By Janinay
"Miss, Filipino?" tanong ng isang mestizong lalaki. Nandito ako ngayon sa France para magbakasyon.
"Yes, how may I help you, Mister?" Hindi s'ya mukang pinoy. With that blonde hair, square jaw and gray eyes. He looks like a freaking model.
"Sa wakas nakahanap na din ako ng matinong kausap." Naglakad s'ya palapit sa'kin tsaka nilahad ang kamay, "I'm Zac and you?"
"Audrey." naupo ako sa isang bench at sumunod naman s'ya.
It all started there.
"Audrey!" with my last six days here, may stalker pa ata akong makukuha.
"Type mo ba ako, Mister? Lagi kang nakasunod!" I rolled my eyes on him. Tumabi naman s'ya sa'kin.
"Lakas ng amats natin ah." the side of his lips rose up, "Hindi kita type, Miss. Ang sungit sungit mo eh." and now he's laughing.
Walang nangyari noong araw na iyon kung hindi ang inisin n'ya ako.
Five days before I go home. Nandito ako sa tapat ng Eiffel tower, maraming tao at madami din akong iniisip.
"Hoy! Tulala ka, tara dinner tayo." Here we go again. Stalker na stalker ang peg nitong si Zac.
"Kung date 'yan hindi ako interesado." Nilingon ko ang mga taong masayang naglalakad sa ilalim ng Eiffel tower. Nakakainggit kasi malaya nilang nagagawa ang gusto nila.
"Ampucha," sinamaan ko siya ng tingin dahil sa pagmumura niya, "alright, it's not a date okay? Nagugutom lang ako at hindi masayang kumain ng mag isa."
Hindi ko alam kung paano n'ya ako napasama noong gabing 'yon, but one thing's for sure. It was the best dinner I had in my life.
I went to the museum the next morning. And as expected, Zac showed up.
"Alam kong may problema ka," inakbayan niya ako at pilit ko namang tinatanggal iyon. "Care to share."
"Four days from now, I need to go back in the Philippines and marry a guy I don't even know who." his smile faded, "so if I were you I'll find another girl."
"Oh I really don't care, four days? Three or even one, let's make the most out of it." he smiled at me, the most genuine one.
At the night of my last three days in France, we went to a bar.
"Come on, babe. Loosen up!" it's Zac, he's giving me a tequila.
Maybe I'm drunk or I don't know what comes into my mind when I kissed him in front of my apartment.
Yes we got drunk, we kissed and end up in bed.
The last two days passed like a bliss, it was the best days of my life. I never believe in love before, but how can I love a man I met just a week ago.
And now we had to bid our goodbyes, hindi naman dapat nangyari ang lahat ng nangyari sa'min pero wala akong pinagsisisihan.
"Don't go, let's hide away. I-I love you, Audrey."
I wanted to but I can't.
"I'm sorry, Zac. I love you but I need to marry someone else." I saw how pain reflected in his eyes. He doesn't want to let go of my hands.
I went home to the Philippines. And then the next day is my wedding day.
I'm wearing a white gown, my dream wedding dress. This is my dream wedding but my groom is not the guy I love.
Naglalakad ako patungo sa altar, tiningnan ko kung sino ang mapapangasawa ko. And Zac is there! At the end of the altar while waiting for me. I can tell that he is crying.
I want to tell myself to be happy 'cause I'm gonna marry him but I can't. The moment I saw another guy wearing a white tuxedo I knew,
The end.
