Kazee's POV
"Are we really getting married?"
"Why? You're backing out?"
I shook my head and laughed. "No!" I screamed.
I bit my lip when he pulled my hand and planted a soft kiss on its back.
When we stopped in a small church, I admired the scenery. Nang makababa kami ay sumalubong ang may katandaan na mag-asawa.
Nathan smiled. Hawak ang kamay ko ay iginaya niya ako papunta sa kanila. Agad siyang nagmano kaya ganoon din ang ginawa ko. Sa tansya ko ay nasa mid 40's na silang dalawa.
"Maraming salamat po sa pagpunta."
They both smiled. The lady kissed my cheeks, and the man patted my shoulders.
Nagtatanong ang mata ko kay Nathan. Agad niyang hinapit ang beywang ko at bumulong.
"They are the care takers of my brother's rest house. They will be our witnesses."
"You think I'm not ready? I planned this so we could get married the moment you say yes." he added.
Namula ang pisngi ko at napatingin sa ibang direksiyon. Gaya namin ay matamis ang tungo sa isa't isa ang nasa harapan namin. How I wished that Nathan and I will end up being like them.
Nang pumasok kami sa maliit na simbaan ay naroon na ang preacher. Napangiti siyang nakatingin sa amin.
"I can't give you a grand wedding right now, Kazee. But allow me to save up, and I'll provide everything."
I smiled and caressed his cheeks. I gulped when my vision started to be blurry because of the tears wanting to fall.
"This...is just perfectly what I want. Just you and I. Nathan..I don't need a grand wedding because as long as I have you...everything is right." I whispered.
He licked his lips and planted a soft kiss on my lips. The preacher cleared his throat.
"Hindi pa nagsisimula ang seremonya, naghalikan na kayo." saway niya.
Natawa kami ni Nathan. Pati ang mag-asawang inimbitahan niya.
"Pasensya po, na carried away lang." pilyong sambit ni Nathan.
Nathan were holding both of my hands while staring at my eyes intently.
"I..do." I whispered.
I smiled when he said the same. I inhaled big amount of air when I had to say my vows. This is like an impromptu, but I didn't feel like I needed script. Because words naturally came out from my mouth the moment I looked at him.
"Hey." I chuckled.
"From maid...to tenant.. to living partner..and now your wife. Hindi ko inakala na magbubunga ang panlalandi ko sayo. Ang rupok mo pala?"
Siya naman ng natawa sa sinabi ko. I saw the ghost smile of the preacher as he listened to us.
"In the eyes of God...and to the people who are here. I....I promise you love you unconditionally. I know we're in hard situation right now. Dahil lahat ay pinaghihiwalay tayo. We are both fighting against the world for the love that we have.. And on this day.... I want to say that we won. Maghiwalay man tayo, mag-away man tayo, magkasakitan man tayo.... Nathan, nanalo tayo. We won the battle, because we're here. Marrying each other. Promising that we'll alway be together..no matter what happens."
"I love you."
I reached for his cheeks when a tear fell from his eyes. I wiped it using my thumb. Our situation is very hard. Pilit namin ipinaglalaban ang pag-iibigan naming ayaw ng lahat.
"Kalia Zeen Valverde Alvarez. You're finally my wife. We're both young but I will never regret this. I will never regret loving you... Babe, please give me time to prove to you that marrying me isn't a mistake."
Ngumiti siya at pinunasan naman ang luha ko dahil sa tuloy na agos nito.
"Mahal kita. At kahit paulit-ulit man tayong paghiwalayin. Pauli-ulit din kitang ipaglalaban. Sana...sana kahit ubos na tayong dalawa, kahit hindi na natin kaya...babalik at babalik tayo sa isa't isa."
"I love you." he whispered.
Sa pagdampi ang aming mga labi, ramdam ko ang pagmamahal. Ramdam ko ang pag-iingat.. Ramdam ko ang lahat.
I giggled looking at the plain ring on my finger. I can't help but to smile. I shifted my seat so I can get a view of my husband who's driving. Husband.. He's my husband!
"Nakakatunaw naman ang titig na yan." naiiling sa sambit ni Nathan.
"I have the right to stare what's mine right?"
"Landi talaga." bulong niya na ikinatawa ko na lang.
Madilim na nang nakauwi kami sa rest house. Pero parang nag iba lahat dahil alam ko na kasal na kami.
I'm 18 and I'm already married. Grabe ang landi ko pala talaga?
"Hoy hubby!" asar ko kay Nathan nang makapasok kami.
"Ano?"
"Kainin na kita? Rawr!"
He barked out of laughter and pinched my nose.
"My wife is naughty."
I glared at him when he chuckled. He even patted my head and chuckled more.
"My pet is so cute."
I scoffed. Ano? Pet? Ako?
"Meow."
He laughed more when I mimicked the sound of a cat. Nauna pa siyang pumasok sa kwarto niya kaya sumunod ako.
"Ano? Hindi tayo maghohoneymoon? Hindi kita kakainin?" pangungulit ko.
He groaned but laughed afterwards. Umiiling siyang tumingin sa akin.
"Wife please, stop making things hard for me. We'll make love once you're ready."
"Handa na ako! Ano? G na!" atat na atat kong sambit.
He laughed so hard, he even held his stomach as if I'm very funny.
"Wife, common. Go and take a bath. We'll share one room now."
Napataas ang kilay kong tumingin sa kanya.
"You really indeed kept your promise huh?"
Sabi niya kasi ayaw niya kaming magtabi sa iisang kama kapag hindi pa kami kasal.
