Run Into my Arms (TO BE PUBLISHED)

Chapter 01

Yasmine Hezr

I only wish that I’m free to do anything I want.

I did my best to become their good daughter. I’ve been an achiever since I was a kid until now, I have a lot of certificates, medals, awards, etc. It’s that not enough?

Why do they need to pursue me marrying someone I don’t love?

“Hey, girl. Are you okay?” Pauline asked.

I nodded, trying to look okay.

Hindi na siya muling nagtanong at nanahimik na lang. I guess she knows I’m not okay and she understands that I don’t want to talk about my problems.

Pauline knows everything about me, she’s the only person I trust so much.

We’re heading to our classroom now, every people we passed by were all busy. College life I guess. We’re already in our third year of college. We are BS Tourism students.

I’m planning to be flight attendant, itong si Pauline ay gaya-gaya lang. Ewan ko na lang kung ano ang pangarap nito sa buhay but I know she already have or wala talaga.

“Hoy, saan punta niyo?” Alaisah, one of our friends asked.

“To our classroom?”

She chuckled. Alaisah looks so innocent but she’s not. She’s kinda wild, not in bed, ha? She’s wild when it comes to partying. In short she’s a party girl. Social butterfly rin ito.

“Wala raw pasok,” aniya.

She have an angelic face, and even her voice. Kapag galit naman siya o sumisigaw ay hindi mo alam kung galit ba siya o hindi. Ang inosente kasi niyang tignan — pero hindi talaga siya inosente.

“Why raw?”

Nagkibit balikat siya at sumabay na sa amin maglakad. “Milktea tayo?” aya niya at hinila na kami.

Hindi na kami nakaangal pa, hindi man lang hinintay ang sagot namin. Anyway, it’s fine. We still have three hours before our next subject.

“Hoy ang lakas ng loob mong hilahin kami hindi mo rin pala kami ililibre,” pagmamaktol ni Pauline.

Para siyang bata habang nagpapadyak sa semento kaya pareho kaming napailing ni Alaisah.

“She’s crazy,” bulong niya sa akin at pareho kaming natawa.

“Tinatawa-tawa niyo r’yan?”
Hindi na namin pinansin ito at nag-order na lang. Bahala siya magmaktol, nagugutom na rin ako.

I just ordered wintermelon milk tea with 50% of sugar, and one slice of blueberry cheesecake.

“Mcdo tayo after nito?” I asked.

“Gutom na gutom, beh?”

Tumango lang ako. Dessert muna bago lunch.

Sumimsim ako ng milk tea ko at kinuha ang laptop ko. Pachill-chill lang ako ngayon pero ang totoo niyan  ang daming kong pending tasks na kailangan na naming ipasa.

I started typing my research paper — my topis is  about Hospitality in religion. Well, I like my topic, tho. I can learn and explore from different religions in the world and kung ano ang pagkakaiba-iba nila sa pagtanggap ng mga bisita.

I sipped my milk tea again and eat my cake. The two were talking about some random things. Hindi na ako nakinig sa kanila, wala rin naman akong interes.

“By the way, your husband is so handsome,” rinig kong sambit ni Alaisah.

Pauline is married with a muslim guy. Well, balik-islam siya. She have reason for sure, alam kong hindi lang ’yon about sa pagmamahal niya sa asawa niya. It’s her choice not mine, and I respect her.