I'm tired. I'm sleepless. Dahil sa nag paalam akong mag leave ng tatlong araw, they made the whole week too hectic for me. Maging si Deborah ay ganun din. Parehas kaming halos lutang habang nasa byahe. It's three in the morning and it's still dark outside. Almost four hours din ang byahe namin and i really do hate travelling.
"We're here. Come on.Gusto ko na talagang mag pahinga."
Sabi ko habang ginigising si Deborah. Tumigil kami sa hotel Kung San kami nag book. Nag commute lang kami kaya naman nakakahiya sa driver kung mag tatagal pa kami.
"Let's go!"
biglang nabuhayan si Deborah at wala sa sariling tumalon palabas Ng van kaya naman agad itong natumba.
"Ano ba yan Deb! lampa pa Rin hanggang ngayon?!"
nang marinig namin ang boses ni Celine ay agad kaming lumapit at yumakap sa kanya. Katabi nito ang isang matangkad at mestisong lalaki, which is Andrew, his fiance.
"Oh my gosh! Thee! Ang Ganda mo na Lalo!"
dagdag pa nito at muli akong niyakap. Nag maktol naman si Deb dahil Hindi daw ba siya maganda.
"Nang bola pa. Mas maganda ka naman. Tara pasok na tayo. Nilalamig na ako and I am really tired!"
I said and she chuckles. The resort staffs help us to carry our things. Pag pasok pa lang sa lounge ay gusto ko nang mahiga sa unang sofa na nakita ko. Sa isang araw pa Ang kasal, bukas ay fitting pa lang at rehearsal. Kaya may time pa kami na mag enjoy.
"See you later, mag pahinga na muna kayo."
Sabi ni Celine matapos kaming ihatid sa kwarto namin ni Deb. Agad akong nahiga at hindi na nag bihis pa. I'm too tired to move .
_________
Later on ...
Nagising ako dahil ramdam ko na ang init. Napatingin ako sa wall clock, we arrived here at three in the morning and now it's already twelve in the afternoon. Lumingon ako sa kabilang Kama, Wala na Rin si Deb, Ang mga gamit nya ay naka ayos na. Mabilis akong nag shower at nag suot ng white summer dress at swimsuit sa panloob. Nang makarating ako sa lobby ay naka salubong ko na si Deb, she's wearing short shorts and spaghetti tops.
"Finally! sleeping beauty is awake! gigisingin na sana kita eh! Tara na! nandoon na Yung mga pinsan ni Celine sa resto. Ang gagwapo nila! Lalo na yung Brandon!"
Sabi nito at bigla naman akong natigilan. Marami naman Brandon sa mundo Esther! ano bang ikinakatakot ko?
"T-tara."
Sabi ko at agad akong hinila nito papunta sa left wing Kung nasaan Ang restaurant. Naka hinga ako nang maluwag nang makita kong Wala naman siya dito. Agad akong pinaupo ni Celine sa isa sa mga bakanteng upuan. Ang tapat ko ay bakante din. Nag simula syang ipakilala ang mga pinsan nya,( it seems like they are a big clan) habang kumakain na kami ng lunch.
"Brandon! maigi Naman at nandito ka na. Sya nga pala ang magiging partner mo Thee, pinsan ko. "
and this time I was hoping that it's not him. Pag angat ko ng mukha ko ay kitang-kita ko ang matatalim nitong tingin sa akin. It's him. The one who dump me in our wedding day. The who betrayed my family. The one who broke me. Nag simulang mangilid ang luha ko pero pilit kong pinigilan ang pag patak nito dahil ayaw ko naman na masira ang araw na ito.
"Nice to meet you."
I casually said and accept his hand. I tried to keep my voice from trembling.
"So, everyone is here! let's continue our food. Later swimming na Tayo, bukas pa naman ang fitting and rehearsal. "
masayang Sabi ni Celine at nahalata Naman ni Deborah ang pagiging tahimik ko.
Natapos Ang pagkain namin nang halos hindi ako nag sasalita. Madalas ko din napapansin ang madalas na pag titig sa akin ni Brad. Sabay-sabay kaming pumunta sa cottage at tahimik pa din ako hanggang sa hilahin ako ni Deb sa comfort room para mag palit.
"Tell me, it's the same Brandon from your past right?"
sabi ni Deb habang nag bibihis at tumango lang ako.
"Ang liit ng mundo no? akalain mo,pinsan pala sya ni Celine? Is it possible na kilala ka din ng iba pa nyang pinsan?"
"For sure. Sa laki ng naging issue sa pagitan ng pamilya namin, imposibleng hindi. Maybe they are just acting that they didn't know me."
