"Wooooh!!!"
"So sweeeet!!"
"Say yes!!!"
The crowd cheered as they watch the marking moment David created. He placed Arhianna on a tight spot of proposing. He never left his eyes on the stiff woman towering at him. The spotlight that was directed to the woman on the sage were now focusing on them.
Arhianna can't move. Her mind was not functioning. Her nerves were numb, not responding to the command of heart. Her eyes fixed on Glaizel, trying to communicate with her.
The necklace in Glaizel's pocket seems to weigh. Seems to drag her down. Sending a message to pull the woman looking at her away from the man knelt down.
Arhianna was still motionless that David was able to place the ring around her finger. Glaizel, seeing that sparkling stone on her beloved's finger thawed her frozen form that she was able to walk away. Arhianna tried to move but David immediately stood up and hugged the surprised woman. The mass showered them with confetti made from torn tissue papers lying on the tables.
David smiled in his victory. He was no stupid to understand Arhianna. Not all silence means yes, sometimes its a no but cannot be put into words. He had successfully removed Glaizel to the equation. He removed his protective arms around Arhianna and clasp his hands on her cheeks, forced her to look at him. David saw her eyes, tears fall non-stop.
"I love you. You had made me the luckiest and the happiest man tonight," he said as he wipe her tears, but every streak he wipes, new streaks fall. He kissed her unresponsive lips. "Lets go back to the cottage," he whispered and pulled her to exit. David shook hands of every unknown guest who were congratulating them. Thanking every people tapping his shoulders.
Arhianna didn't respond to their greetings. In her heart, this was not she wanted. She wanted to pull her hand away from him and find Glaizel, but she lost her strength.
Glaizel ran to the farthest end of the resort where the waves boxes the rocks, just like how her emotions boxes her being. That event she just saw pounded her heart into dust. She's bleeding inside. As the waves batter the impenetrable rocks, Glaizel hit her chest to alter the pain she was feeling in her heart. She's in rage with this night, with her heart, with love..... With David.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" she shouted to the top her lungs, pouring out all that unbearable hurt.
Luna and Abi, hastened faster when they heard a shout. They saw Glaizel on the rocks, dropped on her knees.
"Hey dude.. Shhh... We're here..." Luna dropped down, caging her friend tight, trying to separate Glaizel to all who were trying to harm her bestfriend. Abi towering them behind, crying.
Glaizel was lost for words. All seemed to vanish in to thin air. How time changed its course, ransacking from her the woman she was inlove with and was inlove with her. Luna held her tight as she gets hysterical, rocking her back and forth, caressing her back to calm her down, but like the raging wave smashing the rocks, its hard to tame.
"Why Batchi? WHY!?!?!" she angrily asked.
"Dude, expect it will happen. You know she's committed in the first place," Luna keeping her friends mind in the reality.
"He was looking at me. Mocking me. Gloating. I know Arhianna was not expecting it. He put her on the spot. I have to go and save her," Glaizel struggle to escape from Luna's arms.
"No! Stop it, Glaizel! Look at you! You look deranged. What chances do you have against that man?!" Luna's voice authoritative. Keeping her arms together, not letting her friend get away.
"Let. Me. Go!" Glaizel looked at Luna with fiery eyes, but Luna was not moved. She kept on struggling.
Luna gathered her will into a ball and slapped her friend without any reserve. Glaizel fiery eyes extinguished, changed in to a child like stare, looking like a poor, wet, shivering, little puppy. She hugged Luna tight.
"Come on. Lets head back to the hotel," she stood up, supporting her friend. Abi lend her strength to the couple.
----------
David and Arhianna was in the cottage. The whole place was fully eerie with the quietness that surrounds them. She was still speechless. In her mind, she was worried of Glaizel. What could have happened to her? She left the gazebo. She wanted to follow and tell her that she will never marry David, but the man caged her.
David settled her to sit to the sofa. He was gone a few minutes and came back with a glass of water passing to her. She took it and drank. It was enough for her to gain a little spark of strength.
