BY THE WAY, IT'S NOW JACK DARYL FROST

[7] Engaged for Eight Years

Halos mabali ang mga leeg ng mga lalaki sa paglingon nang pumasok sa bar si Eleanor. Tumahimik ang lugar at halos ang tunog lamang ng paglalakad niya ang maririnig dahil sa suot-suot niyang pulang stilettos. Huminto siya sa dulo ng drinking station kung saan nakaupo ang lalaking nakasuot lamang ng kulay puting t-shirt at simpleng jeans. Nakatitig lamang ito sa hawak-hawak niyang inumin at tila malalim ang iniisip.

"Eight years being engaged with you, this is the first time I'm seeing you holding an alcohol." Bungad niya sa lalaki.

Marahan siyang tiningnan ng lalaki at pinagmasdan lamang siya nang matagal at hindi siya inimikan.

Nanatiling nakatayo si Eleanor sa tabi niya. "And this is the first time you called me first," dagdag ng dalaga.

Ibinalik ng binata ang tingin sa inumin. "Took you ten minutes to get here. Didn't know a call from me will excite you this much."

She rolled her eyes at saka tuluyan nang naupo sa tabi niya.

"Well, I thought it's going to be something important. You never call me even if your life depends on it."

Imbes na sumagot pang muli ay ininom na lang ng binata ang alak na nasa basong hawak-hawak niya.

"And where's the man who's always on his suit? I never imagined seeing you wearing just a plain shirt. C'mon, Daryl. If you'd call me in the middle of the night, you must have something important to tell me." Naiinip na saad ng dalaga.

Nanatiling tikhim ang bibig ni Jack na tinawag niyang Daryl. Nagpatuloy lamang ito sa pag-ubos ng alak na iniinom.

She then rolled her eyes again. "Did you come here after seeing her?"

He did not say a word but she took his silence as an answer.

"You're a changed person. A better person. I can't believe she can make you drink again after 8 years." She said in disbelief.

He look at her with desperation in his eyes. "I didn't know it's been that long... and yet why it still hurts?"

Napatitig si Eleanor sa kanyang mga mata. This is also the first time Jack said something to her that is personal. Most of the time he'll only speak to her if it's business related. That's she's all to him. A business-- a piece of work. She never really felt that he's her fiance. More like a business partner. The only thing she's related to him is purely business, wala nang iba. Iyon lang ang pinaparamdam sa kanya ni Jack simula umpisa. Just for business. Hindi kaibigan, hindi fiance. She even feels sometimes na hindi tao ang turing sa kanya ni Jack kundi a million-dollar business lang.

Kumuha rin siya ng sarili niyang baso at sinalinan ng alak. Nagmamadali niyang ininom ito bago muling hinarap si Jack.

"Tinawagan mo ba 'ko because you heard our parents are pushing our marriage to finally happen this year? Did you just call cuz you now have the guts to tell me directly your excuse this time?"

They are engaged for 8 years, si Jack ang palaging rason kung bakit napopostpone ang kasal nila. Palaging naririnig ni Eleanor ang dahilan kung bakit cancel ang wedding nila every year muka kay Mr. Morgan. Jack never say a word to her, which is unacceptable 'cause she desperately deserves it. She is his fiancee. Dapat ay direktang sa kanya sinasabi ni Jack na huwag muna ituloy ang kasal pero parating hindi siya hinaharap ng binata at palaging sa pinagkakatiwalaang driver ni Jack niya lamang ito nakukuha.

Tumingin si Jack nang seryoso sa kanyang mga mata. "I can't give my heart to you, Eleanor."

That caught her speechless. She stared to him for a minute before she could come up with a response.

"Do you really think I'm here to marry you cuz I want your heart? I am here to marry you because my family needs your wealth, and so do you."

"And that's exactly why I can't marry you, Eleanor. I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with someone I am not in love with."

She laughed in disbelief, "Well you've been spending 8 years of your life with me. Not with that girl in the painting!" Ngitngit niya.

"And that's the reason why you just stayed as my fiancee for eight years. Because if it's not Summer, I'm not going to marry anyone. Thought I already said that, eight fucking years ago."

to be continued...