C H A P T E R S I X
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"Nako, dear, ang ganda-ganda nitong dress mo kapag natapos! I could already imagine you walking down that aisle. Perfection!" sabi ni Clarence, iyong designer ng down ko.
Napakurap-kurap ako. Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanya nang mapansing naghihintay siya ng reaksyon mula sa akin.
"May problema ba, dear? Ayaw mo ba sa naging design? I can change the whole gown if you want," he even offered because of the weak response I gave him.
Mabilis akong umiling. "No, no, everything's fine. I like it. May mga iniisip lang ako... Sorry."
"You sure? Kung may gusto kang ipabago, gagawin ko talaga hanggang sa mahimatay ako!"
Mahina akong natawa roon. "It's already perfect, Clarence. Really."
Taas-kilay niya akong tinitigan. Kahit na halatang nag-aalangan siya, he didn't probe any further, and I was thankful for that. Wala ako sa wisyo para makipag-usap. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay hindi ko pa rin malimutan iyong pagkikita namin ni Greg. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga narinig ko mula sa kanya. His words remained in my head, despite everything I did to ignore them.
Kung tutuusin, masaya dapat ako, e. He understood my situation. He was supportive. Maybe a little too supportive. And that left me confused.
"Edi maganda!" he said, a wide smile plastered on his face. "Mapapadali ang lahat. At wala nang masasabi ang parents mo kung si Czar mismo ang aatras sa kasal. We could be together then!"
I awkwardly smiled. Hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko. "You're... not mad? Kahit kailangan kong magpanggap na mahal ko talaga siya?"
"Of course not." His brows met halfway. He looked at me as though he wasn't sure what the problem was. "Siya na nga itong tumutulong sa atin e."
"Greg, I don't think you understand. Hindi lang basta pagpapanggap ang gagawin ko. I would have to do... things... that lovers do. With Czar."
Doon siya natahimik. Mataman ko siyang tinitigan. Napalunok ako dahil baka ngayon ay magalit na ngang talaga siya. Maybe he was just too shocked earlier, which was why he wasn't able to fully understand the situation. Baka hindi niya lang napag-iisipan pa at napoproseso nang mabuti iyong mga sinabi ko, kaya ganoon na lang ka-relax ang reaksyon niya. Kaya ngayon ay inihanda ko na ang sarili ko sa susunod niyang sasabihin.
Ngunit sa halip na selos o galit ang makita ko sa mga mata niya, para pa siyang mas naguluhan sa sinabi ko. He looked puzzled, like he could not understand why I was making a big deal out of it. And it left me dumbfounded.
"Babe, it's just acting. I little price we have to pay. We need to compromise, you know? Don't worry, hindi naman ako magseselos. It's no big deal!"
Ako naman ngayon ang hindi nakasagot. Nalaglag ang panga ko habang pinagmamasdan lamang siya.
Well, kita ko nga na hindi ito big deal sa kanya. Greg was never the jealous type, but he's too relaxed para sa isang taong may girlfriend na kailangang magpanggap na kasintahan ng iba.
"Inaasar mo lang ba ako ngayon, or are you really serious?" I finally asked.
"Babe," he said then reached for my hand under the table. "I know this is tough, but we'll get through this. Kapag successful 'to, we could be together. Don't you want that?"
"Of course, I do. Pero—"
"Then let's do what Czar wants. Ilang araw lang naman iyon. After that, everything will go back to how it was."
