CHAPTER SIX

"Heck, Andrew can act really well," komento ni Madeleine.

Nasa isang sulok sila at malapit sa dessert table. Pinapanood niya ang mga tao na kanya-kanya na sa pakikipag-usap sa isa't-isa at ine-enjoy ang party. Andrew was sitting four tables away from where she was. Nakikipag-usap ito sa mga kaibigan nito. She was suddenly aware that she was staring at him. Her heart even skipped a beat when she saw him laughing with his friends. She shook the feeling away.

She scanned the area and made sure that no one was nearby and might be listening in to her and Madeleine's conversation.

"Mads," panimula niya. "I think I underestimated Andrew."

"You think?" Madeleine raised her eyebrow at her. "I think you underestimated your feelings for Andrew."

She shoot Madeleine a glare. "Don't say that."

"What? From what I'm seeing right now, feeling ko hindi naman talaga totoong ayaw mo kay Andrew. You don't really hate him like what you're saying."

"Ano ba ang pinagsasabi mo? Lasing ka na yata," sabi niya dito.

As if to taunt her, Madeleine gulped down the last of the wine in her wine glass. "I'm not drunk. In fact, I can still open another bottle of wine and finish it all. Do you want to bet?"

Napailing-iling nalang siya. Madeleine may be the wiser one of the twins, pero may mga qualities pa rin itong parehong pareho kay Anna. Just like this one. Both of the twins are very stubborn it makes her head ache.

"Hello, girls." It was her mother.

Madeleine smiled at her mother, before turning to her. "I'm gonna get a new bottle of wine, Liv."

Tumango siya dito, bago ibinaling ang atensiyon sa mama niya at napabuntong-hininga.

"Excuse me po," and then Madeleine left without another single word.

Her mother silenty settled beside her. Mga ilang minuto din silang parehong walang imik nang nagsalita ang mama niya.

"This party is nice," komento nito.

She nodded. "Andrew took care of most of the things."

"You know, I really think you are rushing this, Olivia. I mean, when we last saw each other, you did not really mention to me that you were getting married or got engaged in the least. And then on my engagement party, nalaman kong ikakasal ka na to no less than my fiance's only son. Is it all really a coincidence? Or something else?" anito sa mahina na boses.

She looked at her mother to see her reaction. Walang bahid na anong emosyon sa mukha nito. She was just casually sipping wine on her wine glass and watching the party from where they were. Hindi niya alam kung anong gusto nitong mangyari. She felt that her mother was slowly provoking her. Unfortunately, she hates to admit it that it is working.

"Just make sure that you are happy with your decision, Olivia. Because you just caused one heck of a mess for me."

She smiled inwardly. She felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that her plan to piss off her mother was working.

"You see, Henry decided to call off the wedding because he thinks that it's not good for his company's image that his son and my daughter is also married to each other while we are married to each other. I unfortunately have to agree with him. Pero... sa tingin ko naman, hindi magtatagal ang relasyon ninyo. Knowing you," her mother paused. She felt her mother's eyes on her. 

She scoffed. "And what do you know about me?"

"Oh well, you know what I'm talking about. You are just not capable of love, Olivia," anito.

"Oh well," sagot din niya dito. "I guess I have you to thank that for. I think I inherited that one from you."

Her mother silently laughed. "We'll see where this goes, darling."

Iyon lang at umalis na doon ang mama niya. Her mother can really pull her bad strings. Inis na inis siya. Bakit ba kasi at kinausap pa niya ito. She should have left the moment her mother opened her mouth. But then, she wouldn't really back down from a batlle of insults with her mother.

"Don't let it get to your head."

She was surprised to see Andrew was already beside her. Ipinalibot nito sa bewang niya ang kamay nito.

"Andrew, what are you doing - " She started to distance herself from him, but he just tightened his grip on her.

"We are in the public eye, sweetheart," paalala nito, at tsaka ay inilapit ang mukha nito sa mukha niya. "I can and I will do anything I can to make your mother believe that you are, indeed, capable of love."

Nagulat siya. Was Andrew eavesdropping on her conversation with her mother? She eyed him suspiciously, though he just shoot her a smile.

"Get a room, you two."

"Mauuna pa yata ang honeymoon ninyo kesa sa kasal."

"And who said they haven't done it already, Murphy?"

Narinig niya ang sari-saring panunukso ng mga kaibigan ni Andrew. She felt her cheeks suddenly burn. Was she really blushing at his friends' comments? It's as if she was guilty of doing the things that his friends were teasing them of.

Andrew just gave out a hearty laugh. Halatang nag-eenjoy ito sa atensiyong nakukuha nito mula sa mga kaibigan. 

Wait. What if Andrew told his friends of their fake marriage? She shook her head. It is highly impossible, she thought. Nasa kontrata nila na walang ibang pwedeng makaalam sa contract marriage nila ni Andrew, maliban sa kanilang mga lawyers. 

"Um, I have to excuse myself, Andrew," aniya dito nang hindi na niya maitago ang pamumula ng pisngi niya.

"Where are you going, princess?" tanong nito sa kanya.

