CAPTIVATED

Chapter 32

Tuloy-tuloy sa pagpatak ang aking mga luha, habang dinadama ang mainit na yakap ni Janine.

I'm crying but it's not because I'm sad, or mad, or anything. I'm happy and nervous at the same time. It feels fulfilling but it also feels like a responsibility.

Tinapos namin ang concert na parehong sumasabay sa kanta. It felt so good to be with the person that you love.

Nang makalabas sa arena, tuluyang naglaho ang pagdududa na naramdaman ko.

There's Tiffany with Jane waiting for us. Sa gilid nila, si Aubrey at si Nathalie. At sa pinakadulo, ang emotionless na si Catherine kasama ang girlfriend niyang si Madison.

"Sorry..." Tiffany apologetically said as she goes towards me to give me a hug.

Yumakap ako pabalik at bahagyang hinampas ang braso niya. Others came towards us to congratulate us with the engagement.

Sabay-sabay kaming nag dinner pagkatapos. Sa kanan ko nakaupo si Janine at sa kaliwa naman si Nathalie.

Nath has a lot of explaining to do. Mukhang seryosohan na yung sa kanila ni Aubrey.

I'm closed to Aubrey but not closed enough to ask her about these things. Sabihin pa niya na chismosa ako.

Tamang kain lang ang ginagawa ko habang sasabat lang sa pinag uusapan nila kapag tinatanong. When Nathalie excused herself, tumayo rin ako at nag presentang sumama sa kanya.

"Ano?" she asked immediately when we entered the comfort room.

Parehas kaming sa repleksyon ng isat-isa nakatingin.

"Bwisit ka," natatawang sabi ko habang naglalakad papalapit sa hand-dryer. "Seryoso na kayo?" I asked.

"I don't know..."

"Stop playing safe with your answers. I'm not a media or something." napapalakas na na sambit ko sa kanya.

She laughed at me as she answer again.

"Seryoso na." she said.

Nakatingin sa amin si Aubrey nang lumabas pabalik sa mesa. She wasn't looking at me at all. Kay Nathalie lang at masyadong malalim ang titig niya.

Fortunately, Aubrey is way easier to read than Catherine and Jessica. Those two are too hard to read. Masyadong misteryoso at malulunod ka lang kung lalanguyin mo.

I can see possessiveness in Aubrey. She's no jealous over me. It's more like... She's insecure over something.

I can somehow see myself in her. The only difderence is that I can at least see my own worth. At kaya kong pahalagahan ang sarili ko. But in Aubrey, she's too in love with Nathalie.

Natapos ang dinner sa tulong ng isang bote ng wine. I was about to ask Nathalie a question about Althea. Her ex. But I was stopped by my own thoughts. Ayaw kong mag away pa silang dalawa ni Aubrey.

Nang makauwi, I took a shower first before Janine. Nang makapag bihis, humiga na ako sa kama. When Janine went outside of the bathroom, she straight up went to me. Ni hindi ko napansin kanina na may dala na pala siyang pantulog sa loob.

"Thank you baby..." I gave her a kiss as I said that. "I love you." I whispered.

"Anything for my baby." she answered with a confident smile. "I'm sorry for making you cry earlier." iniayos niya ang pag kakaunan ko sa braso niya.

"It was Tiffany's plan, isn't it?"

"She told me that we'll be able to pull it off so..." she shrugged both of her shoulders.

Binigyan ko ulit siya ng isa pang halik sa labi. Para kasing iniimbitahan nila ako sa t'wing panonoorin ko siyang magsalita.

"It was Aubrey who invited everyone. Siya gumastos ng tickets and all that. Nandon kami nakaupo, two rows above you."

Humikab ako dahil sa dala ng antok at kapaguran. Mas inilapit ko ang sarili kay Janine.

"We're finally getting married!" I excitedly said but my voice is a bit hoarse.

"Sleep now," she whispered.

Hinalikan niya ang sintido ko bago haplusin sa banayad na paraan ang nananahimik na likod. She even planted soft and little kisses on my shoulder.

"I love you, baby... We need to talk to my family." I said as darkness succumb me to sleep.

Nagising ako sa sunod-sunod na katok sa pinto ng kwarto namin. Nang tumingin ako sa alarm clock sa gilid, nakita kong 6 AM pa lang.

Hindi na ako nagulat nang makitang si Aubrey ang mainagy na kumakatok sa amin. She looked at me with her shocked expression.

"You two didn't have sex last night?" she asked.

Inirapan ko siya bago matawa at umiling. Bahagya siyang pumasok sa kwarto at nakitang tulog ang pinsan niyang bihis rin.

"Oh my God, ang hina ni Janine." she laughed. "Nasa baba si Reese. I have something to do."

Tumango lang ako at hindi nagsalita. I went inside the bathroom to take a shower. Wala na akong nadatnan na Janine paglabas.

"You just need to convince tito. Your mom is fine with it." I heard Janine.

Sasagot sana si Aubrey pero pinigilan niya ang sarili nang makita niya ako. Tumapik siya sa pinsan at humalik sa anak bago lumapit sa akin para humalik sa pisngi ko.

At mula noon, wala na akong naging contact sa kanya. Umabot pa ng limang buwan bago kami mag pang abot sa penthouse ni Janine.

She was so shocked to see me. Bitbit niya si Reese na mukhang walang alam sa nangyayari.

I remembered when Nathalie asked me about Aubrey but I couldn't say anything because I know nothing about her disappearance. Isang beses lang naman nag tanong si Nathalie at hindi na siya umulit pagkatapos.

I wanted to ask questions pero inunahan niya akong magsalita.

"I'll get going now." she said with her cold voice.

"Anong nangyari sa inyo?" I asked. I even held her arm to stop her from walking.

Humalik siya kay Reese bago mag sabing mag uusap raw kaming dalawa.

"Please don't tell Nathalie anything about me." she held my hand and pulled me closer to her.

"I don't want to meddle between the two of you. Ang tanong ko, anong nangyari?"

She breathed out and her eyes watered immediately.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered.

Without explanation, she hugged me and left the penthouse.

Ang gulo nilang mag pipinsan talaga. Naalala ko lang tuloy noong pinakilala ko si Janine kina mommy bilang mapapangasawa ko na.

She was shocked but my brothers aren't. Mom asked about Janine's life and she said that it's fine to marry me after knowing how wealthy Janine's life is!

Ang bruhildang 'yon! Kulang na lang talaga ay ipamigay niya ako ng buong buo.

She even said that bahala na raw si Janine sa mga plano niya sa akin. Ang mahalaga raw, alagaan namin si Reese nang maayos.

Inasikaso ko ang anak buong araw at nag kwentuhan kami tungkol sa mga kung anu-anong bagay. Bukas kasi, kukunin siya ni Belle dahil may promise raw 'yon sa kanya na aalis silang dalawa.

When Janine arrived in the evening, nay dala na siyang dinner para sa aming tatlo. We ate our dinner just like what normal family does.

That got me thinking kung paano kaya kapag talagang anak na namin ni Janine ang kasama naming kumain.

Sa mga bagay na sigurado ako, isa roon ang pagbuo ng pamilya kasama siya.