Pretence Novels & Stories

Sabat ni Neon bago ako balingan. "Let's go, baby." Inilang hakbang ako ni Neon tsaka ako masuyong hinawakan sa bewang para igiya patayo. Biglang parang may anong kumiliti sa pagkatao ko dahil sa naging kilos niya na agad kong iwinaksi. This is not right, maybe he is planning something evil to crash me more, kanina nga ay kung anong salita nanaman ang narinig ko. He's pretending to be gentle and sweet because there's people around us, baka hindi alam nung mag-asawa na walang feelings ang kasalang ito kaya siya nagpapanggap.

bungad ni Violet sa sekretarya habang nakatingin sa entrada nang malaking establisyamento na pagmamay-ari ni Staurs. Handa na ang kanyang suot at resume para sa araw na iyon. Nagpagupit na rin siya at nagpalagay ng side bangs at nagpagawa ng fake braces na naisusuot at natatanggal sa kakilala niyang orthodontist upang hindi siya agad makilala ng ibang tao bilang si Violet Andrada. She had no other choice but to change her appearance. She needed to look poor and badly need of money to get the job.

Mamaya ay tiyak na magkakaroon na rin siya ng lalaking tatawagin niyang fiance. 082420 Dahan-dahang binuksan ni Silver ang pinto ng condo nito at saka sumilip. Minsan ay sinasalubong na agad siya nito kapag pupunta siya dahil naririnig naman ang pag-press sa passcode. Malamang na natutulog ito. Agad niyang nilabas ang singsing na binili niya kanina at saka nag-practice kung paano siya magpo-propose.

I composed myself before heading out. "Finish your monkey business." Trojan just twitched one side of his lips. Kinindatanan pa niya ako ng palihim kaya sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin pabalik. Soon as I get in the elevator, I pressed the tenth floor heading grandpa's office which was now occupied by Vince'. Forget everything Ainah. Pretend like there's nothing wrong. And act like it didn't happen cause that's the least thing you could do. Just face him the way you've used before. Like cat and dogs? My subconcious asked. Yes, like enemy does.

Pagkadating ko sa mesa ay nakita kong nag-uusap ang lahat at abala sa kani-kanilang mga kaniya-kaniyang opinyon na binibigkas. Agad kong pinalitan ang emos'yon ng aking mukha gaya ng parati kong ginagawa sa t'wing ako'y nagpapanggap na masaya. One of my hidden talents is to pretend that I'm happy even I'm not and there's nothing wrong nor happening. It's much better that showing to their faces that I'm not in the state of joy. I used to before, but it ended up fixing it myself. And, it's much easy anyway than explaing. I preferred to keep everything in silence. I'm better before they know it.

"I'll wait you down stairs, Bonita. I want to have supper with you, my sweet." The jerk! Damn him to say those fucking sweet words. What kind of nerve he has to say those things? He was pretending to be as sweet as honey, but the truth he hasn’t. He was acting like the best Oscar winning award actor. And darn it because she knew the fucking reason why. Pero bakit gustong-gusto pa rin ng puso niya ang kasinungalingan lumalabas sa bibig ni Michael? Bakit mas pinaniniwalaan ito ng puso niya?

“Oo, Rayana din ang pangalan niya at Solante din ang apelido niya.” Nataranta ito ng mangilid ang luha ko. “Wag kang mag alala, ma’am. Sigurado ako na mapaparusahan siya ni Mr. King sa pag i-impersonate niya sa’yo—“ “Mali ka, Jayson.” Putol ko sa kanya. Muli na naman nangilid ang luha ko. “A-ako ang nag i-impersonate sa kanya at hindi siya. Sa aming dalawa… a-ako ang peke at nagpapanggap.” Humagulhol ako.

Hinaharap na asawa? Noong una, inakala ni Mike na ang advertiser ay isang babae na naghahanap nga ng pansamantalang asawa, sa katunayan ay isa siyang nagngangalang Dave na naghahanap ng mapapangasawa sa babaeng magiging asawa niya. Nakakatawa talaga ang pahayag na ito. "Your task today, just follow my instructions to pretend to be Master Dave. You don't need to talk much in front of the Holy Lady later, let me do the talking, understand what I mean?"

“No. Stay. Maybe if you’re here, I can pretend she still is.” Tumingin ako kay Alexus. The man I'm about to marry under pretenses, mourning the woman I'm pretending to be. “Pretending seems to be what we’re both good at,” mahina kong sabi. Tumawa siya nang mahina, pagkatapos ay tumingin sa akin. I can see in his eyes the sadness and pain. Parang ayaw ko na lang tumingin sa mga mata niya. “You’re not her, Elize. But sometimes… you make it hard to remember that.”

he asked. "Ipapakulong kita," sagot ko saka kinuha ang pinirmahan niyang kontrata saka pumirma rin ako. "Why are you doing this?" he asked so I snapped my fingers in front of him. "Do not ask anything personal, remember? In those three months that we'll pretend as a couple my name is already enough. Wala ka nang aalamin sa akin at wala rin akong aalamin sayo. After the contract we'll act as strangers again. This will benefit the both of us. So follow the rules, Mr. Villanueva," I said.