Bruises of yesterday (PUBLISHED ON IMMAC)

#BOY9

"Mom! That's too much. You are tolerating my sister, and it's not good. She's slowly moving on now. And although I hate how miserable she is right now, I know she'll be okay in the end. You'll just have to wait for it."

Narinig kong sabi ng kuya ko kinabukasan nang bumaba ako pagka gising.

I was on my way to the dining room, and before I could even get inside, I heard my brother speak. I know it's wrong to eavesdrop, but I feel like they are talking about me, so I think it's okay.

"Hindi mo maiintindihan ang nararamdaman ko bilang ina, Eleazar. This is the first time I've ever witnessed your sister being miserable. My heart hurts all the time, especially when I hear her muffled cries in her room. Hinding hindi mo ako maiintindihan, kaya hindi mo ako masisisi kung gagawin ko ito."

"Dad!" Nagpo protestang tawag ni kuya kay dad.

I heard my dad heave a sigh.

"I am also against this, Eleazar. But what can I do? It's your sister we are talking about. I swear to God I will give you both what will make you happy. And if this can make my wife and my daughter happy, I'll go for it."

Napakagat labi ako. What are they talking about?

"Did the Fords already know?" My brother asked.

"I think they already know that their stocks are losing. It's just a matter of time before they'll know who's behind it."

They continued talking. Wala parin akong maintindihan kayan pasensyoso akong nakatayo parin doon.

"Really? You are willing to ruin your friendship with Tita Margot, mom?"

My mom took a deep breath.

"She will not know about this. I'll make sure that we can buy the majority of their stocks using another person's identity. And after that, I'm sure they will ask help from us. And we will help them so their company won't be bankrupt. And I'll make sure, when they do that, when they come to us and ask for help, I'll draw a contract between them. I don't care about the money. As long as Travis will agree to marry your sister."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at muntik na akong mapasinghap sa narinig. Tinbunan ko ang bibig gamit ang isang kamay habang nalulula parin sa narinig. Kumabog ang dibdib ko.

Katahimikan ang bumalot sa mga taong nag uusap. Tanging tunog ng kubyertos at plato ang naririnig ko.

Maya maya nagsalita ulit nag kuya ko.

"How sure are you that Travis will not find this out?"

"Eleazar, I think you forgot that you are a Dela Cuesta. And you know what a Dela Cuesta can do, my dad said.

And kinilabutan ako sa paraan ng pagkasabi ni dad noon. Tama, masyadong makapangyarihan ang aming pamilya. Marami ang nagtangkang pabagsakin kami at ang aming negosyo ang mga nagtangka ang siyang nasira.

The ruthless business tycoon Ryu Dela Cuesta was and is still feared in the business world. Kaya huwag silang magkamali.

Imbis na tumuloy sa loob ng dining ay dahan dahan akong pumanhik at bumalik sa sariling kwarto. Tulala parin kao pagdating ko sa kwarto ko at wala sa sariling naupo sa kama.

My family loves me so much that they are willing to do everything for me. Even ruin the friendship they have with other people just so they could make me happy.

May parte sa akin ang tutol sa plano nila dahil nakaramdam ako ng awa. Mababait ang mag asawang Ford, lalong lalo na ang mommy ni Bentley.

Pero sa kaloob looban ko, tahimik akong nagsasaya. Naiisip ko pa lang na magpapakasal kami ni Bentley ay nawawalan na ng rasyonalidad ang utak ko.

Pagkakataon ko na ito upang mas paibigin siya sa akin. Malay natin, mawawalan siya ng feelings sa kasintahan niya at ma develop sa akin.

Ngiting ngiti ako na parang baliw habang iniisip iyon kahit wala pa man. Kagat labi akong nag-iisip.

Sasabihin ko ba sa pamilya ko na alam ko ang plano nila? O mananatili akong mag maang maangan.

The latter is a better idea.

Iniisip ko rin paano ang kasintahan ni Bentley. S'yempre maghihiwalay sila kapag kasal na kami. Naaawa man sa babae ngunit kinabukasan ko kasama ng lalaking mahal ang nakasalalay dito.

Sorry, girl. It's not my fault that I am privileged enough. You can find someone better than Bentley, but me? I can't.

Siya lang talaga ang gusto ko para sa akin. Wala ng iba.

And from now on, I'll stop going to the club every night. I'll stop drinking alcohol because hindi siya nakakaganda, te. Nakaka haggard siya.

Baka ayawan pa ako ni Bentley dahil pumapangit na ako.

Matagal ka na niyang inaayawan di ba?

Tsk. Nararamdaman ko na ngang mamahalin niya rin ako. Magkakapamilya kami at magiging masaya.

Sa maling paraan man siya tuluyang magiging akin ngunit wala na akong pakialam.

And so....

Here I am, married to the man I loved from the start.

I thought that this marriage would actually work, but no.

The Bentley that treated me like a thought before actually became worse.

I continued taking a bath, and after that, I sat in front of my vanity mirror and looked at myself. My neck is bruised.

But it is a good thing that my husband did not put any on my face, because I will have a hard time concealing that.

I plan to wear a turtleneck later.

We will be having lunch together with our parents.

At oo, hindi nila alam na sinasaktan ako ni Bentley. Ang alam nila, masaya kaming mag asawa. Pero kabaliktaran iyon sa totoong buhay.

Ayokong malaman ng mga magulang ko ang sitwasyon ko dahil ayokong pagsisihan nila ang naging desisyon nila noon at sisihin pa ang kanilang sarili. Lalong lalo na ang kuya ko.

Naging suportado naman kami ng parents ni Bentley. Mababait talaga sila kaya minsan, hindi ko magawang magtagal kapag kaharap sila dahil sa konsensyang nararamdaman ko.

"Are you fucking done?"

Napaigtad ako dahil sa malamig niyang boses.

"Yeah, let's go."

Nauna pa itong lumabas. Bumuntong hininga ako.

Another scene of fake it till you make it.