2

JUST like any other day, gumising si Aiah at ginawa ang kanyang morning routine. She freshen up, fixed her hair in a high ponytail then wore her gym clothes. Bago siya lumabas ng sariling kwarto ay tinginan niya ang cellphone. She got a few calls from Stacey and the other girls. May isa lang na nagpataas ng kanyang kilay. A text from an unknown number.

Save it. I'll call you later - Greg

She rolled her eyes. It's probably Stacey's doing. Binura niya ang text at nilagay sa arm band ang cellphone. With her earphones on, Aiah played her favourite TS songs. Nasa baba na siya ng hagdan nang makita niya ang kanyang lolo na may kausap sa sala.

She didn't bother making the introductions and just make her way out of the mansion. She needed to let out some steam. Akala niya'y okay lang siya sa mga nangyari ng nagdaang gabi. Akala niya lang pala iyon.

Aiah barely knew anyone around the village. She cared less. Nag-jogging siya at hindi pinapansin ang mga iilang lalaki na nagpapalipad hangin sa kanya. She's not in the mood to flirt lalo pa't madaming bagay ang gumugulo sa kanyang isipan.

To be wed to a certain businessman was never new. It's one of the many options to save the company, Aiah thought. A merger? Probably not. Walang nasabi ang kanyang lolo about merging companies so it's all one sided. Was the Villegas Company Inc brought by in the guise of her marriage? What's the catch?

Was the man someone who fall for her charms? Or isa din itong classic old man na mahilig mangolekta ng trophy wife?

Ah, just the thought of it makes her sick. How can all she ever lure was scumbags?

"So, are you really okay with this marriage?" Tanong ng isang bahagi ng kanyang isipan. "Are you going to surrender your freedom just like that?"

Nothing comes to mind to answer that lingering question. Funny how she got to sleep like she normally did last night. It's probably one of the many wonder of taking alcohol before bedtime.

Binaybay niya ang daan patungong clubhouse. Not enough, Aiah decided to went straight to the gym afterwards. Handa nang bumalik sa mansiyon, she got a call from the unknown number.

She got a bad feeling about it but either way, she answered the call. "Hello---"

"There's a party at the house tonight. I want you to join us," Aiah could hear voices of women in the background. Again, she rolled her eyes. What a jerk! "I'll pick you up---"

"I'm getting married, Greg. So back off." At pinutol niya ang tawag at nagsimulang mag-jogging muli. Hadn't really thought about it. Iyon na lang ang kusang lumabas sa kanyang mga labi just to ward off the man.

Meanwhile, kakaalis lang sa mansiyon ng mga Villegas si Rodrigo Dela Costa. On his tinted sedan, hindi na nilingon pa ng lalaki ang matandang lalaking alam niyang inihatid siya ng tingin. He still got a lot on his plate to deal with the whole day at isiningit niya lang sa schedule ang makipagkita sa kaibigang matalik ng kanyang lolo at siyang mentor niya sa business field simula't sapul.

"Ikaw na ang bahala sa aking apo," the old man on his late seventies said to him na para bang ibinigay na niyo sa kanya ang buo nitong buhay. "She's a nice girl---"

"It's not what the news I've heard about. Anyway," dagdag niya pa. "May isa akong salita, Don Vicente. And I always keep my word." Sukat ay tinawan siya ng matanda. A hearty laugh.

"Loosen up, son. Alam kong bagay ka sa aking apo. And I am always correct, by the way..."

"Sir, sa opisina ba tayo?" Tanong ng kanyang driver. He's about to answer when he suddenly caught sight of something familiar. Or rather someone familiar. "Sir?"

"Yes, sa opisina tayo," on a second thought nagbago ang isipan niya. He fetched his phone inside the breast pocket of his suit and make a few swipe of his fingers. And Rodrigo saw her again, the headline of today's entertainment news.

"Is Aiah Villegas the new flavor of the month of Greg De Castro?"

"Now, a politician's son woman. Why I'm not surprise," at pinatay na niya ang cellphone. Now, Rodrigo got thinking if marrying the Villegas' heir be somewhat beneficial to him? Will he become one of her puppets? Animo'y kumulo ang dugo niya isiping magiging isa siya sa mga lalaking laruan nito? Yet despite the hostile, a memory came to picture. And there's the small smile that only a few had seen to the CEO of Dela Costa Chains of businesses.

