SUZY'S POV
"Wala na tayong ibang magagawa ngayon.. Kung hindi tayo susunod sa gusto ni Don Carlos, tuluyan na nyang kukunin ang lupa at mawawala na ang flower farm na pinaghirapang itinayo ng mama niyo."
"Susundin ang alin, papa? Ang ipakasal ang isa sa'min ni ate Clara sa ganid na matandang 'yon? Hahayaan niyo nalang siya na mangyari ang gusto niya?"
"Hindi--" he paused and then squeezed his eyes out before looking at me with tormented eyes.
"Hindi ko 'yon gusto Suzy pero---"
"Pero kailangan."
My gaze shifted to my sister who was sitting beside him. Her dark eyes were looking at me with determined look while her pink and full lips were pressed together in a tight purse. The traits that were envied by many people from her at maging ako man. She inherited all the beautiful traits our late mother has. From her porcelain skin, small face, rounded dark eyes, and everything that makes her looked this stunning. Not to mention that she has our father's height as well. Making her perfect for beauty pageants and the most favorite of everyone in this farm.
The complete opposite of myself and I don't like her for that.
"Hindi dapat mawala ang farm na'to, Suzy. Alam natin na pinaghirapan itong itayo ni mama noon so we have no other choice now but to agree with his condition."
"And then what? Magpapakasal ka sa kanya gaya ng gusto niya? Wala na ba tayong ibang paraan para mabayaran siya?" I contradicted, now more frustrated than ever.
Yes. I don't like her dahil palagi nalang akong ikinokompara ng lahat sa kanya pero hindi ibig sabihin nun na papayag nalang akong magpakasal ito sa matandang hukluban na'yon.
Kung hindi lang sana nagkasakit ng malubha si mama noon at maubos ang lahat ng ipon namin, hindi sana namin masasangla sa matandang 'yon ang buong farm para lang ipagamot ito.
"Baka pwede pa tayong umutang sa bangko----"
"Hindi na tayo papautangin ng bangko dahil malaki pa rin ang utang natin sa kanila hanggang ngayon."
I felt like I'm going to have a headache now dahil lang dito.
"So susundin niyo nalang ang gusto niya? Hahayaan niyo nalang na ipakasal si ate sa kanya, papa?"
"No."
I frowned at her in confusion when she snapped that with a straight face.
"Hindi ako ang magpapakasal sa kanya kundi ikaw, Suzy."
"What??!"
When I exclaimed that in horror, Clara just nodded at me. Confirming that I heard her well right now, confusing and surprising me more. I turned to my father na tahimik lang ngayon sa tabi ng kapatid ko para hingan ng paliwanag ito pero hindi man lang ito makatingin sa'kin ng maayos ngayon. A reaction from him that really broke my heart into pieces.
Dahil nakapagdesisyon na ito. The two of them actually.
"No. Hindi 'to totoo..." Hindi makapaniwalang naibulong ko nalang sa sarili ko while I kep shaking my head in refusals, not wanted to even believe it.
"Hindi niyo pwedeng gawin ito sa'kin..Papa, sabihin niyo sa'kin na hindi kayo papayag sa bagay na'to. Alam mong ang bata ko pa at marami pa'kong pangarap sa buhay ko!"
"You're already eighteen, Suzy and you're in your legal age now to marry."
Hearing that from him, na parang buo na talaga ang pasya nito, hindi ko na napigilang tumulo ang luha ko ngayon. Their guilty faces quickly looked away from me when I gave them a pleading look.
"Then what about Clara, papa? Siya 'yong nakatatanda sa'ming dalawa kaya bakit ako? Ang bata ko pa at ang dami-dami ko pang pangarap----"
"Hindi pwedeng ako dahil sino nalang ang mamahala sa farm natin kapag nawala ako rito? We all know here na wala kang interest sa farm natin kaya ang maitutulong mo nalang ngayon sa pamilyang ito is to marry him, Suzy. Yan lang ang paraan."
"So you're going to ruin my life just to save this farm? At para may maiambag naman ako sa pamilyang ito dahil para sainyo, wala akong silbi."
"Which is true. Alam naming iba ang gusto mo at hindi ang farm na'to."
