The Married Woman

Chapter 14

I finished eating before them, so I also left the dining area because I didn't understand what they were talking about. They stayed there, still eating dessert even though Dame was there too. Dame and I didn't care about each other, we didn't even acknowledge each other.

I made an effort with my outfit, prepared for this evening, but only his family noticed how beautiful I looked. As for him? It seemed insignificant to him, doesn't he know that I will be his future wife and yet he acts that way.

I don't really care about him, I mean it, I really don't. But I don't know, I'm annoyed that he didn't notice me especially in this outfit. I look sexy, you know.

I'm here in the living room, looking at every item in their house. It's really beautiful, when you touch it, it's smooth, the kind that doesn't have any dust that you can hold.

The color of their living room is different compared to their dining room. Their living room is gold and white, even though the colors are different, it still looks beautiful.

"Apa yang sedang kamu lakukan?"

"Ha!" gulat akong napalingon sa likod ko ng may nag salita, and it was Dame seriously looking at me.

Sobrang lapit niya saakin, ilang pulgada nalang ay mag didikit na yung katawan namin. Pero, agad naman akong lumayo sa kanya at inayos ang sarili.

"What?" sabi ko sa kanya na nakataas ang kilay, hindi niya ba alam na hindi ako nakakaintindi ng muslim?

"Saya katakan, apa yang kamu lakukan di sini?" sabi niya, na ngayon nakakunot na ang noo.

"What?!" nakakunot kung noo at nakataas kung kilay na sabi ko sa kanya, kahit anong sabihin niya kung hindi ko rin naman maiintindihan wala rin.

Napatingin ito sa paligid at ngumisi.

"Whats funny?!" masungit kung sabi sa kanya.

"Are you stupid? Don't you understand what I'm saying?" sabi niya na nakangisi, aba! siraulo pala to eh stupid daw ako.

"Stupid? Me? How can I understand what you're saying if I don't understand the language of muslims?!" sabi ko.

"I was right that you don't understand. Therefore, you're stupid." sabi niya, at nakangiti saakin na nakakaloko.

He's so annoying, he shouldn't add fuel to my anger or I might do something to him. I clenched my fists to somehow calm myself down, I don't want to cause a scene here especially since this is not our house.

"Just because someone doesn't understand the muslim language doesn't mean they're stupid. Your mind is so narrow." sabi ko sa kanya at inirapan siya, sabay talikod sa kanya.

Narinig ko pa siyang tumawa pero hindi ko na ito pinansin. Mas mabuti na yung iniwan ko nalang siya dun dahil baka mamaya kung ano pa ang masabi ko sa kanya.

Nandito ako ngayon sa labas ng pintoan nila, ang sarap ng hangin na humahampas sa katawan ko. Kahit papano kumakalma nako ngayon.

"He is so annoying! Sa dinami-dami ng mga muslim na lalaki bakit siya pa ang napili nila Mama at Papa? Ang sama-sama ng ugali." sabi ko sa sarili ko.

"Really?" napapikit ako ng mata sa inis, siya nanaman.

I looked at him with frustration.

"Dame, let's get straight to the point. I don't want to marry you. I don't love you, and I don't want this forced marriage. When the wedding happens, the next day I will immediately file for divorce." diretso kung sabi nung nilingon ko siya, mabuti na yung diretsahan.

"Oh, Evora. You say that now, but you know, you can't really do anything to stop it." he said, leaning back, still smiling.

"Excuse me?! What do you mean by that?" i was surprised at angry of what he said.

"Well, you're stuck with me, Evora. Your family needs my family's help to save your mansion and business. So, here we are." he said with a teasing tone.

"So, you're saying my family is using me as bargaining chip?!" i said, eyes narrowing.

"It's not that harsh. Think of it more as a mutually beneficial arrangement. Your family's situation improves, and I get a beautiful and sexy wife. Everyone wins." he said shrugging lightly and he looked at me from head to toe.

"This is not a joke, Dame! This is my life we're talking about!" i said and full of anger.

"I know, and I'm serious too. But you have to admit, it's a little funny. You, trying to escape this, while I'm just here,
enjoying the show." he said, still teasing.

"You think this is funny?! Using people's live as leverage?!" i said, gritting my teeth.

"No, I dont. But what can we do? Our families have their plans, and we are part of them. I'm just trying to lighten the mood." he said, calming down slightly.

"Lighten the mood?! By making fun of my predicament?!"
i said, while holding back my tears. Here we go again.

"I'm sorry if I upset you, Evora. I just thought a bit of humor might make this less stressful. We're both in this together, whether we like it or not." he sincerely said.

"I suppose. But it's hard to see any humor in this."

"I understand. Look, Evora, while our circumstances aren't ideal, maybe we can try to make the best of it. Get to know each other, find common ground. Who knows, we might surprise ourselves...And I am not a bad person like you think." he said, who is not teasing anymore.

"Maybe. But you have to understand, this isn't easy for me." i said, i am also calming down, I don't know why i suddenly became calm when he also became serious.

"I do understand. And despite my teasing, I do care about how you feel. Let's take it one step at a time, and see where it leads us. Insha'Allah, we might find a way to make this work." he said, gently.

My anger and annoyance towards him suddenly disappeared when he became this serious, it's like my mood lightened. I also can't understand why, he's handsome and smells good lalo na hindi siya ganun kalapit saakin pero kitang kita ko ang kagwapohan niya.

"Insha'Allah. Well see." panggagaya ko sa sinabi niya kahit hindi ko naman talaga alam kung ano ang ibig sabihin nun, baka mamaya kasi sasabihan niya nanaman akong stupid.

After saying that, he didn't speak anymore and immediately turned his back on me. Even his back looks so good, his body's strength is so evident. It's like it weakens my knees. Hindi ko na rin siya nasundan ng tingin, kaya hindi ko alam kung saan siya nag punta. Basta, ang gwapo gwapo niya talaga. Nakakainis.

But, I suddenly returned to reality that we can't do anything about our parents' plan because we're included in it. Maybe he's right, no matter what I do to escape, I really can't do anything.

I escaped, but what happened? Papa had me searched for and sent me back home. It may be hard to accept, but I will gradually work on accepting this, it's our culture and this is what's done. Maybe, in the right time, when I am capable, I can do what I want to happen.

For now, I need to accept it even if it goes against my will. Nandito na, at mangyayari na.