Her Greatest Fall

6th🕧

"Ms. Iriarte, here are the designs na binigay ng mga Lionel sa atin, ang dami po nito!", tila pasigaw na sabi ng aking secretary na si Venice.

Manu's too adamant. Ang sabi ko konti lang eh, mas matigas pa ang ulo niya sa buko. I massaged my head and moments after ay nagpatuloy na ako sa pagtrabaho.

It's been 7 years at maraming nagbago. Ako ay naging Vice chairwoman ng eskwelahan habang si tito ang chairman. Si Elis ay dumiretso sa Manila para mag model tsaka si Roma naman ay naging artista. Si Dos ay bumalik sa isla niya at inasikaso ang kompanya nila. Si Ionne naman ay bumalik doon sakanila at si Manu, well, he's still jumpin' on every fall I guess.

"Ma'am may nagpapabigay sa'yo ng liham." ani Venice. Kinuha ko iyon at binasa nang maigi.

Dear Marina Levistine,

       You are invited to the most awaited wedding of Almira and Vitaly. Please wear Midnight Blue in the said occasion.

Thank you and have a good day!

Ang ngiti ko ay napawi noong nakita ko ang salitang, 'wedding'. Ilang sandali ang nakalipas ay tumawag si Ionne.

"Mari?!"
"Oh Ionne, bakit hinihingal ka? Nag aano ka ba diyan?", pambibiro ko sakanya.

Suddenly, a slam on the door was heard and a running Ionne was seen, at niyakap ako. "What's wrong Ionne? Akala ko ba ay nasa meeting ka?"

Nilapit niya ang kanyang labi sa tenga ko. "Mas importante ka kaysa sa meeting ko."

Kung hindi ko lang talaga mahal si Vitto ay ito na ang pangagasawahin ko. Kaso, Ionne deserves someone better, I'm sure of that.

***

Ilang linggo na ang lumipas ay bumalik kami ng siyudad para sa kasal bukas. Ang mga Lionel ay invited rin kaya nag decide si tito na sa cruise nalang kami nila sasakay.

Si Manu ang partner ko sa pag march at si Ionne naman ay napunta kay Amara, kaibigan niya.

Pagsampa ng cruise ay pumunta agad ako sa bahay nang hindi nila alam na dadating ako. Pagtingin ko sa bahay ay ang dami nang nagbago. Halos hindi ko na matatandaan ang dati naming bahay.

I knocked on the door, "Mom, Dad?"

Binuksan ko ang pinto at sinalubong ako ng isang matandang babaeng namumuti na ang buhok at naka salamin.

"Welcome home Marina", the lady smiled  and embraced me on her arms.

"I'm back, mom"

***

Mom and I talked all afternoon and caught up upon what's happening here sa lugar namin.

Manu and I decided to go out and explore the place. "Ang ganda naman dito sa lugar niyo, Mari. I even wonder why you went there".

In case you're wondering, yes. He knows everything about me. Elis and Roma also knows that Gabrielle's not my real name. 

"Shut the hell up Manu", sabi ko habang naglalakad kamk palabas ng bahay. I wandered my eyes everywhere. Madami-dami din pala ang nagbago.

Pumunta agad kami sa resort ni Val kasi gusto daw ni Manu sa tubig. Parang isda talaga.

"Marina!", Val ran and hugged me. "Oy Val, long time no see." Manu and Val shaked hands with each other. After that, my cousin and I was updating with each other and Manu is too impatient. Nakhubad na siya at suot niya ang kanyang swimming trunks habang nakatingin sa dagat. Almost all of the girls are staring at his figure pero Manu's too innocent at manhid.

Now I'm feeling a sense of déjà vu here.

"You can go now, Manu. Baka matagalan pa ako dito", his face lit up at tumakbo na doon.

"So.. You snatched one of the Lionels, huh?", he teased while wiggling his eyebrows. "Stop,Val. You know that he's not my type."

"Move on Mari. That guy's getting married already."

It felt like a piece of my heart fell again. "I don't have someone now, Val. I'm too busy with my work. Ito nalang ang natatanging paraan para magiging satisfied ang mga relatives natin", napatahimik naman siya doon.

"Speaking of relatives, your mom and dad will be having dinner with the others at kasama ka na doon. You can take Manu with you if you want", he stated. Okay.

•••
"Saan tayo magdidinner Mari?", tanong ni Manu habang inaayos ang kanyang tie. "Malapit lng dito. Ano ba iyan Manu, kalaki-laki mong tao, 'di ka pa rin marunong umayos ng tie mo", nilapitan ko siya at inayos ang kanyang tie. "Pasensya na po nay! Ipinalaki akong isda ng mommy ko eh", natawa naman ako doon.

Habang umuupo at papunta na sa said location ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin ang mangyayari mamaya. Okay Mari, calm down. You can do this.

"Oh nandito na pala si Mari! Marina, here!", kinaway ni mom ang kanyang kamay at umupo naman kaming dalawa. Sinimulan na namin ang pagkain pagkatapos magdasal. Binulungan naman ako ni Manu. "Mari, can you hand me the chicken, hindi ako kumakain ng isda", hala siya. "bakit Manu?"

"I don't eat my fellow fish", napatawa naman ako doon. Isa na ring rason kung bakit ako nabulunan. He let me drink the water pagkatapos.

It was too late when I realized na nandito pala siya. Fuck.

"Siya nga pala, Mari. Ipakilala mo naman sa amin iyang boyfriend mo." Boyfriend? Siya? No thanks.

"He's Manu. Kaibigan ko lang po siya. He helped me doon sa isla", tumayo naman siya kaagad. Please Manu, don't say anything stupid.

"Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Manu Ellias Lionel, the youngest of the nine siblings. I'm glad to be your acquaintance", umupo siya pagkatapos nun at mukhang gulat naman sila, especially him. I can't help but to remember the Lionel incident which made it end.

"Lionel? Wow, isn't that the company you had a meeting with once, Vitaly?", tanong ni Almira sa kanyang future husband.

"H-ha? O-Oo, sila nga."

"By the way Mari. Anong ginawa mo doon sa isla at napatagal ka ng balik?", the same relative who sarcastically asked me a long time ago, asked me.

"As of now, I am the Vice Chairwoman of a school Tito Bellisimo has created. It's a school for Engineering, Architecture and Arts. Working there, I have acquired and improved with all the said subjects and I'm hoping to have my first client in the near future."

They were all shocked, and it's quite obvious that they are not expecting something from me. Finally! Remember this. Starting today, I will not be a disgrace carrying our family name but someone powerful who can step on to your success. Tiningnan ko siya without showing any kind of interest.

The pain will be buried and it shall not rise again. This feelings will not exist. Remember that, Trujillo. Let your word haunt you and let you feel regret. Regret for losing me and choosing someone out of your zone.