I Was Forced to Marry My Ex

Chapter 5

It’s 8:00 p.m., but they’re still here, should I leave or stay in the kitchen? I’ve been waiting here for nearly two hours for them to leave.

Sumasakit na ang pwet ko sa bar stool.

I looked at them at mukhang lasing na sila, only Light and Megs were wide awake. Abala sa paglalaro sa kanyang cellphone si Megs, samantalang si Light naman ay nakangiti sa mga lasing niyang kasama habang nakasandal sa kanyang balikat ang tulog na si Elisha.

Our eyes met, and I began to panic because of the way he was looking at me. Mabilis ko namang iniwas ang aking tingin, I couldn’t handle his gaze.

Sa tuwing nagtatagpo ang aming mga mata, muling lumilitaw ang masakit na mga alaala ng nakaraan.

"Guys, I think we need to leave," ani Megs.

"Huh? Mamaya na, hindi pa nabubuksan ang isang alak oh," lasing na sagot ni Erich sabay taas ang bote ng alak. "Cheers!"

Light gently laid Elisha on the sofa and covered her with a blanket. Matapos iyon ay agad siyang dumeritso sa akin.

"Dad called me earlier and told me he wanted us to have dinner tonight," deritsahan niyang sabi. "Gusto niya ng proof."

"Dinner for what?"

"He wants us to show that we get along here, that I take good care of you, and that we genuinely love each other."

I raised my eyebrows. "Why don’t you invite Elisha to join you for dinner, take a photo, and send it to your dad?"

He clenched his jaw and took out his phone from his pocket, dialing a number na hindi ko alam kung kanino. Ilang ring lang ang narinig ko at agad naman itong sinagot. "Dad, please inform Uncle that his daughter doesn’t want to go out with me."

WTF?

"Thank you." ibinalik niya ang cellphone sa kanyang bulsa. "No allowance for two months." dugtong niya na ikinagulat ko.

"What? No way!" I exclaimed. Gosh, I only have 5k in cash and 12k na lang ang natira sa credit card ko.

He looked at me, waiting for my response. "I’ll take that as a yes." and walked away. Napairap na lang ako nang wala sa oras.

***

It wasn’t long before they went home, and I could finally use the living room.

I’m currently in the living room, watching TV while eating kettle popcorn and waiting for my food. Umorder na lang ako because I am too lazy to cook. I enjoy cooking, but not right now.

Why did they even give the yaya a day off? Ano’ng ine-expect nila? Na magluluto ako for us? Yes, I’ll cook for myself, not for him.

Narinig ko ang kotse sa labas hudyat na dumating na si Light, hinatid niya kasi ang kanyang mga kaibigan, including his wife, kanina pasado alas onse at ngayon lang siya nakabalik.

Bumukas ang pinto ngunit hindi ako nag-abalang lumingon, itinuon ko na lang ang pansin sa palabas na pinapanood ko.

Dinig ko ang mga yapak niya palapit dito, hindi pa rin ako lumingon sa kanya. He stood up there for a second and he placed a paper bag above the table kaya napunta ang tingin ko doon.

It’s the food I ordered.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Nabayaran ko na ’yan. You ordered food online but didn’t pay for it."

"Cash sana ipangbabayad ko, pero nabayaran mo na rin naman. Babayaran na lang kita mamaya."

Hindi siya sumagot at umalis.  Nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at binuksan ang tupperware.

I somehow miss him. I mean, I’ve moved on, but I miss the way he used to care for me.

Marami pa rin akong tanong na tumatakbo sa isipan ko.

After I ate, nagpahinga muna ako bago humiga, nakaramdam ako ng antok. I fight not to sleep, pero hindi na talaga kinaya ang antok at nakatulog ako.

***

I woke up feeling a bit dizzy, madilim na ang paligid at iba na ang ilaw dito sa sala, may kumot na ako. Kinuha ko ang phone ko sa table at chineck ang oras.

It’s 8:53 p.m?! Dali dali akong bumangon at tumakbo paakyat patungo sa silid ko, sakto namang paglabas ni Light sa kwarto niya kaya nabunggo ako sa dibdib niya.

"Why are you running?" he asked, tumingala naman ako sa kanya. I’m not short, sadyang matangkad lang siya kaunti sa akin, at isa pa, may suot siyang tsinelas pambahay.

"Because you said we were going to have dinner tonight!"

"Go back to sleep."

"Why? I thought— "

"Is this enough to convince him not to take us out to dinner?" may ipinakita siya sa aking litrato na natutulog ako. "At isa pa, ayaw ko rin naman lumabas kasama ka."

Lumaki ang mga mata ko sa nakita ko, I zoomed in on the photo and looked closely at my face. Gosh, nakanganga pa talaga ako. "Burahin mo nga ’yan!” asik ko.

"I already send it to dad, and your father has promised to continue sending you allowance." aniya at umalis. "Maghilamos ka na at bumaba kaagad, sabay tayong kakain.”

"Tayka! Paano mo napapayag si tito?" nagkibit-balikat lang sya at umalis.

Aba!

Matapos akong maghalf bath, kaagad na akong bumaba at naabutan ko siya roon na mag-isang nakaupo, waiting for me.

Umupo na rin ako sa kaharap niyang bar stool, looking at the food he ordered. "Binili mo lahat ng ’to?" tanong ko kahit halata naman.

He ordered two steaks, sushi, el pepperoni pizza, two cups of rice, fried chicken, and two orange juice.

Hindi ko alam kung sinadya ba niya o nagkataon lang na inorder niya ang paborito ko.

Tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang kumakain, walang may nagtatangkang magsalita. Ako naman itong hindi mapakali at panay ang lingon sa gilid kahit wala naman dapat ikalingon.

My phone buzz, tinignan ko kung sino iyon. Napangiti naman ako nang makita ang pangalan ni Franz. I was about to pick up my phone when he spoke. "That can wait."

I looked at him before continuing to eat. After about 3 minutes, my phone rang again. "This time, it can’t wait." I said and answered the call.

Pinakinggan ko lang ang nagsasalita sa kabilang linya. "What? Really?" I asked excitedly. "Bukas na?... Oh okay, I’m eating right now. Okay, thanks. Tawag na lang ako mamaya."

I looked at him, he was glaring at me. What exactly is his problem?

"Kayo na ba ni Franzylle?" he asked kaya nasamid ako.

"Anong klaseng tanong naman ’yan?" kumunot ang noo ko. "Bakit naman nasali si France dito?"

"Are you both together?" he repeated the question, as if he didn’t hear what I said. What a stupid question.

"Hindi, close lang talaga kami."

He didn’t look at me and just kept chewing his food. Ay, hindi na nagsalita. Tsk, sobrang awkward talaga sa tuwing nag-uusap kami, parang may limit iyong bawat salita namin.