Play Pretend

Chapter 19

#OLAPlayPretend

Chapter 19
Training

"Xaiver..." Zoe uttered his name in disbelief. Her eyes looked at our faces before they went back to our hands. "You... Why are you holding her hand?"

Biting my lower lip, I instinctively tried pulling my hand from his hold but Xaiver only tightened his grip. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata. Hindi ko na maintindihan kung ano ang gusto niyang mangyari.

Nababaliw na ba siya? Akala ko ay ayaw niya pang ipaalam kay Mrs. Dela Vega?

"Xaiver," mariin kong bulong.

He lazily turned his head to me. "It's Xavi, baby..." he drawled in a whisper. "Xavi. Remember?"

Napalunok ako at wala sa sariling sinabi, "X-Xavi..."

Xaiver smiled when I corrected the way I addressed him. "Now, don't worry. It's just her."

Her.

He didn't even bother mentioning her name. Ganoon siya kawalang-bahala sa presensya ni Zoe samantalang kung ano-ano na agad ang naiisip ko. But anyway, he was always nonchalant with almost everything. Dapat ay hindi na ako nagtaka.

"Xaiver," ulit ni Zoe sa pagtawag sa kanya.

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, nilingon na siya ni Xaiver. Hindi ko nga lang inaasahan ang unang mga salitang lalabas sa kanya.

"Sorry but... Sino ka nga ulit?" tanong ni Xaiver na agad nagpalaglag ng panga ni Zoe.

That was the second time he asked for her name. It might have been a very big blow to her. Hindi na niya magawang sagutin ang tanong ni Xaiver dahil siguro sa kahihiyan.

"You made it sound like holding my fiancée's hand is a bad thing...."

As if the first words that came out of his mouth weren't enough to embarrass her, he made sure she would dig her grave by calling me his fiancée.

Suminghap si Zoe, nanlalaki ang mga matang napatingin sa akin. She quickly shifted her gaze to my left, where I was wearing the engagement ring. The camelia was slightly big and filled with diamonds. Sigurado akong agad niya 'yong nakita. "F-Fiancée?!" she echoed in disbelief. "Her? Your secretary? Fiancée? A-Are you out of your mind?"

Para akong sinaksak ng punyal sa tanong niya. Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses ipinamukha sa akin ang agwat naming dalawa ni Xaiver ng ibang mga tao. But coming from the woman his mother wanted for him, I couldn't help feeling that pinch of pain which I was supposed to be numb of. It wounded the pride I only found existing at that moment.

"Your mother will not allow this," Zoe added like she was so sure of it. "She's... She's just no one! She has nothing to contribute to your name and legacy! She'll just be a freeloader... undeserving of your family name!"

Mariin kong kinagat ang aking labi. I didn't want to be affected but those words brought hot tears to my eyes. Hindi niya lang basta sinira ang pagkatao ko kundi tinapak-tapakan niya pa. I felt bad for my mother who did everything she could and sacrificed her life to raise me alone.

Ano na lang ang maiisip niya kapag narinig niya 'yon? Ano'ng mararamdaman niya kapag nalaman niyang ganoon pala ang tingin sa akin ng ibang tao?

"Undeserving of our family name...." Xaiver lightly chuckled before he continued. "Shouldn't that be you?"

Gulat akong napatingin kay Xaiver. Kita kong umigting ang kanyang panga dahil sa pinipigilang pagsabog ng emosyon. I realized how good he was at pretending when he managed to add humor to his chuckle without any hint of emotion in his eyes.