(FHS#2) You better watch out, you better not cry, and you better not fall cuz the f*ckboys just waged a war against Filimon Height's one and only sorority.
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"What the hell are you looking at, Lorenzo?" Pabiro kong pagtataray nang mapansin kong nakatitig sa akin si Cohen habang sinusubuan siya.
"Thank you..." Cohen smiled softly, his eyes are never leaving mine.
Kahapon nang magising siya, ilang beses siyang humingi ng tawad at nagmakaawang bigyan ko siya ng pangalawang pagkakataon. He seemed so sincere that I could see tears pooling in his eyes, sino ba naman ako para hindi magpatawad.
Tumango lang ako, hinubad niya na agad ang engagement ring niya at isinuot ito sa akin kasi naiwan daw yung akin sa kwarto niya matapos ko iyong isinauli sa kanya.
"May kapalit 'to." Iraised an eyebrow while still holding his plate.
Tumango siya agad na parang isang batang desperado. "Kahit ano."
"Just stop lying to me... And promise me that you'll try your best not to offend me or anyone else." I smiled at him. Tumango naman siya agad at hinawakan ang kamay ko saka ito hinalikan.
"Pangako, gagawin ko ang lahat 'wag mo lang akong iwan ulit." Aniya habang mahigpit parin ang hawak sa kamay ko. "I'll right my wrongs. I'll prove to the world that you were right to give me a chance."
Kung may napagtanto man ako sa lahat ng mga nangyari sa amin, iyon ay ang katotohanang iba't-iba ang tao kapag nagmamahal. Ganun ang nangyari sa amin... iba't-iba kami kung magmamahal. And the way Cohen loves... it's very different.
Kung si Apollo madali lang kung bumitiw, si Cohen hindi.... Hindi siya bumibitiw kahit pa nakakasakal na ang paghawak niya, kahit na minsan masama na ang paraan niya, kasi ganun siya kung magmahal.
My friends keep on telling me that I love too much... Maybe Cohen is good for me. Maybe. I hope so. I hope Apollo's right.
"I love you, Piper." Cohen said as he smiled lovingly.
Tumango ako at ngumiti. I want to reciprocate what he just said but that would be lying and he doesn't deserve that.
"Okay lang sa akin kahit hindi mo pa ako mahal ngayon. I have a lifetime with you to make you love me more than you can ever love Apollo." He seemed determined but I couldn't help but feel bothered.
"Can we just leave Apollo out of it?" I couldn't help but ask.
He smiled and nodded. "That's everything I want."
I once failed to save my sister... this time I'm not failing to save Cohen.
***
"Schatzi, are you really sure about this?" Dad asked me as we both sat in the dining room. Cohen just left, he came earlier bringing gifts and such for my Father. Cohen wasn't kidding when he told me he'll right his wrongs. He's putting an effort for my Dad to like him better now.
I smiled. "Dad, Cohen loves me."
"But do you love him?" Dad asked as he held his glass of grape juice. Naalala ko tuloy yung grape smoothie bigla, nakaka-miss.
"Shatzi..." Dad said, snapping me out of my reverie.
"What did you say again?" I couldn't help but laugh a little.
"You don't love Lorenzo but you're marrying him. Why?" Dad asked like he was interrogating me. Actually kanina pa siyang mukhang bad mood, hindi nga halos ngumingiti kay Cohen.
"Because for once I just want something that's sure. Alam kong biglaan 'tong pagpapakasal namin, siguro parang padalos-dalos, but Cohen has showed me the extent of what he could do just to have me." I reached for Dad's hand and held it. "I saw how broken you were when Mom died... you let your demons get the best of you. In the same sense, Cohen was just the same as you when I tried to break off the wedding."
"You tried to break off the wedding? Why? What did that Hurensohn do?" Dad seemed shock. Palibhasa hindi niya alam ang tungkol sa attempted suicide ni Cohen. Iilan lang din talaga ang nakakaalam ng nangyari, kilala ang pamilya Cohen sa Filimon Heights kaya ayaw nila itong kumalat. Siguro para narin sa reputasyon nila.
"He kinda lied to me just so i'll give him a chance. He only did that because he loves me though." I shrugged and tried not to make a big deal out of it. Ayoko na ng gulo.
I just want to save Cohen even if it means spending the rest of my life with him.
"Piper, I'm worried about you... We can always go back to Austria and find someone better for you." Nag-aalala si Dad at masakit sa aking isipin na namo-mroblema siya dahil sa akin, pero hindi ako pwedeng umatras. Buhay na ni Cohen ang nakataya rito. Kung may mangyayaring masama kay Cohen dahil hindi ko nagawa ang isang bagay na kaya-kaya kong gawin, I don't know if I could live with that guilt.
"Don't worry, Dad." I smiled reassuringly. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with someone who loves me and someone who won't let go of me. Maybe.. maybe i'll learn how to love him along the way."
"Kay Cohen? Okay lang ba sa kanya 'to?" Dad asked.
Tumango ako. "He always knew but I never heard him complain about my lack of love for him. In a way, I feel secured from his love."
****
"Saan ba talaga tayo pupunta? For God's sake, Lorenzo! Kalalabas mo palang ng ospital, are you even allowed to drive?!" Reklamo ko pero tumawa lang ang gago habang nagmamaneho. Hindi gaya noon, mabagal na siya kung magpatakbo. Sumusunod na talaga sa speed limit at tinanong pa ako kung nakapag seatbelt na.
We arrived at his restaurant but he still hasn't told me why we're here. He pulled out a chair for me as we sat on a four-person table.
"Who are we meeting?" I asked since Cohen sat right next to me and not right in front.
"Our wedding planner." He smiled as he held my hand and I saw how his thumb touched my silver engagement ring.
"You really want to marry me that bad?" Biro ko.
Tumango siya. "I've never been sure of anything."
Hindi nagtagal biglang napatingin si Cohen sa pinto at ngumiti.
"Our wedding planner is here," Cohen said kaya kahit ako ay napatingin din sa pinto at nagulat ako nang makita si Riley.
Nagulat ako. Hindi ako nakapagsalita kahit naupo na si Riley sa tapat namin. Sa sobrang dami ng nangyari, hindi ko na sila nakausap pa. Ni hindi ko nasabi sa kanila na tuloy na ulit ang kasal. Siguro galit na galit na sila sa akin. Siguro mamaya hihilahin ako ni Riley at pagsasabihan ng abot langit.... pero hindi iyon nangyari.
Riley took over and became our wedding planner. He seemed really happy with it at mukhang excited pa siya sa pagp-plano. Andami niyang suggestions at aktibong nakikinig si Cohen sa kanya.
