When The Right One Comes Along

Chapter 2

Shock was written all over Ara's face. Was it really Carlos? She couldn't believe her eyes!

One full minute passed and Carlos was beginning to get pissed with her reaction. But Ara was taking her sweet time and couldn't be bothered by the annoyance on Carlos' handsome face.

Hindi lang talaga makapaniwala si Ara. Totoo na noon pa man ay cute namang bata ang mapapangasawa niya. Pero hindi naman niya in-expect na magiging greek god ito in the future.

Nagulat siya. But living in L.A. away from her parents taught her how to only show the emotion that she deemed appropriate in a given situation. And Carlos was too arrogant just now. Letting him see that she was admiring his looks wasn't going to help. She was shocked. And a shock reaction was all he's gonna get from her.

"It's you, Carlos." 

The man's eyes furrowed. Nakulangan ba ito sa reaksyon niya? In-expect kaya nito na titili siya? O yayakapin ito sa sobrang tuwa?

"Did you really have to drag me all the way for this? Is that how you treat your future wife?" Hindi niya itinago ang disgusto sa tinig niya.

"Future wife, my *ass," he hissed. "Arabella, don't think too highly of yourself."

Arabella. He had called her Arabella thrice already. Still, she could remember how he would refuse to call her Ara or Bella like the others. He insisted that her name was beautiful and she should be called Arabella only and not by some nicknames.

Pero mga bata pa sila noon. Hindi niya ikakaila na ang batang siya rin noon ay na-touch ang puso. In fact, Ara developed some sort of crush towards him.

Pambatang paghanga. One without a lace of malice. One that was pure. Pero bago pa siya lumaki para lumalim ang paghangang 'yon, nagmigrate na ang buong pamilya nito. Later on, nakalimutan na rin niya ang damdaming iyon. After all, she was just nine years old at that time, a kid.

Pero kung dati ay may affection sa pagtawag nito sa kanyang buong pangalan, ngayon nama'y tila isang nakakasuklam na pangalan iyon kung banggitin nito. Inaano niya ba ito? Kung inaakala ng binata na titiklop siya sa intimidating nitong aura, nagkakamali ito.

Who was he to her in the first place?

"Bakit ka nandito? Hindi ako nagpapasundo, Mr. Lagdameo." Padarag niyang itinayo ang natumba niyang maleta. "I know the way home."

"What made you think na sinusundo kita?" Kunot-noo nitong sagot na parang gusto pa nitong ipamukha sa kanya na hindi.

"Well, if it's not the reason why you're here, then I wonder what on earth made you show up to me like this?" Hindi ito makahintay? He must be up to something.

Ara's beginning to feel that Carlos made sure to talk to her first before she gets to see everyone else.

"We need to talk," Carlos answered.

"Lovely!" Sarkastikong sagot niya pero ngumiti siya nang matamis nang salubungin niya ang mga tingin nito.

The man was taken aback for a fleeting moment. But it was too quick that Ara missed it.

"What's there to talk about?" Tanong ng dalaga bagamat isa lang naman ang p'wede nilang pag-usapan. At sa tono at tiyempo ni Carlos, malamang, hindi maganda ang pakay nito.

"The engagement. I can't-"

"Oh, I'm so hungry," Ara cut him off. Carlos was going to dump her. She knew it. Pero kailangan ba talagang doon sila mag-usap sa parking lot? Ni hindi siya nito inayang sumakay sa black luxury car nitong nasa tabi na nila. O baka, hindi kay Carlos ang sasakyan?

'Nakitabi lang?' Gustong matawa ng dalaga. Though nasa hitsura naman ng binata na kaya nitong maafford kahit ilan pa ng naturang milyones na sasakyan.

"Would you care to join me for a snack, Mr. Lagdameo?"

Tinalikuran niya ito para magpunta sa fastfood na nakita niya kanina. She was indeed hungry. Hindi siya nagsisinungaling sa parte na iyon. Besides, seryoso ang pag-uusapan nila. Hindi ba't ang engagement nila ang dahilan kung bakit pareho nilang iniwan pansamantala ang mga buhay nila abroad?

