Today is the day when lunch with Steve’s family. I was nervous about what her parents might tell me. They probably know that I'm not the one he offered to marry, but I'm the one who'll marry him.
Even against my will, I took a shower and I still groomed myself. Wearing my black body-con dress, and black pumps. I simply put a cute hairpin on the side of my hair near my ear. I looked as if I am going to a burial of someone. But, the truth is, I mourn the rest of my life as a young woman.
I went down to the living room and found Mommy and Daddy waiting. Daddy raised an eyebrow as he stared across me down the stairs. When I got to their habit, he suddenly smirked.
"It's not very obvious that you're mourning the wedding, Czes. Let's go..." Daddy said.
I just followed them out. Even if I wanted to talk to Mommy, I couldn’t. She was immediately avoided when I was close to his habit. I’ll admit, the pain of feeling like we’re both like this. I'm so close to mommy, she babysits me when we're just two. Now, I feel like I didn’t exist, she never wasted her time to give me a glimpse. And it's painful. Her action is painful. And I hate myself because of that.
While Daddy was driving, Mommy was in the passenger's seat. None of us speak. I was just looking at what we were going through.
We arrived at Deluxe Restaurant, an expensive Restaurant here in Batangas. The nervousness in my chest, only intensified in the minutes we were about to meet again. I don't know how to deal with him, every time I see him, I see his girlfriend's hurt face.
Four people were waiting for us at a long table. Just think you can say Steve's family is rich. They stood up when they saw us coming. Steve wouldn’t have stood up if his father hadn’t looked at him.
"Pleasure to finally meet you Mr. And Mrs. Dela Cruz," Steve's Daddy greeted Mommy and Daddy with a smile. They accepted his handshake.
"So do I Mr. Harrisson, and to your wife too," said Daddy.
"Oh, by the way, my eldest, Lincoln Asher."
"Nice to meet you sir," Lincoln also shook hands with Daddy.
"Nice to meet you Hijo."
Meanwhile, Steve doesn't seem to care about the surroundings. It seems like a very lazy thing to happen. In just a few seconds, the elders had prepared lunch for all of us. While eating, they also talked to each other.
"So, Mr. Dela Cruz, how's the business world? We didn't have a chance to meet," Steve's Daddy initially asked.
"So far, getting better, there's so much in our plate. You know, buildings and houses."
"Oh, yeah. Construction firm is not easy, but worth to have, right?"
"Yeah," they were only talking about business, we were eating quietly.
When they finished eating, they didn't really miss the conversation when it came to the wedding.
"So, when's the wedding?" Steve's Mommy asked immediately.
"Mom!" Steve said immediately.
“What? The main purpose of this lunch is because of your wedding.”
“She's not my fiancé!”
“Oh, you mean, your girlfriend, Nicole?” Her mom asked him.
“Yeah, she's my fiancé and not her.” He even looked at me badly, I immediately bowed down.
“Well, not now.” His Dad said.
“What?” Steve's eyebrows met.
“You’re not going to marry Nicole because you're marrying Ms. Dela Cruz.” His Daddy glanced at me with a smile, so did his Mommy.
“But Dad… That's not what you promised! You told me, you're going to do something to stop this nonsense marriage!” He exclaimed, his brother hold him to his shoulder to calm him down.
“I changed my mind, you will marry their daughter. In fact, Nicole is not suit to our family. She's poor, and came from a broken family. While here, Brianna, beautiful, kind, and rich as we. See the big difference?” His Mommy nodded, while his older brother listened without emotion.
Steve's jaw tightened in anger. “You want to know the real difference?” He asked his father a serious question and looked at those of us at the table, one by one. He stopped looking at me, eye to eye, seriously serious. “Nicole is the one I love, only Nicole can complete me. Yes, they are different, but the best difference is. I love Nicole, and I hate you…” His gaze deepened on me.
“Steve!” Her Daddy scolded her.
I was suddenly embarrassed by what he said. I feel like I have been stabbed over and over again. I did too much, holding back the tears.
“What? I'm just saying the truth here, what is the essence of marrying her if I didn't love her?”
