Of all the things

Chapter Ten

Surprise, Hailey.

Hailey's

BUONG araw akong hindi mapakali. Today is the day that I am going to meet the man my father chose for me to marry. Hindi naman ako nagrereklamo, pero kinakabahan ako. I have to like that guy no matter what happens, but what if he doesn't like me? Anong mangyayari kung ako nga ang hindi niya gusto? Paano pala iyon? Hahanap na naman ba si Daddy ng ibang tao para pakasalan ako or is it only a one-time thing? Hindi ko alam. I kept pacing around my room, trying to figure out what I would do later.

Of course, I'd be polite. My parents raised me well. I'd be the proper woman that I am, but how would he react to me? What is he like? Ang malinaw lang naman kasi sa akin ay galing siya sa isang magandang pamilya, mayaman sila at kilala rin sa society na ginagalawan namin. If only I could convince my father to give me a name. That's the thing, he doesn't want to tell me anything about the guy that I am meeting. He said that he wanted it to be a surprise. Kung ano – ano tuloy ang naiisip ko. What if he's someone old and balding? I shook my head. Hindi naman siguro ako ikukuha ni Daddy ng isang taong hindi naman maganda ang hitsura. Call me superficial – but of course the appearance matters for me! It's an arrange marriage! I want him to be easy in my eyes! What if he's an eyesore? What if may putok siya? Can I really live with that?!

"Oh my god! I need to tell someone!" I hissed. I took my phone and of course the first person I tried to call is Theo, because he is my Theo and he always know the right words to say, pero sadly, hindi naman siya sumagot sa tawag ko. I pouted. Is he too busy? I want to talk to him. I texted him, naghintay naman ako pero hindi niya nasi-seen ang messages ko. Is he really that fucking busy? I need him now!

Napaupo ako sa kama. I started to sulk. Bakit nga naman niya sasagutin ang tawag ko? Maybe he's studying, or maybe he's out on a date again with one of Mona's friends. Natigilan pa ako. Thinking about Theo going out with some other girl irritates me the most. I gritted my teeth. No! I need him now! Sabi ni Ramona, Theo will drop everything he's doing for me, bakit hindi siya sumasagot ngayon? Ni hindi niya nisi-seen ang messages ko! Could it be that he's really with someone else?

"What's with the face, Hailey?" Sa sobrang focused ko sa pag-iisip kay Theo, hindi ko napansing pumasok na pala sa silid ko si Ate Hyan kasama si Ate Hyacinth. They were both looking at me with the same ridiculous expression painted on their faces. I could only pout. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko, sa sarili ko nga hindi ko maipaliwanag kung bakit ako ganito.

"What are you two doing in my room?" Ate Hyacinth walked towards me and sat beside me.

"We heard about the arrange marriage thing. Sabi ni Uncle Helios, tulungan ka raw namin na kumalma, kaya nandito kami ng ate mo." Sabi pa niya sa akin. Wala na talaga, matutuloy talaga. Having them here makes everything seemed so real. Waka nang atrasan.

"Are you sure about this?" My sister asked me. Nakatingin kami ni Ate Hya sa kanya. "I could talk to Dad about this. Makikinig sa akin iyon." Totoo naman. Makikinig talaga si Daddy kay Ate kasi silang dalawa ang magka- wavelength pagdating sa pag-iisip. Hindi perfect si Ate, she has her own bullshit that Daddy had to deal with before, naging kabit siya ng dati niyang asawa, Daddy had to deal with that, pero wala nang tatalo pa sa kagagahang ginawa ko, and if this is the only thing that could make my father forgive me, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Yes."

"Talaga ba?" Ate Hyan was just making sure.

"A thousand times yes, Ate. I'd do anything for Dad to forgive me."

"Hindi naman siya galit sa'yo, Hals." Sabi pa ni Ate Hyan sa akin. "He is disappointed, actually, lahat kami, we thought that you were the best in this bunch, it turns out, mukhang si Hunter talaga ang pinakamatinong anak ni Daddy." She said all that with bitterness. Napailing na lang siya. "Anyway, if you're willing to put yourself through it, wala na akong magagawa. All I can do for you is pray that the man Daddy chose for you is indeed a good man."