"Why David?" she began.
"Why what?" he responded, sitting on a solo seat near her.
"Why did you do that?" she cannot look at David.
"I don't understand?"
Irritated, she forced herself to look ate the man, and she saw an insulting smirk. "You're a poor actor David, we both know that, so don't act as if you don;t know what I'm talking about,"
David sneered and shook his head. She knows her well.
"Why shouldn't I? We've been together for years now. We are almost husband and wife. All that was missing is the ceremony," he reached for Arhianna's hand, still holding the glass of water.
"I thought we had this conversation before. David, we both admitted to our selves that we are not ready yet. We planned to prosper the restaurant first,"
"We? Or you are not ready?"
"Yes, I'm not ready," she answered firmly.
David chuckled. Bowing and shook his head, then he lift up his eyes with a changed expression. With soreness.
"I don;t think you will ever be ready, Arhianna. Not after what I have seen,"
"What do you mean?" Arhianna's heart suddenly beat fast.
"I know you too well, but you don't "FULLY" know me yet. In those years we were together, you have not cracked me yet,"
"Stop playing around the bush, David. What are you trying to imply?" she was getting impatient.
His face become hard, like he transformed into a whole new person that Arhianna had never seen before.
"I saw you with that filthy lesbian,"
That simple 7 words hit Arhianna, drilling her right through. Her thought were frozen stiff. Her eyes widened.
"The moment I heard you laugh when I arrived, the way you reacted seeing me. I know there was something different. I don't want to doubt because that was the last thing I can ever do to you. But..." he paused. "I can never allow anyone play me for a fool.... Even you,"
David was no longer the man she knew. He was right. She still doesn't know him. The real him. Arhianna felt fear, but she didn't let David feel it.
"I'm sorry David. I didn't mean to hide it from you. I didn't mean it to happen. It just did. I tried to stop it, but I can't. The truth David..." Arhianna round up whats left of her courage, then contninued. "I'm inlove with her,"
"I know. I can see that. But don't worry. I'm not mad. I proposed to you, didn't I?"
"You knew but you still proposed,"
"Yes. I'm a man, Arhianna. I have my pride and reputation to protect. Besides, I have this to satisfy you and give you children of your own," he quickly took Arhianna's hand and placed it on top of his bulging crotch.
Arhianna was shock to David's act, pulling her hand in an instant her hand made contact on that throbbing bulge.
"How dare you!! You are so indecent!!" Arhianna moved away. Holding her hand to her chest with disgust.
"Really Arhi. Me? Indecent? I'm not the one having an affair with a woman. I can take it if you are having an affair with another man. But with a woman?! You defile me of my manhood!!" he transferred beside Arhianna and grabbed her. Kissing her. Pressing his lips hard. His tongue slicing to part her lips open. His hand grabbing her underwear, pulling it down with force that almost tearing it.
Arhianna pushed him with all her might but David didn't gave in. His kiss lowered down to her neck.
"PLEASE STOP DAVID!! YOU ARE HURTING ME!! PLEASE!!" Arhianna pleaded.
David only stopped when a knock was heard on the door. He stood.
"Who's there?" he asked.
"My apologies to disturb you, Sir. The resort would like to offer a gift for your celebration, as a thank you for having Holiday Ocean View a part of your proposal," the man behind the door answered.
David fixed himself and looked at Arhianna sitting at the far end of the sofa, her legs curled up to her chest, sobbing.
David opened the door and took the bottle of champagne handed by the resort crew and a couple of crystal glasses.
"Tell your manager, thank you," he said and smiled. The man smiled back and nodded before he turn around and left.
David heard a loud bang of the door. Arhianna ran in to the bedroom and locked herself.
Arhianna felt disgusted. She immediately undressed and ran to the bathroom. Her skin was burning under David's rough touch. She took her net scrubber and squeezed her liquid soap until it was empty. She scrubbed her self thoroughly and did not stop until her skin reddens and scratched. She rinsed herself with the water's hottest temperature that she can endure. Trying to sterilize her body.
