The Friendly Wedding (Season 1 & 2) - Published

Chapter Twenty-Two

            "What about her?" patay-malisyang tanong niya.

            He looked straight at her eyes. He even mockingly smiled. "Tinatago mo siya kay Johann."

            "W-What? Of course not! B-Bakit ko naman siya itatago?"

            "Para hindi sila magkita."

            "Bakit naman ako magsasayang ng oras na hindi sila pagkitain?" pagmamaang-maangan niya pa. Malapit na siyang tamaan ng kidlat.

            He drank his wine while looking at her. Makahulugan ang tingin nito na para bang alam na alam nito ang rason niya.

            "You don't want Johann to realize that he has still feelings for his childhood sweetheart. For more than ten long years, Johann waited for the right time to court Czarina. Then after months of courting her... binasted lang siya. Ouch."

            Hindi siya nagsalita.

            "And while mending his broken heart, pumasok ka sa eksena. Nag-alok ka ng kasal. A convenient marriage that will just last for a year. Para lang makuha mo ang mana mo." He laughed quietly. "And eventhough you never have fallen in love before, Sapphire, at the back of your mind, alam mo kung anong rason ni Johann kung bakit siya pumayag."

            Nakuyom niya ang kamay na nasa ibabaw ng mesa. "He wanted to help me. Ganoon siya. Matulungin sa kapwa."

            He ignored her answer. "Ano ba ang kailangan ng mga sawi sa pag-ibig? Para hindi nila gaano maramdaman ang sobrang sakit? Tell me, Sapphire. Kahit hindi expert sa love, masasagot iyan."

            She gritted her teeth.

            He smiled mockingly. "A distraction. Johann needs distraction at that time. And you came in the right time, Sapphire. You know very well, that you're just a distraction."

            Parang gusto niyang ibuhos ang wine niya sa pagmumukha ni Bari. "Well, hindi na ngayon!" buong diing sabi niya. "At first, yes. I know that Johann needs a distraction and I took advantage of that by asking him to marry me para makuha ang mana ng Lola ko. We both benefited from it. Pero ang mga sumunod na araw na magkasama kami sa iisang bahay, hindi planado ang mga iyon. Lalo na nang mahulog kami para sa isa't isa."

            "Oh. He said he loves you?"

            "Yes."

            "Interesting. And Czarina's back. More interesting."

            "Abnormal ka ba? What are you saying?"

            "You don't want Johann to know that Czarina's back. You don't want them to see each other. Because it will stir up a feeling from Johann. A feeling that he tried to forget because he was distracted by your presence."

            Gusto niyang takpan ang tainga. Alam na niya ang pinupunto nito.

            "Natatakot ka," sabi pa nito. "You're afraid that Johann will soon realize that he's not really inlove with you."

            Hinawakan niya ang baso ng wine niya. Kaunti na lang, itatapon niya na rito ang alak. Ang dami nitong alam. At totoo ang lahat ng alam nito.

            "What do they call it? 'Rebound', isn't it?"

            "Shut. Up."

            "Kapag alam mo na ang isang bagay, huwag mong uutuin ang sarili mo na kunwari hindi mo alam para hindi ka na lang masaktan." Napailing-iling ito. "I know your big pride does not want to accept that fact, Sapphire. Pero, hanggang kailan mo ba maiiwas si Johann kay Czarina?"