Umupo man lang sana sila para pormal.  Talking in the parking lot was like their marriage was nothing but a joke.

Well, it was... But it was still not to be taken too lightly. It's about their future, after all.

A few minutes later, burgers, fries, and drinks separated them while sitting across from each other. Ang dalaga lang ang may pagkain. Ni parang ayaw tingnan ni Carlos ang mga in-order niya.

Health conscious? Or simply an arrogant rich kid who thinks that fast food is too cheap for him?

But Ara couldn't be bothered if Carlos didn't want to eat. Pero makipagsukatan ng tingin, hindi siya umurong.

Lumaban siya ng titigan. She wouldn't give the b*stard a chance to look down on her. Bahagya pang naniningkit ang mga mata ng binata na wari ba'y wala itong nakikitang maganda sa kanya.

Gustong magtaas ng kilay ni Ara but she chose to maintain a blank expression. Hindi lang ang lalaking ito ang cold. She could also do that.

Isa pa, hindi siya pangit na babae. Maraming nagsasabi na maganda siya. Pero sa totoo lang, kung tingnan siya ni Carlos ay tila ba mas stand out pa 'yong nakatayo sa likuran niya na nakapila pa sa counter. Wala man lang appreciation sa mga mata nitong nanunukat. 

"Listen," naunang bumitaw ng tingin si Carlos. Sawa na sigurong tumitig. "I cannot marry you." Walang paliguy-ligoy nitong dagdag. Direct to the point.

"So what are you proposing, Mr. Lagdameo?" Inaasahan na niya 'yon pero bahagya pa rin siyang nagulat. But to protect her image, balewalang kumagat siya sa burger niya. She was hurt. Her ego was hurt. But she couldn't let him know.

The jerk was too straightforward. Couldn't he at least break it to her gently?

Bahagya ulit naningkit ang mga mata nito bago muling nagsalita. "Tell our parents that we're not going to get married."

"If I'm not mistaken, nandito ka na two weeks ago pa. Bakit hindi ikaw ang nagsabi? Hinintay mo talaga ako para ako ang magsabi sa kanila?" She felt a little angry.

"Do you think I didn't try?" Nag-isang linya ang mga maninipis nitong mga labi. "Ever wondered why they suddenly wanted us to get married now?"

She had. But she didn't bother to know why. Ang alam lang niya, masunurin siyang anak. Her parents asked her to come back. So she packed her things and obeyed.

But Ara didn't answer Carlos. Galit ang binata. Nakakuyom ang dalawang kamao nito sa ibabaw ng mesa.

"Because I told them that I want to propose to my girlfriend."

Nag-hang sa ere ang fries na isusubo sana ng dalaga. Did she hear him right? Carlos has a girlfriend!

"Angie's been dropping hints. Now, tell me, how do I propose to her if my family is so into this stupid arrangement?!" Carlos continued. "You shouldn't have agreed to come home in the first place."

Ara faked a cough. Isinubo pa rin niya ang fries na pakiramdam niya kumunat dahil sa pagkaantala sa ere.

"Hold on a second," ngumuya muna siya, lumunok, uminom ng coke, saka nagsalita. She was processing what he said in between those actions. Ang resulta, gumuhit ang iritableng reaksyon sa mukha niya. "So, kasalanan ko?"

Hindi niya nais magtaas ng boses. Pero nang pagtinginan siya ng mga tao, she realized that she did raise her voice.

Ara couldn't help it. Right now, she was pissed.

"Mr. Lagdameo, wala akong pakialam sa issues mo. Kung ayaw mo, 'wag. Walang problema sa akin. Pero para sabihin ko sa 'yo, wala kang aasahang tulong mula sa akin. I don't have the heart to disobey my parents." Binitbit niya ang mga kinakain sabay martsa paalis.

How dare he blame her?

Fortunately, hindi na sumunod si Carlos. Hindi na rin niya ito nilingon. But if she did, she would've seen how angry he was.