Eh Yung Hindi Naman Tayo? DATI (COMPLETED)

Clandestine- 3

I locked myself up in my room, lying face down on my bed and crying my heart out in my lonesome. I ignored your calls and knocks on the door until you finally walked away.

I should know that sharing a room with your sister also means less alone time. Just a few minutes later, Coleen entered my using her own key to open the door.

"Pssst... Payat..." She called softly and sat on the side of my bed.

"Wag ngayon. Wala akong energy. Wasak pa ako." I sniffled and wiped my tears.

"Ano ba kasing iniiyak mo? Pati yung jowa mo ang labo ah. Umiiyak na humabol sa'yo pero dahil ayaw mong pagbuksan, umalis na din kasama ang Daddy niya."

"Umalis na siya? Iniwan na niya ako." I wailed and cried harder.

"Ay tanga. Malamang! Takbuhan mo ba naman at hindi pagbuksan. Ano sa tingin mong gagawin pa niya dito, umiyak at hintayin sina Tatay at Nanay na patahanin siya?" She said.

"Oo na. Kasalanan ko na. Sige na. Umalis ka na. Iwan mo na akong mag-isa." I sobbed.

"Ayoko nga. Baka kung ano pang gawin mo diyan sa kagagahan mo. Kahit baliw ka, kapatid pa din kita. Ate mo pa din ako kaya sasamahan kita." She told me and stroked my hair.

I scrambled to her lap and continued to cry there as she ran her fingers through my hair.

"Wala na ba? Tapos na ba? Hindi man lang niya ako pinaglaban. Ganoon na lang yun?"

"Sino bang nagsabing tapos na? Ano bang nangyari?"

"Ayoko ngang sabihin sa'yo. Madadagdagan ka nang bala para pag-tripan ako." I pouted.

"Ano ba? Hindi ko gagawin yun sa ganitong sitwasyon."

I took a deep breath and sat up to talk to her. I showed her the ring that for some reason I still happened to hold in my hand.

"Is that? Oh my God!" She gasped.

I nodded. "He proposed to me when he came home from Paris but I wasn't ready with my answer then so sabi niya maghihintay siya."

"Tapos?"

"Tapos nung handa na ako, sabi ko nga na kausapin muna si Tatay. Kaso si Tatay naman may sinabi na nakasakit sa kanya kaya kanina aalis na dapat siya, hinabol ko, tapos..."

"Tapos?"

"Nag-propose ako sa kanya. He said no." I bit my lip to suppress a sob that rose up my throat.

"Tapos?" Coleen asked again.

"Anong tapos? Tapos eto na. I'm this sobbing mess who doesn't know kung kami pa o hindi."

"He just said no to your marriage proposal, hindi naman niya sinabing break na kayo."

"Same thing."

"No, it's not. Hay naku ka. Halika nga. Mahal mo?"

"Sobra."

"Kaya mo bang wala siya?"

"Hindi."

"Ganoon pala eh di tama na yang drama. Umayos ka at kausapin mo."

I sighed. "I don't think I can just yet."

"I know exactly what you need." Coleen smiled.

"What?"

"Basta. Sumama ka sa akin. Pero mag-ayos ka muna. Pangit mo. Nakakahiya kang kasama." She said so I did.

***

After a cup of my favorite Frappuccino and sandwich from a Starbucks drive-thru, half an hour of listening to Coleen singing her heart out to the tunes in her car while driving me around our hometown, I was a feeling a little better.

I looked over to her just as she was changing the song on her phone. "Thank you, Cols, ha?"

"Always welcome." She smiled.

I leaned my head on her shoulder and hugged her arm. "I love you."

She patted my back and said. "I love you too. Tatandaan mo yan lalo na after nito."

"After ng alin?" I asked and sat up to look at her face.

She did not answer, instead, she grinned at me and turned to the next corner to our new farm house.

As soon as the gate came into view, I knew there was something going on. "Ano to?" I asked when I saw a group o kids outside the open gate, dressed in white and holding red roses in their hands.

They appeared to be singing but it wasn't until Coleen parked and I got off the car that I heard them.

🎶 When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks🎶

I looked back at Coleen who smiled and told me to continue inside. Slowly, apprehensively, I made my way to the gate as the kids handed me a rose at a time with a smile on their adorable faces.

The queue of kids continued along either side of the driveway to the main door. By the time I got there my arms were full of long-stemmed roses and found it hard to take another step and see the way ahead.

"Ako na." Dean smiled from behind me and offered to take the roses. I gave them to him. It now seemed like everyone knew exactly what was going on except me.

"Ta-ta!" Matti called from the foyer and he also was holding a red rose only the one he held had a note attached to it.

I walked over to him and took the rose. I held his tiny hand and read the note.

Follow the stars. -RJ

"Stars?" I muttered and just then, the lights inside the house flickered off and fairy lights that looked like a path of stars that illuminated the way to the back of the house when the big garden is. Tears started to brim my eyes again but this time for an entirely different emotion.

Ate Niki and Kuya John, with his camera, show my grinning little escort where to lead me.

"Aw-deh duuuun." Matti said with his lips pouting out and his finger pointing at the gazebo on the garden that was decorated with white roses and crystal rhinestones that sparkled pink and orange with the rays of the setting sun.

There you stood, wearing a white long-sleeved polo rolled up to your elbows and khaki jeans with your Dad on your right and my parents on your left.

You smiled at me and mouthed. "Sorry. I love you."

I suddenly realized why Coleen said that in the car and why she insisted for me to wear this white halter top dress. I felt the sobs lodge at my throat again and my heart race in my chest.

"I hate you." I pouted then glared at you and you grinned.

To be continued...

********

Unbeta'ed and not proofread.

Clandestine- 4 (the last part) will be posted later tonight.

Pangatlong proposal na ito. Ano na?! Someone please say yes already! Hahahahaha...

Thank you for reading.