Marry Me, Professor (Complete)

MMP-38

FREEN's P.O.V

I'm still sitting on the floor, holding another bottle of beer. Marami na akong nainom pero hindi pa rin ako tumitigil. The picture of Arya and that fvcking asshole keeps on flashing on my mind. My Mom's words keep on echoing into my ears. I can't leave Arya. She hurts me, but I love you her. I know she has an explanation. I know...

I was about to open another bottle of beer when suddenly, the door opened. My Mom enter my condo and look at me with anger and disgust.

"This is unbelievable! You're being like that just because of that stupid girl!" She yelled while pointing at me. I look at her and smile bitterly.

"She's not just a girl!" She's not just a girl, she's my everything. Why can't she accept that?

"I told you, she's not good for you! She's a whore. I can't let you be with that girl, Freen! You're wasting your life. I didn't raise you to be this miserable!" I laughed sarcastically because of what she said.

"You didn't raised me in the first place, Mom!" She look shock because of what I said. She move closer to me with a wrath-face.

"You look like a mess, Freen. Don't be so stubborn! Get up and fix your life. That girl is not good for you!"

"My life is a mess without her..." I whispered and let my tears fall down again.

"You're a Salvatore, Freen! For heaven's sake! Act like one! Kapag nalaman ng mga tao na pumapatol ka sa kapwa mo babae ano nalang ang sasabihin nila sayo? Ano nalang ang masasabi nila sa pamilya natin? Dala mo ang pangalan ng pamilya natin, bigyan mo naman kami ng kahihiyan!" Puno ng galit na sigaw nito. Mas lalo akong napaiyak dahil don. All my life wala na siyang ibang inisip kundi ang kompanya at pangalan ng pamilya namin. This is what I hate about being in a rich and well-known family. Wala na silang pagpapahalaga sa nararamdaman ng pamilya nila.

"I can't, Mom. I can't..."

"After all she did? You can, Freen. Gawin mo ang makakabuti sayo--"

"Makakabuti sa'kin? O ang sa tingin mong makakabuti sa pangalan ng pamilya natin? Simula pagkabata ko sinusunod ko kung anong gusto n'yo! Kahit ngayon lang, kahit dito lang, pagbigyan mo naman ako dito, Mom. Please..." Halos bulong nalang ang mga huling salitang binitawan ko dahil sa pag iyak ko. Kaya kong sundin ang lahat ng gusto nila pero hindi ang isang ito. Not this one.

"No, Freen. You're going to stop seeing that girl. She's only using you. I know people like her! You're gonna marry Kelvin and build your own family with him. You can continue your life as a professor and I won't disown you..." I will not marry Kelvin. He's a good friend but I can't see myself living with him as my husband. I can only see myself spending the rest of my life with Arya, only Arya. Kahit ano pa ang mangyari. Siya lang... "Or choose that girl and lose everything, including us, your family."

I turned to her in disbelief. Kaya n'yang gawin yon sa'kin na anak n'ya? Kaya n'yang gawin yon sa anak n'ya? I never thought she'll reach that far. She's willing to disown me just because I can't follow what she wants now?

"I never thought you can do that to me, Mom..."

"I can, Freen, I will if you're not going to leave that girl."

"But I can't lose her..." Losing her means losing an air to breathe.

All my life I never disobey them. Everything I did was what they want. They only give me freedom to choose my passion, to pursue teaching. But other than that, nothing. They control my life, what I have to do, what I have to choose, they never let me decide for myself. They never let me chose what I want. They're always telling me what's good for me.

"Serenity Arya Apostol, a 3rd year college student in Gunn University. Studying with full scholarship. Twenty years old. She has one sibling who died a weeks ago. Her mother is a vendor in a public market. Her father is a jeepney driver. And oh? Her father is sick, hmm..."

Hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan ko si Mom dahil sa mga sinabi nito. So she conducted a research about her? For what?

"It sounds like her education is very important to her. S'ya lang ang inaasahan ng mga magulang n'ya. Kaya rin siguro pinatulan ka niya," anito at naglakad papalapit sa couch. She sat down and look at me with a smirk plastered on her face. "What do you think will happen if the school finds out about your relationship?" My eyes widened because of what my mom said.

