Samantha
"Sammie naman e. Mapapagalitan ako ni Daddy neto." Panay ang reklamo ni Railey pero wala na syang magagawa. Nakasakay na kami ngayon sa private plane nila na hiniram muna namin. And the plane already took off twenty minutes ago.
Since we don't have any idea on how to fly this thing, sinama na din namin sa hiniram namin si Railey and their licensed Pilot. She's a part-time pilot ng private plane nila. Actually not a professional one but atleast she knows how to do it. She's a licensed mechanical engineer. Yung forte nya ay yung sa mechanical at designs ng mga sasakyan. Lahat ng klase.
Syempre, part of it is the knowledge on how to operate things.
"Calm down, Rail. I've got you." Sabi ko na prenteng nakaupo at nakasandal pa sa headrest ng upuan.
Manila to Cebu is just less than two-hour flight. Kung 9pm ngayon baka mga 10:30pm or before 11pm nakapagland na kami.
"No, Sam. You don't get it. My father will be fuming mad pag nalaman nyang ninakaw natin 'to." sabi pa nitong si Railey.
"Hindi natin ninakaw. Hiniram lang." I clarified.
"Hiniram nang walang paalam is some sort of stealing, Sam." Prenteng remind sakin ni Leigh na nakatanaw sa labas. Pero syempre wala naman syang nakikita doon.
Si Railey naman ay panay ang tango na sumasang ayon pa dito kay Leigh.
"We followed the rules, Railey. We have a professional pilot with us. You're standing as a co-pilot. Besides, ibabalik naman natin agad. Papalapag lang tayo." Kalmanteng sabi ko.
The reason why Railey followed my orders na hiramin namin sandali yung plane nila ay dahil na blackmail ko na sya.
I reminded her that I give way para sya yung maging Chess Champion noon sa kompetisyon namin nung highschool. I did it because she needs to win the game. Simply because her father showed up to support her. Sobrang busy kasi ng parents nito and she doesn't want to make a waste of it.
I can clearly remember that she told me that she'll also return the favor pag ako naman ang nangailangan ng help nya. Apparently, this is the right time to return that one.
"Why was I indebted to you?" pasalampak na naupo na din si Railey.
Si Van naman ay nakatulog na. Habang si Leigh ay tahimik na nakatingin sa labas. I've dragged all of them.
Sorry guys! I just need your help.
"Feel lucky that Sammie got out of her Eiffel tower pride just to ask you to do her a favor."
Tahimik lang ako nung sinabi iyon ni Leigh kay Railey.
She's somehow right. I have never asked anyone to do me a favor. Usually I am the one who is doing them favors. Ako at si Aria.
That's why I need Aria and Corinne right now. I've helped them. So they better help me too.
I can't do it on my own. Gagamitin ko lahat ng koneksyon at pangalan ko just to make sure that Terry will be mine.
"Don't tell me na tinamaan na yang si Sammie kay tinker bell?" napapantastikuhang kumpirma pa ni Railey.
"More likely. But she's too full of herself to even admit it." Leigh answered on my behalf.
"Goodness! Seriously? Si Sammie?"
"Yeah. Haven't you seen the leaked video roasting in the internet?"
Napaangat naman ako sa upuan ko para matingnan si Leigh.
Anong video ang pinagsasabi nya?
"See." Itinuro pa ako nito bago tiningnan si Railey. "She doesn't even have an idea that she's making a scene to make herself to look cool."
"What video?" Kunot noong kumpirma ko. Wala akong maalala na may ginawa akong hindi maganda.
Leigh shrugged. "The scene that happened a week ago. Yung sa mall nila Van. It was uploaded in the net."
Si Railey ay agad namang nagcheck sa phone nito.
"Check it later, Rail. Any moment your father might track us. Put it on airplane mode." Sabi ko para mapigilan ito.
Damn! Why hasn't it crossed my mind?
"It's okay, Sammie. Actually that got you in a better spot than you actually did. Think of it as a ticket para sa boto ng parents mo kay Terry. If they saw it, it's so convincing enough that You and Terry will go along well. Hence, no forced marriage shall be bestowed to you. Especially now that you're really sinking yourself into it. "
" Wait, What?! " Naguguluhang sabat ni Railey." Ibig sabihin seryoso talaga si Sammie? Wait, why with Terry? She's not even that pretty. She looks like a comm-"
"Do you want to die?" I gave Railey one of my sweetest smiles.
Awtomatikong nayakap nito yung sarili nito.
"Damn! Miracles do happen." Sabi pa nito.
"Shut up!"
"So tell me, Sammie. How'd you know that you're into Terry? Have you felt the sexual tension?"
"Is that the way you gauge feelings now, Rail?"
Umiling ito pero halatang seryoso dito yung topic.
"No. But it is essential. If you don't see yourself being engaged in that way romantically, I don't know how do you call it."
"Can't you just feel it?" Inosenteng tanong ko. Hindi ba ganun naman iyon?
Bakit kailangan laging may sexual tension? Hindi ba pwedeng masaya ka lang sa company nya? Na may peace of mind ka?
"When was the last time you've felt it, Sam? You haven't right? You can get attracted to people and to things based on your unique taste. But you haven't felt it. So what makes the difference now?"
Ano nga ba? The sparks? The jealousy I've felt when I saw her kissing her Hercules? The pang I've felt when she said No to me when I asked her to get married for real? Was it just ego?
