One Night Stand

Chapter Twenty Five

Few weeks before the wedding..

"Ma'am Lena, tawag po kayo ni Sir. Gusto niya pong sabay kayong mag-dinner."

Ilang araw nang walang ganang kumain si Lena. Her father must have been so worried about her that he told Manang Linda to fetch her in her room. She let out a heavy sigh. She did not want to worry him, did she?

"Sige po, manang. Susunod ako." Maya-maya ay tumayo na siya at nagtungo sa hapag. Hindi na siya nagulat nang makita niyang naroon si Seth. Not too long ago, she accepted his marriage proposal.

She looked at her engagement ring. Funny that she did not take it off. Seth after all was her first love. He has a special place in her heart.

The dinner went so quietly. Ayaw siguro ng Daddy niya na stress-in siya kung kaya't hindi ito nag-open ng tungkol sa preparasyon ng kasal.

After everyone is done eating, she excused herself and went back to her room. Few seconds after, she heard soft knocks at her door.

"Len.. Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" Si Seth.

"Pasok.." Nginitian siya ni Seth. Ginantihan niya ang ngiti nito. She still wanted to be polite. "Anong gusto mong pag-usapan natin? Upo ka." She gestured at the empty sit in front of the dresser.

Tumalima ito. "I know you didn't want to talk about the wedding.. Pero gusto ko pa din malaman mo that everything is going out well." Ilang sandali silang tahimik. Ito ang bumasag sa katahimikan. "See Len.. I know I forced you into agreeing to marry me.. but I have been thinking while preparing the wedding.." Tama ba ang naririnig niya? Malungkot ito. Animo basag ang tinig na sinabi nitong, "Preparing the wedding without the bride is pretty miserable, huh? Is this your revenge for what I did?"

Totoo iyon. Ayaw niyang iparamdam dito ang saya ng isang ikakasal. She is unhappy and she wanted him to suffer too. Nanatili siyang tahimik at nakatitig rito.

Lumipat ito sa tabi niya sa kama at sinubukang hawakan ang kamay niya. Animo nagbago ang isip nito sa paghawak sa kanyang kamay. He instead looked at her. "I love you so much, Len. I love you too much.." She couldn't stand the sincerity she is seeing on his eyes. She averted his gaze. "Please look at me, Len." Hindi siya sumunod. Hindi niya kaya ang damdaming pinapakita nito sa kanya ngayon. "I know you love someone else. But you agreed to marry me, anyway. I started hoping na baka.. baka sakali.. kahit paano.. mahalin mo 'ko uli. Damn, you know I hate to be this transparent. But I would rather be that than to lose you.. Please, Len. Can we at least make this work please?"

Hindi pa rin siya sumagot. Hindi niya alam kung anong isasagot. Noong isang araw lang ay ang sama ng pinapakita nito sa kanya. Noong isang araw lang ay tinatakot siya nito para pumayag siyang magpakasal. Noong isang araw lang, galit na galit siya rito. Pagkatapos ngayon, sasabihin nitong mahal siya nito? Paano? Paano niya tatanggapin ang mga sinasabi nito ngayon?

"Here." May nilagay itong nakatuping papel sa kamay niya. "I am hoping I'll see you there."

Hinintay niyang lumabas si Seth bago tumayo at tinapon sa basurahan ang papel na binigay nito. Hindi niya sinulyapan iyon.

Humiga siya sa kama at tinitigan ang kisame. Her life is a mess.

She was a free spirit. All she wanted to do back then is to walk the runway. She was on cloud-nine. She's rich, beautiful, young and she can do whatever she wanted. She did not care how much of a responsibility she has as the only heiress of the Ilanos multinational company.

She was a reckless heiress. She was a headache. Life was so simple for her back then.

But her ever so simple life started to crumble after she fell in love. She started to feel emotions she had never felt before. Foreign emotions keep on rushing to her like flood. She was so overwhelmed.