Chasing Fire (Completed)

Chapter 19

Marry

I don't know what to feel right now. Hindi ko maramdaman ng sarili ko habang nililingon ng mga panauhin doon upang ngitian ako. I can't even manage to smile back at them.

And then my mind drifted to someone...

"Daddy!" Halos galit kong baling sa katabi kong si Daddy na ngayon ay seryosong nakaabang sa sasabihin ko.

He didn't say anything kaya nagsalita ulit ako.

"What is this all about? Oh my god you agreed to this? I'm just twenty Dad!" Sabi ko sa isng mahinang boses upang hindi marinig ng mga kasama namin sa mesa.

"Don't do anything stupid Vienna. Do not cause a scene here and most especially, hintayin mong matapos ang selebrasyon."

What the fuck?

Gusto kong maiyak sa sinabi niya. So he really knows. At pumayag siya without even telling me?!

I want to walk out of this mansion ngunit kadalasan sa naririto ay nakatingin sa akin!

"How could you do this to me Dad?" Naiiyak kong sabi sa kanya.

Hindi niya nga gustong magkaboyfriend ako tapos ngayon ipapakasal niya ako sa taong bago ko lang nakilala! For what? For business?

Putangina!

"Just... Let's talk about it at home."

Then we should go home because I want to fucking talk about it right now!

Medyo nawala lang ang pagpupuyos ko nang nag vibrate ang phone ko kaya't agad ko iyong kinuha.

Marco:

What was that?

Oh shit.

Nilingon ko siya only to meet his intense stare like there is a raging storm in his eyes. His jaw is clenched and he look so angry.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa akin at napadpad iyon kay Lex at mas lalo pang mas naging galit ang ekspresyon niya.

Pumikit ako ng mariin at binalingan ang phone ko.

I replied "I'm sorry. It's Daddy. I'll talk to him later."

And Lex also agreed to this? Gosh! My parents' marriage was fixed but I didn't know Daddy will fix mine too! Ugh! I don't even like Lex!

"Who are you texting?"

Kinabahan ako sa tanong ni Daddy ngunit isinawalang bahala ko nalang yon at hindi siya sinagot.

I don't want to be disrespectful alright. But this is just too much. Halos na nga kunin niya sa akin yung kalayaan ko sa tuwing hindi niya ako pinapayagang lumabas ng bahay and now he's getting my freedom to choose who I marry too?

Sa buong event ay walang naganap na engagement. Puro tungkol lamang sa anniversary ng matatandang Maravilla. Afraid I'll say no huh?

The dance started at nauna sa gitna ng hall si Senyora Florentina at Dom Teodoro. Sinundan naman iyon ng iba pang mga panauhin. This is the last part of the program right? Then can I go home now?

Tatayo na sana ako upang kumuha ng champagne to calm my nerves when someone blocked my view of the guests dancing.

"Can we talk?" Sabi niya at naglahad ng kamay.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin and saw Lex's smile that annoyed me. Talk to your damn ass h*le.

"Vien." Dad called my name. More like warned me.

"Good evening Tito." Pormal na bati ni Lex kay Dad at sinuklian naman ito na tango.

Napairap nalang ako at tinanggap ang nakalahad na kamay ni Lex. Forget that we're friends after this you bastard.

Dinala niya ako sa dancefloor and brought my hands to his shoulder then his hands on my waist. The technical played a classic slow dance music but I cannot find romance in between us at all.

"Sabihin mo na ang gusto mong sabihin. I don't have time to listen to your shits." Seryoso kong sinabi but then he just chuckled after I said that that annoyed me more.

"Kaya hindi ako tumanggi nung sinabing ikaw yung ipapakasal sa akin. I like you."

What?

"Then what about me? Naisip mo ba na hindi kita gusto at hinding hindi kita magugustuhan?"

Kung wala sigurong makakaitang tao, kanina ko a nilagay yung mga kamay ko sa leeg niya upang sakalin siya.

Halos mapayakap ako sa kanya nang hinapit niya pa ang aking baywang uoang mas ipalapit sa kanya.

"Ano ba!" I protested ngunit hindi niya iyon pinansin.

"I can make you feel the same Vienna. I can make you want me." He whispered as he slowly carressed my back.

The fuck?

Sinubukan ko siyang itulak ngunit hindi ko magawa dahil hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa akin.

"Let me go." I said dead seriously.

"Why? Natatakot ka?" Panunuya niyang tanong.

At bakit naman ako matatakot? I will never like him even in the next lifetime! Ang kapal ng mukha!

"You know what? I treated you as a friend. Pero may iba ka palang kailangan."

"Hindi ako yung may kailangan sa'yo Vien, it's your family who needs us." He said at pinakawalan na ako.

Huh? Why would I need them?

"I don't wanna marry for convenience or business Vien. But when I knew that it's you... I just can't say no." Pagpaatuloy niya.

What? Is it because of that kaya't pumayag si Daddy na ipakasal ako sa taong hindi ko namn kilala? Is our business failing? Pero kahit na! I choose who I marry! I don't wanna be like my parents who end up breaking up with each other!

And does he think it makes me feel that I'm special because of that? Jusf because he wants to marry for convenience if it's me? And because I felt special I will easily fall into his flowery words? Gosh! Dream on!

"Then? You think I wanna marry if it's you? No. I will talk to Dad about this... I don't wanna marry you." Diretso kong sabi sa kanya.

"Then talk to him. Let's see if you can do anything about it then."

Pinigilan ko ang aking sarili na magalit pa. Tinitingnan na kami ng iba pang sumasayaw ngunit wala akong pakealam. Mas mabuti na yung alam na nila na walang kasalang matutuloy.

Inihatid niya ako pabalik sa mesa. A small talk with my Dad at bumalik na rin siya sa kanya.

"I wanna go home now Dad. Kung hindi ka pa uuwi mag tataxi nalang ako." Sabi ko at umalis doon kahit pa tinatawag ako ni Daddy.

Ngunit naabutan niya ako sa labas na nag-aabang ng masasakyan kaya't agad niya tinawag ang driver upang makauwi na kami.

I did not talk in the whole trip even though Dad is trying to talk to me. Hindi ko siya sinasagot sa tuwing nagsasalita siya. Call me disrespectful I don't care.

Nang nakarating kami ng bahay ay nagsalita muli si Daddy.

"Vienna, marriage is not a big deal. Just understand the situation. Marry Alexander and it's done!"

What? Not a big deal? Understand the situation? Marry Alexander? Bullshit!

"I don't want to!" Sigaw ko na kahit si Daddy ay nagulat sa inasta ko.

I will never marry for money, I will never marry for business, I will never marry Lex and I will never marry anyone else! I decide who I marry!