The Arranged Marriage (Under Edit)

Chapter 25

Yvonne

I never imagined her to ask me this. Kids usually have their own worlds and children at her age barely learn how to read but here she is, asking me if I like her dad.

May choice pa ba ako? Kung sasabhin kong crush ko lang si david at hindi mahal maybe it's gonna be okay.

"Baby please bata ka pa. Matutulog na ako. I have a headache." I lied.

"Mommy!" She squeaked

Tiningnan ko ang kung saan na kitang kita ang ulo ni David. Maybe my instincts right, nandito nga siya. If he's gonna hide again malaki talaga ang chansa na makikita siya sa laki pa naman ng ulo niya?

I left the room without a word and proceeded to the bedroom. I hugged the pillows and closed my eyes.

Why was he listening anyway? Sometimes I really don't get him. Love is always so complicated and so knotty.

Lauren

Oh no I failed you daddy. Nagwalk-out si Mommy pero alam ko naman na mahal ni mommy si daddy. I know you love each other. Why? Cause I read articles, stories and observe the both of you. The way you look at each other's eye para kayong nasa cloud 9.

I sighed and turned to him, "Daddy, I can see you. You can come out na. She left." Tumayo siya at yinakap ako. "Daddy, sorry if I failed you."

"Don't worry. Susundad ko muna siya." He whispered to my ear.

"But, Daddy, she's sleeping."

"Sisilipin ko lang, baby. Don't worry."

"Ok po."

I smiled at him as he closed the door and I sighed. I'm a failure. Paano kaaya ipapakita ni Mommy na love niya si Daddy?

I blew a long breath and ambled my way to my bedroom. I let myself to sleep and so I did. When morning came, I immediately head to both of my brothers' room but I saw no one.

"Walang tao..."

"They went to their lessons." The yaya responded. Hinarap ko siya at yinakap siya ng mahigpit. "Bakit mo naman sila hinahanap, Lauren?"

"I need their help."

"Para saan naman yan?" I was quiet and she understood what I truly meant. "So it's a secret huh?" tumango lang ako sa kanya.

Darren and Warren might be able to help me. "Yaya, I want to go to Warren and Darren. Can you take me to them, please?"

"Alam na ba ng mommy and Daddy mo?"

Well I have to lie. For mommy and daddy's sake "Yes po. Sabi nila be back sa afternoon daw."

"Ah okay. Tara na."

We rode my future-to-be car which is color pink, my all time favorite color. Lolo said when we turn to 16 years old, mapapasa amin na ang mga kotse na to.

"Yaya, you can go anywhere. Just pick us up kung hapon na." I smiled at her but she shook her head.

"Pero lauren it's my job to be with you. Mapapagalitan ako."

"Please." I used my puppy eyes to make her do what I want.

"Ok fine. Basta wag kang lumabas o makipagusap sa di mo mga kilala huh?" Jackpot!! I want to be with the two alone dahil kailangan kami lang tatlo ang alam nito. "Babalik muna ako sa bahay tapos kukunin ko ang listahan ng groceries."

She glides towards the car and waved at me. I walked to the door until I saw a boy kaya napatigil na rin ako at lumapit sa kanya.

"Why are you outside? You're practice is still on." sabi ko sa kanya

"I don't like the instructor."

"Why?"

"No reason for you to ask. Why are you even talking to me by the way? Go somewhere else, I don't like you already." Sungit naman nito. Akala mo kung sino tong gwapo. Well, he is, but he's kinda rude.

"I just talked to you to ask. You must know Darren and Warren right? Nagpapractice pa ba sila?"

"I thought I finally found a friend." Nagpout ito at tumingin sa malayo.

"You don't have friends?"

"I have friends but all of them are fake, rude and snotty."

"You are rude too, anyway." Tumingin siya sa akin, narinig niya ata iyon. "Ahhm, I can be your friend. Can I?"

"Really, you want to be my friend? I am Ansel Moreau." He reached his hands toward me.

"Are you French?"

He smiled bitterly and looked down, "My mom is French and my dad's a Korean but I haven't really heard anything about my dad. People just told me that he left mom without knowing I was in her tummy."

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

"It's okay." Tumingin lamang siya sa langit na parang nagpipigil ng luha. "What's Your name?"

"I am Lauren Grande."

"Nice meeting you, Lauren."

"It's nice to meet you, too." Wow he's so cute but I'm still a kid I don't know anything about what I'm currently feeling but wow he doesn't have friends? Don't worry Ansel, I will be your friend. "Pumasok na kaya tayo baka pagalitan ka."

"I'm used to it." He chuckled. "Mauna ka na. Susunod rin ako, magpapahangin lang muna ako."

I nodded and dawdled inside the large bedroom. The whole place is surrounded by funky modern stuffs which makes it so cool! Tiningnan ko sa loob sina Darren at Warren na nakikinig sa guro nila. Kung titiisin sila lang ang pinakabata, yeah, that's what we hear a lot when we learn new stuffs and join tutorial stuffs. I let myself in and sat on the corner. Buti na lang at nakita ako ni Darren kaya tinapik niya si Warren para lumapit sa akin.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Do they know you're here?"

"Hindi. May importante lang akong sasabihin." Tumayo ako at bumuntong hininga. "I badly need your help."

"Anong klaseng tulong naman yan?" Darren asked away. "Hoy."

"I need mommy and daddy to..."

"To what? Huwag mo naman kaming bitinin." Warren grabbed my arms and stared deeply into my eyes. "Tell us. This is very uncomfortable. Alam mo bay un ah?"

"Sorry na, geez," I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat, "I want them to fall in love without them realizing it."

"Yun lang? Heh! Easy."

"Warren, it's not. It hurts kaya, I saw it on many movies."

"You're right, Darren. Mahirap talaga ang proseso sa ganun. I don't know what's going on about them but they do the weird eye thingy. Kaya kunting push okay na."

"Sige!"

"Oplan Lovelife." I extended my hand and they did the same.

"Oplan lovelife!"