“D-Dad”, nauutal kong sabi nang makita ang aking ama na kabilang sa mga taong kapapasok lamang sa silid. Some of my bodyguards were there, too but they stayed right at the door. Pinanuod ko ang paglapit ni Dad kung nasaan ako. Nakamasid sya kay Gino na mukhang hindi naman natitinag sa aking tabi. Pilit kong kinukuha ang aking kamay mula sa kanya pero wala yata syang balak pakawalan iyon.
“Let go”, I silently whispered and he ignored me. He was pressing his fingers on my hand caging it like a prisoner. I could feel the ring around my finger.
Marry me, Cresia.
Gino said. It was not asking. He was not giving me any choice, huh. I couldn’t even say no.
“Did you just propose to my daughter?”, the booming voice of my father interrupted my reverie. Nahigit ko ang aking hininga sa kanyang tanong. My eyes landed again on my lap, still trying to free my hand from Gino’s grasp but failed miserably.
“Yes, Sir”
My father’s forehead creased greatly. Kung hinid lang seryoso ang usapan ay baka nasabi ko na na baka ma-deform ang mukha nya sa sobrang pagkakalukot. My old man’s gaze turned to me as if waiting for me to say something. And I couldn’t say anything, that’s the thing. Kahit ako ay sariwa pa ang pagkagulat at tinitimbang ang katotohanan ng mga pangyayari.
“Did you already say say, Princess?’, he asked me directly. Naramdaman ko ang bahagyang paghigpit ng kamay ni Gino sa akin. It was as if telling me to say yes.
“She already has a ring on her finger, Sir. We kissed and we already ha se—“
What the hell!
Sa panibagong pagkagulat ko sa hula ko’y sunod nyang sasabihin ay napaahon ako kaagad para takpan ang kanyang bibig. Why was he being so vulgar? Nababaliw na ba sya?
Halos nakatayo na ako sa kama para lang maabot sya. His hand immediately supported me and kept me from falling.
“Sit down”, matigas nyang utos sa likod ng aking kamay. His voice was muffled but it could still be heard clearly.
“What the hell are you talking abdout? Bakit mo iyon sinasabi sa harap ni Dad? Are you crazy?” pagalit kong sabi.
Kinalas nya ang kamay ko sa pagkakatakip sa kanyang bibig.
“It’s true anyway”
“Still!”
“Eherm”, Dad cleared his throat. I momentarily forgot about him. He was watching the two of us with amusement written all over his face. “Should I just leave the two of you alone?”
I bit my lip and sat back down on the bed.
“And may I remind the two of you, Cresia is still engaged to Zeo who just sacrificed his life for my daughter. I think this engagement is invalid”, naglakad sya sa malapit na upuan at doon pumwesto. His aging skin was visible.
At tama sya. I was still engage to Zeo. Guilt crept into me again. Can I really tell him to break off the engagement after what happened?
“We will talk to him once he wakes up”, si Gino ang smagot.
“Cresia?”, my Dad asked me. He always wanted to hear my opinion about things. This was what I love about my father, he gives me the freedom to decide for myself unless I clearly not capable to.
Hindi ako makasagot dahil hindi ko alam kung kaya ko. He did sacrificed himself for me and now lying on the hospital bed unconscious.
“While you’re thinking, can I talk to Gino?”
Doon ako kinabahan. After what I broke down the last time, even though I didn’t tell anything to my father about the true reason which is Gino, I knew he knew it all along. He just chose not to say anything and now I was guessing he would.
I nodded at my father. Ngumiti sya at lumapit para humalik sa aking pisngi. Hinaplos nya ang bahaging kanyang hinalikan. His eyes were gentle. Then he walked out the door. Nagbilin muna sya sa mga body guards na nandoon bago lumabas.
I then felt Gino crouched down to me and kissed my forehead.
“Mabilis lang kami. Lie down and rest some more. I’ll be back”, he whispered to me. Humakabang na sya palayo pero hinuli ko ang kanyang kamay. Nilingon nya ako nang may pagtatanong sa kanyang mukha. Tumaas ang kilay nya pero wala akong mabitawang salita. He smiled gently and walked back a little, enough to reach me again.
“Are you worried?”, he asked. Ayoko sanang aminin.
Tumango ako. Nag-aalala ako sa magiging resulta ng kanilang usapan.
“Don’t be. Nothing and no one can change what I feel for you right now”, yumuko sya nang bahgaya para maglebel ang aming tingin. His words warmed my heart. It put a smile on my face. Just thinking of his feelings for me was enough for me to be happy.
“You don’t know that”, I tested him again.
“Tsss. I am so in love with you right now and you are doubting me?”
Ngumuso ako para itago ang nagbabalak na paglapad ng ngiti ko.
“I am not doubting you. It’s just so unbelievable”, tugon ko. He held my chin on his finger and pressed his lips gently on my lips at first.
“You have to stop doing that. If you keep saying that, I might do something about it”. Humimig ang paghahamon sa kanyang salita.
Sa halip na matakot ay nakaramdam ako ng kapilyahan at pagkasabik.
“What would you do then?”
Gino narrowed his eyes on me. May pagdududa sa kanyang mga tingin ngayon. He knew what I was thinking.
“You’re really naughty, baby. You have to stop that, too. I am barely controlling myself and I have to talk to your Dad now”
Lumayo sya pagkagawad ng isa pang halik sa labi ko. Nabawasan ang aking pangamba. Pinanuod ko ang kanyang paglabas. Nang masiguro na malayo na siya ay bumaba ako sa kama. Agad naging alerto ang mga tauhan ng aking ama at pinagmamasdana ng aking kilos. Tinaasan ko sila ng kilay.
“What?”. Isinuot ko ang aking tsinelas at naglakad na.
“You are not allowed to go out of this room, Ma’am”, sabi nang isa.
“Pupuntahan ko lang si Zeo.” Muli akong humakbang pero pinigil na naman ako.
“Hindi po talaga pwede, Ma’am”
“Come with me then para mabantayan nyo pa rin ako. Kailangan ko talagang puntahan si Zeo, please”
Nagulat silang dalawa sa sinabi ko. marahil dahil nakikiusap ako ngayon. Sa huli ay nakumbinsi ko sila na samahan ako. Sila na rin ang kumuha ng impormasyon kung saang silid ang sadya ko. Halos lahat ng makasalubong namin ay iwas at talagang walang nakakalapit.
If Gino was willing to fight for us, I might do it as well. And I will start with clearing things up with Zeo.
Dumating kami sa tapat ng pinto at marahan iyong binuksan ng bodyguard. Katulad ko ay mayroon ding bantay sa kwarto nya. I walked in and saw him there. Nakahiga at wala pa ring malay. And one thing bothered me.
No one was there except for his body guard. I felt lonely for him. Lumakad ako palapit sa kanyang higaan at naupo sa upuang nasa tabi noon. The sound of the machine was so clear because it was so quiet there except for it. Nakalabas sa kumot ang kanyang kamay ay kinuha ko iyon. I held it between mine.
“Hey, wake up, Zeo. I need to tell you something”, simula ko.