"I'm just going to the ladies' room," aniya dito at hindi na hinintay pa ang sagot nito. She hurriedly went her way to quickly put some distance from Andrew and this unfamiliar feeling that is beginning to stir within her.

__

"You can do this."

Kanina pa nakatingin si Olivia sa repleksiyon niya sa salamin habang paulit-ulit na sinasambit sa sarili ang mga salitang iyon.

"You are Olivia Bonifacio. You are a strong, independent woman. You can do this."

Kinuha niya ang lipstick mula sa bag at ini-retouch ang make-up niya. Bakit feeling niya parang namutla siya bigla pagkatapos ng namagitan sa kanila ni Andrew sa labas? And why is is that everytime Andrew is near her, she becomes so affected? Tama ba ang sinabi ni Madeleine kanina? That she underestimated her feelings for Andrew?

No. Eyes on the prize, Liv. She reminded herself.

This pretend marriage is all about her revenge for her mother, and nothing more. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit sa umpisa ay nakigsabwatan siya kay Andrew. It's because of her great hatred for her mother. Her personal feelings should not be involved. Naka-stipulate sa kontrata nila na walang personal feelings ang pwedeng ma-involve habang nasa "contract" marriage sila ni Andrew.

After some time, when she felt that she was ready to join the party again, ay lumabas na siya ng restroom. Hindi niya inaasahang nasa labas si Andrew sa pinto at hinihintay siya.

"Akala ko na-flush ka na sa lavatory, eh," pagbibiro pa nito.

"You don't need to wait for me, you know," sabi niya dito.

"I know," he smiled. "But I want to. So..."

She felt her cheeks blushed for the nth time that night. Ano ba iyan? Kabago-bago lang niyang kumbinsihin ang sarili na walang personal feelings niya ang dapat ma-involve. She pep talked herself for how many minutes just to get swayed seconds after. Bakit parang ang rupok niya? Hindi naman siya ganito. She has a strong and firm personality. Why is she becoming jello for Andrew?

"Come on. Our guests must be wondering where we are now," anito at kinuha ang kamay niya.

Hindi naman siya tumutol sa ginawa nito. 

"Baka sabihin nila, talagang inuna natin ang honeymoon kesa sa kasal," pahabol pa nito.

Huli na nang ma-realize niyang napatawa siya sa hirit pa nitong biro. And it somehow made her feelings lighter that night.

Nakita niya itong ngumiti. "There. You smiled. Okay na ako."

"What?" gulat na tanong niya dito.

"I've been noticing that you have been tensed the entire night. So, I just wanted to lighten up your mood," sagot nito.

She felt her stomach tightened. Is she getting butterflies in her stomach?

"Mainit ba?" 

"Ha?" She looked at him. 

"Naiinitan ka ba? You are sweating. At namumula ang mukha mo," puna nito.

Her hand immediately touched her cheeks. Is she blushing? Again?

"I'll get you some cold drink," anito at hindi na hinintay pang sumagot siya. Umalis na agad ito para kumuha ng maiinom niya.

Nakatingin lang siya dito habang papunta ito sa refreshments bar. Kinakapa-kapa niya ang damdamin. Ano ba ito? Alam niya ito, eh. She's not that dumb. Even though she haven't experienced relationships before, pero alam niya kung ano itong nararamdaman niya ngayon. She is not that naive. Is she catching feelings for Andrew? And in that short time? Pero bakit? Paano? She used to hate the guy. Pero ilang araw lang, at ilang pag-uusap lang, pero bakit tila sumisikip ang dibdib niya sa tuwing malapit ito sa kanya? Bakit parang nag-iiba ang takbo ng puso niya sa tuwing nakikita niya ang mukha nito?

Oh my. This is not good. Hindi ito maaari.

This is just a contract, Liv. Walang totoo sa lahat nang ito, she reminded herself.

Hindi pwedeng mahulog ang loob niya kay Andrew. She is just confused at the moment. She is feeling lots of emotions right now. Pwedeng nagkamali lang siya sa nararamdaman niya ngayon. Maybe after the wedding, when everything has settled down, ay mawawala na rin itong kaguluhang nararamdaman niya ngayon. She can take a step back and assess this confusion she is feeling as of the moment.

She is in the middle of her thoughts when suddenly a very gorgeous and elegant lady approached her. Ngumiti ito sa kanya nang pagkatamis-tamis.

"Hello," greeted the lady. 

"Hi," she greeted back. She straightened her posture and smiled her sweetest smile at her. Somehow, she felt that she is being squared by this woman in front of her. Parang sinusuri nito ang kabuuan niya, hindi niya mawari. She couldn't decide if she was being analyzed or challenged. Was this an interrogation? A confrontation? Kaano-ano ba ito kay Andrew?

She shifted, somehow feeling uncomfortable. But the woman that she is, hindi siya nagpatalo, let alone made this woman in front of her felt her discomfort.

"Can I help you?" she finally asked.

Umiling ito. "No. I just want to check out Andrew's fiancee."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Excuse me?"

"I apologise. Let me introduce myself," anito at inilahad ang kamay nito. "I'm Erica. Andrew's ex-fiancee."