Eplilogue Part 1

River’s POV

Kulang na lang ay tumalon ito sa tuwa. She even ask for money for some of Aviena’s debt which I also give her.

“I want the wedding to be immediately process,” seryoso kong saad. I want to end it fast, especially since her sister seems like have a lot of lists to marry Aviena off.

“Tell her that I’ll only marry her for the sake of my grandfather,” malamig ko pang saad. Damn it. How can I fucking act like a lovesick guy?

That’s how we ended our conversation.

“The fucking asshole came there?” kunot noo kong tanong kay Marissa nang madulas siya tungkol sa pagpunta ng ex niyang gago sa ibang bansa kung nasaan siya ngayon. Napatikhim siya roon. She’s actually abused by her boyfriend kaya napili na lang tumira sa magulang niya subalit bandang huli’y hindi pa rin siya magawang tantatanan nang magaling niyang ex.

“Let’s not talk about him at all,” aniya na humalakhak pa. She even grinned at me.

“So what’s Kuya Spring talking about? You’re going to marry Aviena?” tanong niya na hindi pa rin makapaniwala hanggang ngayon. May mapang-asar pa na ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi.

“So this is the reason why you’re not making a move at all. Balak mo palang pikutin agad!” natatawa niyang saad kaya hindi ko maiwasan ang mapasimangot dito bago mapailing.

“No. I’m just going to protect her from the assholes her sister will let her marry if she won’t marry me,” saad ko kay Marissa na may malapad na ngisi.

“And what makes you think that you’re not? You’re asshole too. Don’t you fucking deny that,” natatawa niyang saad sa akin.

“I know! But I’ll try my best to distance myself. I’ll make it two years. I’ll just keep on giving her gifts so she won’t be needing to marry someone when we divorce,” ani ko kaya mas lalo pang lumapad ang ngisi sa kaniyang mga labi.

“Do you really think that you’ll be able to let go of her after tasting loving her? Delikado ka, tanga! You’re just going to jail yourself up. Naghuhukay ka lang ng sarili mong libingan,” aniya na naiiling pa sa akin.

“You can’t even let go of her kahit na hindi mo pa naman talaga nahahawakan so paano na ngayong magagawa mo nang hawakan? Do you really trust yourself? And do you trust Aviena? Do you trust her not to be lovely? You’re in danger. Bahala ka. Basta ako binantaan kita. Walang iiyak kapag nasaktan, huh?” Malapad ang ngisi niya sa labi nang paalalahanan ako.

Napaawang lang ang labi ko roon bago napapikit. She’s also right about what she said. I don’t know if I’ll be able to save myself from the fall when I already fall gayong hindi pa nagsisimula ang lahat.

But damn it. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll just try myself to distance myself for two years. Two years lang ‘yon, River… Damn, fucking two years…

Two years when it just took her two minutes to make me fall from her. Paano ko nga ba makakaya ang dalawang taon na ‘yon? Nailapag ko na lang ang phone ko bago napadantay sa aking upua matapos ang usapan namin ni Marissa.

May mapang-asar na ngisi rin galing kay Kuya na siyang dumaan sa gilid ko.

“Hindi pala talaga dapat kita inaasar, napakalupit mo. Balak agad itali, wala nang ligaw-ligaw,” natatawang saad niya sa akin. Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang pang-aasar nito dahil napapaisip din sa kasal na magaganap. I don’t know if Aviena really knows about it but I hope she does.

Ni hindi ata ako nakatulog sa ideyang maitatali na siya sa apelyedo ko.

“Some really cancel their contracts because of Mrs. Del Monte, Sir,” anang secretary ko.

“Cancel our investment on those company too. If we don’t have any, invest then let them suffer big time. It’s their lost for losing Aviena,” ani ko kaya napatango na lang din. Ang iba pang trabaho’y na-advance niya na ring gawin dahil alam na iuutos ko.

I was already busy with some of the rules in the contract nang may ilang articles na naman na lumabas tungkol kay Aviena. What the fuck?

Hindi ko maiwasan ang mapatayo nang mabalitang kinaldkad daw ito mula sa kaniyang condo ni Mrs. Del Monte. Mrs. Del Monte is just really like my Aunties. Those people who always act like they ahead of others. Hindi ko maiwasan ang iritasiyon na nadarama.

I was also about to go to her condo after I’m done with the contract because that’s what her sister and I talk about but I ended going to the police station because that’s where they go after that fucking kaladkaran. Hindi ko maiwasan ang mapasimangot nang mapagmasdan siyang pinagpipiyestahan ng tingin ng ilang tao na nasa presinto. Who wouldn’t? Sino bang hindi kung ganiyan kaganda ang kaharap?

“Kabit ‘yan ng asawa ko! Tignan mo nga, pananamit pa lang alam mo nang malandi!” Hindi ko maiwasan ang mapangiwi ang marinig ang pinagsasabi ng matanda.

“Hindi ho nasusukat ng tela ang pagiging malandi, Mrs. Del Monte. Kahit gaano pa kakonserbatibo ang pananamit ko, malandi pa rin po ako.” Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapsimangot doon.

“O baka inggit po kayo? Kulu—” Muntikan pa siyang saktan ng matanda kaya lalapit na sana ako.

“Huwag na nating palakihin pa ang gulong ito, Ms. Carinuevo.” Mrs. Del Monte will use her power again, huh? But that won’t fucking happen while I’m here.

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanilang gawin habang may malamig na tingin.

“Excuse me but I don’t think that’s right. I won’t let my fiancee be treated rudely like this.” She won’t even say anything as if tanggap na kung ano man ang mangyayari when she’s the fucking victim here.

