We are so young for that risk, pero kung siya rin naman ang ipaglalaban, why not?
"Saan ba kasi tayo pupunta? Baka mamaya duty ka pa doon sa SSG Office, tapos magalit pa sakin iyong sina Cecil" I rolled my eyes at him.
Kung hindi ba naman siya masyadong gwapo edi sana wala akong kaagaw. Masyado nang nagiging baliw ang mga babaeng iyon kay Alonzo, akala mo naman ay pipiliin.
"Selos ka?" he smirked and wiggled his thick eyebrows.
"Ang kapal naman ng mukha mo!" I hissed.
"Well, we should work on that jealous part on you..." he said before pulling me out to somewhere.
Kanina niya pa ako hinihila at hindi ko na maintindihan kung saan niya ba ko balak dalhin.
Everytime I'm with Alonzo, I feel like I'm a head turner too. Sa tuwing may madadaanan kaming kumpol ng estudyante ay hindi nila maiwasang tumingin sa amin or most likely, kay Alonzo. Kung hindi niya lang ako kasama ay baka nagsilapit na sila kay Alonzo.
Nakita ko si Alonzo na nagbigay ng sampung piso sa isang lalaki na nagbabantay sa isang tent, booth din ata ito pero hindi ako sigurado kung anong pakulo ang mayroon dito.
"Lonzo!" parehas pa kaming lumingon sa tumawag sa kaniya.
Babae iyon na may magandang mukha. Nagmumukha rin siyang anghel dahil sa kinis at puti ng kaniyang balat. She's with a girl too which is too tiny. May nakita pa akong badge sa kasama niyang babae which symbolizes as one of the feeding program.
Kumaway si Alonzo sa dalawa bilang pagbati.
"What are you doing here?" tanong noong maputing babae.
Alonzo shrugged, nawala pa ang atensyon ko sa kanila nang may makita akong isang lalaki na inaalo ang isang babae. She looks scared and bothered.
Kung titingnan ay mukhang nasa elitistang pamilya yung lalaki at normal na estudyante yung babae.
The guy hugged the girl and put her head on his chest. He looks so sad for her either.
"Oh sumali ka sa wedding booth? For Jane?" napukaw ang atensyon ko nang marinig ko iyon mula sa kausap ni Alonzo na maputing babae.
Bagaman nainis ako ay pasimple akong tumingin kay Alonzo para kumpirmahin kung totoo ang bintang ng dalaga. Kumamot lang siya sa batok at naiilang na ngumiti sa dalaga.
He shyly lift up his eyebrows. Pinipigilan ko talaga ang huwag mainis sa kaniya. Bakit niya pa ako isinama dito sa wedding tent na 'to kung si Jane lang naman pala ang pakakasalan niya?
"Sweet mo naman pala," komento pa ng babae.
"Ah, thanks" aniya at nakitawa sa kanila.
Thanks?
Walang pasabing umalis ako roon, baka hindi ko mapigilan at bigla kong mabigwasan si Alonzo, sayang ang mukha noon kapag nagkataon.
"Erysia," I didn't look back.
"Erysia!" tuloy-tuloy lang ang lakad ko na parang walang naririnig.
"Erysia! Come back here!"
Pabilis na ng pabilis ang lakad ko. Halos lakad-takbo na rin ang ginawa ko wag lang niyang maabutan. Ayoko muna siyang makaharap.
Damn, why am I so jealous? Ano ba kami? Bestfriend! At alam kong hanggang doon lang yon. Pero I knew better, he promised me that he'll court me, but apparently wala naman siyang sinabi na gusto din niya ako, he only said that he'll court me and that's it. I wonder what's the purpose. Para may maipakilalang girlfriend, ganoon ba?
Is he starting to be a womanizer? Wag naman sana, at kung totoo man na mangyari iyon, wag niya naman sana akong isama sa koleksyon niya. Hindi ko gugustuhing maging isa sa ginamit na tao.
"Erysia!" I sighed and stopped run-walking.
Humarap ako sa kaniya. He's smiling at me, his smile is so wide. Ang saya niya.
"Hmm? Bakit?" I arched my eyebrows.
"Bakit ka umalis? May ipapakita pa naman sana ako sayo..." aniya at kinamot ang batok.