When she snapped that out, all I could do was cried more.
Yes. Iba nga ang gusto ko. Gusto kong mag-aral sa siyudad at tuparin ang pangarap ko dun. Sa lugar na walang ibang nakakakilala sa'kin at malayong-malayo sa kanila. In a place where no one would ever compare me to the beautiful and smart Clara. Dahil sa lugar na'to, I was the least favorite of everyone and the second of everything after my perfect sister.
When I thought about those painful facts again, more tears rolled down on my cheeks while I looked at them with pleading look. Pero parang buo na talaga ang desisyon ng mga ito dahil wala man lang akong makitang awa sa mga mukha nila.
Kung nandito lang sana si mama ngayon, then maybe I wont even thought about leaving this place. And maybe, hindi ko iisiping gawin 'yon ngayon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~'
I frowned when I felt a hot air kept fanning against my face right now. Na para bang may humihinga malapit sa mukha ko ngayon.
Wondering why it was, my eyes slowly fluttered open and I frowned more when Liam's face greeted me. Thinking that I was just probably seeing things now, I squeezed my eyes out in a hope to clear my sight saka sinipat ko ulit ito ng tingin.
At nang hindi pa rin ito nawawala sa paningin ko, my eyes slowly widened in horror.
What the hell! Anong ginagawa nito rito? And why the hell were sleeping in the same bed right now habang magkayakap??
Too uncomfortable with our closeness, lalayo na sana ako rito but I stiffened when I felt something moved against my butt.
Wondering what it was, tiningnan ko na kung ano 'yon.
And my eyes bulged out in horror when I spotted his left hand gripping my butt right now.
Holy shit!
In horror, wala sa sariling nasampal ko nalang ang mukha nito. Waking him up with my slap before I rolled over to my side palayo sa kanya habang nakabalot sa kumot ang katawan ko.
"Oh hell! What was that slap for??!" napapabangong asik nito habang napapangiwing hawak-hawak ang namumula-mulang pisngi nito ngayon.
"Well, that was for taking an advantage on me while I was asleep, Manyak!"
"What the hell are you saying? Anong 'I took an advantage' ba 'yang pinagsasabi mo that I deserved to be woke up by your slap, woman??"
I felt like I wanted to kick his face now with him feigning innocence.
"Kung hindi nga, then why the hell you were holding my butt just now? Please don't tell me na hindi mo 'yon sinadya because it was obviously not!"
Mas lalo pang kumunot ang noo nito ngayon na siyang ikinaiinis ko pa lalo.
"Holding your butt? Ano bang pinagsasabi mo, Suzy? I was just cuddling you dahil umiiyak ka kagabi habang tulog! At walang malisya 'yon!"
"Crying? Huh! And why would I bloody cry in my sleep?? Pinagloloko mo ba 'ko??"
My glare at him narrowed in a pinprick when he just shrugged at it and folded his arms on his chest.
"Malay ko. Basta bigla ka nalang umiyak habang tulog. You were even sobbing last night so I have no choice kundi tabihan ka and I wasn't taking advantage on you gaya ng sinasabi mo."
"Then what about your hand?? Explain it to me in details kung bakit nakahawak 'yon sa pwet ko!"
My eyes narrowed at him when his eyes suddenly looked away from me. Giving his lies away.
"Well, about that.."
Mas lalo pang tumalim ang tingin ko rito nang hinay-hinay na itong bumababa sa kama ngayon.
"About that, aksidente ko lang kasing nakita ang pwet mo kagabi when you moved and I just thought na giniginaw ka, so I have to atleast make you warm."
"At naisip mong gawin 'yon sa paghawak ng pwet ko??"
"Yes. It was so kind of me, right? I've finally got the chance to hold your fluffy butt." When the bastard proudly answered that now with a guilty grin in his face, I felt like all my blood rushed through my head.
"Sinasabi ko na nga ba!!!"
When I shouted that, he suddenly burst out in laughter. Causing my annoyance at him tripled.
At dahil sa sobrang inis ko rito, dinampot ko na agad ang puting unan na nasa tabi ko saka tumayo na'ko agad mula sa kama before I throw it to his way. Not minding if he can see me in just my two piece I wore yesterday.
