Heat Wave (Disaster Series #2)

Kabanata 12

Promise

My stare got blank ahead, like I'm not even in this moment, I never wanted to be...

"Tequila, baka masunog na iyang niluluto mo!" Ate Ofelia's loud voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

Napapitlag ako at pinagtuonan na ngayon ng pansin ang niluluto. I was thinking about how Mama called me earlier, just when I got home from school. She was all praises towards me but I couldn't seem to be happy about it.

Nabalitaan niya kasi iyong eksena sa school, iyong naging pag-aaway namin noong babae mula sa Business Ad Department. Mabilis na kumalat ang balitang ipinagtanggol daw ako ni Gon.

And yes, he did that. Maybe he threatened to file a lawsuit that the girls who ganged up on me resorted to lowering their prides and apologized to me publicly, broadcasting it all throughout the whole campus.

Nag-apologize rin naman ako sa kanila pagkatapos no'n. Of course, I acknowledge that I had my fair share of mistakes as well. Kung sana hindi na ako pumatol pa sa pinagsasabi niya, edi hindi na sana humantong pa sa ganoon.

But there's no point in blaming myself. Nakatatak na sa isipan ko ang sinabi ni Gon kahapon. He said I was put in a situation where I had to choose between suppressing me feelings and feeling my feelings. And I just chose the right thing...

And he was right. Kasi kung palagi ko na lang ding kikimkimin ang lahat ng sama ng loob, ako ang kawawa sa huli. All the negative emotions will pile up inside of me, turning into pent-up frustration, and maybe... will soon lead me to thoughts about self-destruct.

I want my mind to linger on that particular moment where I felt how he cared for me. But I can no longer think about it when all that echoes inside my head are Mama's words.

Sinabi niyang ang galing ko raw dahil sa ginawa. That it was the best ploy to show everyone how Gonsalvus and I are close.

I so badly wanted to tell her that I didn't plan that. I never wanted to be put in the spotlight just to be humiliated.

But then, on the other hand, it indeed benefited our plan. The gossips about how Gon defended me is slowly spreading throughout El Valencia. So, maybe I should still be happy about it.

And never think much about Mama's lack of worry, about how she didn't ask if ever I got hurt, if ever I'm okay. Pero sa tingin ko, hindi ko na dapat masyadong isipin sa ngayon ang mga ganyan lalo na't sa bukas na ng umaga ang chemotherapy ni Mama.

And today, I also have to face the reality, that I'm solely here for the plan.

At magsisimula na ang totoong plano ngayong pauwi na ang fiancee ni Gon.

Kaya nga busy kaming lahat ngayon sa paghahanda ng hapunan na nagmistulang malaking handaan. Ni hindi na ako nakapagbihis pa mula sa unipormeng suot.

Since everything needs to be perfect for Celest Gabriel's arrival.

I was the one who convinced Gon about giving his engagement with Celest Gabriel a chance. But I never really thought that her coming here will be as soon as today.

Nakatayo ako kasama ang ibang mga kasambahay sa labas, kagaya na lang noong ginawa naming pag-welcome kay Arcus noon. Don Primero and Alita is also here while Gon is not.

Nag-overtime na naman siya ngayon sa trabaho kahit pa sa kabila ng pagkumbinsi ni Don Primero na dapat niyang i-welcome ang pagdating ng fiancee. But then, the Don couldn't ask for more as long as his grandson is willing to compromise for this set-up.

Padilim na nang pumasok ang isang makintab na limousine sa malaki at higanteng gates ng mga Cavallero.

It dramatically parked in front of us, screaming of opulence and elegance. Lumabas ang unipormadong driver doon at pinagbuksan ng pintuan ang nasa backseat.