Pay The Price

Kabanata 17

"What was that?" Naguguluhan ko nang pumunta kaming dalawa sa kusina para kuhanin ang isang dish.Napapikit siya nang mariin. Pagkatapos noon ay kinunotan ko ito ng noo dahil halatang pilit niyang iniiwasan ang mga titig ko. After he told the Brits that I'm his fiancée, they keep bombing me questions on how we met. Mabuti nalang at naka-segue ang lalaki na ito na pag- usapan muna ang deal nila tungkol sa ibubukas na bagong hotel. "Sir, kapag talaga hindi mo ako sinagot-"

Muli akong nagulat nang ikulong niya ako sa pagitan niya. Ipinatong niya ang dalawang kamay sa counter top at saka pinagpantay ang mga tingin namin. "Look I didn't mean to blurt things like that," Sabi niya na ikinairap ko. Pinigilan niya ako na sabihin na assistant lang niya tapos gaganito siya ngayon? "Are you rolling your eyes at me?

"You could've said I was just your assistant!"

Umiling siya sa akin. "I can't."

"Bakit hindi pwede?" Maanghang kong tanong sa kaniya habang nakakunot ang noo.

"Because I can't seal the deal if I burst Ophelia's happy bubble." Bumuntong hininga siya. "Harold loves his wife so much that his decision depends on her, alright? She's a romance author, by the way. A hopeless romantic. So if you just hang on for a little bit, you will be really giving a big help."

"Anong gagawin natin ngayon? Paano kung magtanong siya sa susunod?" Nagkibit- balikat siya sa tanong ko. Anak ng pating! Nilagay niya kami sa isang sitwasyon na hindi niya alam ang gagawin sa mga posibleng mangyari.

"I don't know. For now, let's just play along."

Bumuntong hininga ako at napipilitang tumango. Ano pa nga ba ang gagawin ko?

Noong makarating kami sa garden ay nakita ko ang adorasyon sa mata ng dalawang bisita nang makita kami ni Dimitri. The brute even held my waist when their eyes meet us. Kina-career talaga niya ang pagiging fiancé ko.

"You know I write books about romance?" Tanong ni Ophelia sa akin.

Tumango ako at ngumiti. "Yeah, he told me that."

Ngumiti siya at nilingon ang asawa. "Don't they look so lovely together, Harold?" Tumango si Harold at ngumiti sa asawa.

"They do. Dimitri really got a good catch. He's lucky to have such a beauty."

Tiningnan ko si Dimitri at nakita ko ang pagngiti niya sa sinabi ni Harold. Nagtagpo ang mga mata naming dalawa at para akong nalusaw sa init ng mga titig niya. "Yeah. I sure am so lucky."

Napalunok ako at naramdaman kung paano nag- init ang pisngi nang marinig ang tinuran niya. God, I just hope it won't turn red.

"Aww, look at that! Bella is blushing!" Harold said that earn a laugh from his wife and Dimitri whose eyes never left mine.

"Can you tell me your love story, dear? You know I could use that as an inspiration for a new book that I'm planning to write."

Kinakabahan kong tiningnan si Dimitri na parang hindi rin inaasahan ang tanong na 'yon. Naghihintay ng sagot si Ophelia at nangangapa rin ako ng isasagot ditto pero talagang wala akong makuha sa utak ko.

"Love story? Ah, of course we have an interesting one. Why don't you tell them about that, Bella?" Halos manlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. Inihilig pa niya ang ulo at saka ngumiti sa akin. What the hell? Bakit ako?

Tumawa ako at hinawakan ang kamay niya, may kasama 'yong pisil.
"I think you should be the one to tell them. You know, you have a very clear memory. You might remember what I wear when we first met."

Umiling- iling siya kaya nawala ang ngisi ko. Akala ko naman ay makakalusot na ako. "Nah. I think you should do it, darling. Women have beautiful ways to describe things. I want you to describe how enchanting it was when you met me. Because if I were the one to do the job, I can't put into words when my eyes landed on you."

Siguro ay puro sama lang ng loob ang masasabi niya kung siya ang magkwekwento. May bad history pa naman kami.

Ngumiti ako sa kanila.

"Okay, I'll do it." Naramdaman ko ang marahang paghaplos ni Dimitri sa kamay ko. Alright, time to put my imaginative skills. "You know when people says that the best thing in life happens in the most unexpected time. Like you wouldn't thought the love of your life is gonna sit at the restaurant you're working at and you're about to serve foods for him and his blind date." Nakita ko ang pagngisi ni Ophelia. A good plot, isn't it? I watched it on a series. Sana lang ay hindi niya pa napapanood.

"Oh this is gonna be amazing!" Sabi ni Harold kaya ngumisi ako.

Nilingon ko si Dimitri at binigyan siya ng makahulugang ngiti. Ginusto mo ito, diba? "Well, as I look at him from afar, he looks so bored as if he's watching ants travel with the food they gather. And when I went to their table to serve their food, he grabbed my hand and started talking nonsense. He said I am his girlfriend and that I shouldn't be jealous because it's just a business." They smile at what I said.

Nakangising tiningnan ko si Dimitri. He has this puzzled look in his face. Para ngang gusto niyang tumakbo papasok ng bahay niya at magtago nalang. Kasalanan rin niya. He could've made an impromptu love story himself. A more simple and easy one.

"That's not the crucial part yet. You know what? He dragged me out of the restaurant and act as if he was really my boyfriend. I told him I'll curse the rest of his life for what he did and he must be scared because he came back the next day apologizing to me."

Tumawa ang mag- asawa sa harapan ko. "God, I didn't know Dimitri is capable of doing silly things."

"Yeah, love made me do that." Napipilitang sabi ni Dimitri.

"Well, that was the start. He didn't stop until he made sure I was not angry at him anymore. He would always come to my place. That made me fall for him. Because he is persistent, passionate and has this strong will. And right from that very moment, I realize I was falling for him." Tiningnan ko siya at halos mawalan ako ng hininga nang tingnan niya rin ako. "He made me feel all the feels. The feeling I once thought are just in books and movies. He's the man of my dreams. Like the person I yearn and long for."

"Aw! That was so cute! I can see that you really love Bella, Dimitri."

"Wait, I have to ask something. Bella, where is the ring?" Ophelia ask.

"What ring?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Your engagement ring?"

"Oh no, I don't have one." Napakagat ako sa labi. Fuck. I slipped out of the dialogue.

"What? Why don't you have one?"

"It's b-because we think that it doesn't matter so long as we t-tell how we feel for each other." Segue ko.

Tumango siya kaya naman nakahinga ako nang maluwag.

"That's just a piece of metal. You don't need that as long as you know both of your hearts are beating as one." Dimitri said as he looked at me and smiled. Iniabot niya ang kamay ko at dinala ito sa mga labi niya. His soft lips touch the knuckles of my hand and I felt a strange feeling in my stomach.

Teka lang. Acting lang ito, Bella. Acting lang.