When The Love Falls

Voices from the East

I was at home- playing my favorite video game, Dance Revolution when I smelled the mouth-watering pizza Ana was baking. I stopped the game and went to her to ask why she was baking some.
"What are these for?"
"Oh, your relatives from Beijing are coming for dinner! They told you about it. Didn't they?"
I looked at her eyes while trying to think of what to answer. I couldn't find the words after I realized that again- I wasn't informed about the events around so I just said, "yeah? OK!" Then I continued playing.

Time passed and they came. I didn't know who they were because most of our relatives are in Beijing. Until Bella Liao, my 20-year old cousin exclaimed, "Hey! Hallo! Hallo!" She really looked like an ancient Chinese lady. No kidding. She was like an old Chinese woman trapped in a 20-year old body!
"So, how are you and the guy?" She asked as she got a slice of bacon pizza.
"The guy?" I asked
"The one you're marrying! Come on? Tell me." she chuckled.
"The guy? Oh, of course. Ivan. We're OK." I blankly answered.
"Good friends?"
"Why would we?!" I raised my voice.
"Coz it's the best thing to do! Hey, Bea. Look, like you, Hans and I started as enemies. Literally! We always fight, we always play tricks and embarrass each other. Until we learned how to bear with each other's company."
"Wait. what? You were allowed to see each other?"
"No! Of course not. But because we didn't understand the 'no seeing' rule, we broke the rule."
"And then?"
"It all went out to be the exact opposite. We became friends and sooner, we learned how to love each other."
I was muted after she uttered the last word without even knowing why. It felt like all her words entered my left ear then came out on the right.

"Where is your husband by the way?" I walked back to the living room and sat on the red couch.
"Oh, he's on the way here? With my dad. Because you know? A lot of changes in the company, so they always have to work overtime." she continued eating pizza. "Is he lovely?" She added.

I slapped my forehead with my palm and whispered, for God's sake Bella! I shrugged my shoulders instead of answering her.
"Little did I know, I became a better person since everything about us started to fall into place." she smiled at me.
Ana came and announced that the others arrived. So my cousin and I went to the garden to see them. We exchanged hugs and kisses, laughters were everywhere-loud and crispy. We had Kangaroo steak aside from the pizza and some grilled asparagus as well.

While the rest was having fun, my other cousin who's name is Catherine came to talk to me. Cate is a 19 year old lady married to a 22-year older Chinese guy.

We walked to the gazebo as she requested and before speaking, she stared at me pretty long. I got awkward because we were really not close then here we were, talking as if we've known each other's dimness.
"You have to take care of yourself. Remember, just a week and everything around's gonna be different." she warned with an aggression in her voice.
"What you mean?"
"Calvin and I were not doing fine! He hurts me whenever he wants to!-" she was shaking.
"Why don't you tell your parents about it?" I asked.
She pulled me closer and looked around "coz things will fall from their places. And I don't want that to happen. do you?" I shook my head and left her a look-an afraid look. I was totally confused. Should I worry or not? Either of them is correct so how will I prepare myself for the things that are yet to come?

I sat at the pool area where there was no one. I sat in silence and listened to the sounds of the dancing trees alongside the home. I looked up above and pointed a star as if it was near.
"You! You guard me OK? I don't know the life that awaits me after my wedding. No one could ever tell me what the events are gonna be. But whatever that is, I know you won't leave me and you will always watch over me. You gotta do that. You hear me?!"