My heart contorted rigidly when Asher's face flashed my mind. Shit, Jezrel! I shouldn't be thinking about him. Pero, bakit ganito at palagi niyang ino-occupy ang isipan ko?
"Let's talk." Asher walked towards me but I passed him by. Ito na nga ang naisip ko kaya ayaw kong pumasok.
"Ayoko," mariin kong saad. Huminga siya nang malalim.
"We need to talk, Jezrel." His baritone voice was laced with authority.
I faced him properly. "Ano? Ano'ng sasabihin mo?"
"You didn't reply and you didn't come outside." basag ang kanyang boses.
"Ano naman? Saka, p'wede ba, Asher 'wag mo akong pag-tripan."
"Yeah, just forget about it. I was drunk last night. You know, the alcohol and shits, I told you nonsense things."
Sinalubong ko ang tingin niya. Was he just joking, then? Wala lang ang sinabi niya samantalang ako ay halos hi
Sunod sunod ang tawag at mensahe na natanggap ko kay Dwight pero lahat iyon ay hindi ko sinagot. I didn't want to hear any explanation from him. My mind's a mess, too. I don't think I'd be able to understand any reason from him. Whatever it is, that doesn't justify that he stood me up again. Pang-ilang beses na ba ito? Paulit-ulit pero parati kong hinahayaan. Ngayon na sinagad niya na ako, hindi madaling ayusin ito. Hinatid ko si Kiana sa airport. It would be hard for me to get through now that she's not here. May sarili rin siyang problema at ayaw ko ng maka-abala pa. "Hey." Chene looked at me with worry. Napansin niyang wala ako sa wisyo. "Yes, may kailangan ka?" "Kanina pa kita tinatawag. Okay ka lang ba? If you have problem, you know you can open up with me." "Thank you, Chene." I smiled. Niyaya niya ako sa malapit na samgyupsal nang matapos ang
"How's life there?" I asked Kiana when we finally got another chance to talk through the phone."Mahirap. Syempre, pero sinsubukan ko para sa amin ni Cholo. Mahal ko 'yung anak ko higit sa buhay ko. Ganoon yata talaga kapag may anak ka na. Alam mo sabik nga rin ako makita rin ang magiging anak niyo ni Dwight. For sure, they would grow up as fine as you were." I could imagine Kiana smiling from the other line. "Ikaw, kamusta ka?"Sandali akong napatahimik. "I am okay, Ki."I heard her sigh. "Well, I don't think you are. I'm your bestfriend! Ano ka ba? Judging your voice, feeling ko ang lala ng problema mo! Mas problemado ka pa sa aking may anak na!"I don't know what to say. "Ki..." I bit my lower lip. "Hindi ko alam... Parang okay nam
Our engagement spread like a wildfire. There were a lot of messages from my batchmates and people who I barely know. Sa social media maging sa texts. Marami pang nagsasabi nagoalskami.Dwight wanted to let the wedding happen as soon as possible but I was the one who told him to postpone it. That we shouldn't rush it. That we should savor our moments together first. But, honestly I couldn't even understand myself. Magulo. Sobrang gulo. I couldn't put them into words. Our parents were totally against it but we told them it's our decision.Binalikan ko ang planner ko. I want to marry at the age of 28. I guess, hindi siya mangyayari. I am going to marry Dwight at 23. And, for some reasons I am having doubts on this. Not him. Pero, ewan. Hindi ko alam. O baka ako lang may problema.
Was what I felt with Dwight still okay? I couldn't feel the butterflies in stomach anymore. I don't get nervous, too. It's like drinking a warm coffee. It felt like something was missing him. I excused myself to go to the comfort room. After a couple of minutes re-doing my make-up, lumabas na ako. Gusto ko muna sanang magpahangin bago umuwi. Naglakad lang ako ng naglakad. Tapos na ang pag-aayos sa buong lugar. Tahimik na rin dahil halos lahat ng guests ay umuwi na. Dwight might be probably worried right now so I walked towards where he was but I halted when I saw Asher and Naia's back. They were talking about something. I felt the need to listen but that would be rude of me again. Ayaw ko ng maulit 'yung nangyari noon. Nanigas ang
I should be mad. I should be mad at myself. I should be mad at him but for some reason I couldn't. Shit. I'm doomed! Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mukhang mahaharap ko kay Dwight. Nahihiya ako sa kanya... sa sarili ko at sa lahat... I didn't cheat but it felt like I did. Well, maybe. After what I did. Infedility. One word. You've heard it right. You shall not commit infedility. You shall not break a promise to remain faithful to your promise. "Babe, my mother asked me about our wedding. Do you think we can have it on April?" I was playing with the food. The image of Asher and I together in one room was difficult for me to get rid. Dwight and I were here at a restaurant near his work. Gusto niyang bumawi sa akin dahil hindi na naman siya nakasipot. Paulit-ulit na lang. Naiirita ako. Naiinis ako. How could one night... one night of passio
I'm pregnant. The doctor told us a while ago. None of us spoke after the doctor's revelation. Maging ako hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat na reaksyon ko. May bata na sa tiyan ko. That thought made my heart ache. Pinilit kong pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Everything makes sense now. The heaviness of my body, the delay of my menstruation which I thought normal, the uneasiness, the discomfort, the roller coaster of my emotions, at lahat ng iyon ay dahil buntis ako. Nagsalubong ang tingin namin ni Asher. He lowered his head to avoid my gaze. "I'm sorry, Jezrel.." His voice cracked. "I hate you, Asher. I hate you! I hate you so much!" He leaned forward and stopped me from moving hysterically. Ang sama sama ng loob ko! How could that one night ruined me like this? Hindi ko gusto ito! Ikakasal ako kay Dwight. Paano? Oh, God. How could we be so careless?
I woke up as the rays of sunrise touched my skin. There was no trace of Asher when I woke up. I checked over my phone and noticed that there was a message from him.Asher:I woke up early because I had a lot of things to do. I cooked your breakfast.Nag-ayos na ako kaagad dahil kailangan ko pang pumasok. Balak ko ng mapaghinga rin sa trabaho para sa anak ko.Last night's memory was still vivid in my head. My cheeks flushed. But that thought turned to thin air when I remembered how awful I was. I hated my father because of what he did. But look at what I did, too. I betrayed Dwight.I've been lying and convincing to myself that what Asher stirred up inside me were mere nothing but ang
I woke up earlier than the usual. I tied my hair as I walked around the apartment. The weather seemed fine, too. Tiningnan ko 'yung ref saka ang cabinet niya. Plano kong magluto na lang ng fried rice, itlog saka hotdog. Inayos ko na ang paghiwa ng bawang saka nilagay sa kawali. I was busy cooking the egg when I felt a hug behind. "Morning." His bedroom voice welcomed me. He was sucking my neck. "Asher, nagluluto ako," sabi ko pa. Hindi siya nagpatinag bagkus ay mas lalo siyang sumiksik sa leeg ko. "I thought you left me..." Parang bata niyang sabi. Lumingon ako saka hinarap siya. "Why would I do that?" "I'm just afraid, Jez," turan niya. Lumayo siya ng kaunti saka hinaplos ang tiyan. "Good morning, baby." I smiled at what he did. "Are you excited seeing this pretty little thing?" he asked when his gaze went to me.&nbs