I breathed in heavily then sighed. Konti na lang ang pasensya ko sa gwapong 'to.
"Ano ipapakita mo? Kasal nyo ni Jane? Ganoon ba? Ha?!" I hysterically said.
Humahangos na rin ako at mabigat ang paghinga. I already told to myself that I should be calm and now I loss my sanity.
He looked shocked at my reaction. Bahagya pang nakaawang ang kaniyang labi at hindi alam ang sasabihin.
"Unable to talk now huh?" pinanlakihan ko pa siya ng mata at tinaasan ng kilay.
A smile crept on his face. Kumunot ang noo ko. What's funny?
"You're smiling because?" mas lalong naging mataray ang boses ko nang mga sandaling iyon.
He smirked and gathered all of his patience on me by inhaling while smiling widely. Kanina pa yung ngiti niyang iyan, wala naman nakakatawa.
He bit his inside cheeks and look at me intently.
"Ganda mo magalit" aniya bago lumapit sa akin.
Wala sa oras na tumikhim ako at nag-iwas ng tingin. Ayoko pag ganito siya, nanlalambot ako. Dapat kasi ay hanggang paghanga lang, hindi ko naman alam na aabot ako sa puntong 'to, sana pala una pa lang itinigil ko na.
Akala ko pa naman ay wala siyang kalandian sa katawan.
"Come on, wag mong sirain yung plano ko" natatawang aniya bago ginulo ang buhok ko at inakbayan ako.
Nakatingala lang ako sa kaniya, pilit na pinapanatili ang galit kong mukha pero hindi ko talaga kaya hanggang sa sumuko na lang ako at bumuntong-hininga bago nagpatianod sa kaniya.
Sobra na ang paghuhurumentado ng puso ko. Kanina pang malakas ang kabog nito. Di na ako magugulat kung bigla akong atakihin sa puso.
"Kayo na ang sunod Lonzo!" saktong pagdating namin ay iyan ang ibinungad sa kaniya noong lalaking binigyan niya ng sampung piso. Siguro'y bayad iyon para sa wedding booth na 'to.
I don't know, maybe we will watch wedding ceremonies.
Napangiwi ako nang biglang may nag-ipit sa akin noong white belo.
"Para saan ba' to?" naiiritang tanong ko kay Alonzo.
"Just go with the flow, hindi mo ikakamatay kung sakaling susunod ka" aniya at kumindat sa akin.
Konti na lang Alonzo.
Nagtataka ako nang bigla akong iwan ni Alonzo sa tambayan ng mga wedding booth coordinator. Saan naman pupunta ang isang yon?
"Miss, please proceed" ani ng isa sa wedding booth coordinator at pinapasok ako sa isang tent.
Muntik pa akong hindi makalakad nang makita ko ang laman ng tent na iyon.
Kuya is here! Even Eli and baby Eljay. Wala sina Mama at Papa at nakakapagtaka na nakapasok sila rito! I looked at Alonzo to find the answer at hindi naman ako nahirapan na kumpirmahin.
Agad na nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin si Alonzo at kinamot ang batok, namumula rin ang kaniyang pisngi at hindi na makatingin ng maayos sa akin.
I shooked my head and chuckled a bit. Mamaya ka sakin, Alonzo!
Some of my classmates are here too, kahit si Cecil! But her stares are like shooting daggers. Para na niya akong papatayin sa klase ng titig niya. What's her problem?
Hindi ko naman plano ang lahat ng 'to, bakit sa tingin niya parang sinisisi niya ako. If she don't want to attend Alonzo's wedding if she's not the bride, then don't. Hindi iyong nagmumukha siyang martyr na nakaupo sa silya at nanlilisik ang mga mata sa bride.
When I reached where Alonzo is, I smiled shyly as I saw a lot of known people around us. Para siyang totoong kasal kung titingnan. Everything is white, even the guests are wearing white dresses and white shirt and maong pants.
The sun is also in bright mood. I can see from the tent the oceanic blue color of the sky and the cotton-like clouds. Kung may mas titindi pa sa nararamdaman ko ngayon ay hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.
The ceremony starts. It's like a foreplay of our real wedding. Pangarap ko 'to, ang makasal sa kaniya balang araw pero ngayon pa lang ramdam ko na.
