Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Seraphina pov

Our wedding day came. I'm wearing my grandma's wedding gown, the same dress she once wore years ago. Ilang oras lang naman ang lumipas kaya ako na lang ang nag ayos sa sarili ko.

Nasa isang kwarto ako ngayon, kakatapos lang ng make up ko. Tahimik ang paligid, parang huminto ang oras. I'm just sitting here, waiting for my car to arrive so I can finally head to the church.

Hindi ko alam kung ready na ba talaga ako. Ang alam ko lang, kapag bumukas na ang pintuan ng kwartong 'to, wala nang atrasan.

But I'm still thinking about lola and also lolo. Walang maiiwan sa kanila. Hindi ko na sila maaalagaan roon.

And I will stuck here doing my job as this weird guy wife.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Ngayon ko lang talaga nakita ang sarili ko na may make up sa mukha, at sa araw pa mismo ng kasal ko.

I never imagined or even dreamed about this. Mas malaki pa ang pangarap ko kaysa dito. Being the wife of a billionaire, well not bad, pero hindi ko siya gusto. Mas masaya siguro ako ngayon kung ang taong pakakasalan ko ay yung matagal ko nang pinapangarap.

But not a guy like... Nikolai.

Bumalik lang ako sa sarili nang biglang bumukas ang pinto.

Pumasok ang kapatid ni Nikolai. And she's different of him.

Quite. Calm. And know how to talk. Hindi siya sasagot na kung ano-ano lang. Pinag-iisipan talaga niya.

She's a celebrity, kaya alam kong kakalat 'tong kasal sa social media niya knowing she has a big name in Philippines.

"Excited ka?" she asked as she stand behind me at inayos ang buhok ko.

"I'll be honest. No."

Ngumiti siya. "Sino ba ma-e-excite, knowing it was my brother you'll married with."

Kahit kapatid niya, pareho lang din kami ng tingin sa kanya.

"Tell me if he was that not too perfect husband to you, okay? May pagka-childish kasi yun, and if he's annoying you, pwede mong gantihan ng physical, hindi siya gaganti," sabi niya.

Parang sinasabi niya na pwede ko siyang saktan kasi hindi siya gaganti. Ganun ba kalala ang pagiging childish niya?

I laughed and nodded. Pakiramdam ko magkakasundo kami ng kapatid niya. I feel accepted by her. Iba siya sa sinasabi ng tao na maldita raw.

Siguro dahil sa paraan ng tingin niya. But I don't see any attitude coming from her. Hindi maldita.

"Ma'am Sera. Yung sasakyan po naghihintay na," isang katok at boses pa lang iyon ay kinabahan na ako.

This is it. After I walk out of here, wala nang atrasan. Kapag nakaapak na ako sa simbahan, mas lalo nang walang atrasan. Possible na lang kung may pumigil. And if I leave that church, I'll be married. Something that I never dreamed of.

"So, good luck?"

Ngumiti ako sa kanya habang tumatango.

Huminga ako nang malalim at marahang tumayo mula sa upuan. Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang inaayos ang laylayan ng gown ko.

Bago pa ako tuluyang makalabas, I felt a hand touch mine kaya napalingon ako.

"Sera, I know you're nervous. But I know you won't run away from that wedding. I tell you, I support you in everything, but not the way you embarrass my brother," sabi niya sabay ngiti.

Hindi ko naman iniisip na tumakas. I made this choice and I won't run away from it.

Tumango ako sa kanya. Isa lang din siyang ate tulad ng iba, she likes to joke about her brother but it's clear she cares.

Nang makaupo na ako sa loob ng sasakyan, parang biglang nag-blanko ang isip ko. Tahimik lang akong nakatanaw sa bintana habang hinihintay ang pagdating namin sa simbahan.

Binibilang ko na lang din ang mga sasakyang nadadaanan namin para malibang ang sarili ko at kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang kaba na bumabalot sa dibdib ko.

I only knew we had arrived when the car stopped and my door opened.

I saw Lola waiting for me by the closed doors of the church.

"You look so beautiful," Lola said. Those were her last words before the doors opened and people began to enter one by one.

"Huwag kang kabahan, matatapos rin 'to." Sabi ni Lola.

I tried to smile, especially when it was already time for Lola and me to walk inside. I saw Nikolai and his family waiting at the front. I also saw my mom and dad sitting in front.

My mind was blank. I did not even realize that I was already standing in front of Nikolai, holding his hands.

I was so nervous that I barely noticed what was happening around me. I did not even remember doing the cheek to cheek greeting with his parents. I only realized it when it was already over.

"You look pretty," he whispered to me.

"Stop flattering me," I replied.

"I am telling the truth. You are beautiful."

"Shut up."

Everything happened so fast. I was not waiting for the moment when he would run away or when I would. I was only waiting for this wedding to end.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Gulat akong napatingin sa priest. Kahit si Nikolai ay mukhang nagula rin.

I looked at Lola, who was already seated. She only nodded at me.

"He said it," Nikolai said before lifting the veil from my face. He touched my cheeks and gave me a quick peck.

But I thought that was it. The moment he touched my waist, he held me close with one hand and kissed me. Matagal na halik iyon at hindi ko mapigilan na sumabay sa kanya.

I heard everyone shouting and clapping. That's when Nikolai finally let go of me.

That was my first kiss. He was my first kiss. And of all the people in the world, it had to be him.

"Can I finally say that my wife is beautiful?" sabi niya.

My cheeks heated up and I couldn't focus. All I could feel was him beside me, his presence, and his fingers gently brushing against my hand.

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't speak. His fingers lingered on mine, warm, and my heart wouldn't stop racing.

Was everything I ever dreamed of really going to happen with this guy? The guy I never imagined. The guy who was annoying and fake. The guy whose real colors I did not even know yet.

I did not understand it. I still did not understand him.

I was going to be his wife because of this arrangement, and nothing more. I just hoped it would not last my entire life.

I looked at him standing beside me, wearing that calm expression like this was all so easy for him. Maybe it was.

But for me, it felt like my whole world had just shifted, and I did not even know where I was supposed to stand anymore.

All I knew was that this was only the beginning. At mas natatakot ako kung ano pa mangyayari sa buhay ko sa mga susunod pang araw.

I just hoped this would not become something I would regret. And I hoped this guy would not end up being my biggest regret.