sa tingin mo nagpaalam ‘yan?” tanong ni Lisa at umiling-iling na lang.

“We’re adults na and I don’t think or see ang sense na magpaalam pa to my parents. But anyway, for your information, I told them but they don’t want to let me so tumakas na lang ako. You know me naman, it’s like not really na ayaw ko silang samahan pero… oh my gosh! Makikita ko ang damuho na ‘yon ulit? No way! Buti sana kung sila ninang lang naman pero kasama na ang ultimate enemy ko ano, ‘di ko ipapakita sarili ko ngayon. Wala akong time makipag-away ngayon. I need to think a ways paano ko mapapalago ang business ko because until now wala itong improvement and kapag nangyari ‘yon, Dad will buy it then magiging part sito ng business niya. Ayoko mangyari ‘yon, parang I let them think wala talagang mararating if I’m the one who decided or built it. Gagamitin nilang way ‘yon para lang mapapayag ako i-take over ang company kasi nga nandoon ang nagawa ko kapag nabili na ako if ever I’ll have no choice kung ma-bankrupt. I really need this time to think kung ano ang dapat ko na gawin,” mahabang saad ko at nag-order pa ulit ng tequila.

“Girl, if you need help just tell us ah? I mean, we are willing to give more help. We’re friends. Pero naniniwala naman kaming malalampasan mo ‘yan at mapapalago mo ang business mo. You really love flowers and jewellery. Yung iba mabilis lumago ang business kasi may influence ng mga ka-business partner ng parents nila na kilala na rin, tulad na rin sa amin. Pero ikaw kasi, ‘di ko rin gets kung bakit pinipigilan ni Tito ang mga kilala niya na maging partner mo para maging malakas sana agad ang influence. If you need models as jewellery or flowers for advertisement, we are willing to volunteer and it’s free!” Risa responded to me and I felt touched.

“Yeah, we are willing to help you at any cost pero ‘wag lang illegal way syempre. Charot! Pero ayon, tulad nga ng sabi ni kambal ay free lang!” Natawa naman ako sa paraan ng pag-tell ni Lisa.

“Thank you girlies! Anyway, I am starting to have an idea kung kayo ang model ko but once I finalize it, tatawagan ko kayo so we can talk about it again during our free time. Is that okay lang ba talaga? Sorry if I am dragging this negative aura today. We’re supposed to be just happy here,” I replied.

“No worries. And yes, let’s enjoy tonight. Siguradong pag-uwi mo mapapagalitan ka malala kaya i-enjoy at sulitin na ito. Come on, let’s dance!” Lisa said and the loud music started. Obviously it’s crowded but we don’t care. We’re holding our drinks, purse, and phone. Taking a video, sipping from our drink, and dancing sexily without giving a f**k*ng care to our surroundings. Just enjoying it.

I am just happy to relax like this, not until I feel my phone vibrating. I stopped and giving a sign to my friends that I’ll just go out because Mom is calling. When they gave me a go signal, I left the crowded part of the bar and went outside.

“Claire Alistair Montebello, where are you right now?!”

“Hey Mom, well, it’s Saturday so I am just enjoying right now.”

“Enjoying? Well, I already told your Ninang and Ninong na you’re coming with us but look, you’re not here! Bakit ba hindi ka sumama? Your dad is mad.”

“Be mad at me. I don’t care. I already told to the both of you na hindi ako sasama kapag nandiyan si Jax. Can you all please stop na ipilit na magiging close friends kami like sa inyo because we’re not. It will never ever happen in our life, we are enemies with or without reason. Just accept it. Just say hi for me to Ninang and Ninong and take care. I just want to relax my mind right now. Goodbye.”

I turned off my phone to avoid any distraction and to prevent my parents tracking my location. I may sound rude but I felt like I need to relax talaga ngayon. Nagbago na rin kasi lahat simula nang tinanggihan namin pareho ni Jax ang balak ng parents naming i-arrange marriage kami once we turned 25 years old. They informed us when we are 18 at sinakto pa talaga sa debut ko ang announcement. Sa harap ng maraming tao and I and Jax were both dumbfounded that time. Simula rin noon, nawala na ang communication namin ni Jax kahit puro away pa ‘yon and ngayon sisihin nila akong napahiya sila that time dahil habang nasa debut ko pa ay tinanggi ko agad ang announcement ni Dad.

How could he do that to me? No. How could they do that to me, to us? Since we are young, I felt like they want to control our life. Well, nabalitaan ko lang na bumukod din ng company si Jax and napalago niya na ito without any help from her parents’ connections. I hope I can do that also, I always wish because Dad will always compare me to him and will always tell na ang tatanggapin lang na connection na tutulong sa akin mismo sa business ko ay si Jax, kapag ikinasal kami.

“This is f*ck up! My life is just f*ck up! I never even wish na ipanganak ako sa mundong ‘to yet I am here, trying to survive. Sometimes I just want to disappear,” I murmured and tears flowed down on my cheeks. I wipe it immediately and take a deep breath before going back inside the bar and enjoying it with my friends.

