THE CROWDED MARRIAGE

Chapter 4

Filoah Anne Romero
-past-

We met again.

I'm happy about the work I do with Miss Elani. I got to meet Ivory Kyson again.

We handled a business event, and he was one of the guests.

"We see each other again," a familiar man says, greeting me with a smile. "Oh, I'm sorry, you probably don't know me. I'm Shaun Nikolai Raviello, Ivory's friend."

He offered me his hand, so I just accepted it, and we shook our hands. "I'm Filoah Anne Romero. Just call me Filoah."

Nginitian ko pabalik yung Shaun dahil nginitian niya rin ako. Napunta ang tingin ko kay Ivory na parang hindi ako naalala. Napansin kong sinagi siya ng kanyang kaibigan, kaya napunta ang tingin nito sa akin.

"Oh, Anne. Hi," he plainly uttered when his eyes fixated on me.

But Anne?

I didn't know that a name I didn't like would be beautiful in my ears. Filoah ang pagpapakilala ko sa dahilang ayaw na ayaw ko sa pangalan na Anne, dahil maliban sa marami ang pagkakatulad nito sa marami... ay ang mama ko rin ang nagpangalan nito, and babaeng kinamumuhian ko.

"Uh, hello," nahihiya kong sabi.

May naalala na naman ako, at hanggang nagyon ay ahihiya pa rin ako sa mga pinaggagawa ko sa unang pagkakakilala namin. It was not a good first impression of me, but because of it, I got to know him more.

I heard someone's laugh, so Ivory and I shifted our gaze to Shaun.

"Corny niyo namang dalawa, paano mag s-start lovelife niyo niyan?" pang-aasar niya sa aming dalawa. "Kaya ako na. Ako na mag a-adjust para sa inyong dalawa," dagdag niya pa.

"Hindi sa—" Naputol ang sasabihin ko nang nag-offer yung Shaun ng kamay kay Shynna na kasama ko ngayon na parang inaaya itong samahan siya.

"Let's go... uh?"

"Shynna De Vera," agad na pagpapakilala ni Shynna saka sabay silang umalis ni Shaun nang tinanggap nito ang kamay ni Shaun.

"Shynna..." tawag ko pero hindi niya ako pinansin, na para bang kinalimutan niya ng kaibigan niya ako.

Nilibot ko ang aking tingin para hanapin naman si Henry o ang iba pa naming kasama, kahit si Miss Elani... makaalis lang dito.

Aaminin ko na gusto ko ulit siyang makita pero hindi ko naman alam kung paano ko siya lalapitan o kakausapin nang hindi kinakabahan at nahihiya.

Napakagat na lang ako sa aking pang-ibabang labi nang wala akong makitang kakilala. Nakatalikod ako ngayon kay Ivory at hindi ko malaman sa aking sarili kung haharapin ko ba siya o iiwanan na lang.

"It's okay. Don't mind Shaun. He's just like that."

From where I was standing, I slightly halted when I heard his familiar voice behind me. I slowly turned around and finally decided to face him.

"I'm sorry for my friend too. She just went to Shaun just like that," I muttered.

"No need. If you're worried about your friend, Shaun is safe. He wouldn't take advantage of her," he reassured.

Pansin ko naman na mapagkakatiwalaan ang lalaking 'yon. The way he smiles and approaches you doesn't make you feel he's superior or has hidden motives. He even has a friendly vibe around him that would make you feel comfortable.

"Nagkita ulit tayo," sabi ko na lang dahil wala na akong maisip pang sasabihin.

"Yeah. We met again. Isn't it a beautiful coincidence?" he said in a serious tone, but it just made my heart almost jump into its rib cage with his chosen words.