Sabi ko at saka hinubad ang summer dress ko. Sabay kaming lumabas at ang lahat ay mga naka swimsuit na din. Nang mapansin nila kami ay bigla akong na conscious sa aking katawan. I have a perfect curve, pero naiilang lang talaga ako sa mga tingin nila lalo na sa madilim na tingin sa akin ni Brad.
"Oh my gosh! Alam nyo bang nasa modelling din Itong si Thee? I can't believe na mas gumanda pa ang katawan mo."
proud na proud na pag mamayabang ni Celine sa mga pinsan nya at lalo na akong nailang. Kaya naman nang magyaya na si Alex, Isa sa mga pinsan nya na mag swimming na ay laking saya ko. Ako at si Deb nalang ang naiwan sa cottage.
"Hindi ka pa ba lalangoy?"
tanong ni Deb na parang naiinip na sa paglalagay ko Ng sunscreen.
"Mauna ka na. Susunod na lang ako. "
Sabi ko at agad naman itong tumango at umalis na.
"Hey,I'm Saul. I'm one of Celine's cousin. It's been a long time. How are you?"
he ask. He is familiar because he is one of supposed bestmans of Brad that time.
"Well, I'm finally coping up. Doing great."
I casually said and tie my hair into bun.
"Well, that's great. I'm sorry for what happened. For sure, you didn't know that we're cousins of Celine."
patuloy pa nito at kinabahan ako nang matanaw kong palapit sa direksyon namin si Brad.
"Yeah, I Didn't know, and I'm not telling her anything yet."
I said at halos Hindi ako maka galaw nang nasa tapat ko na sya at nasa tabi na sya ni Saul. Saul is about to speak when Brad called him.
"Your secretary call. She said she can't contact you. "
Brad said with a low voice. mas lumaki pa ang boses nito. and he gives me a short glance.
"Ah, okay. I'll go for now Thee. Nice to see you again."
Saul said and get the phone from Brad's hand and he walk first. I turned around so that I can't see his face anymore.
-----------
That night.
Celine decided to have a small barbecue party. I'm really tired and I don't really wanted to join them but it feels so rude just to leave them. Kaya ito ako, walang ginawa kung hindi kumain. Maging Saul ay nanawa na din ata sa pag sama sa akin dahil wala rin naman akong imik. I decided to go to the mini-bar. I ordered tequila just to digest my food when Brad approach me.
"Now you're into my cousin?"
he frankly said and I know exactly what he means.
"The heck you care about me. You're too green minded. Don't worry, sayong sayo na yang pinsan mo."
I said. I didn't notice na naparami na pala ang naiinom ko.
"You even befriend Celine to get another fish."
He said. He's about to say something but I slap him as hard as I can. Kulang pa Ang isang sampal kaya sinampal ko pa Ang kanyang kabilang pisngi. Pulang pula ito sa galit.
"Fuck you! You bastard. At the first place, you insisted yourself to me! then you found someone to flirt. Then leave me hanging on our wedding day. You make me fool, you make me look stupid in front of pool of people."
galit na bulalas ko. Hindi ko na napigilan Ang sarili ko na mag salita.
"Great. You dispatched me!"
he said. Halos natulala ako sa sinabi nito. Sasagot na Sana ako nang marinig ko si Celine.
"What's the meaning of this?! Brad, get out of here please!"
Celine said angrily when she notice that I am crying. Deb follow her and now she's hugging me.
"Let's go back to our room."
Deb said. She supported me and beside us is Celine who's crying too.
"Cel, I'm sorry for the chaos"
I said while crying.
"No, I'm sorry. I didn't know na ikaw pala ang fiance nya noon. Bakit Hindi mo agad sa akin sinabi kanina?"
Cel ask.
"I didn't know that he will approach me like that. He said that I dispatched him? I don't know what he's talking about."
I replied. She stand in front of me then talk.
"The night before your wedding day, he is drinking in the mansion. Then Sabi nya, aalis sya dahil nakikipag kita ka daw sa kanya sa isang hotel. He even show us the room no. I really don't know you back then. So in the morning, everything and everyone is.ready, Hindi ako naka punta dahil sa food poisoning, but base on Alex story, nauna ka daw sa venue. You're standing there for an hour waiting, but he didn't come. To my surprise that afternoon, Brad come back to the mansion and tell us that it's not you who he have sex with. He said that you framed him because you don't want to marry him. He's furious that night. And that's the last thing I remember because I go back to Manila in the next morning. I'm sorry Thee. "
Now....my head and my heart hurts even more.