I looked at Alonzo who's now looking at me like I'm the most beautiful woman here. Suddenly, crowds became invisible for me. Wala akong ibang nakikita kung di siya. Siya lang.
I'm listening to the wedding coordinator which is acting as a priest, but my mind is too clouded by hope, faith and pure bliss. I can't exactly name my real emotions.
"Alonzo Del Prado, do you take Erysia Cabrera as your beloved wife through darkness and brightness, in poor or in wealth, in sickness and in health, in bliss or sorrow, through joy or in rage?" the priest actor said.
"Yes," he politely said.
I just looked at Alonzo while waiting for my turn. I really like him, no, I love him. Maybe a lot will say that I'm just in adrenaline rush but I'm not! Saang parte ba ako dapat magmadali?
Kung ang kinababahala ng iba ay baka maagawan sila, well ako rin naman.
The difference is I will let him choose and decide, it's his freedom to choose and love on his own way.
"Yes," I answered after the priest actor asked me the same question.
Kung sakaling may mas magandang babae ang lumapit sa kaniya, then so be it. I will let his faith across his own consciousness. It depends on him if he'll find another or it's just me.
It is okay for me to get hurt by someone I love or I will in the future, but hurting them is not on my vocabulary. It is the least thing I'll do.
"Say your vows" the priest actor announced.
Alonzo looked at me with teary eyes. Hindi ko alam kung talagang naiiyak siya o baka ako ang naiiyak. My vision is also blurry. It's like true, I don't know how will I explain my own thoughts and feelings. Kung maipaliwanag ko man, hindi ko rin alam kung paano at saan sisimulan.
"Erysia, I promise to you that no promises from me will be broken. If it does, then it's not a promise. A promise is when you're sincere and capable of making it to be true. I'll be a man to you, cherish and love you. Even in hardest time, I will still hold into you. Even destiny will part us, my faith in you will always be here... " then he pointed out his heart.
A tear escaped from our eyes.
"I know that we're still young and we will encounter a lot of problems and lucks but this promise will hold on till my lungs give out. I promise till death we part like in our vows..." he said and another tear escaped from his eyes so I had to wipe it off using my thumb.
I can see clearly that he even didn't readied a paper. He just said those words without even stuttering. He really know what he will do and currently doing. If he memorized it, then I can say that it was so smooth. But I knew him more.
"Alonzo, I know we are childhood bestfriend. You might get disappointed if sooner or later miserable happened. But I'll hold into your promises. I will give my all to you as long as this feelings are inside of me. My fidelity will lasts for eternity" he caressed my cheeks and wiped off the tears.
"You may now kiss the bride" the priest actor announced.
Natulos ako sa aking kinatatayuan. Kiss what?
Kinakabahang napatingin ako kay Alonzo nang makita kong unti-unting lumalapit ang mukha niya sa akin.
"Hoy Alonzo sinasabi ko sayo kapag lumapat iyang labi mo sa labi ng kapatid ko tatamaan ka talaga sakin kahit pa mayor ang tatay mo!" Kuya shouted while carrying EJ and holding Eli's hand. He looked like EJ and Eli's Father.
Eli is just giggling while looking at us. Wala bang klase ang mga 'to?
"Relax," Alonzo whispered and kissed the both side of my cheeks and my forehead. I even closed my eyes as I enjoy Alonzo's warm kisses.
"Congratulations!" everybody inside the tent cheered for us, kahit iyong maputing babae kanina ay nandoon at nakikisaya.
Muntik na siyang maging resulta ng hindi pagtuloy ng kasal-kasalan na 'to. Crazy white woman!
I just noticed that Cecil isn't here anymore. Well, bahala siya.
"When is the honeymoon?" nang-aasar na tanong noong isa sa kaklaseng lalaki ni Alonzo.
Akmang sasagot na si Alonzo nang bigla siyang sikuhin ni Kuya.
"Walang honeymoon na magaganap" masungit na wika ni Kuya at umirap bago lumabas ng tent.
Alonzo looked at me once again, hindi ko na mabilang kung pang-ilan tingin na niya sa akin iyon.
"I love you, wife" I froze.
©ash