Ms. Stand-In's Revenge

Confrontation II

“CAN WE talk now, Eybi?” pagpuputol ni Kaede sa katahimikan.

Since Alana had been expecting the other to do that, she was no longer surprised by it. Nang maiwan pa lang sila ng mga kapwa officer at mga kaibigan ay tanggap na ni Alana na wala siyang magagawa kung ’di ang mapagbigyan ito.

Pagkaalis ng mga kaibigan ay ilang minuto rin silang nagkaroon ng katahimikan bago dumating ang delivery guy na may dala ng pagkaing in-order ni Kaede para sa kanila.

Medyo naging emosyonal pa nga si Alana pagkakita niya sa pagkain na in-order ni Kaede para sa kanila at para sa kanya.

It was just simple takeout food from a certain restaurant a few blocks away from the school. Ang restaurant din na iyon ay ang madalas na kinakainan nila simula nang mag kolehiyo sila. It was her favorite restaurant. And that place became a huge part of their relationship before the other woman came between them.

What made that place and the food there memorable for Alana is that Kaede had long known her taste of food—all her favorites, likes and dislikes about food—and he had been long familiar to them, just like knowing the back of his hand.

So it would just be normal for her to get emotional for a few moments before she mustered her emotions again. Mabuti na lang talaga at saglit lang naman iyon at naibalik niya rin sa normal na ekspresyon ang mukha.

After that, Alana tried to continue doing her task while taking a bite of her food from time to time. Hanggang sa hindi na rin nakatiis pa si Kaede sa katahimikan at nagkusa na siyang magsimula.

Matapos ng tanong na iyon ni Kaede ay kalmadong ibinaba ni Alana ang hawak na ballpen at papel. After fixing her reading glasses after removing them, Alana faced Kaede.

“Fine, although I still don’t know what we need to talk about.”

“Do you really don’t have an idea about it? Or you are still trying to escape, Eybi?” seryosong tanong ni Kaede.

Kung hindi lang sa matinding pasensya, baka malakas na napaingot na si Alana.

Obviously, she didn’t like how Kaede sounded and made her look like she’s at fault. Dahil unang-una, wala naman talaga siyang ginawang masama aside from wanting to marry her supposed-to-be uncle—and that has nothing to do with Kaede. Kahit pa nga siya naman talaga ang tunay na pamangkin at kadugo, but still.

Kung tutuusin nga eh mas may karapatan siyang magtanong kaysa kay Kaede. Even if it was still too early for Kaede and that woman to start their plan of taking her and her family down, the fact that Kaede only looks at her because she looks like his first love was already making him guilty enough.

“Bakit naman ako magtatago sa ’yo?” balik na tanong ni Alana, looking straight at Kaede’s eyes.

With her back question, Kaede was speechless. Doon napaingot si Alana sa isipan bago ibinalik ang tingin at atensyon sa ginagawa.

“Did I do something wrong? As far as I remember, wala naman akong ginawang ikagagalit mo, Eybi. And if I really did, then can you forgive me? I promise I won’t be doing that again.”

“No. None. And nevermind.” At muling inangat ng tingin ni Alana si Kaede. “Sabi mo nga, you did nothing infuriating, right? So why are you saying sorry?” she added, with a sarcastic laugh at the end.

Tahimik na nakipagtitigan sa kanya si Kaede and even if Alana didn’t want to back down, she’s currently a busy student buddy who has no time to argue with someone. So, it was she who looked away first and focused herself on her ongoing task.

Nakailang papel din na na-check si Alana kaya ang akala niya ay suko na si Kaede pero sa ika-tatlong na proposal ay muling nagsalita ang lalaki.

“Are you really going to marry your uncle, Eybi?” he finally inquired.

Iyon talaga ang tanong na hinihintay ni Alanang marinig mula kay Kaede. The question that she was expecting to hear from him the moment that Kaede asked for them to talk. Kahit noong unang araw pa lang ng pagbabalik niya sa school bilang isang reborn person, it was already the question that she had dreaded to hear.

Dahil hindi niya pa alam kung paano iyon sasagutin. Pero matapos ng mga araw na iniwasan niya si Kaede, ngayon nga ay na-realize na ni Alana kung paano sasagutin ang tanong na iyon.

“Of course, I will. Kailan ba ako nagbitaw ng mga salitang hindi ko pinangatawan, Kaede?”

“But he’s your uncle, Eybi. How can you marry your relative?”

Pagak na natawa si Alana. “Oh please, not this forbidden and uncultured bullsh*t again. Narinig ko na ‘yan, and in the end, the person who said that approved of the marriage. Kaya h’wag mo nang gamitin sa akin ‘yan, Kaede. Please lang,” naiiling na ani niya pa.

Mukha namang nagulat si Kaede sa sinabi niya, specifically with her cursing. Kahit naman si Alana ay nagulat sa pagmumura niya but she couldn’t take that back. Humingi na lang siya ng sorry sa loob-loob bago pinagsabihan ang sarili.

“What…is going on with you, Brielle?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Kaede.

Dahil nga sa mali niya talaga iyon, malakas na napabuntonghininga si Alana. Mukhang nagpadala na naman siya sa kanyang emosyon dahilan para makapagmura.

