Arranged Marriage

Chapter 26 |Gang pt. 2|

When I was still a kid, my mom and dad would always watch me wherever I go. I always have someone with me, if not mamang, other people whom they trust. Sometimes, they would just let me be with Zeya and Sky but I've never have an alone time when I was a kid. Literal na lagi akong may kasama. At first I thought it's just normal. Not when I saw my other classmates who actually goes home by themselves. Tipong hindi sila kailangang ihatid-sundo ng mga magulang nila. I could hear my classmates talking over what happened in their weekend, that their parents will just leave them in their room when they want to. I've never experienced those. Not until I' turned 10 years old.

My dad trained me a lot of martial arts. He signed me up in Taekwondo and aikido class. Then after, he taught me mixed martial arts. Honestly, ayaw ko talagang matuto ng any martial arts. For me, it's not a feminine thing, and I like to be feminine. Pero mapilit si daddy kaya wala akong nagawa. Hanggang sa magtuloy-tuloy na ang pagte-train ko ng MMA. Hindi pa nakuntento ang daddy ko, I can still clearly remember that he taught me how to use guns. He taught me how to aim and fire. I've never really understood all those things—until now.

There was one time when I asked my dad kung para saan lahat ng training namin. Before turning High-school, my dad would just say that it's good to have something only I know than other people. Palagi lang ganon ang sinasabi ni daddy. Na mas mabuting may alam akong kakaiba bukod sa mga tinuturo sa'min sa school. Then I turned high-school and my dad and I would still do sparring matches. When I asked hin the same question, he answered me, so that I know how to defend myself. He even told me so that I could protect myself. Again, I've never really understood those words until now.

There are a lot of things going on in my head again. I thought everything's going back to normal. I thought everything will be okay from when I proposed forward. But it seems like it's the opposite. It seems like everything's now more chaotic than ever.

Paulit-ulit din na bumabalik sa isip ko ang pag-uusap ni Vince at Cedrick na mga aksidente ko lang narinig. I can still clearly remember how Vince told Cedrick he knows what is going on pero hindi nya pa ring mapigilan ang hindi magalit kay Cedrick. Bumabalik din sa ala-ala ko ang nga usapan nila noong gabing nalaman ko ang Red Soul Org. Na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin alam ang ibig sabihin. I found the same handkerchief here in Montemegry University's canteen na nahanap ko noon sa tapat ng pinto ng bahay namin. Why do I feel like that Red Soul Org. is not really a friendly Organization? Because as far as I can remember from Vince and Cedrick's conversation, mukhang hindi maganda ang hatid nito.

Napa-buntong hininga ako nang mag-echo naman sa tenga ko ang boses ni mama. Naalala ko ang mga katagang sinabi nya sa'kin non nang tawagan ko sya para mag-rant sa pagmamadali nilang makasal kami ni Cedrick.

"This is for your safety"

Napapikit ako nang mariin. Bakit nadamay ang safety ko sa pagpapakasal namin ni Cedrick? I've been thinking a lot these past few days and believe me, halos mabaliw na ako sa kaiisip. I began to think na hindi lang simpleng problema sa kompanya namin ang dahilan ng Arranged Marriage. I began to think na baka may iba pa. Kung ano naman iyon ay wala akong ideya. Wala akong maisip kung ano pa bang maaaring ibang dahilan kung bakit may Arrange marriage na nagaganap. Pero kahit na saang anggulo ko talaga tignan, hindi ko pa rin maisip kung bakit gusto ni Mr. Matthew na makasal ako sa anak nya. Isa pa, para sa isang kumpanya na palugi na, hindi ko alam kung bakit handa itong mag-invest ng bilyones para lang masalba kami. At hindi lang iyon, handa rin sya na i-manage ang dalawang hotel. Well sabagay, pinag-uusapan na kasi ang pagmerge ng kumpanya namin. Isa ito sa sinabing dahilan kung bakit atat silang magpakasal kami ni Cedrick. Pag nagpakasal kami, ElRheesé hotel and Amissa de Amore Hotel will become one. It will then become The Song of ElRheesé Hotel. Ito nalang ang isang rational na naisip ko kung bakit nila kami pinipilit na magpakasal. Pero kung tutuusin mo, mas mayaman ang kompanya nila Cedrick. Kayang-kaya nilang mag stand alone. Hindi ko lang talaga maintindihan kung bakit pumayag si papa.