She was not still happy until we reached the house. "What's wrong? Hindi mo gusto tong bahay?" She shaked her head saying 'no'. He took something from his pocket and lend his hands to her. A candy popped out in his hands. "Want candy?"
She happily took the candy and ate it. "See? Candy can cure kids like her." He said to me while putting his hand at her head.
"Mama, Papa." We looked at her. "Do you love each other?" ??
"Bakit mo natanong?"
"If you don't love each other, then I can't be your child." What is she talking about?
"Of course we love each other. That's why you called us papa and mama."
"Then prove it." She proudly said. I can't get her. I really can't get her.
"Ang tang@ mo kasi kaya di mo makuha." His lips turning into a smile. "Huh?" I looked at him with a 'what' expression. "We need to act like one." He smiled playfully. So that was her point. To make us her real parents, do whatever things that parents should do. ANO?!
They left me outside alone. Okay na kaya si Camille? Then suddenly, I felt something vibrated at my pocket, and it was my phone. Saying that there's a new message.
Hey. May time ka ba? Can we talk? -- Lawrence
Sorry. My husband and our child need me. -- Marriane
I quickly send the message to him. Wait, there's something wrong with my respond. Sorry. My husband and our child need me. Did I just sent that? Gosh, I'm gonna be busted. Pshh. Tungak ka talaga Marriane. What now? Will he text back? Hope it's not. I quickly turned off my phone so that di ko mabasa yung reply nya.
Pretend that nothing happened.
When we're busy at Camille, he whispered. "Wag ka munang matulog. May unfinished business pa tayo." Ano naman yun?
***
After makatulog ni Camille, he dragged me at the backyard. He let me to sit at the swing. "Ano naman yun?"
"We have to discuss about how to go about in our relationship, lalong lalo na ngayong dumating na si Camille sa'ting dalawa.” He said while leaning at the wall infront of the swing, his lips turning into a smile.
I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Anong pinagsasasabi mo?” I started to ask, but then I remembered that I was now his wife. And so, I hurriedly added another line. “Hindi naman mahahalata ng bata na arranged marriage tayong dalawa diba?”
He shook his head. "Hindi, Marriane. I’m talking about our rules in marriage.” He responded in a half-serious tone.
“Rules? Bakit pa? Hindi naman tayo naglalaro rito, ano. At saka gumising ka, Rex. Nandito na si Camille. We don't need that.” I replied with a frown.
“Nabasa mo na ba yung ‘Rules in Dating’?” He asked me, as if I was missing out on something big.
The named 'Rex Carlo Lopez' actually read books? Kagulat gulat naman nun. “Hindi pa. Ano naman yun?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
He smiled sheepishly. “Di ko rin alam yun eh. Di ko pa rin nababasa.” He said in reply. “But the point is, we have to prove that we can pretend to be her real parents.”
Seeing no point in arguing with him since he was really stubborn in nature, I decided to give in. “Fine, gumawa tayo.” I answered, starting to brainstorm on what rules we could use just to get it over with.
But then Rex started talking again. “I’ll dictate them.” He ordered with a grin.
Hearing that, I objected. “Sinasabi mo bang ikaw lang ang gagawa ng rules? No way. Unfair naman yun noh.” I remarked, frowning at him.
“At bakit naman unfair? Me, I accepted the comittment at them coz' I want to have freedom. Ikaw, sumang-ayon ka rin. Kaya may karapatan ako na gumawa ng rules for us because in this reality game, ako ang defending champion.” He pointed out. His grin turned into a smirk. He was probably going to start annoying me, the way he always did whenever he smirked.
“But I wouldn’t be your wife if I know na ikaw pala yung magiging asawa ko.” I reasoned, not wanting him to get the satisfaction of pushing me around. Akala nya huh..
He actually agreed easily. “Okay.” He said, not wiping his smirk off his face. “Isang rule lang. Pag-isipan mong mabuti.”
I knew it. I knew there was a catch. Dinadaya mo ko ng harap-harapan, loko ka. “Hoy, bakit isa lang? Gawin mo namang tatlo.” I demanded.
“Hindi.” He answered stubbornly. “It’s either one, o wala.”
“Okay, fine. Isa lang. Pwede bilisan mo?” I asked him as I pointed to my watch. “Inaantok na ko at saka may pasok pa tayo bukas.”
“Tatlong rules lang naman ang sakin eh,” He started, raising three fingers from his hand. Then he lowered the two and stated the first. “One, you can’t have other guys while you're with me lalong lalo na pag kasama natin yung bata.” Then he raised another finger for each of the next rules until he reached the fourth. “Two, wag mong bibiguin yung bata. Bigay mo ang gusto nya. Three, you have to do everything I say.”
Upon hearing that, I opted to complain. “Ano? Hoy, hindi ako robot!” I exclaimed at him with widened eyes.
But he, as usual, didn’t care about what I said. Lagi naman diba? He continued to speak in a half-serious tone. “Failure to follow these rules will result to a punishment decided by me.” Then he stopped and looked at me with a smile. Ang kapal. “Ikaw naman. Ano yung sayo?”
I opened my mouth, ready to argue with him about the rules he made but then he started looking at his watch. And so, I was reminded that I had to sleep early coz' we have classes tomorrow. I decided to just get it over with. I thought about what rule I could use to my advantage as his wife. And soon, I found it. “No bodily contact. Lumusot ka na lang pag humiling ang bata ng ganun. Magaling ka naman sa lusutan diba?” I finally said, standing up from the swing. “So, pwede na kong matulog?”
“The rules apply starting today. Okay ba?” He responded with his annoying smirk. I decided to ignore him as I was entering the room and went upstairs. I felt tired when I lied at the bed.
Okay lang ba yung ginawa ko na magkaroon kami ng rules? Para na talaga akong preso sa piling nya. Walang exemptions.
He's the POLICE, and I'm just a PRISONER of his.