“So, what is your girlfriend's reaction about that night with my daughter?” Daddy asked, stopping Steve. “I bet, you didn't tell her that you made sex with my daughter, after proposing to her? Am I right?” Daddy suddenly grinned.
Shit! Daddy! What are you thinking?
“Don't you dare.” Steve said sternly to Daddy.
“Sure, because I don't need to tell her. She already heard it all…” He looked at the other table, at a woman behind us. My eyes immediately widened when I recognized her.
No!
The woman slowly stood up at a table, and she also slowly looked back at our habit. Her eyes were full of tears, she was already biting her trembling lip.
It hurts! I'm sorry…
“C-Congrats…” She said in a cracked voice to Steve, “Y-You don't intend to tell me everything yet. But, thank you and I heard everything…” Not any more she held back its tears that had already preceded the dripping. Whatever she wipes, and even if she's obviously trying to stop her tears, nothing either.
“B-Baby…” Steve stood up, I could see the fear in his eyes. His angry and arrogant face earlier suddenly disappeared when he saw Nicole crying. He really loves her so much…
Nicole smiled at Steve, her smile was the dripping of her tears. “That's right, Sir, I don't belong in your family.” She looked at Steve's Daddy, “I may just be poor, but I'm not a bad person.” She removed the ring on his finger, which made Steve eyes widened.
“N-No… B-Baby no…” Steve was about to approach him, but his older brother stopped him. “Let me go, Bro, please…” He begged his older brother.
His older brother shook his head, “Don't complicate everything, she'll just be hurt…” He said the last word softly, but I still heard him. Furthermore, he begs to look at Nicole, I feel sorry for them both, but I can't do anything. We can't do anything…
Nicole dropped the ring at the edge of our table. “C-Congrats… I w-wish you the best… Reach our dream… With her.” She looked at me for a moment before looking at Steve again. “Be a good husband to her just like you promised me if you'll be my husband, even I'm no longer your wife. "
Steve shook his head as one by one his tears flowed. He was still holding back his tears while he's still holding by his older brother.
It hurts…
When Nicole turned her back, it was there that Steve struggled too much. He was so angry that his older brother couldn't stop him. Fortunately, there were hardly any people at the resto. He ran towards Nicole, who was already out the door. When he reached it, he suddenly hugged it from behind.
What is a scene? Fuck! It hurts!
He was shaking as he hugged Nicole, we were all just watching them. Steve's shoulder was shaking as Nicole spoke, they were both crying outside the restaurant. Nicole forced herself to remove Steve's hug. And when she got rid of it, she ran away.
We didn’t even hear them, but I could see Steve shouting Nicole’s name, running away from him. He even got on his knees on the road and had his hair pulled back. I could no longer hold back my tears because of the pain I witnessed.
“Go get your brother, Asher,” commanded their father. Her mother was already wiping the corner of her eye. Mommy was the same, but Daddy seemed like nothing happened.
His brother forced Steve, who was already lying on the road, to stand up. You can see the pain he feels from here.
“Daddy…” I called Daddy, they all looked at me. “That's enough… I-I don't want to get married…” I begged.
“No, don't feel sorry for them. Think of yourself.”
“But Dad… Please…”
“No! And that's final!” I got up and ran out of the resto, I even heard Daddy call me. I even caught Steve just standing there, his brother supporting him. And when he saw me, his eyes immediately darkened.
“Are you happy now? You ruined us, the person I loved so much has left me! The only person who understands me has left me! It's all because of you and your family!” He shouted furiously at me as it pointed at me. I covered my mouth while holding back a sob. If his older brother hadn't held it, he would probably have hurt me with his rage.
“Married?” He asked and suddenly grinned, which scared me. “All right, I'll give you the marriage your parents want. And I'll make you experience hell! How you ruined Nicole and me! How you ruined my life, I'll do the same with your life! Remember that!” He screams at me.
“Steve!” His older brother's rebuke.
I'll admit, I was very nervous about what he said. Because of the mixed feeling, I turned my back on them and ran away. Away from the hurtful world I have. Away from people who are hurt because of me and my family. Far from him… Even just for a day… Without pain…