Chapter 4

"Let's get straight to the point."

I place my arms on the corner of the table in between us as I wander my eyes around the restaurant. This is a different restaurant from where we have eaten daily meals. Maraming tao.

"Since we are both married to strangers," he said and my head automatically turned to him. "Might as well spend the night knowing each other, shall we?" 

My eyebrows rose in curiosity and I nodded my head slowly. "What like an interview?"

"Could use a better term but yes, an interview. Now first, is Laurella--"

"Laurella Angeline Morales Calzado," I said and he pressed my lips together before nodding his head once.

"– Luciano. How old—"

"Twenty-four, you?" I asked and his forehead creased, causing me to crease mine. "What?"

"You don't know how old I am?" he asked, my face loosened up before I shook my head. "Twenty-six. And I don't enjoy being interrupted while talking."

My eyebrows narrowed as he looked at me straight in the eyes, dead serious. "Then you should start enjoying it." Grumpy old man.

He lets out a chuckle before placing his arms on the table corner like me, he holds his hands together before nodding continuously. "Job?"

Didn't he mention his name back? "How about you?" I asked and his eyebrows slightly rose. "Your full name?"

"Christion Luciano--"

"No. Iyon lang? Ang ikli naman," I said before resting my back to the back of the chair before his eyebrows narrowed as I crossed my arms to my chest. 

He shakes his head. "Your job?"

"Wala--"

His eyebrows narrowed and sharpened. "Wala?"

I started to feel nervousness in my chest yet I chose to ignore it. I took a deep breath before I sigh as I lean towards him once again. "Ex-boyfriend didn't let me apply for a job, that's--"

"Exhibitions—"

"Hey! Ako dapat 'yong nag i-interrupt, ah!" I quietly whined before he let out a snicker.

"Ex-boyfriend's name?" he asked and my forehead creased. "Lucas… right?"

"You hired a private investigator," I concluded. "You—You probably know enough already, you just want to spend time with me," I said as my lips formed a smirk. He gives me a hooded glare before shaking his head as he sighs.

"Lucas Mariano, twenty-four, engineer. Mathematician that is yet dumb not to let her girlfriend have a life? That's your type?"

My eyebrows rose. "Are you insulting me?"

He forms a frown as he shrugs his shoulders. "Are you insulted?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, 'no." I rolled my eyes before leaning back to the chair. 

"You're not so-sweet as you look like you are, 'no? Maldita—"

"Wow, ako? Tinatawag mo'ng m*****a? Ikaw mismo? Tinatawag— wow, ah?"

"Exactly why Lolo Don said bagay tayo, kaso nga lang m*****a in disguise ka nga lang," he said and I rolled my eyes. "Speaking of, another reason why we're here is because I want to propose a deal."

My forehead creased as I shifted my eyes back to him. 

"Lolo, my Lolo, he's dying. The reason why he planned out this marriage in the first place because he wanted to see me marry someone he knew he could trust before he dies," he said. "The arrangement part of the wedding must be only in between us and our families, okay? No part of that shall be out in the public or will cause serious consequences."

I nodded and pressed my lips together, forming a straight line.

"We will separate once Lolo pass away, we will do it legally and once done, we should still not expose the arrangement to the public, understood?"

I nodded again. "Okay, Ikaw naman," I said and his forehead creased. "May nasabi na ako ikaw halos isa lang at isang obvious kaya–"

"What? No," he immediately said.

"What no? No, you answer my questions--"

"No. You'll only find out as you last."

***

Cold morning breeze crashed into my nostrils once I exit the Villa. I wander my eyes around the resort to see more people than before, apat na cottage na ang occupied ngayon at mas marami iyon comparing sa halos walang empty lahat kahapon. 

Halos mag 11 na, kanina pa ako 7AM gising at hindi namalayan ang oras sa panay nood ko ng series. Si Inez naman ay tulog pa, napuyat kagabi dahil may pinaasikaso si Christion para sa office magdamag nakatutok sa laptop niya. Kawawa naman, hindi ko na ginising pa.