"Ikaw na ang bahala kay Aiah. Do what's necessary to make her the woman you would prefer..." Dagdag ng lolo ng dalaga sa napagusapan nila kanina.

-~•

AFTER an hour of workout in the gym, nagpasya si Aiah na magpalipas ng oras sa malapit na cafe. She ordered her usual coffee, just black coffee with no additives. She's enjoying her drink with a slice of blueberry cheesecake when her phone rings again. Really, why does everyone tried to ruined her damn time?

Bored, she looked at the screen and saw Stacey's number. Aiah heaved a deep sighed and answer it. "What now?" Bungad niya sa kabilang linya.

"The hell, Aiah! Ano itong sinasabi ni Greg na ikakasal ka na daw?"

She never cared about the attention. Noon lang at dahil iyon sa naka-loudspeaker ang kanyang cellphone. Dinig ng iilang mga customer pati staff ng cafe ang sigaw ng kaibigan. Napapikit siya ng mariin at pilit iniwasan ang mga kuryosong tingin. She picked her phone, turned off the loudspeaker, and face away from the small crowd.

"Will you calm down, Stacey," ngayon ang kanyang disguise ay alam na ng ilan. Not that she's actually trying to conceal her identity. Mas gusto lang niya ang solitude habang pinagiisipan ang mga susunod na pangyayari. But all of that was ruined! "At Oo, ikakasal na ako---"

"Kanino?"

"To someone I can't imagine getting laid with," aniya at sabay pindot ng end call. At sunod niya tinawagan ang numerong nasa calling card na binigay ng kanyang lolo.

Samantala, nanlaki ang mata ni Stacey sa narinig. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabing iyon ni Aiah. The Aiah Villegas getting married? That's some shocking news!

"Hey, what's the matter?" At isang kamay ang pumulupot sa kanyang baywang. A man she forgot the name planted a soft kiss on her exposed skin. "It's too early to shout."

At doon bumalik sa reyalidad si Stacey. She got wasted and laid last night. Tila nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang buo niyang kaluluwa, agad siyang bumalikwas ng tayo sa kama at isinuot ang mga damit na nagkalat sa sahig.

"Got to go," maliit niyang paliwanag. "I'll pay the room. It's on me. Hope we don't see each other again." Ni hindi niya pinagaksayahang tapunan ng tingin ang lalaki. He'll just be one of the many guys of the past. She won't remember any of it.

She had to see Aiah. Ano't ikakasal na ang huli nang hindi niya alam ang buong kwento?

Wala na sa kwarto si Stacey ay saka tumawa ng malakas ang lalaki. At nangako sa sariling hindi iyon ang huling gabi nila ng babae.

~•~

IT'S already late. Past seven na at wala pa rin sa restaurant ang kanyang hinihintay. Aiah can't believe she's got to wait for him for almost two freaking hours! Ni wala pang lalaki pinaghintay siya ng ganoong katagal.

"And yet here you are, still waiting for him. That some news..." Kantiyaw ng isang parte ng kanyang isipan. Sa inis ay inubos niya ang pangatlong red wine niya for the night.

Rodrigo Dela Costa. How she loathed the bearer of the name to the fullest! Kung sobrang hectic ng schedule nito for the day ay disinsanay ipinagpabukas na lang nila ang pagkikitang ito. Aiah didn't want to entertain the thought that he's testing her patience. Or if there's any other reason ay ayaw na niyang isipin pa. Mas lamang ngayon ang inis niya sa lalaki for making her feel like a fool.

Okay, ilang minuto pa. She's exercising her so called patience and order another glass of red wine. Kapag hindi pa ito dumating ay walang kasal na magaganap.

It's over!

A long thirty minutes have past bago niya napansin ang isang lalaki paparating. Aiah couldn't appreciate the view. Hindi pa man ito nakakalapit ay tumayo siya bitbit ang baso ng red wine at walang sabi-sabing isinaboy iyon sa lalaki.

There's a deafening silence between them. Pati ang iilang patron ng restaurant ay dama ang tension nilang dalawa.

"I don't think you wouldn't show up," aniya at mas inilapit pa ang sarili sa bagong dating. "Apologize to me..." She demanded.

"Point taken. I apologize," Si Rodrigo na muli siyang inihila ng upuan, not minding the humiliation she put him through. "I believe you haven't eaten yet. Kumain muna tayo bago ang lahat."

And just like that, they proceed their evening with that awkward silence. It's not the kind of introduction anyone would see to the incoming husband and wife.