Umiwas siya nang tingin at tumitig nalang sa harapan. “It's best for us to stop hanging out together” dagdag niya. Hindi na ko nagsalita at mabilis na bumaba ng sasakyan bago pa tumulo yung luha ko. Halos patakbo na rin akong pumasok sa bahay na walang lingon-likod para hindi niya makita ang itsura ko. It hurts. For someone I treated as my best friend saying that we should stop hanging out anymore, it felt like he's saying that our friendship was really over. Hindi lang nadurog yung puso ko, pati na rin yung buong katawan ko dahil parang nawalan na rin ako ng kaisa-isa kong kaibigan. My family was still in the living room and was looking at me when I entered the house. They were ready to go and probably just waiting for me to send me to school. But I don't feel like going anymore. Parang mas gusto ko na lang magkulong sa kwarto at mamukmok. However, if I do that, my parents and Lolo might insist not to go out as well to check on me. Kaya naman, kahit ayoko, mabilis akong umakya
Mabilis na kumulo yung dugo ko at hindi ko napigilang samaan ng tingin si Marc nang ilipat ko sa kanya yung tingin ko. “What?” I almost hissed. I didn't mean to be hostile with him, but my mood was really bad dahil sa lalaki sa likod niya na tumigil pa talaga para titigan ako ng nang-iinsulto. Anong problema ng devil na to?! I was already fuming inside but I suppressed it all kahit mahirap, for the sake of my image. Marc seemed taken aback pero mabilis siyang nakarecover at seryosong tumingin sakin. “Gusto mo bang sumabay samin? On the way rin kasi yung bahay ni Samantha,” sabi ni Marc. Bago ako makapagsalita at tanggihan siya, Great Perkins suddenly laughed mockingly then walked past us without uttering any word. I was dumbfounded as I followed my gaze on him. “Honey” Napakurap ako at narealized na nakatitig na pala ako sa likod ni Great at hindi na napansin si Marc. I suddenly felt guilty but I immediately shook it away. “No thanks. Susunduin ako nila Lolo,” sagot ko nang
“This way, Madam..” she said while gesturing her hands towards our table. A very fair, tall and slender woman in her mid fifties smiled upon seeing us. She was very beautiful with her foreign features. She looked so elegant with her all black suit attire matching with a big pearl necklace and a huge diamond ring as her accessories. No one can ignore her because she exudes a strong intimidating aura and if I haven't bonded with her before, I might hide behind mommy in fear of her. “Hija, we finally met again! you were so young then!” she said as she walked towards me at a quick pace. Mabilis akong tumayo dahil sa excitement na makita ulit siya. I thanked Lolo for introducing me to her back then. At sa dalas ng meetups nila ni Lolo dati, I got a chance to be close with her. She's my favorite amongst all his friends that he introduced to me because she's very friendly despite her intimidating look.“Mamita,” I greeted.“It's been a long time! I missed you!” sabi niya habang binibigyan
Fiancé?! Who? Si Great the devil? Nanlalaki yung mga mata kong tumitig kay Great, hindi makapaniwala. “Are you kidding me?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. “Honey,” saway ni Mommy. Pero hindi ko siya pinansin. I just continued glaring at Great as I accused him of lying. Kasi, hindi ko matatanggap na siya pala yung nirereto ni Lolo na papakasalan ko. Of all the people! “Bakit? May problema ba? I thought you two are friends?” tanong ni Lolo. “We're not friends,” mabilis na sagot ni Great bago pa ako makaapela. Buti naman hindi siya nagsinungaling na friends kami kasi, obvious naman na hindi. At sarili lang naman niya yung lolokohin niya if ever. “How so? You seem so close?” tanong ni Mamita. Sasagot na sana ako at sasabihin na masama ang ugali ng apo niya kaya hindi kami friends kasi naunahan na naman ako ni Great. “We can't be friends..” mabilis na sinabi niya. Tumango naman agad ako dahil nagsabi ulit siya ng totoo. I heard Great chuckled kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. Pero
