All Strings Attached (taglish)

Outcome

“Oh... I change my mind.”

I pulled away. His hand still held me by my waist so I couldn’t move further. I searched his face for a clue but his face had no emotions.

“WHAT!?”

I wanted to kill him. With my bare hands. I pushed him back. He started talking, with his hands in his pockets.

“I don’t want you to be my girlfriend. I thought about it and I don’t want you as my girlfriend.”

I was now genuinely pissed off because he was not just killing my joy, he was also embarrassing me in front of my family and friends.

“YOU HAVE SOME N…”

My voice faded because Zeke was starting to kneel on one knee in front of me.

HOLYCRAP. My mouth dropped open.

“W-what are you doing?” even though I felt I had an idea.

“I know you don’t believe in forever… I know you don’t want promises… but …  I wanna create our own forever, together. I wanna come home to see you welcoming me with open arms. I wanna go to sleep with you, next to me, and wake up to your face every morning. I wanna argue and make-up. I wanna get drunk together. I wanna go bat-shit crazy with you. I wanna take care of you and I want you to take care of me. I want… to spend the rest of my days with you… so… will you. spend the rest of yours. with me?” My right hand covered my mouth. I was shaking. He was holding out a box open with an I-don’t-care-how-beautiful-a-ring; it was because all I could see was him. Everything was blurred out but him. Everything paused. “… you know, also in paper and in the eyes of God and man.” He nervously added.

“I think this is the part you answer, anak” It was my Dad. I realized his family and my family and my friends were there.

I burst into tears. He held my left hand and was looking at me, he was shaking and I knew he was nervous.

 I looked him and blurted a..

“YES!!”

He smiled with relief, stood up and quickly retrieved the ring and slowly put it in my left hand ring finger. He moved closer to my face. I saw tears in the corners of his eyes. I grinned back at him.

I could hear the people around us clapping and cheering.

He cupped both sides of my face and drew me close… our mouths an inch from each other.

“I thought you weren’t gonna say Yes.”

“I wanted to prolong your agony but… “ he shut me up with a deep kiss.

“I love you, Mrs Freyja Zelene Ongkiatco-TanChi.”

“And I love you, Mr Zachry Killian TanChi.”

We kissed again.

--

Admiring the 1.25c Tiffany Novo ring in my hand. I couldn’t help but look at my ring everyday since Zeke proposed. There was an engagement party that evening, Zeke had already set everything up 2 weeks before the Boracay trip. He met with his sisters, my brother and cousins and my friends to plan everything. Devious Zeke . He sought my parents to ask for my hand in marriage even before my parents came home from their trip. He had gone to our café in Taipei to do so. My parents were taken aback of course, but Zeke was intent and he even came with his Dad.

Apparently, his Dad had given him his blessing after the first time he had introduced me, remember that lunch when Jordan first told me he's found us out? I guess parents do know best. When Zeke and I had our falling out after he stormed out of the country club, he sought out his Dad. His Dad asked him if he preferred regret over impulse. Obviously, Zeke chose impulse. He immediately worked out a timeline and all the people he had to get involved. He was so sure. Ang sabi niya, planning ahead is key.

The day after New Years Day, bumalik na kami lahat ng Manila. Zeke and I were in my room looking at beach weddings on the internet. Bigla niyang sinabing naka reserve na siya sa resort, three months from now.

I found out that I was getting married in three months! Zeke was so intent to get married to me that even before he knew I would say yes he had reserved the resort I had wanted to get married in. I wanted a beach wedding and Zeke knew which resort I wanted my wedding to be held.

“Ako ang bride and I am supposed to be the one stressed with all the planning!”

“EH naninigurado lang naman ako, Freyja. Baka mawalan tayo ng slot sa resort.” nakatago ito sa unan dahil pinapalo-palo ko siya.

“Nagmamadali ka naman! Di mo man lang sinabi!! I don’t even have a dress yet. And yun motiff ng wedding and yun entourage. Killian naman!” I slumped into my sofa.

Niyakap niya ako.

“Baby, Honey, Sweetheart, wag ka naman magalit. I have it all worked out. Atsaka magaling ka naman sa planning e. Marami na akong nakausap for the wedding. Pipili ka nalang okay?”

“Waaahh… gusto ko maenjoy yun planning pero sinisira mo.”

“Ah eeehhh ano… o cge iccancel ko.. ipapamove ko nalang yun date. Ilan months gusto mo?” kinuha ang phone nya at tatawag.

Natawa ako ng malakas. Napatigil siya.

“Hahahhahahahahaa. Wag kang mag-alala I started planning my wedding nun college.”

“Ano?? College pa may gusto ka na pakasalan?” nagfrown ito.

“Ang sabi ko planning my wedding. I had a few friends na nagpakasal noon so I had an idea of how I wanted my wedding to look and feel.”

“Ganon? Sayang naman ang mga plano ko. Hindi pala ganon ka special.”

I took his chin so he faced me. Ayaw ako tignan. Nakakatawa ang mukha nya.

“Pero I never thought I would not care at all, you know.” Napatingin siya sakin sa sinabi ko. “Because all I care about is that YOU will be waiting for me at the altar when I reach the end of the aisle. And that I will be with you for the rest of my life.” I smiled at him as I said that.

Ang laki ng ngiti niya.

He inched closer to kiss me. “Ang sweet mo pala pag in love ka. Cheesy din.”

“Opppp opp opp..” hinarang ko ang kamay ko sa bibig niya.

“Oh bakit?” napatigil siya.

“May proposal din ako. Since three months na lang we’re getting married… I propose… no kissing and no sex. Of all kinds.”

Nakanganga ito na nakadilat sa akin. Lahat ng kulay sa mukha nya nawala. Nakangisi ako sa kanya.

“Hoy Zelene, ang dami mong ideas. Pahihirapan mo lang tayong dalawa. Hindi mo rin yan kaya.” Lumapit na naman siya.

“Zachry Killian … seryoso ako. Three months lang naman.”

“Geezus. Tignan mo nga ito.” Gesturing towards his crotch. “Katabi lang kita ngayon. Planning our wedding. Ang ganda pa nung sinabi mo sakin kanina. I got turned on.”

Ahihihihi. Kinikilig ako na parang highschool. Yes I see it.

“Down boy. Don’t worry, I won’t tease you or torture you or anything of that nature. Okay? You can hug me or kiss me on the cheeks for the mean time.”

“Jusko. Freyja Zelene. Tumama lang ang skin mo sa skin ko nababaliw na ako. You’re even in my dreams and fantasies.” Halos sabunutan na niya ang sarili niya. Tawa ako ng tawa.

“Do this for us. Kaya natin yan.” Dahil hindi ko din alam kung kaya ko. Hahahaha.

“Okay. I love you more kaya I know kaya ko.” He held my hand to his mouth. “Eh ikaw ba… kaya mo?” he winked at me while planting soft kisses on my hand.

“KILLIAN!!!!!!” magbbackfire pa ata ang plano ko. Hinila ko ang kamay ko.

“O sige na. Sige na. I won’t tease din. Humanda ka after our wedding day.”

I blushed.

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