Chapter Two
"Why don't you talk in the patio to have some privacy? I'm sure you need to get to know each other well." Suhestiyon ng mama ni Blake.
"Sure why not." Nakangisi naman niyang saad. Sa wakas makakausap na niya ang binata! Nang silang dalawa lang. Gusto niyang mapangiti ng malapad.
Tumayo na siya at iniabot si Brielle sa tatay nito, mabuti na lang at hindi na umangal pa ang bata. She lead the way and Blake followed her.
Naupo siya sa wooden swing kung saan kasya ang dalawa o tatlong katao. Naupo din si Blake but he keep a good distance between them.
"Isn't the view great? The city lights were amazing up here. Tagaytay is really one beautiful place." Saad niya upang makapagsimula ng usapan dahil mukhang malalim ang iniisip nito.
"Cancel the wedding."
Walang kagatol-gatol na saad nito kaya hindi niya napigilang mapatanga dito.
"W-what?"
"You heard me, don't make me repeat it." Seryoso nitong saad habang nakatingin sa kawalan.
Tama nga ang hinala niya, may pagkamasungit ito at seryoso pero hindi siya magpapa-apekto. She is not named as 'Ianna the bitch' for nothing. Kung masungit at suplado ito, kayang-kaya niyang makipagsabayan.
"And why do you want me to cancel the wedding?" Mataray niyang tanong habang nakataas ang kanang kilay. Nag-alis siya ng tsinelas at nag-indian sit sa swing na halos hindi naman gumagalaw. Mukhang pinalabas lang na swing iyon. At nakuha niya pa talagang pansinin ang furniture sa bahay ng mga magulang niya.
"I've already proposed to my girlfriend."
Ouch! Ni hindi pa ako nakakapagsimula talo na. Pero hindi! Nasa akin ang alas! Lamang ako.
"Is that so?" She questioned, acting cool. "Why don't you cancel it yourself? Tutal ikaw naman ang may sabit?" She challenged.
"I tried but my parents' decision is final. Kapag ikaw ang nagcancel mas malaki ang chance na hindi matuloy ang kalokohang ito."
She went silent, she's digesting his words well. Hindi siya pwedeng magpadalos-dalos sa mga sasabihin niya. She need to play it carefully.
"And what makes you think that I have the power to cancel it?"
Tinapunan siya nito ng tingin, he's gaze showed no interest of her. "Because your parents answer all your whims. They can't say no to their only girl." He shrugged.
"Don't you dare talk about my parents like that!" Inis na sabi niya.
"Do I hit a spot?" He said smirking, his smirk seems like an insult to her. "Totoo naman diba? Pinagbibigyan ka nila sa lahat ng bagay kaya kapag sinabi mong ayaw mong magpakasal sa akin they wont force you into it." His words feels like a dagger.
"You do not have the right to question how my parents raised me." She said calmly. Pero ang totoo nagpipigil lang siya ng inis niya. Insultuhin na nila ang lahat ng tungkol sa kanya wag lang ang mga magulang niya. Napaka-antipatiko pala talaga ng lalaking ito.
He just held a straight face. "Then cancel the wedding and we're done."
"Ayoko." She said stubbornly. "I don't want to disappoint my parents. It's their only wish to me, so I will grant it even if that means marrying you."
Na pabor naman talaga sa akin. Saad niya sa kanyang isip.
"Ayokong magpakasal sa'yo. I don't want to enter a loveless marriage. I really love my girlfriend and I like to spend the rest of my life with her. So don't play the antagonist here just cancel the wedding and forget this happened."
"Aray ha?! Una hinusgahan mo ang pagpapalaki ng magulang ko sa akin ngayon inaakusahan mo naman akong kontrabida sa lovelife mo. Baka gusto mo pang sagarin ang pang-i-insulto mo sa akin?" Sarkastiko niyang saad.
Pero nagulat siya nang magsalita nga ito.
"Ayoko sa mga katulad mo at hinding-hindi kita magugustuhan. Ayoko din sa trabaho mo. A model? Tssss. You just dressed up and pose infront of the camera and poof job's done. That easy. Ayoko rin sa pananamit mo, kulang na lang ilantad mo na ang buong kaluluwa mo. Sa damit pa lang makikita na kung karespe-respeto ang isang babae. And you lack that thing." Umiling pa ito, habang tinitignan siya nito ng taas baba at ipinapakita ang disgusto sa kanya. "Ayoko rin sa image mo, iba-ibang lalaki kada buwan. Actually maswerte na ang isang buwan. You look like a whore who would easily open up her legs for any random guy. And I despise those kinds. Parang wala na kayong respeto sa sarili niyo at....."
She held her hand to stop him. Kung makalait ito akala mo siya na ang pinakanakakadiring babae sa mundo. What's wrong with being liberated? Kasalanan ba niyang sa States siya lumaki at sa ganoong kultura siya namulat?
