Chapter 1

Hindi ako makatingin sa taong nasa harap ko ngayon. Pagkatapos ng nasaksihan kanina, dali-dali akong tumakbo palayo at nagkulong sa kwarto. Ngayon ay pinatawag ako ni Mrs. Villacorta para sa hapunan. Nakaupo ako sa harap ng lalaking hiniling kong sana’y wala rito.

I can sense his intense gaze. I can also sense that. . . he’s mad. That he doesn’t like me.

Guess what? Same. Kung ayaw niya sa akin,  ayaw ko rin sa kaniya.

“Kirviel,” malambing na tawag ni Mrs. Villacorta sa kaniyang anak. “She’s Renee, your fiancee.”

Hindi ako makagalaw ng maayos sa paraan ng titig na iginagawad sa akin ng tinawag niyang Kirviel. I saw how his eyes narrowed, exploring every corner of my face as if he’s trying to discover something.

I gulped.

He has never seen the grown-up Renee, right? Hindi niya naman ako mabubuko. . . siguro.

Nag-angat ng tingin ito. I saw his lips curved for a meaningful smirk. Tumingin siya sa ina bago binalik iyon sa akin.

“She grew up pretty,” he said and pursed his lips again. Hindi ko alam pero tila ba lahat ng galaw at salita niya ay pinapakahulugan.

Or maybe I’m just paranoid. Because of the fact that I’m a lying bitch here trying to deceive them.

“I know right, son? Sabi ko naman sa’yo, I will not give you a fiancee that wouldn’t fit your standard.” Proud na proud ang himig ngkaniyang ina. “Besides being pretty, she’s also kind and smart. She’s the daughter of my beloved friend Marycel. Next week, parehong paaralan na kayo papasok. Though she’s a grade 12 student and not college like you. Medyo malayo magkalayo ang department.”

I cocked a brow. Standard? Ang standard lang naman ata nitong anak niya ay kaya siyang halikan at paligayahin kung saan-saan.

Alam kaya niyang may nobya ito at nakikipaghalikan sa puno ng narra? Siguro kung hindi ko sila nakita kanina ay hindi lang halikan ang mangyayari. Who knows?

“Hija? What can you say? Kirviel is undeniably good-looking. He is also a civil engineer student, and also an achiever. Masipagrin itong tumulong sa aming rancho!” Mrs. Villacorta turned to me with a huge smile.

Tipid akong ngumiti.

“I have a lot of time to get to know him better, Tita.”

“Very you!” She laughed. “May first kiss ka na ba, hija?”

“W-Wala po.”

She’s talking to Renee so I would say none. Pero kung si Arabella, meron. Pinapayagan akong lumabas at magbar ni Mama noon. I’ve had enough experiences that are incomparable to the zero experience Renee has.

Nahagip ng tingin ko ang pag-angat ng kilay ni Kirviel. Hindi ko na lang pinansin at nagpatuloy na sa pagkain. 

“Aalis ako mamaya, Ma. Baka bukas na ako makauwi,” ani Kirviel sa isang malalim at buong boses.

Hindi uuwi? Baka pupuntahan niya lang ang bahay ng kaniyang nobya at doon ipagpapatuloy ang anumang naudlot nila kanina.

“Oh? Okay, then. Bukas na lang kayo magbonding nitong si Renee,” Mrs. Villacorta glanced at me with a smile. Pilit ko naman ‘yong sinuklian.

Nang tumama ang tingin kay Kirviel, nakita kong matalim na naman ang titig nito sa akin. Halos suklian ko rin ‘yon ng matalim na tingin kung hindi ko lang naalala na hindi gagawin ‘yon ni Renee. 

Halos makahinga ako nang maluwag nang natapos na ang dinner. Tahimik kong tinahak ang pasilyo patungo sa aking silid. Ngunit hindi ko pa man nabubuksan ang pinto ay may humila na sa akin. I almost screamed when I was brought to another room.

“Ano ba!” Hindi ko napigilang sumigaw nang naipasok na ako sa loob. Nagpupuyos ako sa galit nang harapin kung sino ‘yon. “What do you need?”

Kirviel smirked.

He looked at me as if he just won a game.

“Now this is you, huh?”

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mata ko. Naisip ko bigla ang pagsigaw at ekspresyong pinakita sa kaniya. Shit. That’s Arabelle and not Renee!

“W-What are you talking about?” tanong ko sa mas kalmadong boses.

“Stop pretending,” he hissed. “You’re not Renee. Who are you?”