Kagabi, 9 na ako nakabalik. Pareho naming hindi namalayan ang oras at panay tanong lang si Christion sa 'kin at panay sagot lang din ako. At sa halos tatlong oras na iyon, pangalan at edad lamang ang binanggit niya na tungkol sa sarili.

M*****a… Iyong isang salita na hindi ko makalimutang binanggit niya tungkol sa 'kin. Hindi ko alam pero nakakaaliw lang na asarin siya, nakakaaliw na mag-astang nagagalit sa kan'ya. Wala s'yang pakialam, nakakatawa iyon.

Masyadong mabilis ang mga pangyayari, nakakatakot. Pangalawang araw pa lang namin dito, dalawang araw na kaming kasal. Limang araw na ang lumipas nang nakipaghiwalay sa akin si Lucas… Kilala ni Christion si Lucas. Hindi 'yon nakakapagtaka, ngunit inasahan ko nga. Kilala niya buong pamilya ko, pero hindi niya naman sila masyadong binanggit. Tama ako sa parte na may binayaran siyang imbestigador para malaman kung sino ako, nakakahinayang lang dahil ang dami niyang alam tungkol sa akin ngunit ako walang alam kung sino siya. 

Dalawang araw na kaming kasal at wala akong alam kung saan ito pupunta. Baka nga maghihiwalay lang din kami, seryoso siya nung binanggit niya ang sakit ng Lolo niya.

I took a deep breath and sighed before I walk closer to the shore, malapit nang tumirik ang araw ngunit nawala doon ang atensyon ko nang bumagsak ang tingin ko sa isang lalaki na nakatayo sa gilid ng dagat. 

He wears a white shirt and dark blue shorts. Naka-slippers lang siya at parang mag iniinom habang nakaharap sa dagat mismo. Nakahawak pa siya sa kaniyang balikat na parang malayo ang tingin.

It went back to me again… 

I immediately felt tingles… weird tingles in my chest which I assume is nervousness. I walk closer and closer until the sunlight landed on my skin. Napalingon ako sa gilid at may nakitang mga bata na naglalaro sa puting buhangin, dalawa sila, parang nasa edad na three years old pa lang. Ngunit biglang lumipat ang atensyon ko sa dalawang babae na nasa loob ng cottage. 

Kaagad nila'ng napansin ang tingin ko ngunit hindi na iyon inintindi at patuloy sa pag-turo sa kanilang mga daliri sa likod ko. My head turned to the beach and there saw Christion alone. I can hear the two girls, probably at the least legal age, giggling and laughing as I continue to walk closer to him.

I must say for his age he doesn't look too old. His body shape is fit but not too fit, his height his like humongous and who knows how tall he is, probably around 6 feet… or 5 feet and 10 inches. Hindi naman ako gaano kaliit kumpara sa kaniya. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay 5 feet and 8 inches ako, medyo maliit lang ang difference. 

I stopped my feet beside him. I look up to see his eyes focused on the sea a far, may hawal siyang mug, at hindi ko masigurado kung alam niyang nasa tabi niya ako or hindi.

"Hey," I said, but he didn't move. My forehead creased before I parted my lips once more. "Earth to Christion?"

Pero wala pa rin. I look down to the water in front of us. The waves are calm and the ocean is clear blue.

I hear him move causing my head to turn back to him. I see him sip from his mug as his eyes remain in the ocean. "Hello?" I said and waved my hand close to his vision frame but he ignored it before dropping his hand once again to his stomach. "Are you suddenly blind or what?"

Hindi niya pa rin ako pinansin.

"Sir Luciano?" I called, hoping he would finally look at me pero wala pa rin. "Sir?"

He sighed and took another sip from his mug. 

