EAS 2: Certain Shades of Green (Completed)

Simula

Simula

"Are you ready?" Jasper asked me while we were inside the car.

I sighed humbly. "I'm a little bit nervous, but yeah."

He suddenly held my hands to make me calm. And it works. My normal breathing is back. So I smiled at him genuinely.

"Don't worry. I'm here," he whispered as he smiled.

When the driver announced that we'd already arrived at the venue. Jasper immediately got out of the car, while waiting for me to go out.

'Hingang malalim,' I uttered to myself before I decided to go out.

Mabilis kong inabot ang nakalahad na palad ni Jasper. At sabay na kaming naglakad sa papasok ng venue.

Habang naglalakad hindi ko maiwasan ang sobrang kaba sa dibdib. This is not just a simple occasion. For sure marami ang invited from an elite family. Kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang sobrang pangangatog.

Jasper slowly rubbed my palm. "Calm down. I can feel you trembling," he whispered in my ear, kaya napahinto kami saglit sa harap ng entrance.

I pouted. "Pwede bang umalis na lang? Kinakabahan talaga ako eh." I said while looking around.

Mabilis niya naman akong hinila sa gilid dahil may mga nakasunod na pala sa aming papasok sa loob. Naging seryoso ang mukha niya ng humarap sa akin.

"Merie, listen. This huge occasion is for you. So don't think about backing out. That old man will get mad," he asserted.

Kaya natampal ko ang braso niya. "He's still your Daddy. You should've respected him." I hissed while glaring at him.

His jaw tightened before he looked away. So I hold his arms.

"Jasper..." I called to him kaya napatingin siya sa akin.

He sighed heavily. "Not now, Merie... so, are you ready?" He changed the topic.

I bit my lower lip and nodded slowly. Kahit na muling nabubuhay ang kabang nararamdaman ko. Hinawakan ni Jasper ang makurba kong baywang at niyaya nang pumasok sa loob ng venue.

Nang tuluyang makapasok. Sumalubong sa amin ang maraming flash ng camera. Mapaka kaliwa't kanan man. Kaya bahagya akong napapikit. Iginaya ako ni Jasper sa bakanteng lamesa at inalalayan na makaupo.

A couple of minutes passed. Sunod-sunod na ang lumapit sa pwesto namin. Kaya hinanda ko na ang mga sasabihin at ang malapad na ngiti sa labi.

"Good evening. Mr. Narciso," The old man greeted Jasper before he glanced at me, "Good evening too, Miss Almario." He greeted me too.

"Good evening too, Mr. Cruz. If you don't mind. May I excuse my girl." Jasper said nonchalantly, kaya bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko.

"Oh, sure." Mr. Cruz answered. Kaya mabilis akong hinila ni Jasper sa kung saan.

"Hey, why we left--"

"He's a pervert. The way he looked at you. Argh! I want to punch his face." he greeted his teeth. Kaya kinurot ko siya sa tagiliran.

"Wala namang nangyari, kumalma ka nga."

"Still. I hate the way he looked at you," he kept on murmuring.

Kasabay ng pagtugtog ng kantang 'That should be me by: Justine Bieber' kaya ang karamihang bisita ay pumunta sa gitna upang magsayaw. Nagtaka naman ako bigla.

That song is not even for a sweet dance. So what's happening? Takang tanong ko sa sarili.

But I was shocked when Jasper pulled me in the middle of the ground. Kung saan may mga sumasayaw.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" I whispered sharply. But I just heard him chuckling as we stopped in the middle of the crowds.

"We'll dance."

"But the song is not--"

"Ssh, just quiet."

Napanguso na lamang ako. Nilagay niya ang kamay ko sa batok niya. Siya naman ay pinulupot ang braso sa makurba kong katawan. And we stared each other for a while.

He smiled. "Always remember that, I love you..." he whispered softly. Kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin Hanggang ngayon naninibago parin ako.

Sakto namang tumama ang paningin ko sa lalaking naka formal suit. Habang masayang nakangiti sa kaharap niyang babae.

They're dancing too. Ngunit bigla siyang napatingin sa gawi ko kaya nagtagpo ang aming mga mata.

I saw how his smile slowly faded when he saw me. Kasabay ng pagtagis ng mga bagang niya at ang matatalim na tinging ipinukol sa akin. Ngunit muli lang siyang napaharap sa babaeng kasayaw... at mabilis siya nitong siniil ng halik sa labi. Kaya napaiwas agad ako ng tingin mula sa kanila.

The girl kissed my man.

Ang taong nangakong hindi ako sasaktan pero inubos ako...