We are dancing endlessly, in the middle of the crowd. I am being tipsy that I stopped drinking because I’ll still drive. Hindi ako uuwi sa mansion, pupunta na lang ako sa flower shop ko to rest and live there for awhile. Alam ko namang ang condo na niregalo sa akin noon ay may access si Dad and I know right now na pinaalisan niya ako ng access magamit ‘yon ngayon.

“Girls, doon muna ako sa tabi. Medyo hilo lang ako unti, just enjoy here,” sabi ko kina Lisa at Risa.

“No, sasamahan ka namin. Let’s go, maupo na muna tayo,” sagot ni Lisa and just sat down, not drinking but eating chips.

“Kumusta ang pag-uusap n’yo kanina, Claire?” tanong ni Risa.

“Well, ayon as usual galit kasi umalis ako. And you all know naman bakit ayaw ko rin pumunta. Baka ipagpilitan na naman nilang maging friends kami ni Jax o kaya yung arrange marriage naming matagal ng udlot,” I answered.

“I did not expect magiging ganiyan ang relationship mo sa parents mo. Well, yes, ‘di naman talaga perfect din ang parents but you know, what happened nine years ago is so toxic at minsan talaga toxic na ang pakikitungo sa’yo. Especially your dad,” saad ni Lisa.

“Yeah…”

“Girls, umuwi na tayo. It’s already one in the morning,” sabi ni Risa.

“Mauna na kayo, may urgent meeting kayo tomorrow ‘di ba? Mag-iingat kayo,” tugon ko at niyakap silang mahigpit.

“Sure ka ba ‘di ka pa uuwi? Mag-iingat ka ha at huwag na maglasing. Magmamaneho ka pa pauwi,” Risa said and I nodded.

“Yep. Bye!”

“Bye too and take care!”

“Take care din and thank you!”

Pagkatapos naming magpaalam to each other ay napabuntong hininga ako. I’ll just take one glass of tequila before umalis. Nag-order ako saka unti-unting iniinom ‘to. I am thinking deeply that I did not notice who sat beside me.

“Well, you look like you have a lot of problems. Ang lalim ng iniisip mo, my dearest enemy.” Napalingon ako kaagad at nakita kung sino ito. Well, even though it's been a nine years na wala kaming communication, I still know his face.

“Welcome back to the Philippines, my dearest enemy. Kaya ‘di ako sumama sa parents ko kasi magkikita tayo pero anyway, nagkita pa rin naman tayo. Tomorrow na tayo mag-away. I’m not in the mood,” I replied and finished my drink.

“Okay, let’s be enemies tomorrow and for now, let’s just drink. Another shot?”

“Nope. magmamaneho pa ako pauwi kaya ayokong malasing ngayon. Enjoy your drinks, aalis na ako. Bye!” Hindi ko na siya pinagsalita pa although I noticed he wants to respond. Mabilis akong lumabas at pumasok sa kotse na ako mismo may ari kaya ‘di ito masasama nila Dad na alisin sa akin. I don’t care sa surroundings ko and I am just enjoying driving right now na hindi traffic at nakikita ang city lights hanggang sa makarating ako sa may flower shop ko. Nag-park lang ako ng sasakyan saka pagkalabas ay may huminto rin na kotse na ‘di ako pamilyar.

“Okay, I’m dead,” I whispered, thinking na related ito sa parents ko na pinapasundo ako or what but to my surprise, it’s Jax.

“So, this is your flowership?”

“Yep. Why are you here?”

“Bakit? Bawal ba?” I just rolled my eyes and walked towards the door to open it. Nai-park niya na rin ang sasakyan niya kaya mabilis itong nakasunod sa akin papasok.

“Bakit ka sumunod? Bibili ka ba ng bulaklak for your parents or lover or fling? Whatsoever.”

“Lover or fling? I don’t have that. But yeah, bibili ako kasi dadalaw ako later agad sa puntod nina Daddy Lo at Mommy La,” sagot niya.

“Tsk! Maniwalang wala kahit fling. Anyway, don’t bother to pay. It’s free, namnamin mo na kasi minsan lang ‘to. Pagsapit ng araw triple na ang presyo para sa’yo,” saad ko rin at dahil alam ko naman ang bulaklak na ilalagay niya, mabilis ko itong ni-ready para iayos pagkagising ko na lang.

“Ba’t ganiyan ka makatingin? Bukas mo na lang daanan dito at umuwi ka na o mag bar ka ulit. Baka malanta ito agad kapag ngayon mo ‘to kinuha sa akin.”

“Are you sure you’ll give the flowers for free? Hindi ba ‘di masyadong mabenta ang flower shop mo?”

“Yes and yes. Umalis ka na at magpapahinga na ako. Pagkagising ko pa ako magkakaroon ng energy makipag-away sa’yo Jax.”

“Alright. Well, before pa sumapit ang araw at maging magkaaway tayo, let me do something for you.”

“What? What do you mean?”

He did not answer. He just smiled at me and I was so confuse not until he moved closer and it’s so fast na wala na akong nagawa. I am shocked that he hugged me right now but I did not know na this is the thing I really need the most right now that I just found myself silently crying. Hugging back my dearest enemy while he’s telling me I’ll be alright.