Suddenly Screwed

Five

Amaranthine

Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong tiningnan siya. Mabilis kong nilunok ang gatas saka mas lumapit pa sa kanya. I almost spit the milk out of my mouth. Hindi ko na gustong isipin kung ano ang kahihiyang babalot sa akin if ever hindi ko na-kontrol ang sarili ko and literally threw up in front of him.

"Your m-mom...wants to meet me?" I asked, making sure that I heard him right. He nodded and put his mug sa countertop. 

"Yes. And I think she has the right to meet you. You're going to be her daughter-in-law in less than a month." natatangong pagkasabi niya. Halos mabingi ako sa narinig ko. What. The. Heck.

"WHAT? IN LESS THAN A MONTH?" I chided. Oh God. I didn't know that things were these fast. Akala ko, magiging engaged pa kami ni Maxon sa matagal na panahon. And that gives me hope to plan kung paano ako uurong sa kasal. I didn't know na mabilisan pala ang kasal na ito. The heck! I thought I'll have ample time to plan my rebellion. But I guess, I'm wrong. It's really too late now.

Maxon's forehead creased as he watched me with dry amusement.

"Yes. Hindi ba nasabi nang mommy mo? We will meet the designers and organizers this week to plan our wedding. On Wednesday, to be exact." he said and sipped his coffee.

Kung may mas ikalalaki ang mga mata ko well, it might be a size of a watermelon right now. Waiting to explode.

"WE WILL MEET THE ORGANIZERS THIS WEEK?" sigaw ko ulit. Oh God.

Hindi ko na talaga kinaya at napa-upo nalang ako sa stool chair. Biglang sumakit ang ulo ko sa mga impormasyong inilantad sa akin. I'm not yet even ready for this. Nanlumo nalang ako sa mga narinig ko. All my plans were shattered. Makakasal na talaga ako ng wala sa oras.

"Wait, do you really have a habit of repeating things you just heard?" tanong niya.

"Well sa mga bagay lang na nakakagulat, Maxon. And this marriage? Sobra pa sa nakakagulat."  sagot ko at isinubsob ang mukha ko sa countertop. I just want to go to Mars right now at hindi na bumalik. Masyadong nakakawala ng ganang tumira dito sa Earth. Haays.

I feel a stool chair moved beside me, shivers run through my spine when his arms touched mine. I can suddenly feel his warmth with that touch. And I don't know why bakit ako ganito. Is it because it's my first time na may kasama akong lalaki aside from my family? At hindi siya bastang lalaki lang, everyone... he is the mighty Maxon Cai Go.

"This marriage stresses you?"  he asked, concerned. I sighed.  Kung alam niya lang talaga kung gaano ako na stress sa lahat ng ito. I even want to bury myself, para at least single pa rin ako six feet below the ground. I wonder kung ano ang nararamdaman niya sa lahat na nangyayari sa mga buhay namin. He seems so unbothered. Parang siya lang talaga ang walang pakialam na ikakasal na sa taong hindi niya naman kilala.

"Mucho." sagot ko.

He scoffed. And I swear I can feel him shrugging. "Usually, most women were going to move the wedding date, two to three weeks earlier para lang pakasalan ako."

Agad kong itinaas ang ulo  ko when  I heard him say that. What's with that sudden remarks? I raised my brow while I looked at him. He grinned when he saw me glaring at him. Hindi ko nagustuhan ang narinig ko.