Playboy's Sanity

Chapter 14

Unexpected

"A-Ashen, what is this?"Gulat na gulat na tanong ko sakanya at inilibot ang paningin sa kabuuan ng lugar. This is Hacres Harith's hall where our graduation ball party happened. 

Nakilala ko ang mga nandito ngayon. Sila Sally, Corrins with their wives. Corrins Sisters. At sila Jude. Even his dad is here. And the rest was our batch mates. What are they doing here? Ano bang pakulo ni Ashen?

"Since you rejected to be my date. I want to ask you again this time."huminga siya ng malalim at naglakad papunta sa akin.

"Sapphire Belaez."tawag niya buong pangalan ko ng huminto siya sa harap ko."Will you be my date for tonight?"he asked.

Mahina akong natawa bago tumango."Yes."

Sumilay ang ngiti sa labi niya at niyakap ako."Thank you!"

Pagkatapos biglang may tumutogtog na music.

"Can I have this dance with you, babe?"he winked at me.

"Ano bang trip mo?"I asked him. Dinala niya ako sa gitna.

"Dito kita unang beses na nakilala, Sapphy. You're so beautiful that you caught my attention kahit isang beses lang naman kitang natignan n'on. The next day I met you again. I asked your name bluntly you we're shocked perhaps annoyed. You told me your name is Sally."he chuckled.

"Wait! So I was the one who told you that? Kaya lagi mo kong tinatawag na Sally?"

"Yeah. It's the third week of our first year here. You probably don't remember it but I clearly still remembered it. I know the moment you said other names alam ko na agad na hindi ka interesado saakin. But I told myself I ain't giving up on this one."naiiling siyang tumawa habang nagsasayaw kami."And then I found out about our family's conflict. I am really the unlucky one among the five Corrins. Iyong babaeng gusto kong makasama habang buhay...impossible na. N'ong kinasal si Elysian I envy him. Halos buong buhay niya kasama niya ang babaeng mahal niya. Tapos si Deyron he was arranged marriage to Cassidy. They're both lucky. I want to settle down too. Naiinggit din ako. I want to get married and have my own family...pero sa iisang babae ko lang gusto iyong gawin."

"You really think of getting married."parang may kung anong humaplos sa puso ko habang nagkwekwento siya.

He smiled sweetly."Yes. I always think about it. I dream of marrying you, babe.  I maybe a playboy but I dream about you every single night. In my dreams you are my wife. And we have kids. And I want that to happen. That's why when I saw you again I told myself I'm settling down. Kung hindi ka para saakin, I'll do anything for you to be mine. That's why tonight I want to propose again, babe. I want you to wear our family's crest."pagkatapos ay lumuhod siya.

Tumigil ang tugtog pati na ang ibang mga nagsasayaw.

"Sapphire Belaez, I will always love you. You are my sanity. You are the playboy's sanity. I love you. Please say yes again. Please marry me."

"Yes."bahagya akong yumuko at hinalikan siya. Then he stand up and put the ring on my finger.

"I love you."aniya sa basag na boses.

"I love you too."I replied.

Nagpalakpakan ang lahat pagkatapos n'on. Then a man entered, clapping his hands slowly. Agad naman natigil ang lahat sa pagpalakpak at gulat na napatitig sa bagong dating.

"DAD!"gulat na bulalas ni Sally. Agad itong lumapit sakanya.

Ako naman ay parang nanigas sa kinatatayuan ko.

Hindi ko alam na nakauwi na pala siya?

Bigla ay parang kinabahan ako sunod-sunod akong napalunok ng maglakad ito sa gawi namin ni Ashen.

"Hindi mo 'man lang ako inimbitahan sa surprise party mo, anak. You're engaged. Congratulations!"he smiled creepily. Nang bumaling ang tingin niya kay Ashen ay mas lalong lumapad ang pagkakangiti niya.

"I'm Sapphire's father. It's nice meeting you my son-in-law. For sure you already knew me pero gusto ko pa ding formal na magpakilala."

"Yes, sir. I'm Ashen..."

"Corrins! I know, hijo."hilaw na tumawa si dad kay Ashen."Andito ba ang ama mo?"tanong ni dad kay Ashen at tinignan ang paligid na para bang hinahanap si tito Hendrix, Ashen's Father.

"Yes, sir. Kanina. He have an emergency call that's why he left the party earlier."sagot ni Ashen.

"Oh. Sayang naman at hindi kami nakapang-abot."dad chuckled.

Natapos ang party at nagpresinta si Ashen na ihatid ako sa bahay pero sinabi ko na huwag na lang. I told him we'll see each other tomorrow. Hindi naman na siya nagpumilit.

When we reached our home. Agad akong kinausap ni dad.

"Sapphy, stay here. At ikaw Sally umakyat kana sa taas. May pag-uusapan lang kami ng kapatid mo."dad told.

"Ah? Something important? I can stay h---"

"It's between the two of us, Sally. Wala kang kinalaman dito."iling ni dad kay Sally.

Sally look at me worriedly at walang salita na umalis.

Leaving dad and I in the living room.

"So you're marrying that Corrins, huh?"pagak na tumawa si dad saakin.

"Yes."I answered, emotionless.

"Kahit na alam mong sila ang sumira ng pamilya natin talagang pakakasalan mo pa din ang lalaking iyon!? Kahit na alam mong isa siyang Corrins? Akala ko ba sabi mo ay ayaw mong magkaroon ng connection sa mga taong iyon? At ano? Eto ka ngayon at pakakasalan ang anak ni Hendrix Corrins? Akala ko ba matalino ka? Bakit hindi mo ginagamit ang utak mo ngayon, huh?"sumbat niya saakin.

"They didn't ruin our family. It was you!  You're the one who ruin our family. At bakit andito ka? Bakit bumalik ka pa dito? I told you to get lost in our lives."

"Kahit anong pang sabihin o gawin mo you can't never change the fact that I am still your father. At ang mga Corrins na 'yon kaaway natin sila. They are monsters. Dahil sakanila kaya nawala ang mommy mo!"

"No! Stop blaming other people! Mom died because she can't handle any shits anymore. She committed suicide because she can't handle it anymore...alone because you left us! You fucking left us!"

"Pati ikaw ay nilason na ng mga Corrins na iyon! They are our enemy, Sapphy."giit ni dad."Hiwalayan mo ang lalaki na iyon!"

"No."iling ko.

"Hihiwalayan mo o hindi mo na makikita ang kapatid mo?"he threatened.

"What do you mean?"

"Isasama ko siya sa ibang bansa kung ipagpapatuloy mo ang kahibangan mo sa Corrins na iyan!"

"No. You can't do that. Hindi sasama sayo si Sally."

"You think so?"he grinned."Then let's see."

"Leave that Corrins, Sapphire. Hindi mo magugustuhan pag ginalit mo ko."