No, Sam. It isn't. You know deep inside that it's not just the case. You really want to be part of Terry's life.
"Remember when we were in highschool, Sam?" Remind pa ni Railey. "You were really into Chess. But when I've asked you na magpatalo ka, you did."
"Terry isn't a game."
"So, are you saying that if any of us, your best friends, would tell you that we want Terry for ourselves, ipapaubaya mo din ba?"
Natahimik ako doon. That's exactly what happened to me and Corinne. I've liked Corinne. Too much that the thought of giving her up with Aria bursts me into tears too. Because I was so fascinated with her. Because she's someone that I see myself growong old with.
But when Aria told me that I can get anything but Corinne, I gave way. Simply because Corinne loves her too. That kind of love. Ayun yung nagustuhan ko kay Corinne. That no matter how painful or how stupid Aria can get, Corinne would still choose her.
So if Corinne would choose me, I know I might lose my fascination to her. So I'm glad that she didn't.
But what about Terry this time? If Terry will tell me that she loves someone else and would go on choosing that someone, will I also give way? Would I step back?
"You're selfless, Sam. So the only way we could be sure about your feelings is if you would want Terry selfishly. If you will tell me that it's the extent of your feelings for her, You'll gain my vote."
Umiling ako kay Railey.
"I don't need your vote or any of the troupes'. I just need you to understand that Terry is my betrothed. But if Terry would feel that I'm too overwhelming for her, I'll still push myself into her. Hanggang sa magustuhan nya ako."
Leigh raised her hand na akala mo may recitation sa classroom.
"What if Terry is the type who falls for simplicity and ideology? Would you still chase her?"
Obviously, Terry is that type. Leigh is right. Terry likes a typical gentleman. She likes an epitome of masculinity. Yung macho. Yung hindi ganun kagwapo pero maginoo. Yung kaya itong buhatin. Yung hindi katangkaran na tama lang sa height nito. At syempre yung mabait.
And I am the exact opposite. But that's why I'm exerting an effort right?
No one can make her feel like a princess more than I. She's perfectly safe with me. No one can speak ill of her when I'm around. I can give her everything that money can offer. I have connections. My family won't meddle with us if we continue this affair.
"She better choose Athena, Leigh. No one can be better than me. I'm her best and only choice. It's so pathetic kung ikukumpara ako sa mukhang ipis na yun. Kadiri talaga."
Pareho namang natawa si Railey at Leigh.
"So tell us, how do you plan to win her over?"
"I'll ask Corinne of Terry's weakness. I'll laid my plans. I think I could work with our family tradition as my excuse."
"Which your family will deemed you as immoral for living in with Corinne. Goodness, is that even allowed within your family book?"
Hala. Napaisip ako doon. Technically hindi naman living in ang tawag doon sa amin ni Corinne.
But now you're Grandpa might have heard the news. You've proposed to that girl you've been living with for eight months. With unmasking your sexual preference, you're now giving them the malicious thinking of what could had happened in eight months na kayong dalawa lang sa bahay.
"But that's exactly what you want, Sammie right?" Dagdag pa ni Leigh. "If your Grandpa would hear about that, siguradong uuwi iyon ng Pilipinas at ipagkakasundo ka na talaga sa pamilya nila Corinne. But since Corinne is already married on the night of your birthday with Aria, the last resort is Terry. Perfect! Aria saved you too. Di ba? "
Fudge! So ibig sabihin wala na akong ipambablack mail kay Aria?
"That's maybe why Grant helped Aria to coordinate with Alliston for the marriage contract." Wala sa loob na nasabi ko.
Kaya ba minadali nila Grant at Aria yung kasal na yun? Para if ever na magkahulihan kaming lahat, wala ng option para makuha ko si Corinne?
Tsk. Naisahan nila ako doon nang hindi ko namamalayan. Why Leigh hasn't told me earlier? I should have seen it coming.
"I like Terry anyways. She's like a daily happy pill." pag sang-ayon ni Railey. " I like her better than Corinne. Corinne is a crybaby. Pero Terry would smash you in the head kapag di nya nagustuhan yung ginawa mo."
Natawa naman ako remembering how stubborn Terry is. Yeah! She's more than just a happy pill. She's a fresh breather.
" I like Terry too." Komento ni Leigh."But it's not yet enough for me to like her for you. But since she's making you giddy in anticipation everytime, I'll help you get her."
I guess I've got their support this time.
"I'll make sure that your Grandpa would hear about your living-in set-up with Corinne. That way mas mapapabilis ang pagkuha mo kay Terry."
"So Terry would be you betrothed for real!" Sang ayon ni Railey.
Way to go Sam. Galingan mo pa para pati si Aria at Corinne maipamukha kay Terry na ikaw lang yung option nya.
Tsk! Those two should help me. Pero tingin ko Corinne won't meddle. Terry is still her cousin. Natural lang na yung boto nito mapunta sa kung sinuman ang gugustuhin ng pinsan nito.
But it doesn't matter. Terry will just be mine and just mine.
"Tell Van later to assign that cockroach sa Mindanao ha?" Inis na sabi ko pa pagkaalala sa lalaking iyon na nangahas na halikan si Terry. "Kung saan may gyera or to the place where there's a lot of reported NPAs, the better."
The two just grinned.
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