"Alam mo masnakakalito ka pa sa amin mga babae, 'di kita gets," I said but he still doesn't answer. "Well bagay naman, mukhang madam—"

I wait for a second for him to react but he doesn't. But now, I think he is listening. I turn back to the water and a memory flashes in my mind.

"Swim tayo?" I ask, hoping a decent approach will catch his attention but he still doesn't say anything. I slowly turn my head back to him. "Let's swim, I want to swim."

Wala pa rin.

"No, wrong question pala. Are you suddenly deaf?" I asked, and yet again, he didn't reply. I take a quick glance at the ocean before I sigh. "The water is so nice, oh."

I look down to the ground before turn my body towards him, I look back up to his face and there I stared. Sinalubong ko ang kilay ko habang nakatingin lang sa kaniya, hindi ako gumalaw at ilang segundong pagtitig ay nakuha ko na ang atensyon niya. I felt my chest pounding.

"Join me for a swim," I said as his eyes shifted to mine, meeting my gaze. He doesn't say anything before he takes another sip from his mug and looks away before he starts to walk away.

I found myself frozen for a moment before I turn my head to the ocean. 

Ang daming taong nakakita non, nakakahiya. I was consumed with embarrassment, failing to move as I eventually chose to stay for a few seconds before I head back to the Villa with me catching people's attention. 

We were okay yesterday, we talked last night, he has been the first one to talk and approach… Ano ba'ng nangyari sa kaniya? Ito na ba ang sinasabi nila? 

I immediately entered the Villa to see Inez standing up from her bed, magulo pa ang kaniyang maikling buhok habang ganoon din ang kaniyang kama. Mukhang kakagising niya lang at diretso siyang ngumiti sa akin. I managed to smile back before I head to my bed. "Anong oras na?"

"Eleven… yata," I said as I crawl to my headboard as I reach out for my phone from the side table. 

"Oh… kumain na kayo?" she asked with the same hoarse morning voice and I hummed as a response. "'Di ako hinanap ni Sir? Hindi naman yata siya galit di ba? Nasaan siya?"

I shrug my shoulders as I head to I*******m. "Hindi kami sabay kumain, I don't know where he is."

"Oh, okay." She heads to the bathroom as I try to distract myself. Hinayaan niya lang ako doon na parang tanga, ano ba meron sa kaniya? Pag siya kumakausap dapat sasagot ka pero kapag ikaw ang kakausap sa kaniya hindi siya sasagot? 

Ito na ba ang sinasabi nilang walang modo?

The disappointment slowly expands in my chest as I continuously scroll through my feed. 

Pwede naman sigurong sabihan niya ako ng ayaw niya or 'di kaya umiling siya. Ang daming tao na nakakita sa 'kin na kinakausap siya tapos ganon lang ang gagawin niya sa 'kin? Akala ko ba okay kami?

If he only informed me that he wouldnt tolerate me unless he does it himself then I shouldn't have talked to him in the first place! 

"Hala? Hoy okay ka lang?" Inez comes out from the bathroom with a worried face, she rushes towards me as I crease my forehead. "What happened?"

She places her hands on the bed as she leans towards me, I found myself blinking and there I felt wetness near my eyes. She turns around before I hear a loud creak, the scent of rubbing alcohol enters my nostrils before she heads back to me once again and now sits on the corner of my bed. I quickly used my blanket to wipe my tears as her hand shifted to my arm.

"May problema ba?" she sincerely asked and I quickly shaked my head. "Weh? Umiiyak ka, e--"

She was interrupted by a knock from the door. Kaagad naman siyang tumayo at naglakad patungo doon, she holds onto the door knob and takes a quick glance at me before opening it slightly. 

"Sir?" she asked and I immediately felt annoyed.  

"El— Angel? Is she there? She disappeared from the beach," a familiar male voice said causing my heart to pound. 

"P-po?" Inez stutters.

"She said she wanted to go for a swim."