“Look, I’m sorry for c*ssing. I don’t know what’s gotten into me but all is well. Nasagot ko na ang tanong mo kaya baka naman pwede na ulit akong bumalik sa ginagawa ko? You see, I am really bu—”

“Napilitan ka lang ba? The thing about your marriage, is it a forced one?”

“What?”

Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin si Alana kay Kaede. “You think I am a person who can be forced like that? That’s marriage, Kaede! A lifetime bind—do you think I can let myself be bound to someone?”

“No. I know you can’t. But...” Tinitigan lang ni Alana si Kaede, hinihintay na magpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita. “How about me? How about us? Akala ko ba…I thought you like me, Brielle.”

Ilang sandali na tinitigan ni Alana si Kaede bago unti-unti siyang napatawa. She laughed like she just heard a good joke.

“Why are you laughing?” naguguluhang tanong ni Kaede.

“I’m sorry, natawa lang talaga ako. You’re acting cute with what you said, Kaede. Like a cute kid.”

“What the heck, Brielle?”

“Okay, sorry. Napakaseryoso mo naman kasi.”

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ni Kaede. “Because this is a serious topic.”

“Yes, this might be. But the question is, are you even serious with me?”

“Is that even a question?”

“No. Baka gusto ko lang itanong kasi baka mamaya akala mo lang seryoso ka pero hindi naman pala.”

“You know what, this is going farther away. Hindi na kita maintindihan, Brielle. I was just asking about what will be going with us now that you wanted to marry your uncle. Wala ba akong karapatan para malaman ang tungkol doon?”

Malakas na napabuntonghiningang muli si Alana. She felt funny how those words escapes Kaede’s lips. Siguro, kung naririnig lang ito ng old self niya, maybe she would be really happy and full of expectations.

Unfortunately, it was her new self who heard them so it all became a joke for Alana.

“Ikaw ang hindi ko maintindihan, Kaede. What do you mean rights? Baka nakakalimutan mong until my birthday came, it was me declaring my feelings for you. And all you did was to happily accept them without any intention to return them back. Kaya anong karapatan ang sinasabi mo?”

“That maybe true but it doesn’t mean I don’t have any means to return the feelings. Siguro nakampante lang ako sa katotohanang gusto mo ako and I ended up taking too long in understanding my feelings. But the fact that you confessed that you like me and that I never deny your intention is already declaring our entitled relationship.”

Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin si Alana kay Kaede. She could see that he’s flustered making him look genuine. Pero sapat na ang pagpapaloko ng old self niya. She will no longer be fooled by Kaede no matter what.

“Okay, let me clarify something. Yes, I liked you, obviously—and also please take note that it’s now in the past tense—but my ‘like’ that time is not to the point of marrying you. Kakasabi ko pa nga lang na ayokong itali ang sarili ko sa isang kasal na alam kong hindi ko gusto—”

“So you’re telling me you don’t want to marry me?” Kaede asked, cutting her off.

Gustong mapasinghal ni Alana ng malakas na ‘obviously!’ para ipakita ang pagtutol niya sa kaisipang gusto niyang maikasal kay Kaede katulad ng old self niya pero pinigilan ni Alana ang sarili.

Mukhang totoo nga ang sabi nila. The more you wanted to get something, such as patience, the more God will give you people to test it. At mukhang ang pinadala sa kanya ni Lord ay si Kaede na talaga namang sinusubukan ang pasensya niya.

“Tell me, Brielle. Never din bang pumasok sa isip mo ang maikasal sa akin? Did you never think of marrying me, Brielle?” he asked again.

For the second time, Alana was really thankful that the one facing and hearing all Kaede’s words were her current self and not the old one or she would not hesitate to answer that she did.

She did not only think of marrying him but she even had plans for it that even in her dreams, she was thinking of her marriage with Kaede.

Pero nungkang sasabihin ’yan ni Alana. Just k*ll her. She will never tell that to Kaede no matter what.

“How about you?” balik na tanong ulit ni Alana. “Do you even think of marrying me, Kaede?”

Muling natigilan si Kaede sa tanong na iyon ni Alana. And seeing that, Alana smiles. Iyong ngiti na parang nagsasabing, ‘I knew it’. Hindi na pinatagal pa ni Alana ang katahimikan at tumayo na siya sa upuan.

“Of course not, right? Ni ang linawin nga ang kung ano mang relasyon ang mayro’n tayo, hindi mo nagawa, what more on that lifetime relationship?”

Muling natameme si Kaede sa sinabing iyon ni Alana. And probably because she got the heads, Alana took his silence as a chance to continue.

“I know you are questioning my decision of marrying my uncle—you’re not the first and only one after all. That also set your question about my feelings for you and how it was different from what I feel for Uncle Gavin. Una sa lahat, I am an adopted, baka nakakalimutan mo. So your talk about culture and such isn’t applicable in my situation. As for my feelings, let’s just say I’m serious about marrying him. And no one can force me or threaten me just to agree. Dahil hindi na kailangan pa, as it was my own decision to get married to him.”

Napasulyap si Alana sa suot na wristwatch at nang makita ang oras ay kinuha niya ang hindi pa nakakalahating pagkain.

“I hope I made myself clear. Let’s join them at the canteen. Since we finished half the job earlier than expected, let’s give the team a longer break time.” Alana ended the talk just like that.