CHAPTER 2

''I like you,can you be my bride?

Ang gulat sa mukha ko ay hindi ko naitago ng sabihin yon ni Leo.tinitigan kong mabuti ang gwapo niyang mukha.seryosong-seryoso,at wala akong makitang pagbibirong ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha.nakaramdam ako ng kaba pero hindi ko iyon pinahalata kay leo.parang gusto pang manginig ng labi ko kaya kinagat ko ang loob ng pisngi ko para hindi iyon makita ni leo,lalo pa at nakatingin ako sa kanya.

Tang ina!okay lang ba ang lalaking ito?ang gwapo niya pero mukha siyang tanga.okay lang na sabihin niyang gusto niya ako,pero ang itanong niya saakin kung pwede ba akong maging bride niya ay nakakatawa. ano ba to!nagpopropose ba siya?ito ang unang pagkikita namin,at ni hindi niya pa nga alam kung ano ang pangalan ko.

Pero di ba dapat maging masaya ako?dahil hindi na ako mahihirapang makapasok sa pamilya da villo.pero ano ba ang binabalak ng lalaking ito?kailangan kong maging alerto,baka mabisto ako ni leo.kahit na malinis ang mga plano ko sa tulong ni ma'am maya,ay hindi parin dapat ako maging kampante.lalo pa na alam kong maraming koneksyon ang pamilya da villo.

''I guess you were surprised by what i said."

seryosong sabi ni leo.

Napairap ako,natural lang na magugulat ako no!

"are you okay?"i couldn't help but ask him.

"Yes"maikling sagot ni jaime.and crossed his arms below his chest,while staring at me seriously and intently.

Huminga ako ng malalim.

"you know,mr..."bitin kong sabi,para kusang sabihin ni leo ang pangalan niya saakin.

"Leonardo Da villo."at inilahad niya ang kanyang kamay saakin.

Napangiti ako saaking isip,at hindi ko napigilan ang pagtaas ng kanang kilay ko.at tinanggap ko ang nakalahad niyang kamay saakin.

"L-lina,Lina Marquez."pagsisinungaling ko sa kanya.

Lina ang binigay na palayaw saakin ng magulang ko.pinaikli sa totoong pangalan kong abelina.at ang lopez na apelyido ko ay pinalitan ko lang na marquez.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa mga kamay namin ni leo,nang maramdaman ko ang gaspang sa palad niya.malaki din iyon at nagmukhang pambata ang kamay ko.hindi naman nakapagtataka dahil malaking tao siya.

Muling tumaas ang tingin ko sa mukha ni leo nang maramdaman kong humigpit ang pagkakawak niya sa kamay ko,ng babawiin ko na sana ito. parang ayaw niya akong bitawan.

"Leonar-"

"Just call me Leo."mabilis na sabi leo,and he squeezed my palm slightly.

I nodded.

"okay,leo..ahm,can you let go of my hand?"

Leo's gaze dropped to our palms that remained clasped together because he didn't want to let go of my hand.and he looked at me again with a smile on his face.

"i'm sorry,you have very soft hands and feel good to hold.that's why i can't imagine letting go of your hand."

And leo didn't let go of my hand.so,he wasn't joking!this man is serious!

Hindi ko napigilan ang pagkunot ng noo ko,at alam kong magkasalubong na ang mga kilay ko.

"so,we're going to talk while holding hands?"

I saw leo's eyes light up,it seemed like he liked my question and it seemed like he had an idea.

"i will let go of your hand if you agree to be my bride."

And he smiled widely again,causing his dimples to appear on both sides of his cheeks again.nakakainis!mas lalo lang gumagwapo ang kumag na ito pagngumingiti.

Hindi ko napigilan ang maliit na tumawa sa kanya.

"so,what should we call this?because we're not lovers.are you propos-"

"Yes,i'm proposing to you..to be my bride."

seryoso at mabilis na sabi ni leo.

"and will be my wife soon."

Hindi ko na talaga napigilan ang tumawa,my feelings are also mixed. happiness,because my plans are in line with what's happening tonight.and nervous,because of the fact that i will really enter the chaotic and scary life with leonardo da Villo.

"You're beautiful,but your laughter insults me,lina."leo said calmly,but the expression on his face was stern.and his grip on my hand tightened a little.

"I'm sorry, I'm not laughing just to insult you,leo."

i said,and i stopped laughing.

"So,why?i may not be ugly in your eyes,but you may have thought i had no right to propose to a beautiful girl like you."he said and his left eyebrow rose.

"You're not ugly,in fact,you're very handsome."pag-amin ko sa kanya,dahil yon naman talaga ang totoo.

"And,i didn't think you didn't have the right to propose.but,isn't it funny that you're proposing to me when you've only just seen me and i'm not your girlfriend."

Leo stared at me intently,and i felt him pull me closer to him from the chair i was sitting in,using only his left hand.because his right hand was still holding my hand.my knees are slightly touching leo's chair,and he's two hard thighs were spread apart,and i am being locked up.

With his left hand,he freely held my waist,and he squeezed it a little bit.i was shocked by what he did,so i held onto his chest using my free hand.parang may kuryente akong naramdaman na galing sa kamay ni leo,lalo pa at ramdam ko ang init ng kanyang palad.kahit matigas ang kanyang dibdib ay ramdam ko ang malakas na tibok ng kanyang puso,katulad ng saakin.it's weird but I can hear my heart beating even though the music inside the bar is loud.

I felt leo's left hand,which was holding my waist,stroke upwards along the side of my breast.ang mga titig niya ay hindi ko na kinakaya,at naramdaman ko din ang panglalambot ng mga tuhod ko kahit na nakaupo naman ako.

Nakita ko ang paglunok niya habang pinagmamasdan ang mukha ko.

"you don't need to be my girlfriend first, because the first time i saw you,i know you will be my wife just a week from now.."