Come Inside

I

ELAINE was holding a wine glass on her left hand while clutching on her date's arm. She's tensed with all those stares her relatives give her. They were very judgmental. She looked at him but he just gave her a reassuring smile, as if it was sending a message that everything is alright even if it doesn't seem to be alright. She looked at her left hand, at her left ring finger to be exact. She smiled bitterly as she remembered she's not marrying Jacob anymore. She left him and the ring.

"Okay ka lang?" She jumped off in surprise when the man beside her touched her shoulder. "You're idling." She put her wine glass down then she tugged his hand off her shoulder. She felt uncomfortable with his touch. It was very disturbing.

"I'm sorry. Pupunta lang ako sa CR," she hastily removed her hand clutching around his muscular arms then went to the bathroom. She ran her fingers through her hair as she pace back and forth. Iba ang pakiramdam niya dahil pakiramdam niya ay niloloko niya si Jacob kahit tinapos na niya ang relasyon nila. Agad siyang napalingon sa pinto ng CR nang bumukas iyon at pumasok ang kanyang mama.

Her mother smiled at her, but not the heat-warming kind of smile. It was a devious smile. "He's better than your old man, isn't he?" She said as she walk in front of the mirror beside her. Her mother was staring at her using the mirror, her arms folded across her chest. "Kael is far more better than-what is his name again? Ah, Jacob is his name, right? The outcast."

That made her more raged. Gusto niyang umapela ngunit ano ang ipanglalaban niya? Na mahal nila ang isa't-isa? Na kapag mahal mo ang isang tao, mahirap man o mayaman, tatanggapin kayo ng lipunan ng walang sasabihing masama? She cocked her head to the left, avoiding contact with her mother's judging eyes. She remained silent, pretending to be deaf because she's hurt of what her mother said about Jacob.

"I need to go," she said, almost a whisper, almost running out of voice.

"It's rude that you left your fiancé alone." And she shut the door.

With furrowed brows and trembling hands, she marched into the hall where a party was being celebrated - her engagement party with Kael Rodriguez, son of her father's best friend and business partner, Kiro Rodriguez. Sa totoo lang ay ayaw niyang ikasal kay Kael, at ayaw rin niyang ikasal dahil lang sinabi ng kanyang magulang na ikasal siya sa kahit sinong lalaki na gusto ng mga ito para sa kanya. Kaya siya naglasing kasama ang dati niyang nobyo at fiancé, si Jacob. Alam niyang may nangyari sa kanila, and it was wonderful! At sa gabing iyon lang din niya nalaman na alam pala ng mga magulang niya ang balak niyang pagtakas at pakikipagtanan kay Jacob.

"Elaine, honey, there you are! Kanina pa tayo hinahanap nila lolo." She stopped on her track, then she looked back only to find Kael tailing her in a fast pace. Hinawakan siya nito sa pulsuhan at hinigit papasok sa hall. Dinala siya nito sa mga magulang nila, her father was there with Kael's parents. Her mother? Hell knows where her goddamn mother is. "Smile, honey."

She doesn't want to be rude on them so she smiled, a fake smile no one could ever tell if it is real or not. Si Jacob lang ang may alam kung peke o hindi ang ngiti niya. Only Jacob could tell... If only Jacob was there he would have scolded her.

His father seemed to feel their presence. Tumingin na rin sa kanila ang mga magulang ni Kael. Ngumiti ang mga ito sa kanila.

"Get ready. The highlight of this celebration is about to start." Tumingin sa kanya ang mama ni Kael, Kyla Rodriguez. She knows his mother very well. Dahil ito ang unang nakaalam na may relasyon sila ni Jacob, ito rin ang nagpaalam sa magulang niya na may karelasyon siya na hindi nila kabilang. Pera lang ang habol niya sa 'yo, iyon pa ang eksaktong sinabi ng Tita Kyla niya sa kanya.