Marry Me, Stranger

“Do you, Isabelle Denise Nolasco, accept Zyrone Alexander Craig as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, as long as you both shall live?” ani Judge Rafanan, ang matandang judge na may-ari ng bahay kung saan sila naroon ngayon.

Lumunok si Belle, bahagyang inirapan ang lalaking kaharap niya at kasalukuyang may hawak-hawak ng kanyang kamay.

Five days ago, kung hahawakan siya nang gano’n ni Zyrone baka nasampal na niya ito. Elista ito e, mayaman, larger than life. Idagdag pa na suplado ito at antipatiko. In short, allergic siya rito.

At kung paanong five days ago ganoon ang nararamdaman niya para dito at kung bakit ngayon naman ay ikinakasal siya rito, hindi niya alam. Baka nabaliw na siya habang nagtatago silang dalawa sa Sitio Teppang. Malayo roon e, liblib. Wala ring signal. Baka hindi kinaya ng braincells niya ang ilang araw nilang pananatili roon kaya ngayon pumayag siyang magpapakasal kay Zyrone. Puwede rin namang gaga lang siya talaga kaya niya ginagawa ito ngayon. Adventurer siya e. Kaya nga siya naging lifestyle writer kasi gusto niyang maka-scoop ng iba’t-ibang klaseng adventure sa buhay ng ibang tao.

Kung alin man sa mga rason na iyon kaya siya ngayon magpapakasal kay Zyrone, siguro, mamaya na niya iisipin. O kaya naman bukas. Puwede rin siguro sa makalawa o sa susunod na buwan o kaya naman--

Napangiwi siya nang mahigpit na pisilin ni Zyrone ang kamay niya. Agad niyang ibinaling ang tingin sa antipatikong binata na magiging asawa niya.

Zyrone was glaring at her, like she’s some kid he caught stealing on the cookie jar.

She scoffed inwardly. Pinisil din niya nang mahigpit ang kamay nitong hawak niya at minulagatan ito. Ang galing-galing din talaga nito, ito pa talaga ang may ganang manakit gayong she's doing him a very huge favor!

Tumikhim si Judge Rafanan at inulit ang sinabi nito. This time she listened to the judge carefully while fixing her eyes to the most infuriating man she had ever met who will happen to be her husband.

 Ngumiti siya bago sumagot. “I’ll think about it, Sir.” Zyrone’s eyes instantly threw daggers at her. Napasinghap na rin ang mga iba pa nilang kasama sa loob ng silid. Imbes na masindak muli siyang ngumiti, nakakaloko. “What I mean is, I do, Sir. From my heart to the very depths of my soul, I do marry you, Zyrone.”

 Tumango-tango si Judge Rafanan at ang mga kasama nilang naroon na witnesses sa kasal nila. Mukhang satisfied sa sagot niya.

“And do you Zyrone Alexander Craig accept Isabelle Denise Nolasco as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

Umigting ang panga ni Zyrone bago ito nagbuga ng hininga, pinisil ulit nito ang kamay niya bago, “I do, Sir.”

She saw the muscles in his arms flexed. Halatang gaya niya, natetensyon rin ang suplado. Sino ba namang hindi? They can barely stand each other’s presence and yet there they are getting married.

Kabaliwan nga! Lintek talaga!

“And now, may we have the rings as you say your vows to each other,” ani Judge Rafanan.

Mabilis namang inilabas ni Zyrone sa bulsa nito ang nabili nilang isang pares ng silver rings sa isang jewelry shop na nadaanan nila habang papunta sila sa bahay ng judge. The design of the rings were simple and classic. Siya mismo ang pumili no’n. Zyrone wanted to have an expensive elaborate platinum ring but she insisted on that simple and classic silver one. She thought that they’re not in love anyway, it’s not needed for them to spend extra on the rings.

Inabot ni Judge Rafanan kay Zyrone ang singsing na para sa kanya. Zyrone gently took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger while saying, “Belle, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you from this day forward as long as we both shall live.”

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw how the ring perfectly fits on her finger—like she’s meant to be there and wear the ring on her hand. Noong bata siya, she had always dreamed of marrying her prince charming someday—one that she’d love with all her heart until she gets old. Ni sa hinagap she’d never thought of marrying a handsome jerk like Zyrone. But it is what it is. Naroon na siya.

She chose this. Was forced to choose this.

