For Hire: Drop Dead Gorgeous Groom (COMPLETED/PUBLISHED - 2014)

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

Deity’s POV

Kinuha ko na yung malaking kahon na pinaglalagyan ng wedding gown na binili nila Mommy. I took the gown out and put it above my body.

Parang kahapon lang nung ini-imagine ko yung sarili ko habang suot ang gown na to. Sa altar... katabi si Tyron... Parang kahapon lang nung iniisip ko kung gaano ba ako magiging masaya kapag kasal na kami.

Pero sa mga inimagine at inisip ko, wala nang mangyayari. Dahil hindi naman si Tyron ang makakasama kong humarap sa altar. Hindi naman siya yung makakapalitan ko ng “I do.”

Bakit ganun? Diba kaya ako nag-decide na magpakasal eh para matigil na si Nestly? Para masarili ko na lang si Tyron? Pero bakit ganito ang nangyari? Nestly is quiet brainy than what I used to think. Gumawa na siya ng paraan para makuha si Tyron bago pa man kami ikasal. Gumawa na siya ng paraan para maagaw sa akin si Tyron.

Napahinto ako sa pagmumuni-muni nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. May nag-text. Isang unknown number.

Hey, pathetic girl. I’m sorry. As I told you, Tyron is MINE. Gagawa at gagawa talaga ako ng paraan para maagaw siya sa’yo. Kaya wag ka nang umasa na makakapunta pa siya sa kasal niyo dahil hindi ako papayag na mangyari yun. Akin na siya. Aking lang siya  Poor you, wala kang groom. Anyway, I don’t want to make this longer. Good luck na lang sa’yo. Magpakasal kang mag-isa. Enjoy!

“Si Nestly.” Grabe talaga siya. Wala na kong masabi.

Pinatawag ko na yung mag-aayos sa akin. Minutes later, tapos na akong ayusan at nakabihis na rin ako. Si Mommy at si Daddy naman, nakagayak na rin.

“Let’s go?” Mom smiled.

Ngumiti ako. “Mauna na kayo sa sasakyan, Mommy. Susunod na rin po ako.”

Lumabas na ng kwarto si Mommy at pumasok naman si Patch. Hay. Thank God at dumating siya. Siya talaga ang hahanapin ko kaya pinauna ko na muna sina Mommy sa sasakyan.

“Oh, ano na?” I asked her.

“Okay na!” Nag-thumbs up siya. “Sinabi kong mauna na siya sa simbahan so I think nandoon na siya by this time.”

Heaving out a sigh of relief, I replied. “Paano ko to ipapaliwanag kina Mommy at Daddy? Alam nilang si Tyron ang groom ko?”

“Hay naku! Wag mo na munang problemahin yan. Mamaya pag natapos ang kasal, saka mo sa kanila ipaliwanag.”

“Okay.” I took a last glanced at the mirror. “Tayo na.” And then we went out of the house and proceeded to the car.

* * *

Pagdating namin sa simbahan, nandoon na ang mga bisita. Mga kamag-anak, kaibigan, lahat na. Bumaba na kami ng car at lumakad papunta sa loob. Inalalayan naman ako ni Patch; siyempre siya ang bridesmaid.

My heart was beating fast. No, faster is the term. Ang weird ng feeling. Hindi ko kilala kung sino ang groom ko, kung sino ang kasama kong haharap sa altar.

As we set foot at the church, natanaw ko na kung sino ang lalaking nakatayo malapit sa pari. My eyes went wide; my jaw dropped. Tumingin ako kay Mommy at kay Daddy; they also had the same expression — shocked.

I saw Phytos smiling widely to me; to us. This was really unexpected. Hindi ko inakala at inasahan na si Phytos ang magiging groom ko. My God! Is this some kind of a serious crap?

Tumingin ako kay Patch. Pero ang mukha niya parang nagsasabing, “sige na, lakad na.” I grabbed Mom and Dad’s arm and we started walking down the aisle.

