In a Relationship with Dashed (Completed)

C7: The Request of Dashed.

07: The Request of Dashed

"Are you out of your mind?!" I asked in panic. Dinala lang naman n'ya ako sa tagong lugar dito sa loob ng restaurant bago pa man ako makapagsalita kanina.

Oh, hell yes. When I was about to protest, he abruptly excused ourselves para raw makapag-retouch ako.

Ugh! Ni hindi nga ako naglalagay ng kung ano-ano sa mukha ko, retouch pa kaya?!

"Magpapaliwanag ako." he said, gently placing his palm on my mouth.

My eyes widened a fraction as he enclosed me in his arms. I wanted to scream and ask for help, but my knees sought to collapse.

He's too near. He's trespassing me.

"Look, I'm doing this to save myself. Matagal ko nang sinasabi sa mga magulang ko na 'di na ako nagloloko, and I'm actually in a serious relationship with this girl. I described her... simple and different. But then, they doubted me. Sabi nila, 'pag 'di ko raw naipakilala 'yong babae sa kanila within this week..." he licked the lower part of his lip, as it tasting it. "They will send me back to Spain and arrange my marriage with some random girl as soon as possible."

I stood there, agape. We're living in the twentieth century and I couldn't believe that arrangement of marriage is still alive! "P-pero.. mga magulang mo sila. They can't force you to do things without your consent!"

"May iba't ibang klase ng mga magulang," he said, averting his eyes. "But believe me, some of them are manipulators."

"Heto ba 'yong dahilan kung bakit ako nandito?" I asked in a low voice and tried to make an eye-contact with him.

A ray of sunlight hit him kaya lalo kong nadepina kung gaano kaperpekto ang bawat parte ng kanyang mukha. And geez, those pair of eyes are tickling my soul. Kumikinang sila.

Ang gandang pagmasdan.

Dahan-dahan s'yang tumango at umiwas ng tingin sakin. "Yes, I dragged you here to make my parents' believe that the girl I am talking about is real. Lalo na si Mama. She's good at gathering rumors about me. Natatakot ako na baka isang araw, bigla na lang n'ya akong ipakuha sa mga tauhan n'ya at ipatapon papalabas ng bansa."

"B-but... why me?" I queried for the second time around.

Apparently, you can't blame me for being confused. We just met today. Marami s'yang pwedeng pagkatiwalaang iba na maaaring makatulong sa kanya pero— bakit ako?

Bakit ako na ngayon pa lang n'ya nakilala?

"You heard my descriptions." he sighed and finally let me go.

I don't know pero napahawak ako sa dibdib ko.

"But it wasn't enough!" I exclaimed, but he just shook his head.

"It's more than enough. Trust me," binalik n'ya ang tingin sa mga mata ko and my reaction was like, oh boy, was he trying to melt everything about me?! "Kaya sige na naman, oh... Pumayag ka na."

"Pumayag na ano?"

"Na maging girlfriend kita. Para maalis 'yong pagdududa nila Mama sa'kin," I saw again the pleading in his eyes. "Ayoko lang kasing maikasal sa babaeng hindi ko naman mahal... Atsaka, masyado pa akong bata para magpatali."

"Gaano katagal akong magpapanggap?" I found myself asking reluctantly.

"Hanggang sa mahanap ko na 'yong babaeng kaya kong ipaglaban sa kanila,"

Medyo nairita ako sa naging tugon n'ya. "I want specific time, Mister! Malay ko ba kung patuloy akong nagpapanggap na girlfriend mo, tapos may nahanap ka na pala!"

"Hindi naman mahirap maghanap, e..." bahagya s'yang lumapit sakin at ipinakita kung gaano nakakapanghipnotismo ang kanyang mga mata. "Lalo na kung nandyan lang sila paligid."

Bahagya ko s'yang naitulak sa puntong 'yon. Para kasi akong kinikilabutan na napu-poop na kinakabahan.

Okay, Bronywn. Decide.

After minutes of thinking, I wanted to reject him so badly, but it was too late, 'coz opposite words already slipped out from my mouth. "Fine, pumapayag na ako."