Taming Alliston

Chapter 27

Alliston

"I need to get married."

Mula sa pinipirmahang papeles ay unti-unting umangat yung mukha ni Louella. Her grey eyes perfectly landed in mine.

"I'm sorry?" Ibinaba nito yung hawak nitong fountain pen.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim. Kinakabahan din na pinatatag ko yung loob ko.

It's okay, Alliston. You just need to tell it to Louella. Break up with her and find someone who will be willing to lend his name on you. That's easy as pie.

"I need to get married, Pooper." I nod my head slightly for conviction. "Let's call it quits? Let's say na we just didn't work out. Tapos I'll keep a lowkey marriage with some random guy that I can pay w-"

"Why?"

"What?" Is she asking on why I need to get married?

Umangat yung kilay nito. Pati nga yung labi nito ay nagtikom na din. "Why do you need to get married, Alli bear? I thought you aren't a believer of it?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako. Much as I want to remain single and mind my own life, I just can't disown my own parents. If that's the only way that they can accept me back, I'd rather do it. What's paying someone to pose as my pretend partner for just a year? That's easy nowadays.

"My parents are insisting that I should get married the soonest." Hindi ko na idinagdag na sobrang galit sakin ngayon si daddy dahil sa kumakalat na balita. They are so ashamed that I was a part of that controversial issues. Lalo pa at may mga balitang kumakalat na may sex videos pa nga daw ako. Though I am not sure if meron pa ngang natirang kopya na hindi nakuha ni Louella.

"Just your parents say so?" Nawala yung kaseryosohan ng mukha ni Louella at napalitan ng pagkainis. "You have your own mind, Alli bear! Can't you decide for yourself? Por que gusto nila na ganito ganyan, you'll just do it even if it's against your own will? You're not even a puppet, for Pete's sake!"

I rolled my eyes. Bakit ba sya nagagalit?

"First, I don't even know who's Pete so I don't fucking care." Inangat ko yung kamay ko bago pa ito makapagsalita pabalik. "Second, this is still my life and you have no rights to question on how I want to run it. Third, I am just informing you for the sake of our transparency because I promise you that I will never deceive you. Nothing else."

Bahagyang lumambot yung expression nito matapos akong titigan ng ilang segundo. Sumandal ito sa inuupuan nitong swivel chair at marahang hinilot yung noo.

"Are you having a headache?" Kaswal na tanong ko at saka lumapit dito. Napangiti pa ako ng mapapikit ito nang dumampi yung kamay ko sa noo niya. But instead of letting me to massage her forehead, she just held my hand and kissed the top of it.

"I'm worried about you, Alli bear." Hinatak nya ako palapit sa kanya para mapaupo ako sa lap nya. "You should do things because it pleases you and not because it will please the people around you. Marrying someone won't solve a thing about the current issues you're facing right now. Rumors will still spread like fire."

Napapagod na isinandal ko yung mukha ko sa leeg niya. Napapikit na lang ako habang sinasamyo yung natural na amoy niya.

Honey and Wine. Sweet and tempting.

"You could marry right now, tingin mo ba your parents will stop making demands after it? Sa susunod, siguradong babies naman yung hihingin nila sayo. O di kaya naman ay ipagpatuloy mo yung paglalaro ng tennis. Or maybe, to take over the family business. If you'll just let them have their way again, the list will continue. It won't stop."