"Engaged?! We were engaged? What the hell? Aren't you crazy mister Senator? And hell! How did you even know my name?" Hindi ko napigilang sunod-sunod na magtanong.
"Calm down, my fiance. It's like this...your dad came up to my dearest lola and as a payment of your father's debt from my lola, he is willing to engage her daughter with me. Thanks to your dad, I wasn't single and free as will ever be." He shrugged.
"H-How can y-you...! What the h... Dad didn't informed me about that thing, he didn't asked for my agreement, that's impossible."
"It happened, sorry if I'd hurt your feeling but I just want to say the truth, your dad wasn't one of the best dad in this earth. He is one of the worsts dad I've ever seen."
Nilingon ko siya at pinanlakihan ng mata. "How could you! I'm here and he's still my dad!"
He raised his both hands as if he's surrendering. "I know. That's why I already said sorry earlier. I was just stating the fact, woman."
I rolled my eyes, not letting him see it. Binuksan ko ang sling bag ko at kinuha ang phone ko doon at ang earphones ko. I dialed my dad's cellphone number, it took seconds of him before he finally answered it.
"Euphoria! Where have you been, huh!? You didn't bothered to answer our calls and would end them up, now what?!"
Pumikit ako bago nagsalita. "You have something to explain, dad? I need to hear your explanations."
"Y-You!"
Napahilot ako sa noo. "J-Just not this time dad, please? I'm with senator."
"Oh, that young boy named Finn Dmitrov?"
I cleared my throat before answering. "Yeah. Is that true that...?"
"He's a good guy, you both are engaged as what his lola wanted to. Behave like u used to be and listen to dad, take care of him and do not ever back out 'cause you knew your punishments."
I sighed in defeat. A tear escaped my eye that I quickly wiped it. "O-Okay dad."
"Good girl, keep up the good work so you wouldn't be punished." He said then ended the call.
I know what punishment he was talking about, I do not want that to happen, hawak niya ang libingan ng nanay ko, siya ay may hawak ng lahat tungkol sa mga gamit ng nanay ko when infact he had no rights of my mom in the first place, it's just that he has so many connections.
I removed my earphones and caught senator was staring at me with his raised brow, like he's confused of what dad and I talked to.
I cleared my throat before looking at the driver. "Kuya para nalang sa tabi." Sabi ko at napangiti nang sinundan iyon ng driver. I was about to go when he stopped me.
"I am going down this car and go to the present on my own, mister Senator. My dad said you and I weren't engaged. It isn't true."
"Oh?" He nodded his head. "Then if I was joking, that means my lola was joking too? Woman, my lola isn't a joker when it comes to a serious matter. What we are into now is a serious matter, I am telling you miss De Vega. Don't play your innocent-card." Aniya sa akin saka tumingin sa driver.
"She isn't your boss, I am your boss so listen to me and do not listen to this girl and mind the surroundings, it is 6 in the evening. It is dangerous for this girl to go outside." Aniya sa driver saka ako pekeng nginitian.
Nag-iwas kaagad ako ng tingin. I rolled my eyes while looking outside the window, may diin pa ang pagkakasabi ng girl na word ah, buti sana kung lady para mas maganda pakinggan.
Ano ba kasi itong pinasok ko?!
Silence embraced us inside the car. Nakatingin lang ako sa labas ng kotse habang nakikinig ng songs ni FN. Bumalik ang ala-ala ko sa mall, pero mukhang impossible naman na nandoon si FN kanina, hindi ata iyon nagpapkita sa publiko eh.
Then I remembered I am engaged.
How can I wait for you FN? My status now isn't single, I am engaged. I always admire your songs and if I'll see you personally, I might fall for you. Ikaw iyong nagpapasaya sa akin sa kabila ng kalungkutang nararamdaman ko.
After a couple of minutes, we entered the precinct and then saw the two guys seating in there, when I met their eyes, I almost lost my balance when senator helped me to not to.
"Heads up, do not show them that you are afraid, show them that you're a strong woman, they deserve to be in jail."
Tumango ako at kapagkuwa'y ngumiti ng maliit kay Finn, I saw him stilled. "Thanks senator."
"Fiance." He corrected.
"Senator." I said seriously before walking towards the chair infront of the two guys with my head held high.
"You're going to file a case against them, yes?" One of the officers asked me and I looked at the two guys, there eyes were pleading but they nearly give me a trauma. After what they did, as senator said, they're going in jail.
"Yes officer, as you can see I was harassed at tinutukan nila ako ng kutsilyo."
"Good." Senator Finn praised me.
The police officers were asking me some details while reviewing our video earlier that the cctv caught when a warm scented jacket covered my legs, napalingon ako kay senator nang inilagay niya iyon. He eyed one of the police officers, nilingon ko kung saan siya madilim nakatingin at nahuli siyang umiiwas ng tingin mula sa akin. I sighed, I remembered that I am on my skirt.
I muttered thanks to senator and he just nodded while eyeing that police guy. Hindi ko na sila pinansin at sinagot lahat ng tanong ng dalawang pulisya.
Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo matapos ang pag-uusapan namin at akmang makipagkamay sa kanila nang inunahan ako ni senator at gulat ako nang pinigilan ng isang kamay niya ang kamay ko sa akmang pakikipagkamay.
"Thank you very much officers for being here, just update me if how's the case, keep up the good work." Aniya saka ako hinila palabas ng presinto at pinaupo sa loob ng kotse.
