THINGS DOESN'T ALWAYS GO, ACCORDING TO THE PLAN, BUT STILL, I HAVE TO MAKE EVERYTHING ALRIGHT.
#21: New Boy
"So Dad, what is our topic?" I asked.
Then suddenly, my real father shows up in my mind. I miss him so much. I bite my lips when I realized that I never called Captain Tiago 'dad'
He frowned when he heard me calling him 'dad'. Maybe Maria Clara used to call him 'father'. He's surprised that I call him in another term.
"This is an important discussion so I hope that you will cooperate. I want you to take this seriously," he said with an intense face.
I can felt my goosebumps all over my body. I nodded even if I am nervous here. I stopped my hands from shaking.
I don't know why I am nervous right now. Maybe because I am with Captain Tiago and we haven't talked for a while. We're still not okay, by the way.
"I want you to break up with Crisostomo," he said while his eyes are focused on mine.
Slowly, I laugh so hard.
"Hahaha!" I held my tummy. I can't stop laughing. "I thought it was something important! Hahaha, it's just a piece of cake!"
He furrowed, clueless of my actions.
"What are you saying? I am asking you to break up with your long-time boyfriend, to the love of your life but you are just laughing. Take this seriously! Are you an immature kid?"
"Yeah! I mean no!" I tried to shut my mouth but I failed and laugh again. Now, Captain Tiago's frowned his eyebrows more. "I mean dude, are you outdated? We already broke up so don't worry about it, everything's fine. Just chill down."
"What? Why?" He seemed surprised.
Wow. Is he interested in our love life? Oh, my bad! Just loveee, there's no love because we don't truly love each other so no to love.
"It happens," I normally answered because it really happens. Why ask questions? It's normal for couples to break up, if they get married then you should ask them.
Like 'Are you sure it is him/her' or 'Why will you marry her, is she pregnant?' Hahaha! just kidding!
"I know but you two, you are like magnets. You two are unbreakable. I want to ask the real reason why you two broke up?"
Because I am not the real Maria Clara. I am just a proxy here.
"We don't love each other anymore," I simply answered.
By any chance, did he loved me? I know that Crissy loves Maria Clara but I am asking for me as in me. Did he love the real me? Me being Manuela Carie?
Maybe not. Why I am asking this worthless thing? I don't love him either. It's true! Believe me!
I know in my first appearance here in Noli Me Tangere, I am so fascinated by him. It's just that he's handsome, he's a gentleman and he's intelligent. I don't see any reason to dislike him.
Maybe I liked him. Maybe he was my crush but that was just a crush. I just like him because he is so too good to be true but I don't love him because it's hard if I fall in love with him.
Also, it's in the rule! That I shalt not fall in love to any characters herein Noli Me Tangere!
Captain Tiago drunk his coffee, and he put it back again on his table. I didn't notice that there's breakfast now on his coffee table in his room.
"What do you mean? You don't love each other since when?" He asked again with his voice full of curiosity.
I breathe out before I answer. I am supposed to answer him 'I don't know when this started but we are not in love with each other anymore and we let go of each other now' but I realized something.
Is this Good Morning, Manuela interview?
"Hey! I thought that you are planning for us to break up?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Uhm yes. Well," he drinks his coffee again. It's so hot but he managed to drink a hot coffee? A Filipino indeed. It's more fun in the Philippines. "It's good. At least you won't see each other again and I'll pair you with another gentleman."
"What!" I stood up. I was sitting earlier. "Who are you? Cupid? At least I broke up with Crisostomo. That's important!"
"What? How dare you talk to me like that. I am your father and I have the right to choose who will you marry?"
I looked up the ceiling and I started to think. Is that so? Fathers would choose who is the best man for their daughters? It's a good thing that we are not like this nowadays. We are free to choose our love life.
It's just that love life isn't for me. I am single for so many years but I am happy. Don't get me wrong. Who will be sad if you own luxury brands? Also, I dated many hot guys. It's just that, I don't find my match.
Who said that money can't buy happiness? He or she is punk! Maybe she doesn't have enough money to buy luxurious things!
"Fine whatever makes you happy."
I sat down again, a little chill now compared to earlier. I just realize that I am not the real Maria Clara and once I am done with this, I can peacefully leave.
"By the way, why should I break up with Crisostomo? I know that we are not together now, but I just want to ask why? Don't you like him for me?"
"Well, not anymore." Captain Tiago holds his chin. "He is now an excommunicated man. You are a holy young lady who serves the Lord with all your heart. You don't belong with each other."
In other words, I am a real person, he is just a fictional character. We really can't be together. The reason why I stopped crushing him. I just wake up from reality.
"I second the motion," I said with a smile.
Captain Tiago looks clueless because of my actions. Maybe because he was used to his daughter, Maria Clara who truly loves Crisostomo Ibarra and can't live without him. Too cheesy, isn't it?
Captain Tiago just ate bread and coffee, didn't ask more even if I think he has a lot of questions in his mind. Probably he is respecting my decision to shut up and don't talk about Crisostomo.
-
"Miss Maria Clara! Miss Maria Clara! Miss Emcee!" Marites shouted. I almost became deaf because of his loud shout
"What?!" I shouted also because her energy was contagious.
I am currently at the kitchen eating pork sinigang with five cups of rice. Fine! I am doing stress-eating. Happy now? Diet no more! In fact, I am currently not a model so I won't be body-conscious until I am back in my reality.
"You won't believe what I saw," Marites said while breathing so hard as if she ran so fast.
