Alabang Boys Series #1
Jaesie Rosenthal knows what she brings to the table, and love is just another luxury she doesn't have any plan to buy. But a multi-million-peso agreement is something she will consider when it comes to business.
When Rico Dard...
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HOURS FELT like years, seconds felt like an endless pit of hell, and I had no idea what time it was, basta ang alam ko, hapon pa rin dahil sa taas ng sikat ng araw. Mainit pero humahalo ang lamig sa hangin na galing sa dagat. Masarap sanang mag-swimming kung wala lang kami sa isang komplikadong sitwasyon.
Walang ibang sumisigaw sa utak ko kundi, "Jae, ang stupid mo!" at saka "Nakakatamad na talagang mabuhay."
Life was so hard, and I had to deal with every kind of person in all walks of life. Ibang level nga lang ang family ni Rico. Though, expected ko na because of his warnings, but iba pa rin. Ang direkta nilang magsalita, hindi man lang magkaroon ng empathy. Kaya pala walang sense of censorship ang bibig ni Rico.
Para akong matutunaw sa inuupuan kong wooden bench habang nakatanaw sa dagat. Sa loob ng utak ko, nilulunod ko na ang sarili ko sa gitna ng tubig habang paulit-ulit na nire-rewind ang binitiwan kong linya sa pamilya ni Rico.
"I'm having Rico's child. I will marry your son . . . and you can never change my mind."
I wanted to ask myself, "Did you just declare that you're gonna marry Rico for real, huh?"
Pero seryoso ako. Sa dami ng naging ex ko, or kahit friends nga lang, wala pa ni isa sa parents nila ang nagsabi sa aking, "I don't like you." Not in front of my face!
"Jaesie."
"Ayokong mag-stereotype, Rico, pero nabuwisit ako sa parents mo."
He just sighed and nodded. "I understand. Shocked pa rin si Mum until now. She didn't expect that 'cause she knew me well."
"I think pareho kami ng mother mo," naiinis na sagot ko sa kanya. "Na-shock din ako sa talas ng dila nila ng daddy mo."
Tiningnan ko siya, and the aftershock was still all over us. Para kaming binuhusan ng malamig na tubig . . . na may kasamang naglalakihang ice cubes na maraming beses na tumama sa ulo namin—enough to gave me a headache. He couldn't even look me straight in the eyes, at mas pinili pa niyang titigan ang kamay ko kung saan nakasuot sa daliri ko ang singsing na ibinigay niya nitong umaga lang.
"You have any plans?" I asked. I didn't know what to do next.
For the first time in my life, kahit ang dumbest choice gaya ng choice ko noon about kina Arthas at Myles, wala sa isip ko.
Ano pa nga ba ang magandang plano sa lagay namin?
"Marry me?" takang tanong niya, tumingin pa siya sa itaas para isipin kung magandang idea ba 'yon o hindi. "That's my original plan."
"At wala ka nang balak ituloy." And for me, that was a statement, not a question.
Tiningnan na rin niya ako, sa wakas.
"Hindi 'yon, Jae."
"Then what's with the worried face, huh? That 'that's my original plan' thing, huh?" my sarcasm to him.
