Never Letting Go. (Completed with updates)

Prologue.

Arissa's POV

"Smile for the camera, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Castellana!"

Niyakap niya ako mula sa likod. Kinilabutan ako. It felt right, being in his arms. We looked into the camera and smiled.

Maj: "Perfect. You guys are perfect for each other. Congratulations ulit! Don't worry about the payment. It's all on me. Ako na bahala, consider it as a wedding gift. I'll send over an album and copies of all the pictures."

Si Maj kasi yung kababata ni Alvin na photographer. Sobrang galing ni Maj, grabe. Kapag kinukuhanan niya ako ng pictures, di ako makapaniwalang ako talaga yun. Parang may magic na ewan.

Ako: "Talaga? Thank you. "

Ngumiti ako ng matipid.

Alvin: "You're the best, Maj!"

Perfect? Kami? Sana.

Onga pala, Arissa Serenity Garcia na ngayon ay Arissa Serenity Garcia - Castellana na sa papel. 19. Forced to marry Alfred Vincent Reyes Castellana. Limang taon kaming naging engaged ni Alvin.

Oo. 14 palang ako, planado na buong buhay ko. Pinagkasundo kasi kami ng mga tatay namin. Magkumpadre daw sila eh and I will never understand kung anong koneksyon nun saming dalawa ni Alvin. I've known Alvin Castellana my whole life at alam kung hindi niya ako gusto, at hindi niya ako magugustuhan. At alam ko rin na sakit sa puso lang ang abot ko dito pero anong magagawa ko? Mahal ko eh. Mas gugustuhin ko pang maging asawa niya kahit hindi niya ako mahal kesa naman sa maging wala diba? Tiis tiis na lang.

Alvin is two years older than me kaya he understood well nung sinabing we're engaged.

*Flashback. 5 years ago.*

Ako: "Alvin. Anong ibig sabihin nilang ikakasal tayo?"

Alvin: "Ikakasal nga tayo. Pero hindi pa ngayon. Pagkagraduate mo pa daw. So more or less mga five to six years from now."

Ako: "Seryoso ba sila?"

Alvin: "Sa ayaw at sa gusto naman natin, ipapakasal nila tayo. kaya what we can do is enjoy ourselves."

Ako: "What do you mean?"

Alvin: "Listen carefully, ha Arissa?'

Tumango lang ako.

" ... you can have a boyfriend, I can have a girlfriend. .. "

Tango.

"... but in front of our family, kunwari tayo..."

Tango.

"... tsaka kung magkakaroon tayo ng sarili nating love life, dapat onti lang nakakaalam ... "

Tango.

"... kung sakaling ikakasal tayo, hindi tayo magsasama sa isang kwarto.. "

Tango.

" ... okay lang naman na magkaaffair diba? since arranged marriage lang naman to..."

Tango.

".. at higit sa lahat, bawal kang mainlove sakin... okay?"

Tango.

*Back to the present*

Ewan ko ba kung bat ako nagagree dun sa huling dalawang statement. How was I supposed to know? 14 palang ako nun, 16 na siya. Probably nga may girlfriend na siya nung mga oras na yun eh.

"Arissa! Babe! Yohoo!"

kumaway kaway sa harap ko si Alvin. Napailing ako. Nacarried away ata ako sa pagiisip.

"Hmm. Yes, babe?"

Alvin: "Alis na daw si Maj."

Maj: "Una nako. Masyado ko ng naistorbo ang alone time nyong dalawa. Congrats ulit."

Niyakap ko si Maj. Kasi naging malapit na rin loob ko sa kanya eh. Parang sandalan ko, kaibigan.

"Arissa!"

Nagulat ako nung tinawag ako ni Maj bago siya lumabas ng bahay.

"You look amazing."

Inakbayan ako bigla ni Alvin.

"And Alvin, you're amazingly lucky."

Tuluyan nang umalis si Maj at tinanggal na ni Alvin yung kamay niya sa balikat ko.

As usual, I'm always for show.

* Alvin's POV

"You're lucky."

Halos lahat sila yan yung sinabi sa akin. Paano ako magiging swerte kung kasal ako sa babaeng hindi ko naman mahal? At wala akong balak mahalin? Sus. I knew this day would come, pero it wasn't as bad as I expected. Magaan naman pakiramdam ko nung wedding ceremony. But still, sana binagsak nalang niya yung last year niya, para magrepeat siya at dagdag ng isang taon sa kalayaan ko.

I have to face the reality that I'm married. Not to Pauline but Arissa.

Pauline is probably in Paris now. And so is my heart. May ginawa ba akong mali? Para ideserve ko to? Parusa ba to ni Papa kasi nagrebelde ako non? Pauline was the only good thing in my life. And now she's gone. Thanks to this so-called marriage.

All the visitors are gone. Kami nalang ni Arissa at si Manang Edna ang nandito sa bahay. We decided to not have a honeymoon. We won't have a love to celebrate anyway.

Alfred Vincent Reyes Castellana. Known as Alvin. 21. Forced to hurt the love of my life only to marry Arissa Garcia. Record producer. Don't get me wrong, It's not that I hate Arissa, I just don't like her. She's not my type. But I think she's nice and her appearance is not that bad, she's actually kinda beautiful.

Pero, plano kong tratuhin siya ng masama. Para siya maginitiate ng break-up. Para saming dalawa naman to eh. Mas sasaya buhay namin ng wala ang isa't isa. She doesn't deserve someone like me. And I know that I can only love Pauline.

Just hang on, Alvin. You'll be free in no time.