She might be strong but she's only a human too. Nasasaktan din siya. At sa mga narinig niya ngayon? Pakiramdam niya ay nahusgahan na siya ng binata hindi pa man siya nito nakikilala. Ang unfair lang. Ang dali-dali sa ibang tao ang manghusga gayong hindi naman nila lubusang kilala iyong taong hinuhusgahan nila.
"Yes You made it very clear that you hate me. Every part of me. Mind you, you are not in my shoes Mister Arcega, you do not walk the path I am taking so you do not have the right to judge me and call me names. And to recieve this insult from someone who barely know me? How dare you Mister Arcega. Try to fit in my shoes and live my life only then will I take insults from you." She calmly said and stand up. Gusto niyang tapikin ang sarili sa balikat, ngayon lang siya nagalit ng hindi sinisigawan ang kausap niya. It's surprisingly weird that she kept calm while defending herself. Mas dadalasan na niya ang ganito para hindi masayang ang lakas niya sa pagsigaw.
Nagsimula na siyang humakbang pero liningon niya ito. "Before I forgot, I will not cancel the wedding. I will not deprive my parents' happiness even if it means depriving yours. Sino ka ba sa akala mo? I will not give you the satisfaction of cancelling the wedding. Kung mahal mo talaga ang girlffriend mo then do something to cancel this wedding. Nakapang-insulto ka nga ng taong hindi mo pa lubusang kilala eh. Of course, kaya mo ring i-cancel ang lahat ng ito." Naglakad na siya palayo dito. Mukhang nagkamali siya nga taong nagustuhan.
"Your such a bitch." Habol nito na narinig niya ng buong-buo.
Nakangising nilingon niya ito. "Yeah, I've been told. A million times." Tuluyan na niya itong iniwan at pumasok sa kanilang bahay.
"Oh anak? Tapos na kayong mag-usap?" Bungad sa kanya ng kanyang ina ng dumiretso siya sa kinaroroonan ng mga ito. Naupo siya sa two seater sofa sa kanilang living room. Nakauwi na ang kanyang kuya Bryan kasama ang pamilya nito maging ang kanyang kuya Francis umuwi narin dahil may lakad daw ito. Siya lang ang mag-i-stay dito ngayong gabi.
"It's getting cold out there." Palusot niya.
"Where's Blake hija?" Tanong ng ina ng binata.
"Nasa labas pa Tita Mercy, guess an important call." She shrugged making an alibi for him.
"Oh ayan na pala siya eh." Saad ng daddy niya. Nakatalikod kasi siya mula sa dadaanan nito. She didn't bother looking back.
"Halika dito Blake, maupo ka sa tabi ni Ianna." Utos ni Tita Mercy.
She should feel excited right now but she can't feel anything. Pakiramdam niya ay namanhid siya sa mga salitang narinig mula dito. Hindi naman siya naapektuhan ng ganito dati. Pero bakit ngayon ganito? It's like he had stabbed her a sharp knife.
Iba kasi kapag sa taong gusto mo nanggaling.
She gulped bitterly at that thought.
Naupo ito sa tabi niya pero hindi siya nag-abalang tapunan ito ng tingin.
"Tignan mo ang mga anak natin. Isn't they perfect for each other?" Kinikilig na saad ng kanyang mommy.
Napailing na lang siya habang napapangisi sa tinuran ng kanyang ina. Lumalabas nanaman ang pagka~hopeless romantic nito.
"Oo nga Lilian." Sang-ayon ni Tita Mercy. "Bagay na bagay, hindi tayo nagkamali."
Tumikhim si Blake kaya napatingin siya dito pero abala ito sa pagtipa ng mga letra sa cellphone. Probably texting her girlfriend. And then naalala niya ang katotohanang may girlfriend ito. Bakit hindi niya naisip na pwedeng masaktan ang isa sa mga kabaro niya? Pakiramdam niya masyado siyang naging unfair. Yes Blake is a jerk that's given, pero paano naman iyong girlfriend nito? Bakit ba hindi niya naisip ang bagay na iyon kanina?
Then she remembered Sierra once told her;
"Yes you can go with your ways with men. Hindi ako makikialam dahil desisyon mo iyan. You are big enough to know the consequence of your actions. But Ianna, please do not make it to a point that you'll hurt another girl in the process. You can hurt boys but do not betray our race and hurt girls. Naranasan ko ng masaktan dahil sa inagaw ng isang babae ang mahal ko and believe me the pain is twice than usual. Kasi naisip ko, paano naatim ng isang babaeng saktan ang kapwa niya babae? Hindi ba dapat more than anything else, siya ang nakakaintindi kung gaano kasakit ang masaktan ng dahil sa mga lalaki?
