Cervantes' Match

Chapter 1

Present Day
"Ma'am, si Sir Lance po on extension 3." sabi ng sekretarya kong si Josie through the intercom.

"Sabihin mo out-of-office." mabilis kong sagot. Bakit pa? Ano pa bang kailangan nya sa akin? I did well sa arrangement ng kasal ng kapatid nya... Underway na rin ang sa pinsan niya. Every single detail ng event, I made sure it was handled perfectly. Bilang isang wedding planner, I always aim and do my best to give the loving couples their fairytale weddings. Syempre, kailangan ang first day of their forever, masaya... At least sila, matikman man lang ang forever.

"Ma'am, he needs to talk to you urgently daw po." narinig ko muli ang boses ni Josie.

"Josie, sabihin mo sa bruhong iyon na pinasasabi ko na wala na, as in wala... Wala nang dahilan sa mundo para mag-usap pa ulit kami. Kahit pa ikakasal siya at kailangan niya ng wedding planner, ibigay mo ung number ni Lyka. Don't disturb me again kung siya lang ulit." hindi ko maitago ang inis na nararamdaman. Di bale, bibigyan na lang kita ng malaking bonus sa pasko Josie.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa litratong naka-attach sa e-mail. It was a stolen shot of me looking at Lance Cervantes the same way I looked at him 13 years ago... I looked lovestruck... I am lovestruck.

Hanggang ngayon, alam ko sa sarili ko na gusto ko pa rin siya. After feeling unworthy of him once again after all those years, parang kinawawa ko naman ang sarili ko kung ipagpilitan ko pa rin ang sarili ko sa kanya. Kaya mas lalong nagpupuyos ang loob ko sa litratong tinitignan ko ngayon. Mukha akong tanga...

I should have moved on from all that when he, my crush, said those heartbreaking words to me... But no, I think I decided then and there na siguro nga everyone else but me can have a happily ever after.

Maybe that's why I chose to become a wedding planner, gusto kong maramdaman kahit saglit ang pakiramdam na all this right here is leading to a happy ever after somehow.

The few close friends that I have tell me, I'm bitter and I should try to forget.

I just smile and tell them, "I can't."

Sabihin na ng lahat na bitter ako at hindi maka-get over pero sa talagang hanggang ngayon nakatatak pa rin sa isip ko ang mga salitang binitawan niya 12 years ago.

Nagulat pa ako sa pabalang na pagbukas ng pinto. Lulan nito ang taong kanina pa naninira ng magandang araw ko kasunod si Josie na mukhang takot na mapagalitan ko.

"Ma'am, nagpumilit po si Sir, I told him what you said at nagulat na lang po ako nang lumabas siya sa elevator." pagdadahilan ni Josie.

"As I should have. It's not a good work ethic na pinagsisinungaling ang sekretarya kung nandito ka naman at mukhang wala ka naming ka-meet na kliyente." pabalang na sabi ni Lance.

Lance Cervantes, talaga lang...

"We need to talk." seryoso ang mukha nito kaya naman pinalabas ko na si Josie.

Pagkalabas ni Josie, agad-agad naman itong lumapit sa table ko at umupo sa harap ko.

"Of course you can sit down." sarkastiko kong komento.

"Hindi ko na hihintayin pang sabihin mo dahil malamang sa hindi, you'd rather I leave."

"Exactly!" I said with a fake smile.

"Iniiwasan mo ba ako?" Hindi man lang nagbago ang expression ng mukha nito.

"I just don't see any reason why we should still meet. You weren't my client, it was Will and Luke and those engagements were done well. .. You're not a client and if you are, I could refer you to someone who can do a great job as I did on Luke's wedding." pinilit kong maging professional ang tono ng boses ko. After all, I can still attempt to be civil when speaking with him.

"Well... I need you to handle the wedding." he replied looking very intently at me.

HIndi ko naiwasan ang pagtaas ng kilay ko sa sinabi niya. What a way to rub salt on the festering wounds of my heart. Ako pa talagang pag-aayusin mo ng kasal mo! Nakaka-tao ka na!

I inhaled and smiled, "As I said, I can refer you to someone else who can probably do a better job than me." Fine lines... Fine lines...

Nagbago ang expression nito and he wore his devilish grin, "If that's what you'd prefer, sure. But you still have to be involved with the plans and the details."

"At bakit!?" tuluyan nang nawala ang professionalism at mga natutunan ko sa GMRC! How infuriating! Talaga... paikot-ikot lang tayo? Bukod naman sa itsura, matalino naman...

Nakita kong umaliwalas ang expression ng muhka niya at sumilay ang ngiti niya na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ko siya nagustuhan. If things had been different, your smile would still have as much effect on me as it used to before... Too bad! Gusto ko man siya, hindi ko ibaba ang sarili ko... Di bale nang manang at least magkakasama ang mga piraso ng puso kong binasag niya noon.

I looked at him ready to speak my mind pero nawala lahat ng sasabihin ko sa mga salitang sinabi niya, "Silly, of course you have to be hands-on! It's our wedding."

🌰