Ghost of a Nonentity (NOTHING SERIES #2)

Chapter 38

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Natulala ako sa hari.

Right, that makes sense!

Pero... hindi na magpapakasal si Gage? Pwede ba iyon? Hindi ba dapat pinaparami nila ang lahi nila? Or maybe it's okay for Gage not to marry because he's not gonna inherit the throne. Right?

Ugh, ang gulo!

"Ikaw ang Misis ko, Cha, don't you remember?" Sabi naman ng katabi ko.

Gulat naman akong napalingon dito bigla. He has raised brow. Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako sa sinabi nito o hindi. It's obvious everyone here didn't get it. Right, I don't even know why Gage understands Filipino while his family doesn't.

He pouted a little and looked away when I didn't speak.

"Are things settled now?" Pag singit ng hari.

I sighed and didn't talk. Wala na akong magagawa. Besides, we will only fool the people, not ourselves. That's not hard.

"We'll release a statement of confirmation for this. We also have to give them a photo of you when you got married, if you know what I mean." Dagdag pa nito.

Nanlaki ang mata ko.

Pati iyon?! Then we have to... really look like we had a wedding! Natahimik ako at napaisip kung tama ba itong pinasok ko.

There's no turning back once a statement is released.

"We'll also be clear that you guys don't want the attention so you chose to keep things private. In that way, maybe they'll stop digging. We also have to release statements to clean Sicha's name. She's being labeled as an illegitimate child after all."

I pursed my lips. I can't believe that I am labeled as one. Alam kong kalat iyon noon dahil sa pagkawala ko but I never imagined it to be still what I'm known for!

Wala na ring pwedeng mag linaw dahil wala na ang aking ama.

I sighed.

Matapos ang usapang iyon ay bumalik na kami ni Gage sa kwarto niya. He pulled me there before his family continue questioning me. Halos nasa akin kasi ang atensyon!

"You don't have to agree though, Cha."

Napatingin ako kay Gage ng magsalita ito. Pareho kasi kaming tahimik na naman. I was at the sofa habang siya ay nakasandal sa pinto. Malayo muli ang agwat namin sa isa't isa.

"I realized that's the best way to settle this." Mahinahon kong sabi.

He sighed, "How about you, then?"
Naguluhan naman ako sa tanong nito. I stared at him in confusion. "Well, uh... people will think you're married to me. You can't marry anymore."

I frowned, "I have no plans. Wala yan sa isip ko."

He slowly nodded, "What's your plan?"

"Saan?"

"For your future. You have a pharmacy now... Will you stay there? Work more and... marry?" Halata ang kuryosidad sa itsura at boses nito.

"Wala nga akong planong magpakasal." I crossed my leg and arms, and also leaned on the sofa to look at the ceiling. Ayoko siyang makatitigan dahil kung saan saan napupunta ang isip ko. I want my mind to rest for all these stressful things around me. "I still have a lot of goals. I want to produce my own medicine and sell it."

"Really?" He sounded interested. I closed my eyes. "And then after that?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. Help the poor?"

"Do you want to have a charity? We can have one for them so as early as now, we can start helping."

Napamulat ako ng mata at napaayos ng upo dahil sa sinabi nito. I also faced him.