"I don't break promises, babe." maangas niyang sambit.
Sinunod ko na lang siya at pumunta sa kwarto para maligo at magbihis. I spent an hour taking a bath. Naligo din ako sa pabango at lotion dahil siyempre ito ang una naming gabing magkakatabi!
I chose to wear a red nighties with deep neckline. I pouted when I saw my reflection in the mirror.
Hinawakan ko ng sariling dibdib at inangat ng kaunti, may nagpakitang cleavage pero kapag binibitawan ko ang kamay ay nawawala.
Gusto kong mag-alburoto. Like hello? Eto na yun? Ganito kaliit? Tangina.
Will I able to seduce him with this size of boobs? Argh!! Bahala na, gagalingan ko na lang sa performance? Damn, kung magsalita ako parang ang dami kong experience e hanggang halik lang naman.
When I opened the door I saw Nathan lying on his bed wearing a white sando and black pajama while holding his phone.
When he felt my presence, he only threw a glance at me from head to toe. He smiled as if something is so funny, agad akong nainsulto nang ibinaling niya ulit ang tingin sa kanyang cellphone at kinalikot iyon.
"Come here."
Padabog akong naglakad at umupo sa tabi niya. Natawa siya nang bahagya ng makitang busangot ang mukha ko.
"What's with that face?"
"Wala!"
"Lika, tignan mo ito."
He pulled my hand the reason why I bumped into his hard chest.
Dahil nga marupok ako, agad kong inayos ang paghiga at isinandal ang ulos sa balikat niya habang ang braso niya ay nagsilbing unan ko.
I was locked in his arms while he's holding up his phone. My jaw dropped when I saw he's browsing our pictures a while ago.
Marahil ay ang mag-asawa ang kumuha ng litatro namin habang ikinakasal.
My heart pondered when I saw how sincere are we. There were pictures of us crying, and when he wiped my tears. And pictures when kissed. Above all, there's a video when we uttered our vows.
"I have all the evidences especially our vows." he said in a warning tone.
"Ano naman?"
"You can't break your promises."
"And if I do?"
"Ililibing kita ng buhay."
Natawa siya nang siniko ko siya ng pabiro. He hugged me so tight and kissed my head. I hugged him back and sniffed his scent. It was so manly.
"Nathan?" I mumbled.
"Hmm?"
I felt his chest vibrated, he moved slightly so his hug loosened a bit. I looked up so I can see him. His eyes looked so expressive and sincere.
"Mahal kita." sambit ko.
He licked his lips and smiled.
"Alam ko." mayabang niyang sambit. Hambog talaga.
I pinched his stomach, he groaned but he tightened his hug. Yinakap ko din siya ng mahigpit.
"Mahal din kita."
I smiled and buried my head on his chest. In his arms, I felt so secured and safe.
And just like that..we spent our first night just cuddling. Just feeling each other's warmth without having sex.
I couldn't ask for more. Ramdam ko ang laki ng respeto niya sa akin, hindi niya ako pinilit, hindi niya ako sinamantala at hindi niya ako ginalaw.
I just listened to his heartbeats...it became my favorite rhythm. His voice became my favorite lullaby. His eyes became my favorite view.. And he...became my newest addiction.
I realized that it's him who makes everything beautiful. We have tried eating eggs for dinner and I was happy. We were happy. With him, I was able to appreciate the things around me and find something good in everything. But..that only happens when I'm with him. Because when I'm with him, little things mattered the most.
Now? I can dine in a most famous restaurant and still feel empty. Eventhough everything looks perfect and beauitiful, I still find it so ugly and useless. And that's because I'm not with him. I'm only me when he's around.
Dahil siya...siya ang kasiyahan ko. Siya ang nagparamdam sa akin na may isang taong kayang isakripisyo ang lahat. Na may taong kayang isugal lahat....para sayo.
And he proved..that my existence was his biggest blessing. When I thought I wasn't loved and wanted he poured all the love he can give....
And the love that he has shown me was pure, dangerous and....true. And God knows how much I miss him. How much I longed for him.
I might be breaking my promise to him but my love will always be here...in my heart. Silently hoping for us, silently rejoicing for his succes, and silently loving him. I want him to be happy even if I'm not the reason.
"Where should I sign?"
Parang isang bangungot at nagising ako sa malamig na boses ni Nathan. I tried so hard not to tear up when he held the pen. I pointed which part of the paper will he sign.
So that's it. That's the end of us. Once he sign those, we'll be separating for real. Wala na talaga kami. Hindi na ako Alvarez. Hindi ko na siya asawa.
I closed my eyes when he held the pen. I can't bear to see him sign it, it breaks me so much.
Pero agad akong napatalon nang padabog niyang ibinagsak ang pen at tumayo. Agad din akong tumayo at sinundan siya.
"Why didn't you sign those?"
"Ayoko."
"Why?"
He remained silent and just walked. I had to double my steps to cope up.
"Nathan yung mg-"
With widened eyes, I covered my mouth when he punched the wall beside me. My gaze flew from the dripping blood down to his fist.
"I told you, I fucking don't break promises."
Hindi ako nakaimik nang makita ang galit sa kanyang mata. My lips trembled along with my hands.
"Pwede ba Kalia? Kahit ngayon lang, ako naman ang masunod?"
My eyes watered when I heard his voice filled with so much pain.
"Y-you're bleeding." I whispered and tried to reached his hand but he moved it away.
"Mas malala pa dito ang nararamdaman ko." malamig niyang sambit at tumalikod.