Habang lumalakad, nagsimulang nag-play yung nagvi-violin ng isang kanta.

For all the times I felt cheated, I complained
You know how I love to complain
For all the wrongs I repeated, though I was to blame
I still cursed that rain
I didn’t have a player, didn’t have a clue
Then out of a blue

God gave me you to show me what’s real
There’s more to life than just now I feel
And all that I’m worth is right before my eyes
And all that I live for though I didn’t know why
Now I do, cause God gave me you.

While walking, tears suddenly rolled down my face. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang nararamdaman ko. Pero talaga naiiyak ako. Dahil kaya sa kanta?

For all the times I wore myself pity like a favorite shirt
All wrapped up in that hurt
For every glass I saw, I saw half empty
Now it over flows like a river through my soul
From every doubt I had, I’m finally free
And I truly believe

God gave me you to show me what’s real
There’s more to life than just now I feel
And all that I’m worth is right before my eyes
And all that I live for though I didn’t know why
Now I do, cause God gave me you.

We stopped when we finally reached the altar. Phytos reached for my hand and bowed in front of my parents. Hindi ko na tinignan ang hitsura at expresiyon nina Mommy at Daddy. Hindi ko na rin tinignan ang mukha ng mga bisitang nakaupo sa magkabilang panig ng simbahan. For now, I want everything to get finished.

“Will you, Phytos Mendiola, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife? In good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?” The priest asked.

Phytos looked at me and looked back to the priest. “Yes, father. I do.”

Tumingin sa akin yung pari. “Will you, Deity Ellerie Felipe, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife? In good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?”

I took a deep breath and dont answer him immediately. Si Tyron dapat ang katabi ko ngayon. Siya dapat ang kapalitan ko ng “I do.”

For just like five seconds, I was just staring at him. But then, Phytos elbowed me. “I... I-I do.”

“Now, I proclaimed the both of you as husbands and wifes. Groom, you may now kiss the bride.”

Phytos faced me and removed my viel. He smiled at me and pressed his lips into mine. And that kiss brings back the old times; our old times. Our young love, our happy memories — our bittersweet yesterday.

As soon as the ceremony ended, we went home. Kasama naming umuwi sa bahay si Phytos. At home, Mom faced me with the perplex expression on her face. “Deity, what happened? Bakit si Phytos ang naging groom mo? Where is Tyron? Can you please explain to me what happened and what was happening?”

Oh well, I expected this. I snuffled. “Wala na si Tyron. Iniwan na niya ko. She chooses that impudent bitch over me, Mom. Si Phytos... he just stood as my groom to save us from shame. Magpapahinga na po muna ko.” And then I turned my back on her.

I went upstairs and was about to enter my room when Patch shouted. “Deity!” Tumakbo siya at lumapit sa akin.

“Tara, sa loob tayo ng kwarto ko.” And we went inside.

“So ano ang naging usapan ninyo ni Phytos?” I asked her.

“Babayaran natin siya. As you know, we hired him...”

“O, tapos?” tanong ko ulit.

“Ayun, I stated in the app kung anong oras ang kasal mo and huwag dapat ma-late ang groom mo. Pumunta naman siya, di ba? Naging okay naman ang lahat.”

“Magkano ang ibabayad natin sa kanya?” I asked, pulling out my credit card from my wallet. “O, eto. Diyan mo na lang kunin, kahit magkano ang hingin niya eh ibigay mo.”

“Okie!” At kinuha niya yung credit card. “Wait lang ha, pupuntahan ko siya sa labas. Kakausapin ko at ibibigay ko na ang bayad.”

Nagbihis na ako ng maayos na damit at itinabi yung wedding gown. Sa ngayon, gusto ko na munang kalimutan ang lahat. Ang lahat lahat. Gusto ko na munang kalimutan na wala na si Tyron sa buhay ko.

I wanted to forget that I was hurting...