Leave me, Mr. Ruthless

1.

"Una na kami sis, mukang gusto nyong mapagdalawa ni Maki eh, babye." sabi nila Amelie sakin saka naglakad na paalis kasama si Gaile at Mika. Kumaway lang ako sakanila at ngumiti. Plinano naming mag hangout ditong magkakaibigan sa Barcadas, kaso kailangan daw umalis ni Gail, may pupuntahan ata kaya tinext ko nalang ang boyfriend kong si Maki na puntahan ako, wala lang.

"Babe kumain na kami eh, gusto mo bang kumain?" tanong ko kay Maki, tapos na kase kaming kumain nang papuntahin ko sya rito.

"Tea nalang sakin Babe, and butter toast." pagka sabi nya non, tinawag kona yung waiter at sinabi nya na yung order nya.

We just talked there about how our week goes. Kwinento ko sakanya nangyare sakin, vice versa.
Maki is my boyfriend, 2 years na kami next month. He's studying at Ateneo, while ako naman sa UST. Nakilala ko sya sa ig, fan kodaw charot. He's almost perfect, hindi toxic, hindi nananakit, realistic, hindi corny, just handsome. Varsity player sya sa Ateneo, kaya naman super proud ako sakanya, kulang nalang iflex kosya sa lahat ng socmed.

"Uwi ka Staria, asap."

Busy akong nagkukwento kay Maki tungkol don sa movieng napanood ko nang may mareceive akong text galing kay Ate Sophie.

"I think I need to go Mak, ate texted me." I said in a hurry. Mukang naalarma naman don si Maki kaya tinawag nya yung waiter. He paid for the bill, pati kinain ng mga kaibigan ko binayaran nya.

"Why-"

"Let's go babe, pag drive kita."

"No, Mak maiiwan car mo dito, pano yon? I'll drive nalang, uwi kana, babye love you." sabi ko saka lumabas ng restaubar.

Pero kasunod korin pala sya sa parking.

Sa huli, pinagdrive nyarin ako at iniwan yung car nya sa Barcadas.

"Babe, thank you so much, I love you." sabi ko while looking at him.

"Sure, I'll take taxi, call me if you need help okay?"

"Ingat."

"Ate Soph-"

"HINDI KO ALAM!!"

"PUTA NAMAN DOS POR PAVOR!"

Sinalubong agad ako ng sigawan ni mommy at daddy. Hindi agad ako nakapag salita, hindi naman kase sila ganito.

"I TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU THOUSAND TIMES, WAG SA DAVIS!" mom said.

"THEY TRAPPED ME, THEY TRAPPED US." Dad said, nearly crying.

I saw ate Sophie sa gilid, umiiyak din.

"Uhm what's happening?" I asked.

"Please darling, umakyat muna kayo ni Sophie sa taas, please." my mom said, crying. It's heartbreaking, I don't know what to do so lumapit nalang ako kay ate then inalalayan syang umakyat sa kwarto nya.

"Ate, do you know what's happening?"

With that, umiyak na ng umiyak si ate. She told me everything. As in lahat, ang puno't dulo.

I can't breathe, hindi ako makahinga pag pinipigilan kong mag breakdown. Tears are flowing through my eyes.

Dad negotiated with a the Davis pala, I don't know much about them pero sabi ni ate, may ari sila ng malalaking kompanya sa Pilipinas, at lalo pa sa ibang bansa. Turns out na naubos lahat ng pera namin, as in lahat, bahay, sasakyan, bangko, kada negotiations ni Dad sakanila, hindi maipaliwanag ng maayos ni ate dahil ayaw din umamin ni Dad. One thing is for sure, we're bankrupt. And the saddest part here, Mom already contacted our relatives, and no one volunteered to help, takot silang kalabanin ang Davis.

Kanina pako nagdadasal, nagtatanong bakit nangyayari samin ang ganito, never kami nagdamot, wala kaming ginawan ng masama, I know that, I know my parents, kaya imposibleng humantong kami sa ganito, pero yeah, it's already happening.

