Eukrania Academy

CHAPTER 20: The Favor

"I am sorry to hear that."

"But now's a different thing. Nakikipaglaro sila sa isang bagay na wala naman talaga silang ideya kung ano ang ibig sabihin. They do not know anything about love, even a single thing. They are just thinking about their money and other material things. They are just messing with my own feelings."

May diin sa bawat salitang binibigkas niya.

He took a deep breath.

"This time, I would not let them dictate for my life because I do not want to be miserable for the rest of my life. Gusto ko na sa puntong ito, maging masaya naman ako. Magkaroon man lang ako ng kalayaan na pumili ng babaeng papakasalan at mamahalin ko sa habang-buhay."

"George, hindi naman ako iyon, 'diba?"

Tumingin siya sa akin, at ngumiti. "Huwag kang mag-alala dahil sa ngayon, hindi ko pa siya natatagpuan."

I smiled back at him.

"Pero mukhang malapit ko na siyang mahanap," at tumingin siya sa malayo.

Pareho kaming nakatingin sa kawalan. Hindi ko alam na sa marangya niyang pamumuhay, may ganito kabigat pala siyang dinadala. Sa kabila ng positibo niyang karakter ay may negatibo pala siyang pinagdaraanan.

Hindi nga siguro natin lubusang kilala ang mga taong nasa paligid natin. We may know some things about them, but not the entirety of their story. Unless, they speak about it.

"So, ano nang plano mo?"

"I will introduce you as my girlfriend. Once they knew about it, it is either they would realize that they were wrong and just accept my decision or they would continue force me to marry that girl then I will walk away, because I honestly do not care about their money."

"But why me? Wala ka bang girlfriend o naging girlfriend para naman may basis ka sa nararamdaman mo. Don't get me wrong. I want to help as much as I can, pero wala pa akong nagiging boyfriend at hindi pa ako ready na pumasok sa isang relasyon."

He laughed hard, really hard.

"Bakit ka tumatawa? May mali ba sa sinabi ko?"

"Wala, wala. Natutuwa lang ako sa ekspresyon mo. But to tell you honestly, wala akong girlfriend at wala pa akong nagiging girlfriend since birth. I had crushes, but I knew that they were not love. Sabi ko kasi sarili ko, kapag nagka-girlfriend ako, siya na talaga ang papakasalan at mamahalin ko. Alam iyon ng parents ko, dahil iyon ang mukhang bibig ko kapag tinatanong nila ako kung bakit wala pa akong nobya. So, I think we're quits?"

"Ibig sabihin-"

"No, you're thinking the wrong way. Ipapakilala lang kita as my girlfriend para itigil na nila ang plano nilang pagpapakasal sa akin. Gusto kasi nilang makasal kami sa lalong madaling panahon para ma-settle na iyong business namin. Kaya habang hindi ko pa nahahanap ang babaeng para talaga sa akin, ikaw muna ang aaktong girlfriend ko."

"Wala na ba talagang ibang paraan? I mean, kahit sabihin nating isa lamang role play 'to, ikaw pa rin ang magiging first boyfriend ko. Hindi pa ako ready."

Tumawa na naman siya nang napakalakas.

"Don't worry. Hindi naman ito totoo. I'll just introduce you, then that's it. We don't have to play it that much. I just want them to know that I do not like what they want for me. I hope they realize it very soon, and be enlightened about the reality that love isn't something that's enforceable because it is really not like that," he seriously stared at me. "Because love is pure, real, and natural. Sometimes you feel it, sometimes you fall for it, and sometimes you do not realize it until you cannot keep it out of your head."