I could only stare at Great as I was rendered speechless. The way he said my name felt like there's a double meaning to it. Na para bang hindi talaga niya sinabi yung pangalan ko, but rather he said it as an endearment. Bigla akong kinilabutan. Parang ibang tao yung narinig kong nagsalita at hindi yung lalaking nasa harap ko na nakangisi na parang may masamang binabalak. Natauhan naman ako sa pamilyar na ngisi niyang yon, kaya mabilis akong umiling para tanggihan siya. However, everyone became excited at may naganap pang palakpakan. At nang lumingon ako sa paligid, parang kumikinang lahat yung mga mata nila habang nakatitig sakin. “Uh..mm” I pursed my lips tightly dahil hindi ko alam yung sasabihin ko. Nakakapressure kasi parang yung tingin nila sakin, very expectant na hindi ako tatanggi. “That's settled, then. Hijo, I'm trusting my granddaughter to you..” biglang nagsalita si Lolo para putulin yung mahabang katahimikan. I was about to open my mouth to protest, kaso nagtama y
Proposal? Anong ibig niyang sabihin dyan? Nalito ako at parang bigla kong nakalimutan kung ano yung ibig sabihin ng proposal. Propose? Magpropropose siya sakin? I just stared at Great with wide eyes as thoughts of him proposing on me suddenly flashes in my head. I shuddered. Kinilabutan ako sa naisip ko that's why I quickly shook my head to shake that certain thought of. “Let's--” “No. Ayoko! Hindi pwede!” agad ko bago pa man siya matapos sa sasabihin niya. Ayokong marinig mismo sa kanya na gusto niya kong pakasalan dahil baka bigla akong bumaba ng sasakyan at tumakbo kung saan. Masyado nang delikado dahil madilim na at nasa highway pa kami. Nakita kong kumunot yung noo ni Great habang nagtatakang nakatingin sakin. Mabilis akong umiling ulit para ma-emphasize na ayoko talaga. “I haven't said my proposal,” he commented. I shifted my gaze back through the window.I kept repeating in my head what he had just said at parang may bombilyang nilagay sa ibabaw ng ulo ko at bigla i
“What are you doing here?” kunot-noo kong tanong kay Great na nakasandal sa kotse na nakaparada sa garahe namin.Tumingin siya sakin saka tumayo ng maayos, “Get in,” malamig na sinabi niya. Syempre nagulat ako. I didn’t expect to see him again here lalo na at ng kasunduan na kami about sa plano niya. I agreed with it, of course, kasi sinabi niyang gagawa siya ng reason para galitin ako at saktan siya. In that case, absuelto ako sa pananakit sa kanya if ever. I didn't think much about it anymore dahil sure naman akong hindi ako basta magiging violent for small things lang. At kung mabigat yung ginawa niya, that should be enough to cancel the wedding. Biglang lumabas si Lolo at nakangiting binati si Great. “Good morning, apo..” I rolled my eyes dahil sa tawag nito sa kanya pero hindi na lang ako nagsalita. “Hija, pinakiusapan ko nga pala itong fiancé mo na isabay ka na lang papasok” Tumingin ako kay Great at nakitang seryoso siyang nakatingin sakin. Medyo nagulat pa ako dahil med
“Malelate na tayo! Please, Ma'am, pakisuot na po yung gown niyo,” pagmamakaawa ng babaeng humigit sakin papasok sa isang kwarto kung saan nakalatag ang isang puting gown at puting sapatos sa kama. “Hindi ako magpapakasal!” sigaw ko. I was fuming mad and badly wanted to find Great and ask him about this. Gusto kong malaman kung alam niya ang tungkol dito dahil ayokong mag-assume lang. “Pero Ma'am.. " Naputol ang sasabihin nito nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto. Gusto kong maiyak nang makita si Lolo na seryosong seryoso ang itsura. He was wearing a suit at halatang may alam sa mangyayari. “Sir..” Tumango si Lolo sa babae. “Kakausapin ko muna siya,” sabi niya.Mabilis na lumabas ng kwarto yung babae pati na rin ang mga kasama niya at iniwan kami ni Lolo. “Magpapakasal ka na ngayon,” Lolo started. Agad akong umiling, “No! Ayoko!” I screamed. Halos lumuhod na ako sa harapan ni Lolo para lang huwag niya akong pilitin na magpakasal. “Please, Lo! Don't don't do this to me!” pa