The Second Bride on the List

Chapter 28

"TANGA KA BA? OR SADISTA? OR BOTH???"

Ella has been sputtering on the phone for the last 5 minutes when Alyssa broke the news about Kiefer and her giving it a chance on love. It's New Year's eve, and she is going crazy with the feeling all bottled inside, she just had to share it with her bestfriend.

But then again, Ella does not seem to share her enthusiasm.

"So anong plano ninyo? Magpakasal talaga?"

Alyssa sat on the corner of her bed, giddy and laughing, despite Ella's furious tone on the other end of the line. "Bes, at least, I'm not on the losing end na, di ba? I mean, hindi na ako yung aasa sa wala. This time, may nakikita na akong direction sa buhay namin," Alyssa shared.

She could just imagine Ella's eyes rolling 360 degrees on her sockets. "Bes, 'wag mong sabihin nagpadala ka talaga sa feelings mo. Tandaan mo, andiyan na si Sarah. Siya ang legal na asawa. Anytime gusto niyang bumalik-"

"Bes, kung gusto niyang bumalik, dapat matagal na, 'di ba? I don't see any reason para pa siya bumalik. And nung nakausap ko siya, parang di siya interesado about coming back. Sinasabi lang niya na okay siya, at parang mas concern pa niya kung gusto kong bibilhin si Prada," Alyssa mused.

She could hear Ella sigh, "Pero, Bes, let's say... I'm playing the devil's advocate ha? Di ba parang ang concern niya is about the money, kaya niya minamadali na ibenta ang sasakyan. What if nalaman niya ang pera na binigay ng mga Ravena sa 'yo? What if maisip niya na mas malaki ang makukuha niya sa mga Ravena?"

"Same thing lang, Bes. Dapat nung simula, tinuloy niyang magpakasal kay Kiefer. Alam naman niya siguro ang lifestyle ni Kiefer," Alyssa said, biting on her lower lip.

"Ewan ko, Ly... Malakas talaga kutob ko na masama talaga yang relasyon ninyo ni Kiefer," Ella confessed. "Hindi naman na nagiging nega ako, pero parang may mali e... Hindi ko maintindihan si Sarah... Sabagay, eversince naman, di ko nage-gets logic niya!"

They both chuckled and reminisced the times that they were both lost in translation whenever Sarah is with them. Those days when everything was simple, when all they worry is how Alyssa could get inside the house if Manang has locked the main gate, and Sarah is either also out of the house, or is fast asleep.

"Bes, anong naisip mo at sinagot mo si Kiefer?" Ella asked softly, turning serious this time.

Alyssa smiled, and bit her lower lip, "Mahal ko naman siya, di ba? All this time, iniisip ko na baka infatuation lang. Na siguro, siya palagi nakakasama ko, tapos mabait rin naman siya. Pero I realized na sobrang affected ako whenever he is feeling down, or kung sobrang saya siya. It's as if a part of me is somehow tied to him. At sobrang sakit 'pag nakikita ko siyang may kasamang iba, na akala ko may gusto siya. Gusto ko siyang iwasan, pero napapaisip ako, bakit ako ganun ka-affected?"

"High School lang ang peg? Puppy love? Hoy, Alyssa! Technically, may asawa pa rin 'yan siya! Kasado pa rin siya!" Ella said, trying to pour cold water over her dreams.

"Alam ko, Besh, pero naisip namin, null and void naman ang kasal, kase we faked everything. He'll have it annulled," she softly murmured, and dropped onto her back, on the bed.

"Tapos ang laki ng drama na naman niyan... Siguro on paper na lang, pero, Besh, kelangan mong magtestify dun!" Ella's voice was laced with worry.

"I know," Alyssa muttered softly, "Kelangan lang namin kausapin si Sarah ng maayos. Para magtestify siya na hindi talaga natuloy ang kasal. Although sabi naman ni Kiefer, pwede na lang bayaran to have it fixed, especially na wala namang Sarah na lumitaw, and merong mga blotter reports nung nawala siya."