The Arranged Marriage (Under Edit)

Chapter 24

vonne

Isang lingo na akong absent dahil sa sakit ko kaya napagdesisyonan ko na lang bumalik sa school. Hindi ko pinaalam kahit kanino na pupunta sa campus. Wala rin naman sigurong mangyayari sa aking masama.

David is actually gone for days at hindi ko alam kung nasaan siya. I can't help but worry for that weirdo.

Lumabas ako sa village para sumakay ng taxi dahil dinala ni David ang kotse niya sa kung saan man yun at hindi na sinuli ni papa ang kotse ko. At ng makapara na ako ng taxi, agad akong sumakay para hindi malate.

"Ah kuya matagal tagal pa po ba itong byahe?"

"Mga 1 hour and 13 minutes na lang, maam. Mas heavy ang traffic kasi may inaayos na daan."

Time passes by and I arrived at school. I'm late kaya binilisan ko ang paglakad ko papunta sa classroom.

Natingala ako kung bakit walang tao sa classroom. Napaupo ako sa upuan at bumuntong hininga.

"Sayang lang pala ang pinunta ko dito."

"Hindi sayang, may programa tayo." Napalingon ako kay David na nasa harap ng pinto. "May program sa field kung titingnan mo kakarating lang ng ibang estyudante dito."

"G-ganun ba. Okay."

"It's good that you're feeling better." Tumayo ako at akmang lumabas pero pinigilan ako ni David. "Ano? May sasabihin ka pa ba?" He stared deeply and I did the same to him. I guess it's a staring contest.

"Yvonne."

"Oh?"

"May muta ka." He chuckled.

"A-ah okay."

Binura ko ang kung anong muta sa mata ko at lumabas na. Masyadong nakakahiya yun inakala ko talaga kung may gagawin siya sa akin. Buti na lang hindi.

I grabbed my phone and called Trix at hindi umabot ng dalawang ring ay sinagot niya ito.

"Yes, Yvonne?"

"Nasaan kayo?"

"Nasa field nanunuod kami sa game nila Dash."

Agad kong piñata ang tawag at pumunta sa field. Nakita ko rin naman sila pagkatapos kung maglibot libot.

"Yvonne, okay na ba ang kalagayan mo?"

"Oo, don't worry about it." I nodded and placed my attention to the basketball game. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kasali si David, he never mentions being the team captain nor basketball. Well, hindi naman kami close para sabihan ako, but, still.

As the game starts kay David lang talaga ako tumutok and how he plays. He's a great player and most of the girls are screaming for his name. Medyo nainis ako at dinasal na mahulog sila sa kinauupuan nila o mabalian lang sila ng buto.

Nag time-out ang kabilang grupo and I saw David smiled at me. He, then, came closer to his team and screamed as one.

"He smiled at me!"

"Oh my goodness! Notice us, senpai!"

"Marry me—"

"He won't marry you. Kababae mong tao. You don't even know him so shut up, witch." I rolled my eyes and I saw my cousins gap in shockness.

"D-did you just—"

"Yes, I did." I chuckled.

Alam kong nakatingin silang tatlo sa akin pero hinayaan ko na lang sila. What the heck did I just do?! Napabuga ako ng malalim na hininga at binalik na lang ang atensyon sa laro.

Buti na lang at nanalo sila. Umuwi na rin ako at hindi ko na hinintay si David. Siguro may party pa iyon. Sasaya siya dun lalo na kung wala ang asawa niya at maraming sexy na babae na nakapaligid.

Nagpahatid ako sa taxi at ng makarating sa bahay agad akong napahiga sa malambot na sofa.

"Mommy!" Salubong ng tatlo sa akin kaya napamulat ako at hinarap sila.

"You missed me already?"

"Yep." Lauren said. "We have a question."

"Ano ang tanong mo, baby?"

"Pasalubong?" sabay na sabi ng tatlo. Uuwi ako sa bahay at ito ang unang gusto ng mga bata.

"Walang pasalubong. Sa sabado na lang magshopping tayo."

"But Mommy we have a dance practice at Saturday. Ngayon na lang please! It's still 4:30 pa naman." Saway ni Warren.

I sighed and nodded. "Sige na nga."

"Yey!" tumawa na lang ako sa mga reaksyon nila. "Magreready lang kami."

Umupo ako sa sofa habang nanunuod ng TV. If there is something I learned about them is that they really take time to dress up. Kaya heto ako ngayon, linilibang ang sarili ko.

"Mommy, hali ka muna." sabi ni lauren na kinuha agad ang kamay ko

"Bakit, Lauren?" kinabahan ako bigla sa kanya.

"I want you to ask you something. Just answer me directly okay?"

"What is it baby?"

"It's still a secret, mommy but it won't last long. Follow me first. Dun ko na sasabihin."

"Ah okay."

Naglakad kami patunggo sa 3rd floor ng bahay until she stopped and faced me with a big smile on her face.

"I know it's gonna be really personal but..."

"What do you want to ask?" sabi ko habang umiinom ng dala kong kape while si Lauren nagiinom ng Nido

"Mommy, do you love Daddy?" Aguy sa karami rami namang tanong na pinaghandaan kong sagutin, ito pa talaga?

"I really don't know the answer to that." Napatingin ako sa disappointed niyang mukha kaya yinakap ko siya.

"Mommy, please, I don't want you to be like my real mother."

"What happened to your mother?"

"She didn't tell the truth to Daddy. She was a coward not to tell him that she was pregnant. She never had the chance to tell Dad how much she loved him. I don't know where she is but I just hope she has another man to make her happy."

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that."

"Mommy, just give me a YES or NO? If you say no then I will no longer talk to you. If it's a yes then I'll be happy for that."

"I-I don't know, baby. I really don't know."

"Please say yes." She crossed her fingers, hoping me to say yes. I don't want to tell her no but I'm not sure if I love David. I don't know what to say to her and I also don't want to lie. It's really hard to say it because I don't even know the answer, myself.

David

I got bored so I grabbed one more Pilsner at nagpahatid sa kaibigan kong hindi nakainom baka mabangga ako.

Nagpaalam ako sa kaniya at pumunta ako sa third floor para magpahangin sana. Nakita ko si Yvonne at Lauren na nag-uusap.

"Mommy, do you love Daddy?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong ng anak ko kay Yvonne. She's really serious and Yvonne looks uncomfortable about the question. A big part of me wants to hear her answer yes but if it's a no then I'll make her fall for me.

Why am I doing this? Simply because I think I like Yvonne—no scratch that— I love her. And it's enough to make her only mine and no men can love her other than me.

"Yes."

Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa sinabi niya. My heart feels weird and it's really thumping fast. It's roaring her name and as cheesy as it may sound but damn, I love her that I can travel the whole universe just for her.

Here I am, smiling like an idiot.