"How did you learn how to cook?" I asked Lev when I took a spoonful of his cooking.Nakakagulat yung luto niya, animo'y bihasa na sa gawaing ito. The last time I remembered, halos hindi na nga niya matapos-tapos yung niluto niya kung hindi ko pa tulungan."Masarap?" He chuckled.I nodded. "Sobra!""Well I took cooking class, one of the best class." Pagmamalaki niya. "Why?""Para mapagluto nga kita," He smiled. "Dapat lang alam ko na kung paano magluto kapag ikakasal na tayo. We will be sharing the same house, baby."Mapait akong napangiti sa sinabi niya. Ikakasal nga kami. Don't get me wrong, I want to spend everyday of my life with him. Kaya lang naaalala ko yung ruse. Now that he told me the way he feels, matutuloy pa ba ang ruse? Will we get divorce after a few months? Iniisip ko palang yan ay parang gusto ko nalang manatili kami sa ganitong sitwasyon. A situation where we don't have to be separated. Napansin ni Lev yung pananahimik ko kaya lumingon siya sa akin na nakakunot yung
I woke up because my phone is ringing. Nang buksan ang aking mga mata, naninibago ako sa nakita. This isn't my room. Definitely not my bed. Saka ko lang naalala ang lahat nang makaramdam ng bigat sa aking tiyan. I look at the person beside me and I saw Lev. Napangiti ako. He's sleeping soundly as his arms are possesively wrapping my waist. Narinig ko na namang magring yung phone ko kaya dahan-dahan kong tinanggal yung kamay niya para maabot ko yung phone pero bigla siyang umungol. "No..."Napangiti ako. "Someone's calling.""Dito ka lang," reklamo niya."Saglit lang, Lev. Kukunin ko lang phone ko," Sagot ko dito.I received a groan from him pero niluwagan niya naman yung pagyakap niya sa akin. "Fine. Hurry."He lets go of me kaya tuluyan na akong nakabangon pero napahinto ako nang makaramdam ng hapdi sa pagkababae ko. I bit my lower lip when I remembered what happened last night. I gave in. I also realized that I am fully naked. I shrug my shoulders. Nakita naman niya lahat sa akin
"That's incest, my dear. Very immoral," Iling ko sa kanya.Kumukulo na talaga yung dugo sa babaeng ito pero gusto kong cool pa rin akong tingnan. How dare she ruin my morning? Sobrang ganda kaya ng gising ko! And she just ruined it by saying that she likes my fiancé. To think na magpinsan sila, that's not right!"We are not related by blood," Iling niya. "I am adopted so liking him wouldn't be a problem. Do you really think you are fit to be his wife?"I shrug my shoulders. "I know that I'm not perfect but I also know that he loves me. Is that a good enough for you?"She scoffed. "I don't believe you. Something is really off about this set up but I just can't point it out. Kadalasang tama yung hinala ko ang believe me, hindi ko gusto itong nararamdaman ko.""Siguro I can point out what you are feeling," Ngisi ko.Tumaas yung kilay niya. "And what is that?""Jealousy?" I guessed. "Envy?"Mas lalong nagdilim ang kanyang paningin. I saw how her jaw clenched with her fists. Mukhang isang
"I'll see you later, Kaia. Magbihis ka na. Baka magkasakit ka pa," He said."I'll get in after I see you leave," I smiled pero umiling lang siya."No. I'll leave after you get in.""Lev!""Kaia," ma-otoridad niyang sabi. "Sige na bago ka pa magkasakit."I frowned. "Fine. I'll see you later."He slightly pinched my cheeks. "Stop frowning. Sige ka. Tatanda ka nang maaga.""And you will love me less?" Taas-kilay kong tanong."What? No," iling niya. "You know how much I love you."I smiled. "Okay. See you later!" Tatalikod na sana ako nang pigilan niya ako. "Ano?""Walang goodbye kiss?" Nguso niya. Napailing nalang ako at tumingkayad. I gave him a peck on the lips. "Yun lang?" Reklamo niya."Wag abusado," Iling ko. "Sige na. Magbibihis na ako.""Fine," He chuckled. "See you later."I nodded. "See you."Pumasok na ako sa loob kasi alam kong hindi siya aalis hanggang hindi ako papasok. Pero akala lang niya na tuluyan na akong pumasok. Naghintay pa ako ng ilang segundo bago ako lumabas uli
