AN: Happy new year everyone! May you all have a year full of happiness and pure love! Thank you so much for the reads, votes and comments!💛💛
-Chavi
Plan
I can't believe this. Seth just set me up in a dinner with Marco! Damn that old bitch!
"Enjoy!" Narinig ko pa siya sa kabilang linya at may tawa pang nalalaman at pinutulan ako!
Inilagay ko ang phone ko sa aking bag at napatingin ulit kay Marco nang maupo siya sa kaharap na silya.
My whole body is trembling. I can feel my heartbeat growing faster and faster. Hindi ako handa sa pagkikitang 'to!
"Uh... H-Hi! I'm sorry, this is Seth's idea and-" Hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin sa kanya.
"No. Actually, I asked for Seth's help." He said straightforwardly habang titig na titig sa akin.
Napatigil ako at napalunok sa sinabi niya. Anong ibig niyang sabihin? That this is all his idea? No. That's impossible. Dahil bakit niya ako gustong makausap ng... ganito?
Nawalan ako ng sasabihin. In front of me, is the man who I chased for years. In front of me, is the only man I loved.
He changed, physically. He is taller as he sported his slicked back hair. And his voice... it's deeper and rougher.
His muscles are on the right places. Kitang kita iyon sa suot niyang puting longsleeves, folded up until his elbow and the first two buttons were open, revealing a small part of his chest. Halatang galing pa sa trabaho.
I wonder what his work is.
His jaw were more angled and stubborn. He's more confident and screams authority as he sit proudly in front of me.
But his eyes... it's still the same.
He chuckled that startled me a bit. Ni hindi ko namalayang naiserve na yung first course!
Napainom ako ng wine at napa-iwas ng tingin sa kanya. That's illegal Vien. Baka may... asawa na yung tao at kung makatitig ka...
"You stare too much." He chuckled deeply.
At pinuna pa talaga!
"S-Sorry." At ngayon hindi na ako makatingin sa kanya.
"Let's eat?" He said, still smiling a bit.
I just nodded and started eating. Hindi ako tumitingin sa kanya dahil sa tuwing ginagawa ko, nakaabang na ang titig niya kaya hindi na ako umulit pa.
This is really awkward. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin, kung ano ang sasabihin o kahit ano ang mararamdaman.
Then I realized, we never really had a formal date like this way back. Dahil hindi naman siya yung nanligaw. It's me. At kaya ko naiisip na awkward to ngayon dahil hindi ako sanay na hindi lumalapit sa kanya. I used to be so clingy with him at hindi ako sanay na ganito kaming dalawa.
I was silent the whole time. Nagsasalita lang kapag may tinatanong siya.
Then a ring on his finger caught my attention. He's... I expected that. Ngunit parang dinudurog parin ang puso ko. Sino yung pinakasalan niya? Valentina? Yes, it's probably her. How about his daughter? She's probably six years old now.
"What's this dinner for? B-Baka magalit ang asawa mo niyan." Pang last course na yung dinner and for the first time, I initiated the conversation, but I sounded so bitter.
He looked at me for a moment. Tila naninimbang. Bakit nga ba nagpatulong siya kay Seth para sa dinner na to? For... a closure?
"I... never married anyone." He said in a deep voice.
"Then what's with the ring?" I bit my lip dahil hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko.
Damn it Vien.
And he never married anyone? He's not married with Valentina? Bakit hindi sila nagpakasal?
"Y-you don't have to tell me." Agad ko bawi.
Tapos na akong kumain at it's almost nine p.m. I told Daddy na baka matagalan ako kaya didiretso na ako sa bahay ngunit mukhang maaga pa naman.
"No." Napaangat ako ng tingin sa kanya. "I want you to know every single thing about me." Hindi ko alam kung sa pandinig ko lang iyon o talagang may halong sakit ang pagkakasabi niya.
Kumirot ang puso ko sa sinabi niya. Dahil ba sa nangyari noon?
"And I won't keep secrets from you from now on." Pagpapatuloy niya.
But that won't change anything. Bakit hindi sila nagpakasal? I left him for his daughter. For her to have a complete family tapos hindi niya rin pala pinakasalan si Valentina?
Hindi ako sumagot. I just stared at my wineglass, unable to speak.
"I wear this to avoid... girls. Para mas kapani-paniwala kapag sinabi ko sa kanilang... may asawa na ako."
"How did you meet her?" Matapang kong tanong.
He shifted on his seat before he answered.
"I met her in Toledo when I was seventeen, I had my vacation. We had a relationship... for years. It was toxic. Ayaw niyang bumalik ako ng Pilipinas. So I stayed. But I miss my family. At kailangan kong mag-aral. So I broke up with her... and she was pregnant that time." And now he's telling me everything.
I nodded. I think that's enough for now. I told him I want to check on Daddy dahil sa pagkakaalam ko'y kani-kanina lang tinanggal ang mga tubo na nakakabit sa dibdib niya.
He agreed. Hinatid niya ako sa ospital and I was so silent the whole ride. I am happy that he didn't marry, but I shouldn't be.
Tumigil ng sasakyan sa tapat ng ospital. I said thank you ngunit bago ako makalabas ay nagsalita siya.
"I want you back." He said very painfully.
No... Hindi pwede. Hindi ko nakita ang ekspresyon niya. I sighed bago siya nilingon at pagod na nginitian.
"Thanks for the dinner, Marco." I said then left, not minding what he just said.
I feel miserable. Kanina, si Lex. And now this. I want him back too. Heaven knows how much I fucking want him back. Pero hindi pwede. Hindi kaya ng konsensya ko.
Sinabi ko kay Dad kanina na sa bahay na ako didiretso and won't visit him this night. Ngunit maaga pa at kung nasa bahay lang ako, sasakit lang ang ulo ko sa kakaisip.
I opened the room's door. Ngunit parang marami ang tao sa loob. And I heard a familiar voice but I can't tell who.
"They probably met each other by now! Lex is freaking too slow! Sa dami ng taon na 'yon, wala paring nangyayari?!" It said.
Kinabahan ako sa narinig. I chose not to enter yet. I know something is up. I know something is really wrong.
"And Marco too! He's asking for a DNA test and he's growing more and more suspicious everytime I decline! I will never let him have that! But he won't marry me not until I agree with that!" And the voice started crying.
Bakit napasok si Marco sa usapan? Nanginginig na ang kamay kong nakahawak sa door handle. I can't believe this. This is all too much for just a day.
"Shh... Stop crying. Mist is sleeping, baka magising." It was Mommy's gentle voice.
"I love Marco so much, Mom! Hindi ako papayag na magkabalikan sila ni Vienna! And Dad! Why do you have to get sick?! Edi sana hindi yon bumalik dito!"
I can't just listen to this anymore. With teary eyes, pumasok ako sa room ni Dad. They were so shocked. Ngunit mas nagulat ako nang nakumpirma na tama nga ang hinala ko. That voice... it was Valentina.
Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na umiyak. Ang daming tanong na pumapasok sa isip ko at hindi ko kaya ang lahat ng iyon.
"What is this all about? And 'Mom'? 'Dad'?" I said with shaking voice as realizations hit me so hard.
Everything was planned... and what hurts the most... is the fact that my parents were behind all of these.