"No, Mom. Please don't..." Puno ng pakiusap na saad ko. Umayos ako sa pagkakaupo at mabilis na lumapit sa may paanan n'ya. Lumuhod ako habang nakayuko sa mga paa n'ya. I'm trying my best to stop my tears from falling. "Please don't do it, Mom. Please... H-h'wag M-mom..." I begged.

"I'm giving you two options, Freen. It's either you lose her, or you'll lose everything." She said with finality.

Hinawakan nito ang balikat ko at pinaharap ako sa kan'ya. "Choose carefully, Freen." Pagkatapos nitong bitawan ang mga katagang 'yon ay lumabas na s'ya sa condo ko.

Doon nagsimulang magbagsakang muli ang mga luhang hindi ko na kinayang pigilan. Bawat patak ng luhang lumalabas sa mga mata ko ay katumbas ng sakit at pait na nararamdaman ko.

Bakit kailangang mangyari 'to?

***

Ilang minuto matapos na umalis si Mom ng condo ko ay inayos ko muna ang sarili ko. Malapit nang matapos ang exam nila Arya at sinabi ko kaninang susundoin ko siya.

My eyes are kinda red so I wear my sunglasses. I made sure that I will look presentable in front of her. I don't want to tell her about what I saw, maybe next time. But not now, it's not a good time for her.

Sa pinakagilid ako nagpark kung saan wala masyadong tao ang makakakita sa amin. I texted her the exact area habang hinintay ito.

I don't know if I can manage to act normal in front of her. Pero ayokong gulohin ang isip niya ngayon so I must. Pwede ko namang itanong sa kaniya ang tungkol sa bagay na yon after this. Ayokong pangunahan ng kung ano anong iniisip ko hanggang hindi ko naririnig ang paliwanag niya.

"I'm sorry kung medyo natagalan ako. Kanina ka pa ba naghihintay?" Lumingon ako sa gilid ko nang marinig ko ang boses ni Arya. Kakapasok lang nito sa kotse ko at hindi ko agad siya napansin kanina. "May mga estudyante kase kanina malapit dito kaya hindi agad ako nakalapit," dagdag pa nito at umayos ng pagkakaupo.

Ramdam ko ang panunubig ng mga mata ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya. No words came out from my mouth as I was staring at her. Habang nakatingin ako sa kaniya ay bumabalik sa isipan ko ang mga larawang nakita ko pati na ang mga sinabi ni Mom kanina.

"F-freen," nag aalalang usal nito sa pangalan ko. "Ayos ka lang ba?"

Pinilit kong ngumiti sa harap niya kahit sobrang hirap para sa akin na gawin iyon. I already told myself that I won't tell her anything because I don't want her to be distracted from her exams. I'm hurting but I can still bear it. Ayokong maaapektohan o gulohin ang isip niya ngayon.

"I'm fine, napuwing lang ako kanina at hanggang ngayon ay medyo mahapdi pa rin," pagsisinungaling ko.

Bakas sa mukha nito ang pagtataka pero hindi naman na siya nagtanong pa. Ngumiti siya sa akin kaya pinilit kong ipakita sa kaniya na ayos lang ang lahat.

"How's the exam?" Tanong ko para na din maiba ang usapan.

"Hayss, grabe nakaka-stress ang exam," pagrereklamo nito pero natatawa. Sinubukan ko ring ipakita sa kaniya na natatawa ako para hindi siya magduda o mag alala. "Mabuti nalang at nagreview ako. Pero kahit ganun nahirapan pa rin talaga ako. Hindi ko nga alam kung aabot sa passing ang scores ko."

"I'm sure papasa ka. You never failed even a single examination," sagot ko naman na ikinangiti niya lalo.

"Di mo sure," pagbibiro naman nito at muling natawa.

It's hard pretending that everything is fine. It's hard to pretend that I'm okay even though I'm not. But I don't have a choice. I mean... I do have a choice. But this is what I want to do. Ayokong magulo ang isipan niya ngayon. That's why I need to act that I'm fine and nothing's wrong.