"You can't lock yourself forever in there Arhi! You will have to come out somehow!" David shouted, calling her together with an evil laugh.
David was right, Arhianna thought. But she rather die there than be married with David. Under the water of the tub, Arhianna felt the weight of the ring David wore around her finger. She removed it, tossing it on the floor. The sound of the metal gold ring echoed, stinging her ears. The thought of David lavishing his hand on her body, his lips conquering hers was so repulsive, unpleasant and hideous. She had never felt hatred towards David like before. What David did made her make a firm decision. She will revoke her engagement. It doesn't matter if David raise a hand on her to hrt her, but she will never allow her self to be tied down to him.
----------
Abi came back to Glaizel's hotel room with a medicine she asked from the hotel's clinic and a glass of water. Luna who was sitting on the bedside still trying to calm her friend.
Glaizel had not uttered any word since they came back in the hotel. Her eyes were fixed on the closed glass window. The moon staring back at her.
"Here Glai, take this," Luna placed his hand under Glaizel's had, supporting her to sit.
Without any resistance, Glaizel took the tablet and sip some water and lay down.
"She's gonna be okay," Luna told Abi. She stood up but Glaizel ggrabbed her hand. Luna motioned Abi to go ahead back to their own room. Abi nodded and kissed her partner before she left.
"Batchi, whats with this place? It killed me twice," Glaizel spoke, looking at Luna.
"Dude, I told you before. Coming back here was not a very good idea, but you were just a masochist. You thought forcing the pain back will help you heal,"
"But it did, didn't it? I met her,"
"Yes you did. But look at you now. Despite of knowing that Arhianna is already committed, you still barge in and had an affair with her. What's more, its so unbelievable that you, Glaizel Guevarra Galura fell in love in just a couple of days. You yourself told me theres no such thing as love at first sight. You are breaking your own belief,"
"But its not just a love at first sight. There's a connection to it. It was like we both knew each other. Two halves separated for so long and got reunited,"
"If that is what you feel, but you have to let it go. She is getting married. You saw what happened,"
"Did you saw her reaction? I did! I was infront of them. David was sarcastic,"
"Then why Arhianna didn't do something?"
"She was shocked! She was forced,"
"Alright, lets say she was forced. What are you gonna do about it then?" Luna saw Glaizel's eyes starting to get heavy.
"I have to go to her. I have to save her," she tried to push herself up from the bed, but her body was getting sluggish. "What did you gave me?"
"Just something to keep you calm. Rest. If you want to save her, you need to regain strength... And sanity,"
"No! Batchi..." her breathing was draggy. "Please.... I.... I need... toh...." she gave in to the effect of the drug.
----------
"Arhianna, will you come out of there," David called, he had almost consumed the champagne.
"NO! If I have to die here in this room, so be it than to look at you!" Arhianna answered. She had already dried and clothe herself.
"There's something I need to tell you,"
"Then say it,"
"Alright. If you feel comfortable in there,"
Arhianna sat on the floor, by the door.
"I'm sorry to what I did. What could you expect? Me witnessing my girlfriend kissing a woman. You can't just assume that its gonna be okay with me and let it go,"
"You already made your point on that matter, David,"
"And there is something else," his voice was calm.
She awaits his confession.
"Your father made a deal with my father. Tito Garreth owed my dad a big sum of money to save your farm in Poland. But my dad said, he will let your dad off the debt if his daughter will be betrothed to me,"
"Liar! My dad will never do that,"
"Then by all means, ask him. If we need to go back to Manila tomorrow, so be it," the alcohol was kicking in. "But let me tell you this Arhianna, the last thing you ever wanna do is to make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry,"
"What's the difference? I'm not liking you now,"
"You have seen nothing yet. I have skeletons in my closet Arhi, lot of them,"
"Don't threaten me,"
"I'm not even trying to. I'm just giving you a warning of what kind of hell i can raise,"
----------
David is now showing his true colors.
What now?
creepy enough?
thanks for reading....