“Fiancee mo si Mrs. Del Monte? But she already has a husband?” What? She doesn’t know it yet?

“Do something about this before I get my lawyer.”

Mukha pa siyang gulat nang ayain ko na siyang lumabas.

“Let’s go, Aviena.” Ulit ko pa. Agad din akong sinalubong ng mga inosente nitong mga mata. Ang tagal pa bago sumunod sa akin.

Pinagbuksan ko siya ng sasakyan. Wala siya sa sariling sumakay roon. Mukhang saka lang napagtanto ang pangyayari nang sumigaw siya sa akin.

“Wait. Did you just say that I was your fiancee?” She was so shock kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang mapatitig sa kaniya. Damn. Ang ganda pa rin.

“Yes, but after tonight you’re my wife.” Agad siyang napatawa roon.

“So, your sister hasn’t told you, huh?” Hindi ko maiwasan ang mapasimangot doon. The heck with her sister? Deciding to marry her sister without even informing her. Hindi malabong ipakasal niya nang walang pasabi ang kapatid if something happen again.

“Your sister already sold you,” sambit ko dahil mukhang hindi pa rin siya naniniwala.

“Alam mo? Wala ako sa mood makipagbiruan ngayon kaya tigilan mo ako.”

“I’m not kidding around. Ask your sister then.” She’s looking at me as if I’m fooling her. Why would I even fool her?

“Ihatid mo na ako kung ganoon.” Demanding niya pang saad.

Hindi ko naman mapigilang ang lingunin siya. Damn it. She’s wearing a fucking lingerie outside, no wonder those asshole almost drool over her body. Fuck them all. And of course, she’s so fucking hot and sexy. Napailing na lang ako bago iniwas ang aking mga mata sa kaniya. Marissa is really right. She’s not really good for my heart. Really.

“I’ll fetch you at 10. Wear a nicer clothes,” I said when I drop her in front of her house. Masama pa ang tingin habang nakatingin sa akin. Different from the girl who was always smiling in front of the camera. Pinagsmasan ko na lang siya hanggang sa tuluyan siyang makaalis sa paningin ko.

Aftet I drop her, dumeretso na rin ako patungo sa munisipyo kung nasaan ang kaibigang si Vernon.

“What?” tanong niya na hindi makapaniwala sa akin.

“You’re so fucking dead this time, River. You’re so whipped!” Napahalakhak pa siya sa akin matapos kong sabihin na pekein ang kasal namin ni Aviena. I just don’t really want to tie her when she doesn’t even know me at all. But I fucking want to protect her not to marry someone else.

“Are you sure about this though? Baka mamaya’y magsisi ka na hindi mo pa tinotoo,” aniya na malapad ang ngisi sa akin. Napailing na lang ako roon. I know. I will regret that. But still, I just don’t want to burden Aviena with this wedding then if ever she met someone else, she can date them or even marry them. I wouldn’t meddle with that at all. Or so I thought?

“Won’t you go to your wife now?” tanong sa akin ni Vernon.

“You look so fucking nervous. Mukha kang siraulo,” natatawa niyang saad sa akin kaya masamang tingin lang ang ibinigay ko bago ko sinilip ang parating na si Aviena.

After being married for weeks, kahit na anong pigil ko sa sarili na huwag mahulog dito’y hindi ko pa rin magawa.

She’s so fucking pretty. And this girl will be living with me for two years. Damn.

“Why are you smiling? I told you. You’re really in doomed now,” natatawang saad ni Vernon bago ako tinulak para lumapit kay Aviena.

“What are you waiting for? I still have a lot of things to do. Let’s go.” Agad siyang napasimangot dahil sa sinabi ko. I don’t know what to say to her. And this is my way of protecting my feelings now.

“Where’s the contract?” tanong niya sa akin bago naglahad ng kamay. She wanted to have a say with it. Who the fuck I am to start an argument with her? Of course, she’ll always win.

We started signing up those fake papers Vernon ready for the two of us.

“Wala bang kiss?” Nahinto ako at napatingin sa kaniya sa tanong niyang ‘yon. Fuck. She win this. She can easily sway me. Fuck my heart from not acting so normal.

“Joke lang. Seryoso niya naman masiyadong dalawa.” I’m not fucking taking that as a fucking joke. Who said I’m kidding around here?

“Let’s go. We still have a lot of talking to do,” sambit ko sa kaniya nang matapos ako na walang ibang naiisip kung hindi ang tanong niya. What the heck is wrong with my brain.

“Talking lang?” tanong niya na ngumisi pa sa akin. Isang malamig na tingin lang ang ibinigay ko sa kaniya. She can’t fucking tease me and get away from this. Damn her, she knows how to play her game. She knows how to fucking play me.

When we got in the car, hindi ko nga lang napigilan ang sariling pagmasdan ang kaniyang mapupulang labi habang nagsasalita. I can’t help but to looked at her. Shit. Even her lips are pretty… just like her.

Hindi ko na rin napigilan ang dahan-dahan paglapit ng aking mga labi sa kaniya. Nagtagal lang ‘yon hanggang sa mahina niya akong tinulak nang matauhan.

“What the heck did you just do?”

“I’m just trying to be a good husband. My wife wants a kiss. I just give you one,” sambit ko bago tuluyan nang inalis ang seatbelt at lumabas sa aking sasakyan para lang takasan ang inosente niyang mga mata. Ramdam ko ang hagupit ng tibok ng puso. Tila isang bagyong nawawala at handang wasakin ang lahat. I feel like my heart is about to burst.

Damn it. She’s really a walking danger and a danger that I’m willing to face all over again.