Chapter 2

Ano ba 'tong ginagawa ko? 

I step out of the car, I can feel my heart pounding. I took a step forward and the huge doors opened, revealing thick smoke at the entrance to where I can see Lolo Donny standing. 

He holds a calm smile, holding both of his hands to his stomach. I take another step and this time I lift up the bottom part of the white gown. I walk closer to him, holding a small bouquet of flowers as I can hear a quiet cheering from inside.

"I know this is something you always hear from me but, hija, you look so much like your mother. Naalala ko tuloy no'ng kinasal sila ng papa mo. I mean of course, you're the daughter of one of the most stunning ladies I have met!" he said, spreading his arms as gestures, causing me to laugh. "But seryoso, ipagmayabang ko talaga 'to sa kanila pag nagkita na kami."

"Ay walang gan'yanan!" I exclaimed, joking a frown as he laughed before nodding his head.

"Tara na? Hinihintay ka na ng pinakagwapo mong groom," he said and once again, I felt my heart pounding. Lumapit siya sa akin bago ko kinabit ang aking kamay sa kaniyang braso.

"You haven't told me who the groom is, Lo," I said as we walked to the middle of the carpet. 

"Ngayon makikita mo s'ya, tiyak na malo-love at first sight ka sa asawa mo!" he said and I chuckled. 

I have been wondering. I spent the two days I had on thinking who he might be, how he looks like, and how he is like. Habang nandoon ako sa pamamahay ng mga Veridiano ay kinuha na din ni Lolo ang chance para ikwento sa akin kung anong klaseng lalaki ang mapapangasawa ko, ngunit ay kahit isang beses hindi niya binanggit ang pangalan nito.

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad nang isang pamilyar na tugtugin ang lumayag sa simbahan. It wasn't the classic wedding song, it was much softer... Heartbeat.

Hindi ako makapaniwala na nung isang araw lang ay nakipag-break sa akin ang boyfriend ko tapos ngayon, ikakasal na ako sa ibang lalaki. Hindi ba ay trinatraydor ko siya ngayon? Mali ba itong ginagawa ko?

"Angel?" he called, catching my attention. "Okay ka lang? Ikinalulungkot mo ba ito, hija? Pwede namang--"

"Hindi po, okay lang ako," I said, in a whisper, interrupting him before he nodded his head. Hindi ko namalayang nakatingin pala ako sa baba habang palapit na kami sa altar.

I shift my eyes to the altar in front of us and landed on a pair of familiar eyes. Si Father iyon, isa sa mga kaibigan din nila Daddy, tuwang-tuwa ang kaniyang mukha. Ngunit hindi ko mapigilang mapansin ang lalaking nakatayo sa gilid. Kaagad akong umiwas ng tingin at nilipat ang mata kay Lolo.

Mahina itong tumawa bago tumingin sa akin. "Alam kong magkakilala kayo, nasabi iyon sa akin ni Inez no'ng nakaraang linggo."

"Lo--"

"Huminahon ka, Angel. Hindi kita pinapakasal sa kung sino-sinong lalaki lang. Kilala ko iyang bata na 'yan at alam kong makapagtiwalaan ko siya para maging asawa mo. Apo din kita, at wala akong pamilya na pinapabayaan."

Mabait siya… alam ko.

Nang makalapit kami ay diretso pa rin ang tingin niya sa akin, ngunit ngayon mas masaya s'ya tignan kesa sa huling pagkikita namin. Nagmano kaagad siya kay Lolo.

"Oh 'di ba? sabi ko sa 'yo, e," sabi ni Lolo ngunit hindi sa akin.

Tumango si Mr. Luciano bago muling ilipat ang mga mata sa akin. "Tama nga ho kayo. Ang ganda."

I blinked, his eyes were still on mine. I blinked again, and now we're at the altar, in front of father as we face each other. Ganoon pa rin ang tingin niya sa akin. Para siyang nawawala, sobrang nakakakumbinsi ang kaniyang arte. His smile was small yet was also huge, diretso palagi sa mata ang kaniyang tingin, at ramdam ko ang pagkailang.

Ngunit ngayon ay wala na akong magagawa. Hindi na pwedeng umatras pa. We have both said our scripted vows, our I do's.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." It was the last line I heard before the corners of his lips rose, his eyes shifted from Father to mine, causing my head to turn to the small crowd to my right.

He chuckled, causing my head to turn back to him. I quickly met his eyes, it was somehow sparkling as it blinked from time to time. "I'm sorry but."

His hand, it was on my jaw. My heart was pounding like crazy yet suddenly, it was peaceful and before I knew it, his lips were on mine.

"Laurella Angeline Luciano…" he said and chuckled once again before pulling away. Our eyes met once again, but he suddenly placed his other hand to my other jaw before closing the gap, but this time his lips landed on my eyes. 