Nang bumaling sa kanya ang judge kinuha niya rito ang singsing na para kay Zyrone. She took Zyrone’s left hand and said her practiced vow. “Zyrone, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you from this day forward as long as we both shall live.”

Zyrone looked at her and forced a smile before mouthing the words thank you. Lalo siyang napa-ismid. Para namang may iba siyang choice maliban sa pakasalan ito.

Maya-maya pa, pinapirma na sila ng judge sa kanilang marriage certificate. Matapos niyon, muling nagsalita si Judge Rafanan. “Zyrone and Belle in as much as you have pledged yourself, one to the other, by the exchanging of vows and rings I, Judge Armando Rafanan, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the constitution, do hereby pronounce you Zyrone and Belle to be married. You may now exchange a kiss as a token of your joy.”

Natigilan silang dalawa ni Zyrone, nagkatinginan.

Ano daw, kiss? 

Pakiramdam niya lumobo ang ulo niya sa narinig. Ayaw niyang mag-panic pero papunta na talaga ang huwisyo niya roon.

Hindi nila napag-usapan ang tungkol sa halik na iyon pagkatapos ng kanilang kasal. At lalong hindi handa ang huwisyo at ganda niya na magpahalik kay Zyrone ngayon!

Bakit hindi, she's never been kissed! Heck! Sa edad niyang twenty six she never even had a boyfriend, kahalikan pa kaya. 

Napakurap-kurap na siya, alanganing sumulyap sa judge na gaya ng ibang witnesses nila na naroon, hinihintay din ang kanilang first kiss ni Zyrone as husband and wife. Hindi siya puwedeng halikan ni Zyrone ngayon. Kailangan niyang mag-prepare. Kailangan niya munang mag-ipon ng lakas at tatag ng loob. Mukhang kailangan din niya ‘atang magtawag din ng mga santo at santa pati na rin mga santa-santita bago niya ibigay ang first kiss niya sa suplado at antipatikong si Zyrone.

Oh my god! lihim niyang usal.  Ano ba itong napasok niya?

Subalit bago pa man siya makaisip ng dapat niyang gawin, hinila na siya ni Zyrone patungo sa dibdib nito. She crashed onto his hard chest and her heart instantly hitched. It’s their first time to be that close. Kahit noong natulog silang magkatabi sa maliit na papag doon sa Sitio Teppang, hindi sila naging ganoon kadikit, ngayon lang. At hindi niya alam kung ano ang dapat niyang maramdaman.

Alanganganin niya itong tiningala. Zyrone was looking at her intently, like looking at her very soul. And she shiver in confusion and… anticipation?

“Don’t worry, wife. This would be quick,” he declared in a voice just above whisper before he dipped his head and awarded her slightly-parted mouth with a kiss.  

She instantly caught her breath as soon as his lips touched hers. She can hear an invisible alarm go off in her head telling her to keep her logic up and running. But all logic went flying to the window when jolts of electricity coursed through her as all her nerve-endings tingled with the way Zyrone tasted her mouth. She was weak and inexperienced that all she could do was surrender.  She closed her eyes when he cupped her face and gently nibbled her lower-lip, like her lips were some snack he can’t get enough of.

If that’s how blissful a first kiss tastes like, she’d gladly request for an encore.

And just when she thought he’d kiss her some more, he gently tore his mouth from her. Nagmadali siyang buksan ang kanyang mga mata. Zyrone was looking at her with an amused face. Maya-maya pa ngumisi ito at muling bumulong.

“I like your blushing face. It means you liked my kiss. Keep it that way, wife,” anito bago siya tuluyang binitiwan. Mabilis itong nagpaalam kay Judge Rafanan. Hindi pa man siya nakakahuma sa pa-halik nito, nagmamadali siya nitong hinila palabas ng bahay ng matandang judge.

Nasa sasakyan na sila nang muli siyang makapagsalita. “S-saan na tayo pupunta?”

“I’m taking you to my parents. They need to meet you,” anito bago tuluyang minaniobra ang sasakyan nito palayo.

She had a quick mental review of Zyrone’s parents— the successful businessman Richard and the socialite Miranda Craig.

Great, mas maraming taong allergic siya!

“Belle,” pukaw ni Zyrone sa kanya maya-maya.

Alanganin siyang bumaling dito. “H-ha?”

“Be ready. I might need to kiss you again in front of them,” deklara nito, kaswal.

Wala sa sarili siyang bumaling sa labas ng sasakyan at nagsimulang magdasal.