Ellaine's Escapade (COMPLETED)

Chapter One

"Will you marry me, Ellaine?" People in the audience roared and clapped. Kabi-kabila ang mga camera'ng nakapaligid sa akin at hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaksiyon ko. Oh, God! I don't want to he tangled in this kind of situation.

"Ellaine, love?" Royce asked me again. This time, the crowd went silent. Their eyes were all on me, waiting for my answer.

"Y-Yes," I stuttered.

Hindi ko akalaing magpo-propose on live broadcast si Royce. Hindi pa namin napag-uusapan kung gusto ko nang magpakasal. I want to say no, but I don't want to embarrass him in front of hundreds of people here in the studio, and thousandbs of viewers. Bahala na, kakausapin ko na lang siya mamaya.

Namalayan ko na lang na niyakap niya ako matapos niyang isuot sa daliri ko ang singsing. Nagpalakpakan ulit ang mga tao at panay ang sigaw nila. Namamayani ang tili ng mga kababaihan.

Nagsalita ulit siya sa mic, "I love you, Elle."

"I love you too," I replied wholeheartedly.

I may not be genuinely happy with our sudden engagement, but at least we love each other. Siguro ay mapag-uusapan pa namin ito.

"Congratulations to our newly engaged couple! We're lucky enough to witness this grand proposal!" sabad ni Boy, a.k.a Bea, isa sa mga co-host ko dito sa show namin. "Kailan ang kasal?"

"At saan ang honeymoon?" pabirong tanong ng isa pa naming kasama, si Trina.

It was Royce who answered them, "The wedding will be held at St. Pete's cathedral, two months from now. And the honeymoon, maybe European countries? As of now, that's the only detail I can spill."

He snaked his arm around my waist, and I had to fake a smile. It's not hard for me to do it. I am an actress after all.

"How about you naman, Ell? Ang tahimik mo, parang hindi ka masaya. Sabihin mo lang kung ayaw mo, maraming gustong umagaw kay Royce," sabi ni Trina.

"Itabi mo, ako na lang, Royce!" ani Bea.

"I'm happy," I replied. "Nagulat lang ako dahil biglaan. It's so unexpected."

"Ay gaga! Alangan namang magbigay ng clue, eh, surprise proposal nga, 'di ba?"

Nagtawanan naman ang audience sa  sinabi niya kaya nakitawa na lang din ako. Kalauna'y ipinakilala na ang ibang magpe-perform para sa ibang segment namin. On my way to my dressing room, people were congratulating me. Ngumiti na lang din ako sa kanila dahil hindi ko naman alam kung ano talaga ang sasabihin ko. I'm still in the state of shock.

As soon as I sat down in front of my mirror, Royce barged in. I looked at him with a deadpan look. I don't know how to begin confronting him.

"Hindi pa natin napag-uusapan ang kasal, love," I said.

"Yeah? Bakit, ayaw mo bang ikasal sa akin?"

I'm not even sure about our relationship. "Gusto ko, pero hindi mo ako tinanong about this."

"If this is about what happened last month, then I'm sorry. I already cut ties with that woman. Ikaw lang naman ang mahal ko." He's talking about his other woman as he walked towards me and stopped behind me. He put his hands on my shoulder, kaya inabot ko ang isa at hinawakan din.

"I told you, I already forgave you. Kalimutan na natin 'yon."

"Alam ko namang hindi mo ako matitiis." He then, looked at his wristwatch and his brows furrowed. "Listen, Ell, I have to go, okay?"

"Saan ka na naman pupunta?"

"I have a business meeting today. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang ano'ng oras 'to. Mag-taxi ka na lang pauwi, okay?"

Tumango ako at pinanood lang siyang maglakad paalis. He didn't even kiss me goodbye. I just sighed. We've been together for five years. Sa loob ng maraming taong 'yon, ilang beses na rin siyang nambabae. I just can't find the courage to break-up with him. Mahal ko siya at nasanay na ako'ng kasama siya. Mag-iisang taon na rin kaming nagli-live in kaya mas mahirap ang sitwasyon namin. It's just that, natatakot akong bumuo ng pamilya kasama siya na walang kasiguraduhan kung kaya ba niyang panindigan ang mga pangako niya sa akin.

I just cleared my mind and continued the show. True to his words, hindi na nga talaga ako sinundo ni Royce. Mabuti na lang at sinabay ako ni Trina pauwi dahil nakatira kami sa iisang village. As soon as I got home and did all my self-care routine, I proceeded to making dinner for me and Royce. I also wore my newly bought sexy lingerie. It's not a secret to him that I want a baby. Twenty-six na rin kasi ako at gusto ko na ng anak. I already told him this when I was twenty-four, kaya imposibleng hindi pa niya alam.

I stayed in the living room waiting for him, and decided to read some books. Ilang beses akong tumingin sa orasan namin, pero hindi pa rin siya dumarating. I started to get worried when it's already nine o'clock and he's still not home. Tatawagan ko na sana siya, pero narinig ko ang tunog ng kotse niya na nagpa-park na sa garahe. I ran outside to meet him. I plunged myself to him and hugged him, but it was a bad move. I smelled a woman's perfume.

"Where have you been?" I asked him.

"Dinner with friends, love," he answered.

"Akala ko ba may business meeting ka?"

He looked surprised, but still smiled. "Yeah, and my friends invited me over for a barbecue party."

I crossed my arms. "You said magdi-dinner tayo together."

He laughed then started to walk towards our house. Tahimik na lang akong sumunod, pero hinayaan ko siyang magtungo sa kuwarto namin nang mag-isa. Dumiretso ako sa kusina para iligpit at ilagay sa refrigerator ang mga pagkaing dapat ay para sa aming dalawa. If dinner didn't work, maybe we can still have sexy time.

Mabilis akong umakyat papunta sa kuwarto at nadatnan ko siyang nakasuot lang ng boxer brief at sando. Nakahiga siya at may tinitingnan sa kaniyang cellphone. Tumikhim ako para makuha ang atensiyon niya, pero hindi man lang siya tumingin. I took my night robe and left only my lingerie. Tumikhim ulit ako, at ngayon ay nagsalita na para tumingin siya sa akin.

"Royce, do you like what I'm wearing?" I asked.

He looked at me with a baffled expression. "And why are you wearing that to sleep? Ang lamig-lamig, Ellaine."

I straddled him and grinded my waist. "Magpainit tayo," I whispered.

"Ell, I'm kinda tired. I don't have the energy to deal with all these shenanigans. Matulog na lang tayo."

"But Royce, I want sexy time. Kahit quickie lang, please?"

Umiling siya. "Not now, Ell. Next week na lang. We'll go on a vacation, right?"

"Fine." I laid in bed and turned my back on him.

"Huwag mong sabihing nagtatampo ka?"

"You always don't have time and energy to do things with me. Alam mo namang gusto ko nang magka-baby tayo, 'di ba? Kahit 'yon lang, hindi mo pa ako mapagbigyan."

"Ayokong tumaba ka, Ell. Masisira ang career mo, sige ka."

"I don't care about my career. Ano naman kung tumaba ako? May mali ba roon?"

"Ano na lang ang magiging itsura mo, 'di ba? Let's get married first, then have our honeymoon. Maging maayos man lang ang itsura mo sa wedding pictures natin."

I really got hurt with his words. Joking or commenting about my physical appearance is always a thing for him. It sometimes make me feel like, katawan ko na lang ang habol niya sa akin. "Okay. Let's go to sleep."

"We should. Sa ibang time na lang 'yang sexy time, sexy time na gusto mo, ha?"

"Yeah, sure. Good night."