***

"Angel," they called.

"Angel!" Ciara calls as I walk towards them. She stands up from her seat before rushing to my direction with open arms. "I'm sorry. Please, sorry talaga--"

"Sorry about what?" I asked as she came on for a hug, before she started sobbing. "Ciara."

"I knew how he is and I had two fucking days to convince you not to do this but I didn't do it and and Angel," she said and pulled away, I can see the worry in her eyes. "He's not a nice guy…"

"You look awful. Tignan mo make-up mo, smudged na!" I said, chuckling. I hold her chin up, causing our eyes to meet. "He seem to be a nice guy--"

"Well he's not!" she said in a whisper, she held onto my wrist and pulled it down. "He's known as a fucking heartless man for a reason, Gel--"

"And that heartless man you call is already my husband, Cier." I pull my arm back to my side, her eyes shift away and suddenly I feel presence. 

"M'ijo! Te ves bien como siempre! Come and sit! Mi amores? Angeline? Ciara? Hali na kayo dito." It was Lolo. My eyes shifted to him before I saw a tall figure pass by me, walking towards the table of the Veridiano's.

Ciara pulls my hand, catching my attention. My forehead creased as I met her eyes, she didn't say anything before turning around. Hawak-hawak pa rin niya ang kamay ko bago niya ako hinila panguto sa table kung nasaan sila.

Mr. Luciano immediately noticed our approach and he turned his head to us. It was a quick glance with a small smile on his face before he stepped out of the way. Ciara heads to her seat, right beside Tita before I see Mr. Luciano pulled a seat beside me. I looked at his eyes and saw him gesturing to me to sit. Wala akong magawa at umupo na lang bago siya umupo sa upuan na nasa tabi ko, with Tito being on his left.

The day went on with a lot of talking, a couple of speeches, eating, and the rest was sitting on a chair with them while we waited until the day would end. 

I suddenly find myself on my phone. Kakatapos lang namin kanina kumain, hinihintay na lang na maubos ang mga bisita para umuwi na din. Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan si Mr. Luciano-- or I don't know kung ano ang itatawag ko sa kaniya. Christion is probably with friends and relatives that I have met earlier.

And the people I am with right now are the Luciano's. 

"Angel? Uuwi na rin kami ngayon saglit. Gusto ko lang sanang sabihin kung bakasakaling…" I look up to Mrs. Luciano to see her lips pressed together, nasa kawalan ang kaniyang tingin, nasa baba.

"Ku-- hindi naman sa wala kaming tiwala sa iyo or sa anak namin pero sana bantayan mo iyang bata na 'yan, ah? For sure may alam ka tungkol sa kaniya na--" Mr. Luciano, Christion's father, said.

"Jason! Ano ka ba? Kilala ko itong apo ni Miguel! Hindi ito nagpapaniwala sa sabi-sabi lang, hindi ba, Angeline?" Don Christopher asked, Christion's grandfather. I snicker, stretching my lips for a wider side before I slowly nodded my head. "See? Magkakasundo talaga kayo niyan ni, Tion, sinisigurado ko sa iyo! Mabuting bata 'yon, hindi lang halata--"

"Pa! Akala ko ba?" Mr. Luciano hissed, causing Don Christopher to chuckle. "Oh ito na, here comes the groom."

My heart started pounding again. I can hear his footsteps getting louder and louder as he gets closer, I wander my eyes to my right and there realise that the tables are already empty. The place is quiet. Parang kami na lang ang nandito.

"Kakauwi lang ng mga Verdiano," he said as he got closer. I suddenly felt his eyes were on mine, causing my head to turn to him. "Is your foot okay na? Kaya mo bang maglakad?"

I pressed my lips together and nodded my head. I attempted to move my left foot which was recently pounding, the pain is slightly getting better, so i wasn't lying. He nodded his head before he turned to his parents.

"Flight is in two hours, we should get going," he said and placed his hand on the back of my chair. My forehead creased before I turned my head to the Luciano's. "Uhm, we're going to Siargao as your Lolo's wedding gift."

***

From: Lucas

sent an attachment 

It was a picture. A screenshot. My forehead creases as it loads, my heart beats raised once more. 

Post. News report. Local lang 'yon na network ngunit kaagad kong nakita ang pangalan ko.

'Business man, Christion Luciano, is officially married to a said secret girlfriend, Mrs. Laurella Angeline Luciano. For more information you can visit our website!'

From: Lucas

Ano to?

Kasal kaagad? kaya ba hindi mo ako halos pinigilan?

missed a call from Lucas

Sagot angel

missed a call from Lucas

tangina ang gulo

angel sagutin mo ko

Chuckle. Christion chuckled beside me as we continued to walk, I looked up to him to meet his gaze uet he quickly looked away, to my phone before turning his head back upfront.

