And They Seal It with A Deal

Thirteen

THIRTEEN

Mukhang nagulat si Dale nang ako ang mapagbuksan niya ng pinto.

"May I come in?" I asked him. Napansin niya siguro na mukhang may importante akong sasabihin kaya pinapasok niya ako.

Naabutan ko ang isang camera at iba't-ibang litrato na nakalatag sa center table ng living room. Kinuha ko yung isang photo na mukhang kinuhanan pa sa mataas na lugar para macapture lang ang sunset.

An idea suddenly strucked me.

"Dale, can you please reconsider my proposal? Let's get married." It feels like I'm almost pleading to him.

"Can't you understand? I can't accept your proposal." He said in an exasperated voice.

"Then let's have a deal." And that's it. I already risk my last card.

"Deal?" He asked me.

"Yes, a deal. If you marry me, I'll help you to have your photo exhibit without your father's knowledge. I'll support you even financially if you want to. I can also help you in the same way because we can tell your family that I'm the real reason of your stay here." Sabi ko sa kanya nang walang hingaan.

"What? That's absurd!" Yun lang ang nasabi ni Dale na para akong nagkabuntot sa paraan ng pagkakatitig niya sa akin.

"If you want, I can also pose as your model." Dugtong ko pa na para akong ahente ng bahay na pinipilit ang prospect buyer na bilhin yun.

"I wouldn't dare get you as my subject model. You'll just ruin the view." He snorted.

"I am what?" Buwisit 'to ha! Panget ba ako para makasira ng view? Sa ganda kong 'to panira pa ako ng view? Eh baka nga kapag ako ang naging model niya sa akin na lang mapapatingin yung mga nasa exhibit at hindi na mapapansin yung background view ko.

"Nevermind." Sabi lang niya in a sarcastic way.

"So are you going to accept my proposal?" I asked him with my very hopeful look.

"Of course not.Marrying is not just simple as what you think it is." Umiiling pa na sagot ni Dale sa akin.

"If I may excuse myself. I'll get you some drink." At derederecho na siyang naglakad papuntang kitchen.

Sa totoo lang naaawa na ako sa sarili ko. Imagine, mukha na talaga akong desperada at baliw sa pangungulit sa kanya eh pwede ko naman na lang basta tanggapin yung katotohanan na I'll be engaged soon.

Bigla ko tuloy naisip, bakit ba ipinagpipilitan ko pa yung gusto ko? Kung tutuusin kasi pwede naman na sumunod na lang ako at magpakasal sa kung sino mang lalaki na yun. Pwede ko namang subukan at bigyan ng chance ang mga sarili namin para magkamabutihan. Kung hindi man talaga kami magwowork out as a real couple, pwede namang maging friends kami di ba? Afterall nagpefade naman ang love. Friendship will set as the foundation of our marriage. What really matter is we have enough respect to each other. May mga kakilala nga ako na kinasal sila pero binabae yung lalaki at kahit na ganun yung asawa nung babae ay nagsasama pa rin sila ng maayos. Can you see my point?

Marriage doesn't really requires the involvement of love. Kung dumating man sa time na mahanap talaga nung magiging asawa ko yung babaeng mamahalin niya, of course I'll set him free. Who I am to stop him? Ayokong makulong siya sa habambuhay na commitment lalo na kung talagang may minamahal na siya. In my case, I've not yet found the guy that I'll fall in love with.

Hindi rin naman siguro nangangahulugan na once I get married eh matitigil na din yung pag-abot ko sa pangarap ko. We can both set rules. At ngayon lang din nagsink-in sa akin na masyado pala akong nagpakaduwag para harapin yung problema ko. Hindi ko naisip na hindi lang din naman pala ako ang naiipit sa sitwasyon na 'to. We can help each other if we want. Kung talagang ayaw niya rin talagang magpakasal katulad ko then we can just have an annulment. At least in that way we didn't disappoint our families because we followed their request.

I take a deep breath when I finally cleared my mind to my decision. I decided to call Allison first to get her opinion.

"Saddie, saan ka ba pumunta ha? Hindi ka man lang nagpaalam sa akin na aalis ka pala, you got me worried." Bungad agad sa akin ni Allison.

"I'm sorry I forgot. Nagpahangin lang naman ako para makapag-isip." I assured her.

"Oh, thank God you're fine. Akala ko kung ano nang nangyari sayo eh." Narinig ko pa ang halatang relieved na boses niya.

"I already have decided, Allison. Magpapakasal na ako."