"No..." I whispered under my breath.I see nothing but darkness around me. I know for sure na sa akin nakatingin ang lahat. They may be judging me right now. Gusto kong maiyak pero pinigilan ko lang yung sarili ko. Lev, saan ka na? Kali? Sebastian? Where are you?Napuno ng bulungan ang buong paligid. Gusto ko nalang kainin ako ng lupa dahil sa hiya. "You thought this day wouldn't come?" She scoffed. "Kaia Dorchner, isang business woman at kinababaliwan ng mga kalalakihan. She's smart, pretty, and raised by a well-known family. So well known that everyone wants to be like them. That's how influential they are."Lumingon siya sa akin at tinaasan ako ng kilay. "But who would've thought that Miss goody two shoes could be this mischievious? She's tricking everyone!""That's enough, Becca!" May biglang sumita.I then saw Lev running towards me and hid me behind him. Kumapit ako sa suot niyang damit, as if trying to get protection from him. I've never been this vulnerable, ever!"What?" Ino
I got up from my feet and ran towards the door. Walang pagdadalawang-isip kong binuksan ang pinto and there I saw the man that I've been longing for."Lev!"I immediately wrap my arms around him as he did the same. Habang magkayakap ay dahan-dahan kaming pumasok sa loob saka niya sinara yung pinto. I cried and cried at wala na akong pakealam kung ano na yung mukha ko ngayon. God! I missed him."Stop crying," He chuckled."Bakit ngayon ka lang?" Tanong ko at tumingala sa kanya."I couldn't get hold of you. Pinagbawalan akong lumabas kagaya mo," Sabi niya habang hawak-hawak yung pisngi ko."But how did you get out?" I asked."Secretly?" He replied. "Sebastian called me and told my family na pinapatawag ako ng Presidente. It was faux though. He just said that para makalabas ako.""So you can visit me?"He nodded. "Oo. Nagseselos pa ako dun pero siya naman pala yung tutulong.""But how did you get in?" "Si Kali," he smiled. "She lets me in and both of them will turn a blind eye kapag nal
"Kanina ka pa ngumingiti d'yan," Lev chuckled. "I hope that I am the reason."Napailing nalang ako at tila hindi mawala yung ngiti sa aking mga labi. I've been staring down the sunflower crochet that I am holding. I feel so overwhelm to know how much effort he puts in making this. Talagang naalala niya yung sinabi ko that these are my favorites. "You are," ngiti ko. "I still can't believe that you made this. How?""I learned from the internet. Nanunuod ako ng video tutorials and I thought that it would be very easy. Turns out, sobrang hirap pala!" Iling niya."Ano namang naisip mo? Pwede ka namang bumili," I asked."Where's the effort in that?" Ngiti niya. "Gusto ko kasi yung DIY like I made it myself. I figured that it would feel romantic if I put effort on a gift. You are that special, Kaia.""Awe." Napalabi nalang ako. "Thank you."Lev and I are currently outside, taking a stroll. After we had our nap, naisipan naming libutin muna yung paligid. With the sun setting on the horizon,
"Pagpasensyahan mo na bahay namin, hija. Maliit lang talaga ito." Nahihiyang ngumiti si Tiya Linda."I don't mind po," ngiti ko."Hindi kasi. Mukhang anak-mayaman ka kasi at baka hindi ka sanay sa mga ganito," Dugtong nito."Kagaya ni Lev noong una niyang pananatili dito." Sulpot ni Patty habang nakangiti. "Hindi siya sanay sa mga simpleng bagay at kadalasan puro reklamo nalang kesyo hindi ganito dun sa kanila."Kumunot yung noo ko."Bata pa kasi yun noon," Iling ni Tiya Linda. "Talagang ganun ang magiging reaksyon niya kasi hindi siya sanay.""Naalala ko lang, Tiya," ngiti ni Patty."So you've been friends?" Tanong ko. "Magkaibigan kayo simula pa noon?"Tumango si Patty habang nililinisan yung isda. Ako naman ay inihanda yung malunggay. "Oo. Naalala ko pa nung mga bata kami, halos hindi lumalabas nang bahay yun kasi takot mainitan.""Sila lang kasi yung magkaedad noon dito kaya sila yung palaging magkasama," dagdag ni Tiya Linda. "Bumibisita si Patty dito noon kasi nagtatrabaho mga m