For His Entertainment

Epilogue Part 2

I am aware that I look stupid and creepy, just staring at his figure from the dark. Our naked bodies are intertwined, me on top of him, and I giggled at the realization that he is still inside of me. Despite having made love over and over again with only the moonlight shining bright through the windows, I still can't believe he's here.

He's with me and he's never gonna leave me.

It was as if time didn't stand a chance.

He was looking at me intently as if he'd lost me if he looked away.

"I missed you terribly," he said with a sad smile.

"How was life in the Philippines?" I asked, drawing small circles on his chest.

"I honestly don't know how I survived it without you," he whispered and bit my lobe. I giggled like a schoolgirl drunk in love. On a normal day, I'd cringe on myself, but this is the effect Spencer has on me ever since I laid my eyes on him when we were kids. It never fades, everyday still feels like the first time.

He cleared his throat and held my cheek lightly. "I got out of jail a few days after you flew out. We appealed the case and hired the best lawyer there is. It's also a good thing that the public was on our side. After you left, a lot more women came forward and filed more cases against him."

I furrowed my brows on him. "Wh-What? He's harassed more women?!"

"Yes, that fucking pig," he clenched his jaw for a second but heaved out a long sigh. "He's now paying for it."

I'm elated that he didn't spend any more days with that hellhole for a crime he didn't commit, but I also feel betrayed. I sat up on the side of the bed and he did the same, his gaze still not leaving me. "Why didn't you come here sooner? Or even called me?"

He smiled, and it was a bit reassuring. It was calming. "I know you're gonna say that, but I also had to work on myself and give you your space to heal, without me. I want to be here when we're both ready to start again."

Tears were again starting to threaten the corner of my eyes, and I can't seem to figure out whether it's because I appreciate what he said, or I just really missed him that my heart is aching. Kahit na andito na siya, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

He's free.

And I'm free to love him once more.

Mabilis niyang pinahid ang luha ko, but that didn't help. I sobbed even more. I don't know how to show him how much I missed him.

"Margarette, there is not a day that I don't think about calling you, but I couldn't sacrifice a few hours of bliss over a healthy relationship. What we had back then was toxic. So fucking toxic. I was so afraid of losing you that I fucked everything up. I don't want that anymore. I want to work on my issues and not be some insecure asshole."

We need space to heal, that's what my therapist said.

And that space gave us time to learn more about ourselves.

I have associated myself with other people's identity. Akala ko noon, kapag wala sila, wala na rin ako. But now, I realized that I am more, and I deserve more.

*

Isang malalim na hininga ang pinakawalan ko bago tuluyang tumayo sa upuan dito sa loob ng eroplano. Dalawang taon na ang nakalipas, at ngayon na lamang muli ako makakauwi ng Pilipinas. Sa dalawang taon na iyon ay lalo kong naappreciate si Spencer at kung ano ang mayroon kami. He's changed. . . a lot. And for the better. He's matured so much that I couldn't believe it with my own eyes.

We still bicker a lot of times, even cursing each other, but it is what made us closer together in the first place, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

"You still have a lot of fans that are waiting for you," aniya habang naghihintay na magbukas ang pintuan ng eroplano, ang kan'yang braso ay nakayakap sa aking baywang.

Tumango ako at sinuot ang salamin ko. Buong akala ko ay apat o limang tao lang ang naghihintay sa akin pero nang nakapasok na kami sa airport ay nagulat ako sa dami ng taong naghihintay, mayroon ring mga reporter na nag-aabang. Hindi ako makapaniwala--all this time I thought people hate me.

I kept my mouth shut because I thought they'd hate me once I stop being just the pretty face in the media, because that's the only thing that they expect from me, as my manager said. To just sit there, be pretty, but not relevant. I made myself believed that I'm hated for speaking up.

But all that is just in my mind.

I remember all the tweets and direct messages I received before, thanking me for changing the rotten system of the show business.

I am a woman, and I have every right to stand up for myself.

Kasabay ng lamig na marahang humahampas sa aking balat ay ang hiyawan ng mga tao. Isang ngiti ang naipinta sa aking labi.

But this time, I know, I'm not going to let it in my head. I am not here for anyone's approval anymore.

Spencer held my hand and the crowd just went even wilder. Some of them was raising a poster of me. 'I love you's' were being thrown towards, not only me, but also Spencer. Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang inangat ang kan'yang braso, and as if on cue, the crowd put up cardboards with a letter on each of them.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa nabasa, ang ngiti ay napalitan ng gulat.

MARRY ME, IDIOT.

Nang inangat ko ang tingin sa lalaking hawak ang aking kamay ay para akong ibinalik sa kolehiyo, noong palagi niya pa akong inaasar at kinukulit. Noong madalas niyang isabotahe ang mga plano ko dahil sa katunayan ay gusto niya rin pala ako.

He may have matured but he's still all the same.

And when he knelt down on one knee, hindi ko na napigilan ang hagulhol ko.

Itinaas niya ang kan'yang shades at tinitigan ako nang diretso, ang kamay ay may hawak na singsing.

"I know you're already an idiot for loving me, but will you be an idiot for the rest of your life? Will you marry me, Margarette?"

I've portrayed a lot of women in the movies we make, most of the scenes is the exact scene I am in. I should have known what to feel.

But I don't.

My heart is racing and my mind is taking me back to all our memories together.

Tinanggal ko ang salamin ko at pinunasan ang luha sa mga mata ko. And before I knew it, my palm landed on his cheek, causing the crowd to gasp in surprise.

But they don't know us. This is how we were, how we still are.

"What the..." Ani Spencer, recovering from my slap, but the smirk from his lips didn't leave him.

"You fucking bastard," bulong ko, lahat ng lakas ko ay hinigop na ng bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. I brushed my tears away and helped him stand up on his feet. Once he did, I jumped into him and immediately kissed him. I didn't care about the media. I didn't care about the people.

What's important is only us.

"Yes, I will be an idiot for the rest of our lives," I said in between tears and kisses. "And fuck you."

"Yes," he smirked, still biting my lips. "I'll fuck you. Only you. . . For the rest of our lives."