MINE

Chapter Twenty Five

A/N: hey guys!! Here is a treat for you all. Suppose to be I will be posting this tomorrow. But then, I might be busy tomorrow so here you go. Enjoy reading and, uhm, wag sana kayong magalit sa akin sa mababasa niyo. Hehehe. ;)

PinkAngel ♥♡♥

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Part ONE of Chapter Twenty Five

We rode the car in silence. I couldn't believe that we would finally be doing it—our escape.

Last night, Stephan handed me the phone. I was surprised to hear my mother's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hija, Elizabeth," Mama said.

"Ma! How are you? Where is Papa?" Tumingin ako kay Stephen na nasa tabi ko. "May problema ba?"

"No dear. Wala naman. Gusto ko lang sabihin na mag-ingat ka. I heard you have plans to go out of the country, although your Papa and I have no idea when or where. Pero we just want to be sure that you are doing it on your own decision, at hindi ka lang napilitan."

Mama's concern brought tears to my eyes. Hindi ko alam kung magkikita pa rin kami, pero nakapagdesisyon na rin ako. "Sarili ko pong desisyon ito, Ma. Dont worry—I will be fine. Pero, paano mo naman nalaman ang plano namin, Ma?"

"He was here, your fiance."

"My what?"

"That vampire, Mr. Villaroyal. He said he was your fiance."

Tinaasan ko ng isang kilay si Stephen at nagbikit-balikat lamang ito na parang nagsasabing "ano na naman ba ang ginawa ko?"

"I see," I told Mama. "Ano naman ang pakay niya riyan?"

"He went to see us a couple of days ago, and he asked us to leave our home."

I was ready to give Stephen an angry holler when Mama said, "Nag-aalala kasi siya sa aming kaligtasan lalo na't aalis kayo ng bansa. Kaya naman ay nakipagkoordinasyon siya sa iyong Papa at dalawa silang nag-ayos para sa aming pag-alis. As a matter of fact, we will be leaving in about... ten minutes from now."

"Ang bilis naman, Ma! Saan ba kayo pupunta?"

"We cannot tell you as of now, at mas mabuti na rin iyon para sa kaligtasan nating lahat." There was a long pause before mama said, "We will miss you, hija. And we hope that you will find your happiness with him. Your papa and I are deeply sorry for forcing you to be in that situation in the first place. Kung hindi ka sana namin pinilit—"

"Kung hindi po ito nangyari, hindi ko po makikilala si Stephen." At kung hindi ako pumasok sa buhay ni Stephen, walang tutulong na humilom ang kanyang sugat at habambuhay siyang maghihiganti at magkikimkim ng galit sa puso nito.

Masasabi kong nakatakda talagang mangyari itong lahat. Ang buhay ng lahat ng mga tao ay magkakaugnay. It was a ripple effect—I was able to heal Stephen, and Stephen withdrew his support for the Bloodslave contract. Darating rin ang araw na makakalaya kaming lahat sa mapangahas na kontrol ng mga bampirang makapangyarihan.

Dahil sa ginawang hakbang ni Stephen, nagkakagulo ngayon sa konseho ng mga bampira, at hati ang opinyon ng mga bampira.

In Stephen's absence, according to him, isinusulong ni Marcus ang pagbubuwag ng mga kontrata. I wonder why Marcus was doing it? I always thought he enjoyed his women. But then again, maybe something happened that changed his mind.

I spoke to Papa as well, and we said our goodbyes afterwards. Kaya pala abala si Stephen nitong mga nakaraang araw. Inaayos pala nito ang pagtatago nina Mama at Papa.

Lumingon ako sa kanya at tinaasan ng isang kilay. "So. Engaged na pala ako with out me knowing it. Tell me, kailan pa kita naging fiance?"

Parang nagmukhang bata si Stephen na nahulihang gumawa ng kalokohan nang isinuksok niya ang mga kamay sa bulsa ng kanyang pantalon at yumuko, looking so guilt of his crimes. "Naisip ko kasi na mas tatanggapin ng mga magulong mo ang tulong ko kung sasabihin ko iyon."

Napahalakhak lamang ako. "Kita mo ang ginawa mong pagsisinungaling na 'yon. Mama will be heartbroken when she realizes we lied."

"Oh, I'm sure she will not be heartbroken."

"And why is that?"

"Because I will marry you. That is if you will accept a vampire for a husband."

Nakanganga lamang ako nang inangat ko ang mga mata ko at tinitigan ang mukha ni Stephen. I wasn't sure if I understood what he had just said. "Are you...?"

"Yes, I am. Will you marry me?" May binuksan siyang maliit na kahon na may lamang singsing. "I am not a very romantic vampire, and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. But what I do know is I want to be part of your life. What I am trying to say is, will you, Elizabeth Montemayor, allow me to be your man—I mean, vampire—for the rest of your life?"

I ended up bursting with laughter. Stephen, on the other hand, ended up looking hurt and confused.

"Why are you laughing at my proposal?" he asked. "Is this your way of rejecting me?"

I forced myself to calm down. "No. I'm just overcome with joy. 'Yun lang. Of course I will accept you, silly. I love you, that's why."

Thinking about his proposal that night brought a smile to my face. I felt Stephen's hand on mine.

"What is that smile for?" tanong niya.

"Wala naman." When all of this is over, when we would be able to escape unharmed tonight, I would soon be his wife. That was enough reason to smile. "Malayo pa ba tayo?"

"Andito na tayo." Una siyang bumaba sa sasakyan kasama ng mga bodyguards sa kabilang sasakyan. At nang nasigurado na niyang ligtas sa labas, saka niya ako pinababa.
The dead cold night greeted my senses. And although far from where we are, city lights still blinkered and large planes where taxiing in the far runway, the part where we were was almost deserted.

"Hindi ba nasa kabila lang ang international airport? Bakit dito tayo pumunta?" nagtataka kong tanong.

"Using commercial planes might jeopardize our escape. We will use a private jet."

May nilapitan si Stephen na isang lalaki. Mukhang hindi ito ang piloto naming. Marahil ay isa ito sa mga ground personel. Kahit sa dilim ay nakita kong kumunot-ang noo ni Stephen, at isang tango lamang ang ginawa niya at dalawa sa kanyang mga tauhan ang umakyat ng eroplano. Bigla naman akong pinalibutan ng mga bodyguards.

"May problema ba?" tanong ko.

"Bumalik na po tayo sa sasakyan, Miss Elizabeth," ang tanging sagot sa akin ni Lenard.

Nakita kong lumabas ang dalawang bodygurad sa loob ng eroplano at umiling, at iyon ang hudyat para kay Stephen upang lumingon sa aking direksyon. Nakita kong nagbago ang kanyang ekspresyon sa mukha. Takot ang nakita ko sa kanyang mga mata nang isinigaw niya ang pangalan ko, at akmang tatakbo siya papunta sa akin nang may mga pigurang sumulpot sa magkakaibang direksyon at tinambangan si Stephen.

Mga putok ng baril ang sunod kong narinig, at pilit akong itinutulak ng grupo ni Lenard pabalik ng sasakyan.

Tuluyan nang napalibutan si Stephen hanggang sa hindi ko na siya makita pa.

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