Nalilito ako, natutuliro, parang hindi ko na kaya, hindi ako sanay sa mabigat na problema.

"Hindi payan, you know what's worse?" nagsalita ulit si Ate.

"The Davis will help us, only if" hindi nya matapos ang sasabihin dahil humagulgol nanaman sya.

"Only if I will marry their heir." and everything just blank. I'm mad. We don't deserve this. I feel bad for Ate Sophie, the least thing she'll do is marriage. Bata palang kami, gustong gusto na nyang maging Madre, she's the most religious person I met, and I know marriage is a nightmare for her.

"Ate" I hugged her. Lord please, help us. I can't endure it anymore.

"I'm sorry Staria, ang bata mopa para sa gantong issues, matulog kana." she said, giving me an assuring smile. And with that I found myself crying myself to sleep beside her who's caressing my hair while sobbing.

I woke up with a maga face, everything felt so real, that dream is exhausting. Tumayo nako at napansing nasa kwarto ako ni Ate Sophie, nakita ko rin sa basurahan ang sandamakmak na tissue. And it hits me. They were all real, that's not a nightmare dream, it's a nightmare reality.

Nanunubig nanaman ang mga mata ko, bumaba ako only to see my Mom, Dad, and Ate Sophie. Naguusap usap sila, umiiyak si Mom and Ate. Lumapit ako para mas marinig ko sila.

"Sophie darling, we're very sorry. Anak alam mong ayoko, pero -" di na matuloy ni mom yung sinasabi nya dahil sa luha at hikbi.

"Mom don't cry, you know I don't want this too." sabi ni Ate, nakatulala sya pero tuloy tuloy parin ang luha nya, she looked numb. Naiyak ako, naaawa ako sa ate ko.

"Okay, walang kasal na magaganap, mamuhay tayo ng walang pera, magtatrabaho ako araw gabi, ako naman may kasalanan ng lahat, we can do this." my dad said.

"No dad, we can't, pano yung gamot mo? Treatments ni mom? Study ni Staria? We know we can't, we can't." Sabi ni ate.

"Pero ayokong ikasal ka sa taong dimo mahal, at isa pa paano pagmamadre mo anak?" Mom said.

"Mom, Dad, Ate." finally nagpakita nako sakanila.

"Darling, kanina kapa dyan?"

"I want to get married." sabi ko, I make sure na walang luhang tutulo sa mata ko.

"What? No!"

Nagkagulo silang tatlo, nalilito sa sinabi ko.

"Please Mom, do me a favor, send me to them instead Ate, besides patapos nakong mag aral, after college ayoko na, tinatamad nakong mag law school, nagbreak nadin kami ni Maki, and I think nasa tamang edad naman nako." I explained. Lie, lahat yon kasinungalingan, I want to finish college and become a lawyer, I want to be with Maki, and for God's sake I'm only 23 years old.

"You don't know what you're saying, dimonyo ang pakakasalan mo, please princess don't meddle." Dad said.

"Please, just this once po, this is the only way. Please ako napo nagmamakaawa sainyo. Mom, Dad, Ate."

"Staria you know I can't let that happen." Ate said

"Ate please, I just want to rest. Ayoko nang makita kayong umiyak at mahirapan. Please I can handle myself, I promise." kinumbinsi ko parin sila.

"While being with the demon, I'll save money, and pag kasya nayon satin, madaling makipag divorce, diba that's a great idea."

"Are you sure?" Dad asked.

"Dad NO!" ate

"Hon NO!" mom

"I'm sure Dad. Mom and Ate, please? Pretty please, let's end the discussion here?" nagmamakaawang tingin na ang pinukol ko sakanila.

"Anak the marriage is next month."

"That's good, I have time to prepare."

After that, napagkasunduan na namin yon. I'll marry the Davis' heir next month. Sobrang bigat ng kalooban ko, pero hindi ko pwedeng ipakita yon sakanila, eto lang, eto lang ang paraan.