Forbidden

Chapter 55

Nakaupo kami sa hapag. Lahat kami. Nandito kaming lahat sa aming mansyon. The mansion I'm referring to is where my Lolo is. The mansion of the Arcella. The mansion where Sean and Oliver is.

Tahimik kaming kumakain at tanging mga kubyertos lang namin ang tumutunog.

Nasa kabisera umuupo si Lolo. Sa magkabila niya ay sina Papa at Tita Filomena. Tapos ang iba pang Tiya at Tiyo ko. Sumunod ay kami. Syempre ay mag-asawa na si Czar at Jho ay nandoon na rin si Jho. Ang laki nga namin kung tutuusin.

The silence was eery. It was awkward. Uncomfortable.

I caught some of my cousin taking a glimse of us.

Sina Czar, Krypton, Zeus, Sean, Oliver, Lucas...

The triplets have several attempts to lighten the mood pero pinandilatan lang ng mga magulang nila.

Raphael promised to help us. Siguro ito ang ibig sabihin niyang tulong... to lighten up the mood... to reduce the tension.

Panay din ang pagtingin nina Mama, Papa, Tita at Tito at kahit si Lolo.

They all sure have an idea kung ano ang mangyayari ngayon.

I remained calm but my insides are shivering. Kanina pa ako halos 'di makahinga sa kaba.

Ayaw ko na sanang magpaligoy-ligoy pa pero ayaw ko namang mawalan sila nang gana.

Sa ilalim ng lamesa ay naramdaman ko ang pagpatong ni Jared ng kamay niya sa aking kamay.

I looked at him and he gave me a small smile. As if he is assuring me that everything will be okay.

I want to believe that everything will be okay. That they will allow us.

But, of course, ayokong umasa. Ayokong maniwala dyan. Because definitely, it will not be okay.

Nabigla kami ng bitawan ni Mama ang kanyang mga kubyertos. "Alright! I can't take this anymore. We are delaying everything that is meant to happen tonight."

My mother glared at me. "So, spill everything kung bakit nandito tayo lahat, Skylar!"

All eyes are on me now. Kung kanina halos di ako makahinga, ngayon literal na di na talaga ako makahinga.

"Kung hindi mo kaya, Sky, I can tell them, instead," Jared whispered.

Umiling ako. Kaya ko ito!

"Ako na lang, Red," sabi ko. "I can do this..."

"The reason why I asked Lolo to gather us here tonight is..." I looked at lolo at tumango siya as if he will understand everything I want to say tonight.

"Sky, diretsuhin mo na kami. Skip the introduction," sabi ni Krypton. He was stern.

Napalunok ako.

Pumikit ako. "Kami na ni Jared."

They remained calm. They have already anticipated for this. Kaya hindi na ako nagtaka kung ganyan sila maka-react.

There was no reason to be surprised.

It was dead silence. Nakakabingi ang katahimikang lumikop sa buong kwarto.

Kumuyom ang panga ni Czar.

"You two know that you are cousins, right?" He said sarcastically. "Di naman kayo mga batang kailangan pang pagsabihan."

Jho held his husband's arm at whispered something to him. Buti na lang at kumalma naman itong si Czar.

Tumango sa akin si Jho na parang ipinahihiwatig na magpatuloy ako.

"And we are planning to marry-"