"Damn!" I frowned my eyebrows because of her actions. I get the pitcher and I filled it with water. "Why did you run so fast? Are you a kid? Drink some water first before spilling it!"
She tilted her head. "I thought that I should drink this, Miss? Why are you telling me to spill it."
I literally slap myself because I forgot that characters in Noli Me Tangere are slow-minded or didn't know about figurative speech. Stupids!
"Right. Just drink your water bitch!" I rolled my eyes at her. It's really no fun to talk to the characters here especially that they have no sense of humor!
She drunk the water so fast as if it's the last so I grimaced. Is she sure that she's forty-plus? She seems like a teenager or a child.
"So, back to my breaking news. You won't believe this! Ha!" She paused and she growled. She seems very annoyed with someone. She even punches the air because of frustration.
I raised my brow. I thought that I am the only abnormal here. Looks like my personal assistant is just like her master.
"Spill the tea first before reacting! I am running out of patience here!" I said and I ate the spoon full of rice!
She stopped from punching the air and frowned. "Where's the tea?"
"You know what? You are disturbing me! I am eating! Just leave before I kick you out of here!" I said. Oh, why? She is so slow!
I also feel that she is now used to my attitude. That I am no longer a feminine shy-typed girl. Well, I am not Maria Clara in the first place so it's fine.
"But I have to say this first. Crisostomo and your friend, which happened to be a fake one, Victoria, she is dating Crisostomo!"
"What? Why the f*cking sh*t!" I stood up and I hit the table.
"Oh my god!" Marites was shocked.
"Where did you get that news?" How dare that Victoria. I thought we were friends. We already get drunk together!
Also, she's a true friend of Maria Clara. I know that they are friends for years and now she is dating Crisostomo who is her friend's ex-boyfriend. Hah! I remember so many people!
"Ha! I don't just hear it, I actually witness it with my own eyes. They are dating for real! I saw them eating together in the panciteria!"
"Oh. Maybe they are just eating lunch together?" I sat down again and I continued eating. Not until I realized something. "But why the heck they are eating lunch together? What's the reason?"
"I don't know, Miss, but trust me on this. I will find out why they are eating together and rumors are spreading that they are dating. I will surely find out why!" She said with confidence.
After all, she is not named Marites for nothing. Surely, she is Marites who can gossips.
-
He is no longer the Crisostomo I had known. Ha! I thought he loves me or he loves Maria Clara. He told me the sweetest words I ever heard in my life, but now he is gone. We just broke up, and he is now dating while I? Well, I am here to protect him at all costs.
Ha! He doesn't know that I have the power to change the story! I am like an author here and when I decide not to change the story and let him had a tragic ending, he will really end with a tragedy.
"Ha! I have the power!" I am talking to the mirror in front of me.
I am inside my room and I think it is past midnight. I am always sleepless because I am stressed with the characters here. if I can go back to the past where I was reading Noli Me Tangere in the library, I will choose not to change the story and just finish the school year because I was about to be back in showbiz.
"Right! I have the ability not to help Crisostomo. Ha! I will let him die! After breaking up with me? After leaving Maria Clara? After breaking my heart--"
"Disgusting," I almost jump when I heard Simoun. Why is he always startling me?
As always, he just showed up and now he is sitting at my wooden study table here. He's a little ignorant, isn't he? He is sitting at the table!
He is wearing a dark violet coat and a black shirt inside it. His pants are black, and he is wearing boots. He is wearing tinted shades and his long hair was tied back
"What disgusting?" I said with a voice of disgust He is the one who is disgusting because he always appears and only to remind me that I have a mission to complete and whenever he's around, he always reminds me to get back the necklace.
"Your last words. You say that Crisostomo Ibarra broke your heart. Are you in love with him?"
I couldn't reply because I recalled what I said. Do I really say that? Oh no!
"No! I-I mean if y-you break up, it really breaks your heart but that doesn't mean that I am in love with him! It's a big no! Also, I am just feeling the outrage because he is dating Victoria, my so-called friend!"
I also didn't understand myself with that statement. I didn't understand why I am being exaggerated like this but trust me, I am not in love with Crisostomo.
"Is that so?" He said with an unsatisfied look. "Make sure that you are telling me the truth. If not, you'll fail this mission."
"Yes!" I said with an exaggerated loud voice. "Why would I lie to you, are we close?" I imitated what he told me whenever I thought he was lying.
He smirked at me and I think it was the first time he smirked at me and I wasn't happy about it because that smirk symbolizes that he doesn't believe me.
"Is that so? Then so what if he is dating Victoria?"
"Damn! Are you slow, Mr. Librarian? I am friends with Victoria. Crisostomo and I just broke up. Isn't Victoria a plastic friend? And... And Crisostomo! That son of b*tch! Did he really love me?"
Mr. Librarian couldn't stop himself from laughing but it was sarcastic.
"Are you sure that you're not in love with him?" Now, his face appears serious. "Focus on the golden necklace, not on your love life with Crisostomo. You can't be with him and you'll fail!"
"I know, I know!" I am starting to get annoyed with this librarian man. "No need to say it repeatedly," or else I'll kill you.
Thank goodness he can't read minds. He is not a telepath mwehehe.
"You have to get back the necklace as soon as possible or else you'll be locked in this story. Your time is ticking, Manuela Carie Flores."
After he said it, he vanished like bubbles.
#
Featured song: Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Megan Trainor
(at the last part where Simoun and Emcee are talking)