*****
That night...
"Alden pakipatay yung ilaw..."
"Alden, pakilipat yung channel, advertisement pa eh."
"Alden, ibalik mo uli sa kabilang channel. Tapos na ata ang advertisement."
"Alden, pakihinaan ng aircon. Please. Medyo nagiginawan na ko."
"Alden, pakipatay ng TV. Matutulog na talaga ako."
"Alden..." He sighed. "...hindi ako makatulog."
"Are you going to request bedtime stories from me now?" he sounded tired while pausing from doing something on his laptop.
"Sorry. Nairita na kita."
"It's fine. What is it?"
"Sumasakit kasi ulo ko. I need a distraction."
He quickly placed his laptop back on the table for the umpteenth time today. "What do you want me to do?"
"Sing?" she sheepishly smiled.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked again.
"Sing nga..."
"I will ask you again, Dei. What. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Do?"
"Sige na nga... storytelling na lang..."
He gave out a contented hum and leaned back on the couch. "What story?"
"Little Mermaid," she grinned. "I'm sure pamilyar sa'yo ang kuwentong 'yan. Hindi mo na kailangan hanapin sa internet."
Tumango si Alden. "That story reminds me of my cousin and Jhake. The mermaid has everything that she wanted but went for the one she couldn't have. While the Prince was being a fool for not acting out on his feelings immediately. Until a mistress—this has not yet happened to them—came into the scene..."
"Hindi iyon mistress. Na-hypnotize lang si Eric—Oh to whom am I explaining this to. You looked like you're not interested." She shook her head. "Snow White na nga lang."
"Oh, the princess with a retarded mother? I think I know someone who has the same situation," taimtim na tinignan siya nito.
"Okay, Beauty and the Beast. Please don't ruin this story..."
He scoffed. "I actually like that story, so close to reality. That story shows that no matter how ugly you are, as long as you have tons of money, you get the lady."
Dei groaned and looked up to the ceiling. Then she quickly glared at him. "Okay, kung ayaw mo ng fairytales magkuwento ka tungkol sa buhay mo."
"What do you want to know?"
"Friendship niyo ni—" she stopped as soon as she noticed the slight change in his facial expression. So she hastily changed her request. "You told me about Jhake's love history, now it's your turn."
"Love history ko?" She quickly nodded. "There's nothing to tell about it, actually. It might bore you for I only went for women who wanted something from me but could give me what I wanted too without the extra baggage of emotions. It was like making a deal before stepping to a relationship and when the job's done, we break up and went for separate ways. No hard feelings."
Napangiwi si Dei. "What kind of deal do you make in your relationship?"
"It's not always about physical needs and desire if that's what you're thinking, Dei. Mostly, it's about uplifting someone's character, creating a buzz in the public media, or a business strategy for both sides... Oh, bakit ganyan ka makatingin?"
"Hindi ka ba nagkaroon ng First Love? Unrequited love? Unconditional Love? As in never?"
"Not in my past, Dei. I was too busy proving myself in MUNDO to bare my heart to someone." She watched him with distress. "I don't have any love drama if that's what you're expecting to hear."
"So what you're saying, from your first statement, is that there's a possibility you might be falling for someone now?"
He held her gaze. "What do you think?"
"Ikakasal ka na sa'kin, Alden."
"Nagreklamo ba 'ko?"
"Tinanggap mo naman..."
"Will it scare you—shit!" bulalas ni Alden nang biglang tumunog ang cellphone nito. He checked the caller and saw Leo's international number so he grabbed the phone off the table and stood up. "It's Leo. Gotta answer his call."
Tumango lang si Dei at sinundan ito palabas ng kwarto. When he's gone, Dei made a face showing how nervous she was. "Will it scare me to what? What?! WHAT, DEI???"
Ang daming pumasok sa isip niya at isa na doon ang chance na pwede itanong ni Alden kung mai-inlove ba siya. Will it scare you if you fall in love with me? Ganon! O kaya naman, will it scare you if I fall in love to someone else? Pakshet! BAKIT MAY 'FALL IN LOVE' SA LAHAT, DEI?! What is love? Gaga, hindi mo pa nga naranasan ma-inlove, ang OA mo na! Baka naman ang gusto lang sabihin ni Alden: Will it scare you if I ask a car for my wedding gift?! Oh no! Tumatanggap kaya siya ng Kia?
Nilamukos ni Dei ang mukha. Baliw na ata siya. She tried to bury the thought of that wedding gift at the back of her mind. But now that it's convenient for her to use that thought, naalala agad niya ito at ngayon ay hindi maalis sa utak niya.
Ano pa bang wala kay Mr. A? she laid back on her bed and waited for his return. Akala niya matatapos 'to agad. Pero nakatulog siya sa paghihintay.
When Alden returned an hour later, he heaved a sigh after seeing her sleeping figure. Lumapit ito sa kama at inayos ang kumot niya. Then he stayed by her side for a while and just watched her sleeping face. He should just go with his plan of making Dei get used to him before confessing. Mahirap na, baka iwasan ito ni Dei.
A million of thoughts played in his head that night while he sat back on the couch and watched his fiancee sleep.
He's falling...
*****
