CHAPTER 3

three days after what happened, but it's still fresh on her mind. She wants to forget about it, but she can't! She feels like she wants more of him. Fuck! This isn't her, she doesn't like him, she likes Samuel. That's what she's been saying to herself.

Ever since that night she and Glea haven't talked to each other or she'll just say she told the guards and the maids not to let Glea in. She doesn't want to talk to her yet. Just thinking of what she saw always boils her blood. 

She grunts out of frustration, she buried her face on the pillow and let a muffled scream out of her lungs. She can't take this anymore, her wedding is in two fucking days! She wants to escape, but how? 

Bumukas ang pintuan ng kanyang kwarto. "Are you ready now?" Bungad ng kanyang ina. Bumuntong hininga sya bago tumayo sa kama. "Ganyan lang ang suot mo?" maarteng tanong nito. 

She looked at herself in the mirror. She's wearing a high waist trouser and a cropped hoodie matched with her messy bun. "What's wrong with my outfit? It's decent," she plainly said. Her mother raised a brow at her. "Mom, we're just going to get the wedding dress that you chose," she said sarcastically. "Come on, let's go," she lazyly said. 

When they arrived at the store the staff quickly assist them. "Go try your wedding dress." Atat na umupo ang kanyang ina sa mahabang upuan. Pina ikot nya lang ang kanyang mata tsaka pumasok sa fitting room. 

She smiled with sweet-bitterness, she's wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. She likes it very much. Kahit pa ganon ay alam ng kanyang ina ang mga bagay na gusto nya. It's a lace turtleneck dress with flared long elegant sleeves, and floor length. Her dream wedding dress indeed. 

"Ang ganda ganda nyo po, ma'am." Papuri ng isang staff na tumutulong. "Tingin mo magiging successful yung marriage ko?" Nag-aalinlangan kong tanong dito. Tumango lang ito. "Sana nga," mahinang sagot ko sa sarili ko. 

Pagkalabas ng fitting room ay nakita ko ang galak sa mata ng mommy ko. "Ang ganda ganda mo, anak," masayang tono nito habang pinupuri ang kanyang itsura. Nawala ang ngiti nito nang makitang walang bahid ng saya ang mukha nya. "Anak, smile ka, please. I'll send this to your dad." Pagbabalewala nito sa lungkot nya. 

Pilit syang ngumiti at nagpakita ng saya. "Ayan ang ganda mo." Nakangiting tingin nito sa cellphone. Only child sya kaya hangga't maaari ay gusto ng mga magulang nya na mapaayos ang kanyang buhay, kuha nya 'yon. Ang hindi nya lang ina-asahan ay hanggang sa pagpapakasal mangingi-alam ang mga ito. 

Tumango-tango lang sya sa kumento ng mommy nya. "Huhubarin ko na." Tsaka pumasok ulit sya sa fitting room. Pagkalabas nya ay bumungad sa kanya ang kanyang mommy at si Glea. "Mom let's go." Hindi  nya pinansin ang presensya ng kaibigan. 

"Ary, usap tayo, please?" pagmamakaawa ng tono nito. "For what?" pabalik nyang tanong. "About what you saw," may pang-aamo nito. "Speak now," plainliness is on her tone. "I'll go now, girls, okay?" Paalam ng ina. "Let's talk somewhere else?" Pag-aaya nito sa kanya. 

They are now sitting on a table at a restaurant. "What now?" untag nya dito. "Okay, Ary, there's nothing between me and Samuel. Okay? I want that to be clear." Pagpapaliwanag nito. "Then why are you with him that night?" sarkastikong tanong ko kay Glea. "He.... He invited me and told me that he needs to say something." May pag-aalangan sa boses nito bago nag-salita ulit. "He confessed something, he said he likes me." Aurelia's brows raised. "But I swear, I don't like him, Ary. He's yours, you have plans to be with him, right?" Tanong nito sa kanya. 

"Too late. I'm getting married within two days. He's yours." She said plainly before putting an invitation on the table. "Don't be late." Then she smiled a bit. "Bati na tayo?" Pag-aalangan nitong tanong, tango lang ang sagot niya dito. "Wala naman na akong magagawa. Ikakasal na ako," sambit nya ng mahina maya-maya. 

Nagtatawanan silang dalawa bago nag-order. Pagkatapos nila kumain ay mag-kaibang direksyon ang daan nila. Nakangiti papunta sa kanyang kotse nang may bumati sa kanya. "Hi, Ary! How are you now?" may galak na tanong nito. She knows the guy. He's one of her classmate back then. "I'm doing fine. How about you?" tanong niya dito ng may ngiti. "I'm also good, nice seeing you around. I'll go now. There's my wife and our kid." Turo nito tsaka kumaway.

Tumango sya ng may ngiti bago nag-paalam. Sumakay sya ng sasakyan nya ng nakangiti, naiingit sya sa totoo lang. Paano kaya sya magkakaron ng ganong pamilya? Masaya, puno ng tawa, good memories. Malalim syang humugot ng hininga bago nagmaneho. 

Nasa kalagitnaan sya ng byahe nang mapansin nya ang isang itim na sasakyan ang nakasunod sa kanya. "Fuck! Bakit bigla-bigla kang sumusulpot?" Kilala nya ang may-ari ng sasakyan. Binilisan nya ang pag-papaandar sa sasakyan nya. 

Para bang nasa karera sya sa pagpapatakbo ng sasakyan nya. Niliko nya ito pero nag-sisi sya dahil naharangan sya nito. Bumaba ang nag-mamaneho ng itim na sasakyan. Si Xavier, walang kaabog abog  ay binuksan nito ang pintuan ng kanyang sasakyan at hinila sya palabas. 

Nang mahila sya nito ay mabilis at mariin syang hinalikan nito. "Who's that fucking guy?" may bahid ng galit ang tono nito. "He's an old friend! Let me go." Pagtutulak ko dito. "A friend?" sarkastikong tanong nito. "Yes! A friend! A fucking friend, now let me go!" Pagpupumiglas ko laban sa lakas nito

"For pete's sake, Xavier, let me go!" Protesta ko dito pero tila wala itong naririnig. Mariin at marubdob ulit nitong sinakop ang mga labi ko. Pagkatapos maputol ng halik namin ay isinandal nito ang noo nya sa noo ko. "I don't want to see you near him ever again." Sambit nito bago umalis. Napahawak sya sa dibdib naghahabol ng hininga nang umalis ito, hindi nya mawari ito.