Chapter 4

RUBY

At night, everyone was gathered at the dinner table in the hacienda. They already want to talk about the upcoming wedding between me and Kheimer.

The thing is, I really don't know if I'm ready to get married. Hindi pa nga ako sure sa totoong na raramdaman ko para kay Kheimer, and yet they're already rushing the wedding that they were the only ones who planned.

"You good?" Kheimer asks, holding my hands.

He was discharged yesterday morning. Medyo sumumpong lang ang asthma niya, but he's doing good now.

"Y-yah."

"Keefer was getting married this year, and you know that these two men can't get married in the same year, so we need to adjust one of their weddings," an elder said. A sharp pain ran through my chest.

Tuwing naririnig ko na lang ang kasal na magaganap para kay Keefer, nasasaktan ako. And I hate that I still feel like that.

"Cherry and I can wait until next year. We know that Kheimer and Rin's wedding needs to be rushed," Keefer suggests.

I couldn't help but stare at him. Every time he looks at Cherry, there's always a spark in his eyes. A spark that he never showed me when we were still together.

Nang maramdaman kong unti-unting namumuo ang mainit na likido sa mata ko ay agad akong umiwas ng tingin sa kanila, pero namali ata ako ng lingon dahil kay Kheimer bumagsak ang tingin ko na sakin rin nakatingin.

Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin nang mapansin niyang umiiyak ako. Kaya agad kong pinunasan iyon dahil baka may iba pang makakita sakin. Nakakahiya.

Hindi ko man lang napansing sa akin pala siya nakatingin habang na kay Keefer ang atensyon ko.

"Do you agree about that, Kheimer, so we can settle everything now?" the elder asks. But Kheimer didn't answer him.

"Give me a time," he said and stood up and left the room.

"Please excuse us," I said before leaving and ran after him. "Kheimer!"

I called him, but he just kept walking like he didn't hear me. "Kheimer! What the heck is wrong with you!

I grab his hand when I reach him, but he just pushes me away.

"You promised to me! You promised you'd forget him! Ako na yung nandito para sayo! But your fucking heart is still imprisoned for him! Ano bang meron si Kuya wala ako?! Why can't you love me the way I loved you?!"

I froze. Sa dami niyang tanong, ni isa wala akong masagot, dahil alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ko rin alam kung bakit.

"Damn it!" He shouted before leaving me.

Hindi ko na siya nagawang sundan dahil hanggang ngayon, I'm still trying to process what he said.

'I don't know either, Kheimer. I tried, I swear. Pero itong puso ko, siya pa rin ang sinisigaw.'

I CAN feel a warm hand running through my hair onto my forehead. I slowly opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Kheimer.

"Good morning," he greeted. I can smell a fresh mint coming out from his mouth.

'Oh, he smells so good—ack, oh my god, my breath probably smells bad! '

I quickly covered my mouth and pushed him away from me. Masyado kasing malapit ang mukha niya sakin. Baka mamaya maamoy niya yung hininga ko, nakakahiya naman.

"Why are you covering your mouth? Come on, remove that."

He grabs my hands, trying to remove my hands from my mouth, but I didn't let him. I quickly turned around to him and jumped to the other side of the bed and ran to the bathroom. I can hear him calling me before I close the door, but I didn't look around because I need to brush my teeth!

I quickly grab my toothbrush, put some toothpaste on it, and brush my teeth. Halos laklakin ko na lahat ng mouthwash para lang masiguradong kasing fresh ng bibig ko ang bibig niya.

After that I wash my face, dahil baka mamaya may tuyong laway pa sa pisnge ko o kaya muta sa mata ko, nakakahiyanaman sa kanya.

After I settled everything, I put some lip balm on my lips, baka kasi mag dry yung lips ko sa harap niya.

I slowly opened the bathroom door, and I saw him lying on my bed while taping on his phone.

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya at sumampa sa kama ko.

"Ahem, bakit ka pala napunta dito ng ganito kaaga?" agaw ko ng atensyon niya. Agad niya namang ibinaba ang telepono at lumingon sakin.

"I just want to talk to you."

"Is it about our wedding? Have you decided?"