Gusto ko lang bugbugin ang gagong 'to!!
Nang mailagan niya ito, dumampot pa'ko uli ng unan saka ko ito sinugod with a pillow ready in my hand.
He just kept laughing in amusement and I'd be dumb enough kung hahayaan ko lang ito nang hindi ko man lang ito napuruhan!
Pagkalapit ko rito, inis ko ng hinampas ng unan ang pagmumukha nito.
"Come on, Suzy. Kakagaling mo lang sa sakit kaya----Ohmp!" He grunted when I slapped him with the pillow again with all my might, stopping his laugh.
"Suzy! Pwede bang---"
"Talk to this pillow instead, Liam! Wala kana talagang alam gawin kundi gumawa ng kalokohan!!" And then with that, I've swung the pillow against his face again habang nakatawa pa rin ito and trying to deflect the hit with his hands.
"It wasn't my fault okay? Talagang ang lambot lang talaga ng pwet mo!"
Hearing that, the want to kill him now intensified.
With gritted teeth, hinampas ko na naman uli ito ng unan.
"Papatayin talaga kita ngayon----"
My mouth snapped shut as my hand stopped midair nang bigla na lamang bumukas ang pintuan ng silid na'yon. Revealing the frowning face of Mrs. Montero pagkakita sa'ming dalawa.
Oh shit!
"What the hell happened with you two??" Litong tanong nito as she slowly walked inside the room.
I grimaced when her gaze landed on me. On me who was just in my two piece right now.
"Suzy? Bakit ganyan pa rin ang suot mo ngayon? Magaling ka na ba para makipag-bugbugan ka na ngayon kay Liam?"
With that, ibinaba ko na agad ang kamay ko and looked at her with an embarrassed look. Then her gaze turned into a glare when she looked at his son na nakangisi pa rin hanggang ngayon.
"And you too, Liam? Bakit ang aga-aga mo namang nambubulabog rito? Ang tanda-tanda mo na pero nakikipag-away ka pa rin sa bata!"
His grin was gone in a second at that saka matalim ng tiningnan ang mom nito.
"Mom! How many times do I have to tell you na hindi na bata ang isang 'to!"
I groaned when he said that while pointing his darn finger at me.
"I told you she's already 22 at hindi 12 year old para tawagin n'yong bata!!"
His mom just waved her hand at him in dismissals, not wanted to hear any of his nag.
"Whatever, Liam. Enough with your excuses. I have enough of that now. Umalis ka nalang rito and leave Suzy here so she could take enough rest. Alam mong kagagaling niya lang sa sakit and it was so kind of you to visit her and even disturb her so early in the morning!"
"Well, hindi ko siya binisita ng maaga rito okay? I was here all--- Aw!" He suddenly cried out nang wala na sarili kong natampal ang bibig nito before he could even blurted out to his mom na dito natulog ang gagong ito!
"What was that for, Suzy???"
I quickly pasted a tight smile in my face, ignoring her mom who were looking at us with hawk eyes right now.
"Akala ko lang may langaw na papatong sana sa bibig mo kaya pinatay ko na para sa'yo, Liam."
His face instantly darkened at that, not even buying my story.
"Well, it doesn't seem like it was, Suzy! Sinadya mong gawin 'yon para makaganti sa'kin!"
"No, I wasn't doing such thing." Agad na kaila ko rito while putting up an innocent face na siyang ikinadilim pa lalo ng mukha nito.
"Bakit ko naman gagawin 'yon sa'yo, aber? Do I even have any reason to do that to you?"
"Well, you have! Dahil hinawakan ko ang pw---"
His mouth snapped shut nang bigla na namang tinampal ng malakas ang bibig nito but this time, it wasn't me who did that pleasure kundi ang mom niya na mismo.
"WHAT THE HELL, MOM!!!"
"Ang dami-dami mong satsat, Liam at naririndihan na'ko sa boses mo. Go out now this instant para matahimik na kami rito!"
When his mom shouted that order with her voice full of authorities, I think he was ready to explode in rage now habang hawak-hawak nito ang kawawang bibig nito. Looking like he was ready to sack his own mother dahil sa ginawa nito.