Arctic Heart [#Wattys2018 Winner]

Chapter 11

"In New York..." he said.

Napakunot naman ang aking noo at muling inalala ang mga mukhang nakasalamuha ko sa New York ngunit hindi ko siya maalala.

"I can't remember. I'm sorry..." I shook my head.

His jaw slightly clenched beforehe grinned. "It was during my cousin's party last year," he said. "She is Serefina, by the way. I'm sure you're friends with her that's why you were invited."

My lips parted when I remembered Serefina's party last year. I was friends with her, but we were not that really close.

"Oh! It's nice to know that you're friends with my niece," Tita Sylvia commented, but I was too indulged with remembering her son to notice.

Nanatili ang pagtitig namin ni Dylan sa isa't isa. Sobra ang aking pagiging determinado upang maalala kung paano kami nagkakilala noon sa New York. I wasn't even drunk that night not to remember him.

"You were sitting by the pool alone because you didn't join your friends in dancing. You just stared at the calm water, drowning in your thoughts maybe," he started to help me remember the scene. "And that was when I approached you to give you some punch but you refused."

Bahagya namang nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang maalala.

"You're also the guy who told me that I looked broken hearted!" I said as I finally remembered.

Sumilay naman na ang ngiti sa kanyang labi nang maalala ko siya at natawa naman ang aming mga ina kaya agad akong nahiya.

Our moms kept on blattering how amazing it was that we already met each other before as we ate our lunch. Ilang na ilang naman ako dahil alam ko ang gusto nilang ipunto. Alam ko kung ano ang gusto nilang mangyari sa aming dalawa ni Dylan.

Maybe I should talk to Dylan about what our moms were planning to do. I was sure he wasn't that dense not to notice their plans for us.

Naiwan naman kaming dalawa nang magpaalam sila mommy upang pumunta ng banyo. Panigurado namang gusto lang nila kaming mapag-isa ni Dylan at magkausap.

The atmosphere was awkward but he already became less intimidating when he smiled at me earlier. Gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko sa kanya nang dahil sa pagngiti niya sa akin.

Pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang aking pagkain para matapos na ako kahit na nararamdaman ko ang kanyang pagtitig sa akin na nagpadagdag sa aking pagkailang.

"I'm sure you know by now about what kind of future awaits us, Zarina," he suddenly spoke to me.

Napatigil naman ako sa pagkain at saka nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya.

"Our mothers want to marry us off," he made it clearer.

Halos manginig ako sa takot dahil sa sobrang pagkaseryoso ng kanyang boses.

Napalunok naman ako at saka pinilit na ngumiti. "Alam ko..." sabi ko. "Pero huwag kang mag-alala. Alam ko namang ayaw mo. Kung parehas naman tayong umayaw sa kagustuhan nila ay paniguradong hindi rin 'yon matutuloy."

Ang kanyang mga mata ay nanatili ang pagkakatitig sa akin habang tinitimbang niya ang aking emosyong ipinapakita.

"We can just tell them that we both don't want―"

"Sino ba ang nagsabing ayaw ko?" tanong niya na nagpatigil sa akin sa pagsaslaita.

My eyes widened with his question. I was caught off guard that I didn't even get the chance to find the write words to answer his sudden question.

"I'm fine being married to you," he stated.

My forehead slightly creased because of his statement. "Don't you want to marry someone you love?" I asked him.