So Near, Yet so Far (COMPLETED)

9

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Chapter 9

"Talaga?" ang mommy niya.

Coleen crossed her arms. "I hate it, but I'll go for you."

So she did. All dressed and dolled up she didn't recognize herself when she checked herself on the mirror before leaving. Instead of her eyeglasses she wore contacts that time. Her chin-length hair was brushed on the side and pinned with a clip designed with emerald stones. The cream-colored dress that hung just above her knee complimented her pale skin. Her mom paired it with skin tone pumps.

Her mom's driver drove her to Lovella Residence, and the unfamiliar faces as she walked inside made her cringed. How was she going to survive the next three hours? Hell, she had just set foot and she was already bored. She hated parties and the like. Ang dami niyang pwedeng matapos sa computer niya sa ganoong kahabang oras na mababagot siya.

She texted the supposed date that her mother had set. Iyong kuya niya hindi rin pabor sa ganoong set up na iba-blind date siya ng mommy niya pero hindi naman niya ito seseryosohin. She would just greet him, explained him her way of things, and would reject him the most subtle way she could.

"Hi," the guy beamed at her. Even with the wide smile she could see that his nervous the way he hesitated to extend a hand. "Nicolai Perez."

She took it. "Hi, Coleen Evangelista. Nice to meet you."

The guy nodded and his eyes shifted from her to the ground and then back to her. Akala niya na presko ang makakaharap. He was rather a gentleman. She could tell from the way he spoke and being considerate of her. He even apologized firsthand that she had to be in a blind date with him.

Coleen decided she could tolerate the night in exchange for his proper demeanor.

When they were on their seats, she caught the guy looking at a particular girl among the guests. She decided to let it pass but when the girl occasionally threw glances at them, too, she played the role of a fairy.

"No offense on my side, Mr. Perez, but I can have this night by myself," kuha niya sa atensyon nito.

"Ha?" Tiningnan siya nito nang nagtataka. Naisip niya na baka nag-aalala ito na nahuli niya.

"Go. I'll be fine," she assured him. "Hindi kita ibubuking sa mommy ko."

Nagdalawang-isip ito kung anong gagawin pero nakita siguro nito ang kanyang sinsiredad. "Seryoso?" tanong nito.

Napangiti siya sa isip na kumakampi sa kanya ang pagkakataon.

Tumango siya. "Sige na. Nakatingin siya rito."

And with that she was free.

She had been worried how he'd deal with him but thankful it ended smoothly. Dating had never been part of her plan. Duda rin siya na makakatagpo siya ng lalaking makakapalagayan ng loob sa direksyon ng kanyang buhay. Bahay, school, at trabaho lang siya. Wala siyang kaibigan at halos ang kuya at mommy lang ang malapit sa kanya. Ni ang ibang kamag-anak ay hindi niya kilala. Ang mga kasambahay nila ay di niya rin tanda ang mga pangalan.

Tama ang mommy niya puro lang siya computer.

After the wedding ceremony, she walked away from the group. She went outside the mansion and found herself by the fountain. There was a bench nearby and she sat there. At last she could be alone.

Tahimik roon para sa kanya kahit dinig niya ingay galing sa loob at ingay ng pagbagsak ng tubig sa fountain.

She glanced up and the stars above were beautiful. It looked as if someone had sprinkled the night sky a lot of glitters just for her audience.

She looked at herself. The way she's dressed, it's far from her pajamas. She touched her face and didn't found her eyeglasses there. Higit sa lahat wala ring computer sa harap niya. She's a different person that night.

She inhaled the chills of the wind and listened this time to the noises of the leaves as the branches of the trees swayed. She closed her eyes and felt some kind of nirvana.

Going out of her little world for sometime wasn't bad at all.

"Pwede bang maki-upo?"

She snapped when a male voice came. Perfect. Ilang minuto pa lang siya nakakapagmunimuni roon may umistorbo na.

She didn't bother giving him a glance.

---End of Chapter---

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