Bigla tuloy siyang naguilty. Oo gusto niya si Blake and she like him a lot pero paano na lang iyong babaeng mahal si Blake? There's big diffrrence between love and like. Mas matindi ang nararamdaman ng babaeng iyon kumpara sa kanya. Ibig sabihin lang 'non mas masasaktan iyong girlfriend nito. At kapag nalaman ito ni Sierra siguradong sesermonan siya ng dalaga.
She take a deep breath. Okay, she will be fair. She will give Blake one chance to fix this but if he fail, there's no turning back. She will go on with this wedding. Ayaw niya ring masaktan at ma~disappoint ang mga magulang niya. Buong buhay niya ay pinagbigyan siya ng mga ito, now it's time to return the favor.
"Mom, Dad, Tita and Tito. Blake and I talk and he is wondering if we can cancel this wedding." She blurted straight to the point. Bakit pa siya magpapaligoy hindi ba?
Nilingon niya si Blake na mukhang nagulat din. She is giving him the chance, just this once though. Pero kapag hindi talaga nito nagawang ipaglaban ang girlfriend nito, wala ng atrasan ito.
"W-what do you mean cancel?! NO! That is not happening." His mom boomed in anger na agad namang dinaluhan ng asawa nito.
"Ianna! I thought this is okay with you?" Her mom asked.
She was about to say something but interrupted by Blake's mom.
"Blake ordered you to cancel it, right?" Hindi siya makasagot. Alangan namang isa-isahin niya pa ang pang-iinsultong natanggap niya mula sa binata?
"I just wanted to clear things po before I enter this set up because here you are announcing about our wedding while your son is telling me the opposite." Magalang niyang saad. Hindi niya alam kung tama pa ba ang ginagawa niya. She just want to be fair so she's giving Blake a chance to defend his side.
"No hija, tuloy ang kasal ninyo." Mariing saad ng dad ni Blake.
Her lips formed into a thin line. "But your son wants the opposite Tito. I have no intention to be rude but I suggest, you talk to your son first about this. Marriage is a big thing but arranged marriage? It's a bigger thing to deal with. Even if this is arranged atleast give me the chance to be on the same page with my future husband. I want both of us to have a mutual feeling on what's going to happen between the two of us, no hard feelings and unfinished business. As much as I want to be selfish and go on with this wedding because honestly, I like your son po but I want to be fair to him that's why I'm asking you to talk with your son and sort things out." She politely said. Napatingin siya sa kanyang mga magulang and they are smiling proudly at her.
"You have a very witty daughter here Alexander." Saad ng dad ni Blake. "She negotiates well. I'm sure she makes a good businesswoman."
Her father chuckled. "Believe me, she is very capable of becoming one. She has a master's degree in management. Siya lang talaga itong ayaw humawak ng business."
Tinignan niya ang kanyang daddy, nagpaparinig nanaman kasi ito eh.
"Now hija, we will consider your request and talk to our son and let him sort his unfinished business." Tito William said seriously while glancing at Blake.
"No Tito, I want you to hear him out. I'm sure he has a lot of things to say to you. After hearing his side then it's up to you to decide. I don't wanna be selfish that's why I'm asking you this." Tinignan niya si Blake na nakakunot noo lang at seryosong seryoso. "After that, If you changed your mind and call this wedding off, okay lang po. I will accept it and will not force myself into him. Hindi ko pa naman mahal ang anak niyo eh, I just like him. Hindi ko naman siguro ikamamatay ang pagtanggap sa katotohanan."
Her parents chuckled. Napangiti narin ang parents ni Blake.
"That's the reason kung bakit kita gusto para sa anak ko. Napaka-honest mong bata and very straightforward, you speak for yourself well hija." Nakangiting saad ni Tita Mercy.
"At hindi siya natatakot sa kung sino man ang kaharap niya." Sang-ayon ni Tito William. "If she have to take a stand for her thoughts, she surely will, no matter what."
She felt herself blush. Kung sana kasing dali nilang kausap si Blake wala sanang pinoproblemang ganito.
Maya maya pa ay nagpasiya ng umuwi ang pamilya ni Blake. Nagsitayuan na sila pati ang mga magulang niya para ihatid sila hanggang sa sasakyan.
"Bye Tita and Tito. It's nice meeting you po." Magalang niyang paalam.
They waved to her.
Nakalabas na sila at papalabas narin si Blake, she took her first step in their stairs pero agad ding nilingon si Blake.
"Blake." She called.
Lumingon ito and give her a 'what?' look.
She held her head up. "I already give you a chance. Now it's up to you. If you waste this chance then sorry to say, you have to spend your lifetime with me not with your beloved girlfriend." Mataray niyang saad before he can utter any word she turned her back at him and take the stairs gracefully.
Akala niya naging anghel na siya sa ginawa niya pero hindi parin talaga. No matter how kind she turn into, at the end of the end of the day, there's still the bitchiness within her. Well, she's no saint.