The Other Half of a Song

Chapter 15: Regina

April 27, 1954

The whole day of yesterday, I was just inside my room. I was not in the mood to talk to anyone so I locked myself in.

After hearing from the organizers that I wasn't feeling well, Paeng visited me yesterday but I did not go out of my room.

My no show did not stop him from trying to communicate with me though. He kept on calling me through the paper cup walkie-talkie.

"Ina? What's going on?" he asked over the walkie-talkie, but I just remained silent. "I am really worried about you now."

Paeng did not deserve my cold treatment and my silence in this situation, but I didn't how will I address the situation I was in.

If I break off the engagement with Carlos, Gov. Villaroman will not continue to help my father.

But if I continue with the engagement and get married to Carlos, I will lose Paeng and I will be married to someone that I do not even love.

Sure, I could give Carlos the chance but... all my life Paeng has been there for me. He knows me like the back of his palm. And I him. We've been through a lot together already and I can't imagine life without him.

I can't just throw it all away!

My heart only belongs to Paeng.

I cannot lose him! I'm going to keep on taking my chances.

I went out of bed and towards the window. I opened it and saw that Paeng was still standing over his window.

"Paeng!" I called out to him. He immediately picked up his paper cup walkie-talkie and I did so with mine too.

"How are you?" he asked as soon as I placed my walkie-talkie beside my ears.

"I'm fine. Meet me down in our tree in an hour." I replied.

After this, I went out of my room, took a bath, changed my clothes and went out of our house to meet with Paeng.

At exactly the hour I told him, Paeng was already under our tree, playing with his harmonica.

When he saw me walking towards him, he stopped playing and smiled. "I'm glad you're OK now. I was so worried about you." He opened his arms and I went into it.

"I'm alright now. I'm alright because you're here." I said as I hugged him tight.

"What made you feel sick? You were fine when I saw you before the event. Did you suddenly harbor a cold after the performance?" Paeng asked as we walked towards the prairie by the river.

"I- I wasn't really sick. Paeng... I have to tell you something."

"That seems serious. What is it?" he asked, concern so evident in his eyes.

We continued to walk towards the prairie and when we reached it, we sat by the river bank.

"I went home because I heard some disturbing news. So, I confirmed it with my parents and they said what I heard was right."

Paeng just listened to me as I continued.

"My Dad's business is in the brink of bankruptcy. To save the business, Dad asked for help from the governor. But the governor will only help him if he agreed with a deal."

"What is the deal?" Paeng asked, worry already etched in his face.

What I said next were so difficult to bring out, but I had to. I have to tell him what's going on. "He will only help if I get married to his son, Carlos. And Dad agreed."

Paeng's face drowned out of color when he heard it. He unconsciously took my hand and pulled me into a hug.

After getting through the shock of the news, he stood up and shouted towards the river in anger and I let him.

I let myself cry too as he continued shouting, crying in anguish. I knew he would react this way. But as much as it hurt him, it hurt me too to see him like that. And I don't to keep him in the dark. That will only make things worse.

When Paeng was finally tired from crying and shouting, he slumped back beside me.

He kept on opening and closing his mouth, thinking of what to say, and then having a hard time saying it. In the end, he just remained silent.

I shook my head. "I'm not going to let myself get married off with someone I do not love." I was finally able to say out loud.

Paeng turned to look at me and I looked at him straight in the eyes.

"I'm not going to let them take me away from you. I love you. I'm going to fight for what I feel for you because you're the only person I imagine spending a lifetime with."

Paeng opened his arms again and enveloped me into them. "Oh Baby, I won't let them take you away from me either." As I melted into his embrace, my determination to fight for us grew.

After a long silence, Paeng said, "We're going to get through this. We will find a way out of this. Are you in?"

"I'm in." I nodded, "I'm so in."

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

That night, Paeng went with me when I came back home. As we entered the house, Joana immediately blocked me. "Miss Ina, your fiancé is at the living room with your parents." She informed me.

"What?" I looked up to Paeng and he just nodded.

"Show us to them." I ordered Joana.

She led us to the living room where my parents and Carlos were sitting at the sofa. They were all chatting so happily until they caught sight of us.

"What is Paeng doing here, darling?" Dad asked, I could feel him seething from where we were standing.

"What is HE doing here, DAD?" I rebutted.

"HE is your fiancé, darling. And HE wants to get to know you." My Dad answered.

"Well, Dad, did you tell him that I have a boyfriend?" I turned to Carlos and smiled a fake one, "He is Paeng, I bet you know him because he was your friend in high school. If I recall it too well, you were both in the Chess Club."

Carlos glanced at parents. Then, he turned to me and nodded. "Yeah, I do recall that."

"Well, then. He, Paeng, is my boyfriend." I took Paeng's hand in mine to give emphasis on what I said. "I cannot marry you because I love him."

"REGINA!" My Dad hissed. He went towards me and slapped me hard.

As I was reeling from the slap, my Dad suddenly became stoic. He placed his hand in his heart. His face was contorted. He was shaking and kept on shaking until he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Dad?" I knelt beside him and shook him. "Dad?" I kept on shaking his shoulder but he wouldn't wake up.

"HELP!"