The Calm in the Chaos (Trazo Real Series #3)

Chapter 45

Hi! This is the last chapter of The Calm in the Chaos. The next update will be the Epilogue in Rafael's POV. I don't know when I will publish the epilogue but I'll do my best to finish it as early as possible. Expect more updates for Ablaze that Cold Heart 🫶🏻

Merry Christmas! 🎄💖
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Chapter 45

We kept our engagement to ourselves for the meantime. Like what Rafa and I agreed on, we will get married after I pass the board exam. I feel happy, actually, having only the two of us know about our engagement like it is our little secret. Besides, I want to be hands-on with the wedding preparations and I couldn't do that while working and reviewing at the same time.

Gusto ko sana ay mapaghandaan at mapagplanuhang maigi ang kasal naming dalawa. Rafael is also just very chill about this. Nage-enjoy nga rin yata siya na kami lang dalawa muna ang nakakaalam ng engagement namin. He couldn't keep secrets from his cousins, not even from his brothers, kaya tuwang tuwa ang loko dahil may sikreto siyang napanindigang itago sa kanila.

Some of my colleagues and friends noticed the ring on my ring finger. Hinala nila ay engagement ring iyon pero tumatawa lang ako at sinasabing promise ring ang suot ko. At first, Hailey wouldn't believe it dahil mukhang engagement ring naman talaga ang suot ko. But Rafa doesn't wear his ring on his finger and wears it as a necklace instead. Kaya sinasabi ko na lang na wala ngang suot si Rafa na engagement ring niya kaya mali ang hinala nila.

"May problema ba?", I asked Hailey. I suddenly received a text message from her asking if I'm free. Hindi ko pa man alam kung bakit niya tinatanong kung libre ba ako ngayong gabi pero sinabi ko na agad na oo.

"Yes. I thought I could avoid it but turns out I couldn't", she said as she poured down some whiskey on her glass. Kwinento na niya sa akin ulit 'yung mga conditions sa kanya ng parents niya.

"Bakit ba ang strikto ng family niyo pagdating sa marriage? Akala ko kapag sa mga lalakeng Chinese lang naman required na Chinese din ang mapangasawa. I didn't know that your parents would also require you to marry Chinese".

She sighed heavily. Minsan naman na naming napagusapan ito noong mga bata pa kami. Hailey is a Chua and she is the only daughter of her parents. Akala ko ay magiging maluwag sa kanya ang mga magulang dahil nga nag-iisang anak na siya pero naging dahilan pa yata iyon para mas maging mahigpit sila sa dalaga.

"My Mom's maiden middle name was Tanchanco so that makes my Mom also a Filipino-Chinese. And you know... they also want me to do the same. May isa pa namang option pero mukhang imposible 'yon. Wala akong mahanap."

I nodded. "Wala kang nagustuhan sa mga nirereto sa'yo?"

Mabilis siyang umiling. Hmm.

"May nagugustuhan ka ba na hindi nila nirereto sa'yo? Hindi Chinese?", tanong ko. The face of someone I know flashed in my head. Siya lang naman ang huling nagustuhan ni Hailey – as in 'yung seryosong nagustuhan talaga.

"It would have been easier if that's the case. Mas madaling tumanggi kung may pinaglalaban ako kaso lang wala talaga. I just know that I don't want to get married yet nor be engaged with someone I don't like. Ewan ko ba! Ayoko talagang pinangungunahan ako sa mga desisyon ko sa buhay lalo na't kasal 'tong pinaguusapan", she drank again and I nodded.

"Tangina. Kasalanan ko rin 'to 'e", she continued. Sinamahan ko lang siya buong gabi at dinamayan. I don't really know what advice to give her because I've never been in her place. Although we're both the only child in our families, my parents are the opposite of Hailey's.

The days went by really fast at papalapit na nang papalapit ang pagtake ko ng board exam. My room's filled with manila papers again. I know that rote memorization is not entirely a good learning method but I'm taking the boards. Kailangan ko talagang umasa sa rote memorization. My superiors and colleagues were very supportive and understanding of me too. Binawasan muna nila ang workload namin para raw makapagfocus kami sa review.