Chapter 18

"Wow! You look so beautiful. This wedding gown is perfect for you." I am currently in the wedding shop. Where I measured the wedding gown chosen for me by aunt, Leo's mommy.

As a matter of fact, I will not look for anything more and ask for the man I will marry. In addition to being loving, his family is also kind and they accepted me freely in their hearts, even though there is a big difference in our status in life.

"Sister Ara, you look even more beautiful in that gown. For sure, that brother will fall in love even more when he sees you wearing it." Said Alexis, Leo's younger brother.

I just smiled and didn't say anything. I do not know. I can't even understand what I'm feeling now. Shouldn't I be happy because his family accepts me and even though we are not married yet, they treat me like a real family member. Besides that, Leo is kind and caring. I think this is almost the perfect family that I was looking for and only dreamed about. Leo has everything but I'm the only one missing.

I'm the problem and not him. As the day of our wedding is getting closer and closer, I am more and more confused. I don't seem happy and I don't feel excited either. I feel even more sad and nervous.

That's why I thought of meditating and taking a walk somewhere so that I could think carefully.

Did I make the right decision?

Will I be able to handle being his wife well?

Despite my walk, I suddenly met Robin. He was sitting on one side and seemed to be talking to someone.

"What is he doing?" I said to myself in surprise as I watched him.

"Muning, muning, muning. Come here, don't be afraid." He said. So I just grinned when I realized that he was talking to a little kitten there.

I didn't pay much attention to him and just turned my back on him.

"You know, you look alike. That's why I immediately thought of what to name you. You know, what? Ara." When I heard what he said, I stopped walking for a moment and then quickly turned around.

Is that crazy? Did he name that cat after me? I said annoyed in my mind and I walked closer to him.

"Hey!" I shouted which surprised him.

"You cat!" he said and sat down on the ground at the same time he looked up at me.

"Wow!" he said in surprise and quickly stood up.

"How dare you use my name!" I said annoyed to him and kicked his knee. He just fell to his knees and moaned in pain.

"What's wrong with you? Am I missing you?" he said while touching his knee.

"That cat!" I pointed the kitten at him.

"Change his name."

"Huh?" he said and looked at me in surprise.

"Are you deaf?!" I shouted at him.

"Wait- wait! have you been there for a while now? So, you mean you've been watching me for a while now?" he said with a smile so I just blew my bangs.

"You're too thick for me to look at you! I just happened to pass by and I heard what you were talking about!"

"Ahh.. make it clear. And so, what's wrong with the name Ara? Surely you're not the only one with the name Ara in this world, right?" he said emphatically and seemed to be insulting.

"Just change his name!" I insisted while still crossing my arms.

"Wait a minute! Do you think I named this mooning after you?" He was still smiling but I didn't immediately respond to what he was saying.

"You're assuming! Let me tell you, you're not the Ara I'm talking about. Could it be Ara Mina? Or maybe it's Ara De Castro, so who else?"

"That's Glaiza De Castro!"

"Because it's Glaiza!" We were both quiet for a while and I felt better.

"What do you plan to do with that cat?" I asked and pointed to the white cat.

"Maybe I can cook it and stuff it in the siopao?" He said he was a philosopher so I just stared at him.

"What else? Of course I'll take care of it!" he hissed as he loaded the cat. Actually, it's my dream to have a cat but I'm just scared.

"You want to touch?" he said and brought the cat closer to me but I just backed away.

"Don't!" I shouted at him.

"Oh, sure. You're even scarier than Muning, aren't you, Ara?" he was talking to the cat and not me.

"Hey! said don't call him Ara!"

"Okay, I won't call him Ara anymore. As long as you can carry him." He said it was an insult. But I slowly approached him and poked the cat's fur.

"Don't poke him! he might get pierced."

"Hole? Are munings really that sensitive?" I asked him seriously but I saw him biting his lower lip and trying not to laugh.

"You're just tripping me right?!" I said annoyed.

"No ah. Munings are really sensitive... like you (He whispered.)"

"What did you say?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, no. What's up? Are you going to load him or will I just call him Ara?"

"Wait a minute! don't worry." At that time he was the one who approached me. He slowly passed the cat to me while my eyes were closed.