"Ano ba?!" Sabi ko at ibinato sakanya ang jacket niya. Napasinghap ako nang wala sa oras nang maramdaman ko ang jacket niyang muli sa hita ko.
"That guy was staring at your legs, obviously he is looking at you like he is hungry, so from now on I suggest you wear a jeans and a turtle neck long sleeves tops, also do not let any man touch you. You understand?" Aniya, tiningnan ako ng seryoso.
Napabuga ako sa hangin. "Mister Senator, you do not own me."
He titled his head then clicked his tounge afterwards. "Even so, we still have a lot of time, we'll know each other while we're engaged."
"You're hopeless."
"Fiance mo naman." Nakangising aniya bago binalingan ang driver na tahimik lang sa harapan. "I am going to talk with someone seriously, hintayin niyo ako dito bago tayo aalis." Binalingan niya ako pagkatapos makasagot ng oo ang driver. "Stay here or else..."
"What?" I asked with my eyebrows raised.
"Once I'll update your dad and my lola that you don't want us being engaged, what more if we're going to get married? Your father's debt in my family will be doubled, easy as that." Aniya bago isinara ang pinto saka pumasok ng presinto.
Bumuntong-hininga ako ng malakas bago sumandal sa inuupuan at tumingin sa itaas ng kotse, iyong akala ko na nakatakas ako mula sa magulang ko ay hindi pala, ang mga problema sa mundo ay laging sumusunod sa akin. Why me?
Sabi nila: ang lahat ng problema ay may solusyon, pero hindi ko alam kong kaya ko bang lusutan ito. I'm halfway tired of my life and nearly do not know what to do.
I was out of my reverie when the driver talked that got my attention.
"Ma'am, huwag po kayong mag-isip ng kung ano-ano tungkol kay sir, ang pamilya po namin ay matagal nang naninirahan sakanila bilang kasambahay nila, mababait naman ho ang pamilya nila at tumutulong sa mga bahay-ampunan at may pabahay na itinayo at pinapatayo para sa mga nangangailangan. Si sir senator ay tumakbo sa mayor ng Manila pagkatapos makapag-aral ng politics at hindi namin inaasahan na nanalo siya kaagad pagkatapos niyon ay tumakbo siya sa pagkasenado. Ang dami nga pong mga babaeng bumuto sakanya."
I laughed. "Obviously, ang daming nagka-crush sakanya kaya nanalo."
Tumigil ang driver sa pagsasalita at tumawa. "Grabe ka naman ma'am, sige ka at baka pakinggan ka ni sir senator, tatanungin ka kung nagseselos ka."
Umismid ako at natatawa sa salitang nagseselos. Para akong masusuka sa isipang nagseselos ako. Yuucckkk! Sa matandang iyon pa talaga?! Ano siya sugar daddy?
"Ayaw ko ng sugar daddy." Mahinang sabi ko pero sapat na marinig iyon ni kuya kaya tumawa. "Suss, kuya ha, hindi ako marunong magselos, sadyang nagsasabi lang po ako ng totoo, urrkkk!" Sabi ko pagkatapos ay kunwaring nagsusuka.
"What's happening here?" A baritone voice filled my ears, that made me stop urking. Nahihiyang napaayos ako ng upo at nag-iwas ng tingin.
"Wala po sir senator. Nagkukuwentuhan kami ni ma'am."
"Anong klaseng kuwento?" Tanong niya nang makapasok nang kotse. "Tayo na."
"Ayaw daw niya ng..."
Napaubo ako ng malakas kaya't natigil si kuya. "N-Nothing! We didn't talked about you..."
A sly smile put on his face. "Hindi pala ah."
"Uhmm, yeah. Tapos na kayo ng kinausap mo?" Tanong ko.
"Yeah." His eyes darkened. "I asked him to resign on his job and from tomorrow, he can't enter the company to continue his job."
My eyes widened. "What?! What do you mean 'he'?"
He tsked. "That maniac."
"Wha... Why?! Paano kung may binubuhay siyang pamilya niya?"
He smirked evilly. "He doesn't suit his job when he is looking at everyone maniacally, sa halip na tumulong sa kapwa at tulungan ka tungkol sa kaso, nakatinin sa balat mo, ibig sabihin niyon para lang siyang pupunta sa trabaho araw-araw na tumitingin sa mga babae lang, nakakabastos iyon sainyo."
Parang may humaplos sa puso ko pagkatapos niyang sabihin iyon, he is a man and the officer is a man, I am a woman and he is protecting women.
I smiled proudly. I never knew him amd who really he is but like what kuya driver said, he is a good guy as I can see, a strict but honorable man. "Thank you..."
Ngumiti siyang binalingan ako. "No worries, fiance naman kita kaya kailangang tulungan kita."
Nawala ang ngiti ko. "Hindi ako pumayag na maging fiance mo."
"Oh," his naughty smile slowly fading. "You knew the consequences if you back out."
"Bakit ba kasi parang payag na payag ka diyan sa engagement-engagement na iyan?" Inis na tanong ko.
He sighed. "As much as I wanted to back out, my lola is sick, last time she had a heart attack: she was pleading for me to get engaged soonest and get marry then build my own family, so she could see my family before she will die." He sighed again frustratedly. "I at least want to fulfill what she wants before she will leave this world." Pagkatapos ng mahabang katahimikan ay bumaling siya sa akin. "So, are you in?"