My Runaway Bride

MRB 12

               Runaway Bride's Side

"You told me two days ago that you took up Architecture, didn't you?"

Mula sa hinuhugasan kong pinggan sa lababo, inilipat ko ang tingin kay seniorito na kasalukuyang nakaupo pa rin sa hapag habang inuubos ang kapeng tinimpla ko para sa kanya kanina.

We had just finished our breakfast. I made waffles and pancakes for the both of us. But this time I made sure that I prepare the honey to go along with the pancakes para naman hindi lang "edible enough" lang ang makomento niya sa niluto ko. Sure it worked because when I asked him how was the pancakes and waffles for him, he said it's better than the ones I had cooked few weeks ago.

He even asked me how I learned to do all kinds of household chores like sweeping and mopping the floor, washing the clothes and dishes, cleaning the toilet, cooking and including gardening.

I told him that eventhough me and my sister were born privileged, my parents made sure that we will not grow up to be spoiled rotten brats. I told him that we don't have helps at home so we were the ones who do the household chores on our own.

He couldn't believe it at first and told me I was just bluffing so sinabi ko sa kanyang kahit tawagan pa niya ang kapatid ko at tanungin kung nagsisinungaling ba ako o nagsasabi ng totoo pero siyempre pa I warned him that my sister is a weird one, a different kind of weird, weird to the highest level, at huwag na siyang matatakot at magtataka kung isa sa mga voodoo dolls ng kapatid ko ang sasagot sa tawag niya.

I don't know if he believed what I had said because he just laughed at it.

He then honestly told me that his first impression of me is that I'm like one of those brats who can't even distinguish a mop from a broom. Akala raw niya katulad din ako ng ilang sosyalerang babae na hindi man lang marunong humawak ng sandok at kung anu-ano pang kitchen utensils, yung mga babaeng diring diri sa paglilinis ng toilet bowl, mga babaeng hindi na baleng gumastos para magpalaba sa laundry shops kaysa sa masira ang newly-manicured na mga daliri.

I smiled at him and with my head held high, I told him this:
"Ibahin mo ako sa kanila, seniorito. I maybe maarte sometimes pero ibinabagay ko ang kaartehan ko sa hitsura ng mukha ko. Hindi ako katulad ng ibang babae na di na nga kagandahan, hindi pa marunong sa mga gawaing bahay tapos aarte-arte at ang daming reklamo pa. I was born to be unique, to be different. And that what makes me beautiful and worthwhile."

He just laughed at my remark.

"Have you finished your course?"

That voice of seniorito cut the flashback in my head of our conversations earlier.

"Ah, oo. Natapos ko naman. I even got the chance to pass the board exam. Nakapagtrabaho na rin ako bilang arkitekto ng mahigit isang taon. Pero kasi kapag talaga hindi mo feel yung trabaho at working environment mo, madali kang mapapagod at mas-stress. Honestly, I never dreamed of becoming an architect. It wasn't my passion. My heart is not into that line of work."

Itinuro ko ang bandang dibdib ko kung saan naroroon ang puso ko.

"Itong puso ko kasi iba ang gusto. My heart was aching to do something it really desires."

Tumayo na siya mula sa kinauupuan at lumapit sa pwesto kung saan ako nakatayo. He put the empty cup in the kitchen sink and just stayed there beside me at prenteng sumandal sa gilid ng lababo. He was there with his arms crossed over his chest, just watching me as I put the eating utensils in the dish organizer.

I suddenly felt conscious as he watched my every move. I felt like he was kinda invading my personal space so I went to where the  refrigerator is located and opened it to get some cold water.