"What? is it over? have you put him in my hand yet?" I said to him trembling and holding my breath.

"Open your eyes." He whispered in my ear.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at my two hands. I saw that I was holding the cat and it was sleeping quietly.

"What is the feeling?" he said while holding both his hands.

"Don't be noisy or he'll wake up." I just whispered to him. We were both silent again. I just watched the cat even though my hands felt like ice from being so scared.

"Congratulations and best wishes." The word suddenly broke the silence between the two of us.

I looked at him and he just bowed.

"I'm happy for you, because you will fulfill your dream of having your own family." He smiled and looked directly at me.

I want to say that he is just lying and pretending in front of me that he is fine. But when I saw the look in his eyes, it seemed that there was no lie or deception in what he was saying.

Has he accepted? did he give up on me?

Why am I still not happy? why, I feel more sad that he is ready to forget me?

"I think this is the last time we'll see each other." He said that there were tears in his eyes.

"Are you leaving?" I asked him and he just nodded his head.

"But, why? Is it because of me?" I asked him again.

"No, Ara. I would like to start a new life and then I also need to forget everything that happened."

I could hardly say anything from what I heard. My brain suddenly went blank and no words entered my mind. I want to cry but not in front of him. Because I don't want him to think twice about leaving and I also don't want to stop him. That is his right, to have his own freedom. And this will be better for all of us. Even, I feel like I want to stop him or just go with him and walk away.

"Whatever the sins I have committed against you before, I'm sorry Ara. I'm really really sorry. I know my apology is not enough to make up for the pain and tears you wasted on me. But, I will accept even if you hate me." He said he took the cat from my hand. I was just looking at him and I could feel the tears in my eyes.

"Goodbye, Ara." And then he turned his back on me. I was still standing in my place and watched him as he walked away from me.

My tears are falling one after the other and it's like I feel so sad in my heart. I almost sat down and cried like a child.

I don't know, but I feel like I need to get it all out. I need to release the pain and pain in my heart. I need to get this weight off my chest. Because if not, what happened to me might happen again. That I almost died from so much sadness and the weight of my feelings.

After a while, someone suddenly hugged me. I was surprised because he came back and hugged me tightly. I just cried and hugged him too.

"Don't leave, please.. don't leave.. don't leave me.. stay here by my side." What I keep saying in my mouth.

(On Ara's Wedding day)

Ara's gown is a trumpet wedding dress, so even though she is thin, her body curves are still shaped.

Leo was almost more amazed by the beauty of the girl when he saw her in front of the church. Their best friends also attended that day, except for Robin who was getting ready to leave.

Every step it took was accompanied by tears. He seemed to want to retreat and run but he couldn't do anything because he was already here.

The rest of them were in tears of joy, someone applauded and congratulated him every time he passed.

But Leo, he's just calm. There were tears in his eyes but he just held them back.

Until it arrived in front of him. He walked on her arm and walked towards the altar together.

Leo seemed to notice that she was crying constantly and as if she was carrying something heavy. But he didn't pay much attention to it anymore and just turned to face the priest again.

After a few moments, both of them were handed their wedding rings and suddenly faced each other.

Leo first swore and spoke the marriage vow while holding the paper he had written for Ara.

"I, Leonardo jose Pabalan, take thee, Ara Joy Fuerras to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance and there to i pledge thee my faith or pledge myself to you." As he said those words, his voice seemed to be shaking and very nervous. After he spoke, he didn't put the sing-sing on Ara, instead he suddenly crumpled the paper he was holding.

Everyone was shocked by his behavior but Leo continued and there were tears in the corner of his eyes.

"Actually, that's not the only thing I want to tell you, Ara. You know how much I love you don't you? and I'm ready to shout about you to the whole world because you are more important in my life. You are the first priority I, you are my dream and you are the only one I can see. But-" he stopped speaking for a moment and just bowed while stopping himself.

"But because, I just now realized that it's more important where you're happy. And I'll be happy when you're happy. Your happiness is more important to me, Ara. I'm not the perfect guy for you . I won't be able to fulfill the promises I made to you. I won't be able to fulfill our dream of having a happy family. I can't. I'm sorry, Ara." Leo said and then he suddenly walked out. Everyone seemed surprised and confused by the quick turn of events. Ara just followed him and sat down while crying.