Lucas Mariano:

online ka 

Sa Messenger na ngayon. I turned off my phone and dropped my hand to my side. I wander my eyes around the airport to see a couple of people on the benches, may ibang tulog at may ibang kumakain pa.

Pagpasok lang ng airplane ang naalala ko. Katabi ko noon ay si Christion. And the next thing I know is I feel touched. A couple taps on my arm before I slowly notice the noises, a voice, a familiar one. The voice was gentle, I couldn't open my eyes.

"Miss Angel?" they said, causing me to sit up. I take my time to open my eyes, at first it was blurry until I met a familiar pair of eyes, sitting on the chair beside me. Their smile widens before they stand up from the seat and exit the car. Nasaan siya? "Bumaba na po si Sir Tion, nasa Cebu na po tayo."

My eyebrows rose before I slowly stood up from my seat. "Where in Cebu, exactly?" I asked Inez, Tion's personal assistant, before I gave myself a minute and exited the car. The bright sunshine crashed onto my eyes, causing me to shut them immediately. I've been asleep for too long.

"Badian, Lambug beach daw? Ewan ko basta ang ganda!" they said, exclaiming and I chuckled. "Nakapunta ka na ba dito, Miss?"

I turn to her before opening my eyes again, having to squint them to see bare minimum. "Don't call me Miss, Angel na lang. But no, hindi pa."

"Ay okay, Angel. May pinapabigay pala si Sir kanina, nahulog mo daw?" she said, handing a bracelet. She immediately started walking as I received it, my feet followed her slowly as I turned to the van. A guy is shutting the door with a suitcase and a bag.

"Hay, excited na ako! Isang linggo pa naman tayo dito, gosh! Sana may pogi!" I hear Inez squealed, causing me to turn back to her. I chuckled and put the bracelet on my wrist again yet as I face the back of my hand, my rings caught my eye.

Dalawa na. Plain simple rings, walang diamond or kahit na ano. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili at napangiti ako.

Noticing her already a distance from me I try to catch up. The wind immediately crashed onto me as I ran, I look down to my dress and for a moment I forgot, nagbihis ako while nasa plane. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang weight nito, ang gaan.

"Oh, ito na!" Bigla siyang tumigil, nakayuko ito. "Cancelled daw breakfast natin sa restaurant." Hinarap niya ako, hawak-hawak niya ang kaniyang phone. "Masyado daw maraming tao sabi ni Sir. Gosh, ah? Nag-iinarte na naman--"

I chuckled. "Nasasabi mo ba 'yan sa harap niya?"

"Ay, walang ganyanan po!" she said and walked closer to me before leaning towards me. "Sa atin lang 'yon, ah? 'Wag mo sasabihing kasali ka sa mga original na babae na napaka-KJ?"

My forehead creased. "KJ? Hindi naman ako killjoy."

"That's what I thought," maarteng pagkasabi niya bago tumalikod ulit. "Unang tingin ko pa lang sa 'yo kaagad kong inakala kambal tayo. Maganda, mukhang m*****a, pero napaka bait naman. Oh, 'di ba?"

Muli niya akong nilingon at maarteng tinuro sa akin ang darili niya kaya't napatawa ulit ako. 

Pagkadating namin ng Villa ay diretso akong humiga sa kama, at ganoon din si Inez. Iisa lang kami ng kwarto while Christion sleeps in a different Villa. Umaga na at hindi ako naging kumbortable sa pagtulog doon sa plane or kahit sa sasakyan. 

Ayaw ko sanang sumama ngunit hindi ko alam kung paano tumanggi sa harap ng mga magulang niya. They seem to be excited for me.

At sa planong kong mag relax muna, hindi ko namalayan nakaidlap na pala ako.

I wake up to the sound of music. Familiar music coming from nearby along with a shower seem to be running. I let out a groan before I rolled over the bed. I try to open my eyes to see the TV on and the surroundings being bright. 

For a moment I found myself staring at the TV as the lyrics of the song got in my head. 

Who wants to sleep in a city that never wakes up

Blinded by nostalgia 

Who wants to sleep in a city that never wakes up?

I chuckled as a familiar face flashes in my head. Inez liking Arctic Monkeys was something unexpected. I close my eyes back before I let the comfort of the bed invade me once again, I can feel every part of my body asleep as I try to go back to my pace yet the music suddenly stops.

"What time is it na ba?" I barely asked but she seemed to hear it as the bathroom door opened. "It feels like I don't know seven AM?"

It was a chuckle that replied. A chuckle from a familiar voice causing me to freeze in my position. I try to convince myself that I just missed hearing it as the sounds of movements continued. 

"Good afternoon. Did I wake you up?" Hindi 'yon si Inez. "I'm sorry, you can go back to sleep na but I suggest you should eat lunch first."