My lips slightly parted. Agad tumambol ang puso ko sa kaba. What the the fuck? Ni hindi pa nga natatapos ang unang araw ko rito ay mabubuko na ako?

No. Hindi pwede.

“Ano bang sinasabi mo?” Pilit kong tinatanggal ang hawak niya sa akin ngunit mas humigpit lang ‘yon. “Ano ba! You’re hurting me. . .”

“Talagang masasaktan ka.” He pulled me closer to him as his hold tightened. “Who the fuck are you, huh? Where’s there real Renee? You can’t fool me, woman. Lokohin mo na sila, but not me.”

“L-Let go.” I remained looking down while trying to get away from him, ignoring his harsh words.

“Who. are. you.” His hold tightened more that my arm’s already turned red. Hindi ko napigilang mapaimpit sa sakit. “Damn it.”

Binitawan niya ako. He cursed multiple times before his raging eyes met mine. His jaw clenched as he held me again to pin me on the wall. I winced when my back harshly met the wall.

“You are hurting me!” I hissed.

He ignored it. Unti-unting lumapit ang mukha niya sakit at naramdaman ko ang paghawak ng kamay niya sa aking panga. Inangat niya ang ulo ko at agad na tumama ang tingin ko sa kaniyang umaapoy at mapanuring mga mata.

“Your eyes are sharper. Your nose is more structured.” His thumb brushed on my lower lip. “Your lips are plumper.”

Naiinis kong iniwas ang mukha. Why does he talk like he knows Renee’s features well? I don’t remember him being close to her. I’ve never even seen him before. Ngayon lang!

“Little Renee used to go here with her parents. You look like her, yes. But you are not her.”

“Ano bang sinasabi mo? Y-You talk like you know me so well.”

Ngumisi siya. “I don’t know you. But I know the real Renee, at least, better.”

“I am Renee.”

Tiningnan niya ako na tila nanghahamon. “Okay, then. You are Reene. You are my fiancee.”

“Ako naman talaga. . .” halos bulong na lang iyon dahil sa patong-patong na kabang nararamdaman. 

“Ahuh.” Tumango siya. Ramdam ko na ang pagtama ng kaniyang hininga sa aking pisngi. Pinanood ko siyang ituko sa magkabilang gilid ko ang pareho niyang braso.

“L-Let me go.”

“Hmm?” His lips brushed my cheek. I almost freaked out. I pushed his chest but he didn’t even budge. “You’re willing to get tied to me, huh?”

“O-Of course!”

He smirked. He lifted my chin using his forefinger as our gaze locked again. I gulped. What the hell is he doing? Ano? Hindi siya nakuntento sa halikan nila noong nobya niya kaya ngayon ay gagawin niya sa akin?

“You’re 18, right?”

“I am!” What? Now he thinks I’m also faking my age?

He nodded. I exhaled heavily when he finally moved away from me. Tumalikod siya at ako naman ay kinuha na ‘yong pagkakataon para makalabas ngunit nakita humarap ulit siya at inangatan ako ng kilay.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Lalabas na.”

“Ahuh? Let’s go.” Hinawakan niya ako sa bewang ngunit agad akong lumayo. Tiningnan niya akong nagtataka.

“Kaya kong pumunta sa kwarto ko ng mag-isa,” matigas kong sabi. “And please, don’t just touch me. I don’t… know what other things that filthy hand of yours held.”

Lumitaw ang nanunuyang ngisi sa kaniya bago ito unti-unting naging halakhak. He bit his lower lip as he shook his head.

“Damn, girl. You are traumatized by the sight you had earlier?”

“I don’t care about your things with your girl. Just. . . don’t touch me and think that you can get me easily the way you got her.”

“Oh?” He chuckled roughly. “I don’t have a girl-”

“Then what? Fuck buddy? You’re kissing her and touching every part of her body yet he’s not your girl? So ano lang?”

“Woah.” Umatras siya at inangat ang dalawang kamay sa ere na natatawa. “You act like a jealous wife, now. You’re still my fiance, RENEE.”

“I’m not fucking jealous.”

“Renee grew up and learned bad words.” Tumigalsok siya at umiling-iling. That caught me a little off guard.

Shit, Arabella. Renee doesn’t cuss!

“Babalik na ako sa kwarto.” Yumuko at nagsimula nang maglakad ngunit humarang siya. “Please, I’m tired. Ayaw ko nang makipagtalo.”

“I just want to tell you that I’m not giving up.” Ang kaninang mapaglaro niyang personalidad ay nawala na. Bumalik ang kaniyang rahas. “I’m not going to give up until the truth comes right from your mouth.”