Leo was followed by his family and Bea approached the girl who was crying. He hugged her and gently caressed her back.

"It's my fault. It's all my fault." What he repeatedly said on his lips.

All Leo did was release. He will let go for the good of everyone and the happiness of the woman he loves. Even if it causes a lot of pain, pain, anguish and sadness in his heart. But he also knows that he won't be happy if his heart is with someone else. So he just revealed to everyone present that he was the one who left and objected to their marriage.

That's why Ara didn't hesitate to go see Robin at the airport. Even though she was wearing a wedding gown and to prevent her from leaving. Bea and Stephen accompanied and drove him to the said location. He hurriedly looked for her and repeatedly called her cellphone number, but no matter how she looked around, she was not there.

"Where have you been? please, don't leave." What he keeps saying and is puzzled is that he will find the young man.

After a while, a man suddenly approached him and handed him a handkerchief. He quickly turned around and thought it was that person, but it wasn't.

"Th-thank you." He just said. When he received the handkerchief, it also left immediately.

He started crying again and just sat down. He is confused about what to do and he thinks that the former has caught him so he didn't even catch up with him.

People kept passing around him. Although they were looking at him, he didn't care. The only thing on his mind was to see and find Robin.

After a while, he suddenly felt dizzy and eventually passed out.

Some people there were surprised. He was confused and grouped together. While on the other side where there was a man wearing an oxford white button-down shirt, beige-cropped trousers and black topsider shoes, he crowded and approached the girl. Without a doubt he picked her up and took her to the hospital.

When Ara woke up, she realized that she was in the hospital. He looked around the room and was about to get out of bed when he suddenly turned to notice a man sitting next to him and holding his hand.

He almost covered his mouth in shock when he realized that Robin was the man sleeping next to him. He also noticed a pet cage sitting on the desk table and inside it was the cat he just picked up on the way.

The young man seemed to be confused and turned to him.

"You're awake now. How are you feeling? Are you still in pain?" he said worriedly while Ara just had tears in her eyes and stared at him.

"Why are you crying? Is there something wrong with what I said?" he said, which made the girl cry even more and she wiped her tears from her face.

"Liar. Cheater. Selfish. Coward! you're such a bad person! you're so bad!" Ara said suddenly and repeatedly hit Robin's face with a pillow while he stopped her.

"Wow!" he shouted loudly and grabbed the girl's wrist so that she immediately stopped and stopped what she was doing.

"That's enough. It hurts." He added, but gently. Ara had done nothing and was crying like a child, so the young man gently took her by the hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Sshh.. hold on." He said as he caressed her back.

From that day on, Ara never saw Leo again, and his family didn't seem to want to talk to him anymore. She just heard that the ex-boyfriend underwent therapy because of what he went through after what happened in their marriage. It is said that he tried to commit suicide several times, but fortunately, his family was always there to guide him.

Three months later, Robin and Ara flew to another country to start a new life and forget what happened.

Stephen and Bea drove them to the airport, so they could say goodbye to each other. Before he left, he also confessed to him about the pretending he and Abby did before as well as the death of Sofia and his son Aldrin.

The girl was shocked and couldn't believe what she found out. But that was not a problem for him, but he still accepted it fully and forgave him immediately.

Robin couldn't ask for anything more because what he thought was impossible has now become possible. The kitten he picked up is still with them on their journey.

Until the day of Ara's birth came. She gave birth to a little baby girl and they named her, Dreama.

"Why are you crying?" he said laughingly to his wife, Robin.

"Nothing. She's beautiful." He replied with a smile as tears fell one after the other from the corner of his eyes.

"Does it look like me?" he asked and she nodded her head.

"But I look more like him." Robin said as he carried their little princess.

"No way. I look more like him!" he replied with two eyebrows meeting.

"What are you? Take a good look at him. Look at his eyes and nose, especially his mouth, doesn't he look just like me?" said the gentleman and Ara just laughed at him and slapped his arm.