"Yah, about that too, of course, but I want you to be the one who decides for our wedding. Don't listen to them, because I don't know why they're rushing us. Just tell me whenever you're ready, and I'll be the one who will settle everything. No need to rush," mahaba niyang paliwanag. Bigla naman akong napaisip.

Am I able to get ready? Will I be ready?

"And about last night, I'm sorry for what I said. I just drank too much and lost control of myself."

Bigla namang nabalik ang atensyon ko sa kanya.

"Kheimer! Why are you drinking again? Diba sabi ng doctor bawal nang mag inom? Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo! Pano kung atakihin ka—" 

Before I could even finish my words, he suddenly reached my face and kissed me. At first I couldn't move, but when he made our kiss deeper, all I could do was close my eyes and kiss him back.

I wrapped my hands around his nape and made him kiss me even more. I can feel his hands start traveling inside my clothes. He just keeps pressing everything he touches inside my clothes until he reaches my sensitive part.

"Ah…" I groan.

Pero bago pa namin matuloy ang gusto naming gawin ay parehas kaming napahinto ng makarinig kami ng malakas na tunog mula sa labas ng pinto ng kwarto ko.

"Hoy! Tito! Alam kong nandyan ka! Wag mo akong taguan!"

It was Charlie, banging on my door.

"Damn this kid!" Kheimer grunts.

"Did you go here to my room to hide from your niece?" kunot noo kong tanong sa kanya.

"Of course not, I came here to see you," sagot niya bago tuluyang umalis sa pagkakadagan sakin at dumeretso sa pagbukas ng pinto. "What?" Inis niyang natong sa pamangkin.

"Sabi mo babayad ka na ng utang ngayon! Pero tago ka ng tago!" bulyaw sa kanya ng bata.

"O kalahati muna. Bukas na yung iba," sagot ni Kheimer at nag-abot ng 150 pesos sa bata.

"Kuripot! Di muna ako tatanggap ng utos sayo hanggat hindi mo pa nababayaran yung wan pepti!" Inis niyang sagot kay Kheimer habang sinusuksok sa short ang perang nakuha niya sa tito niya. "Syaka baba na daw kayo kasi kakain na!" Huling sinabi nito bago tumakbo pa baba.

Na pa iling na lang ako dahil sa kalokohan nilang mag tiyo.

Nagpalit muna ako nang damit bago kami tuluyang bumaba sa hapagkainan.

As usual, buo ang pamilya. Lahat sila ay nasa hapagkainan na para bang kami na lang ang hinihintay.

Ipinaghatakpa ako ni Kheimer ng upuan bago ito umupo sa tabi ko.

"So, have you two decided about your upcoming wedding?" tanong agad ng elder. Hindi pa nga kami nakakapagsimula kumain, ay iyon agad ang gusto nilang pag-usapan.

"You know, even though the wedding needs to be rushed, kayong dalawa hindi niyo naman kaylangan mag madali, there's still some time. Kami naman ang mag plaplan ng wedding, kaylangan lang namin ng desisyon niyo kung kaylan niyo gustong ganapin ang kasal," mahabang paliwanag ni tito keizer.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi niya. Hindi nila kami minamadali, pero ang kasal kailangang madaliin? 

"Dad, Ruby and I still need time. Madami pa kaming kaylangan pagusapan bago malaman kung kaylan dapat ganapin ang kasal," Kheimer said while putting a side dish on my plate.

"Ok, ok, no pressure, take your time. But whenever you two are ready, just tell us. Your decision really matters."

Hindi na sumagot si Kheimer sa ama niya, kaya pinagpatuloy na lamang namin ang pagkain ng tahimik.

"Everyone." It was Keefer.

Pare-parehas kaming napahinto sa pagkain nang agawin niya ang atensyon ng bawat isa.

"Cherry and I have something important to announce," nakangiti niyang sabi habang nasa babae ang atensyon niya.

"We think that the idea of getting married next year really does need to happen."

I don't know, but for some reason my hands are starting to sweat. Halos marinig ko na ang pagkabog ng puso ko dahil sa sobrang bilis ng pagtibok nito.

"Because Cherry and I are having another baby!"

Pakiramdam ko ay dahandahang huminto ang paligid ko, parang nag-slow motion ang lahat at wala akong marinig. All I can see is everyone is cheering after what Keefer announces.

'No way! '