Chapter 4

"So, uhm. Mr. Weinstein. This is my daughter, Asher, the one I'm talking about." My father uttered. Pinapakilala nya ako ngayon sa negosyanteng nasa harap namin. 

"Hmm... I see." He replied and looked at me. Bagaman nasa matanda ang aking atensyon ay ramdam ko pa rin ang mariing titig ng lalaking nasa aking harapan, dahilan para mapainom ako sa tubig na nasa aking gilid. 

"So, when is the wedding?" Said by Mr. Weinstein that make me choke. What the hell? 

Inabutan ako ng tissue ni kuya para gamitin pamunas ko sa aking bibig. Gosh! I lost my poise there, huh. Umubo pa ako ng ilang beses bago bumalik sa dati ang aking paghinga. 

"You alright, hija?" Concerned na tanong sa akin ni mom, I looked at her and then I saw the warning look. 

"Yes, I'm sorry." I uttered. 

"I want the wedding as soon as possible. Maybe next week will do." The man infront of me talk without any conflict in his voice. Kamuntik na naman akong masamid sa sarili kong laway ng marinig iyon. Is he serious? Next week?!

Liningon ko sya but I didn't see any changes in his emotion, still poker face with his dark eyes still focused in me, tila binabantayan ang lahat ng aking kilos. Mabilis ko din nilipat ang aking paningin sa baso na hawak ko, hindi ko matagalan ang mga titig nya. 

"Are you in a hurry?" Kuya Ry interfere, I glance at him and I saw how he didn't like the words that came from this man. Mula sakin ay nalipat ang tingin ni Khiel Weinstein sa kalapit ko. 

"Yes. I want the company so soon. Any problem with that?" Mariing sabi nya. I can feel the tension forming from the both of them. Handa na sana akong magsalita para sana sabihin ang nasa aking isipan ngunit naunahan ako ng maligayang boses ng aking ama. 

"Ofcourse! We'll plan the wedding starting tomorrow. You two, will be wed by next week." Sa paraan ng pagsasalita ng aking ama ay halatang halata dito ang labis na galak, samantalang ako ay halos hindi na makahinga sa pinagsamang kaba at hinagpis sa aking puso. Don't they ask my opinion here? Narinig ko ang padarag na singhap ni kuya sa aking tabi. 

"Good, then. And by that, our companies and business will unite." Mr. Weinstein announced then laugh followed by my father. I looked at the man infront of me to see his reaction from all this, but I didn't see anything rather than a serious look. 

"Is it okay with you, lady?" Tanong nya sa malalim na boses na nagpatigil sa tawanan ni Dad at ni Mr. Weinstein. Pati ako ay nagpatigil dahil sa tanong nyang iyon. 

Kung sasabihin ko bang hindi ay ititgil nya ang lahat ng ito?

"Yes, ofcourse! It's very much fine with Asher! Right?" It's my mother who answer for my behalf. I want to say anything or at least want to protest, but no words want to come out from my mouth. 

I gazed him a brief and immediately focused my eyes in my hands above the table. And just what they want me to do, like a puppet controlled by the owner, I nod my head.

 I see, walang kwenta ang sasabihin ko, anuman ang gawin ko ay wala ring silbi, ramdam ko pamumuo ng luha sa aking mata kaya tumayo ako mula sa kinauupuan ko. 

"I just need to go the comfort room." I uttered, I thanked myself because I didn't stuttered when I say those. Not waiting for their response, I leave the table. 

I marched towards the comfort room near the area. Pagpasok ko ay saktong pagbagsak ng saganang luha sa aking pisngi. Gustong-gusto kong magreklamo, gusto-gusto kong tumutol sa kanila, ngunit alam ko kung hanggang saan lang ako. Para akong isang robot na kontrolado ng ibang tao ang isipan at ang bawat kilos.

Good thing no one is inside. I spend a few minutes there. Bago ako lumabas ay pilit kong inayos ang aking mukha, sanay na ako sa ganitong sitwasyon, I can fake my emotion plastered in my face and people believe in that. I tap my chest once before I exited the comfort room. 

But, I was startled to see the man standing outside and looking so impatient. Nakatayo sya doon habang nakatukod ang isang siko nya sa wall at nang makita nya ako ay dahan dahan nya itong binaba. What is he doing here? Is he, perhaps, waiting for me? But....what for? 

"Why are you spending so long inside that freaking room?" Tanong nya sakin at unti unting humakbang papalapit. My heart tump inside it's ribcage, his gaze was intense and it is directly pointing at mine. Gusto kong takbuhan sya ngunit parang napako na ako sa aking kinatatayuan. Humakbang ako ng isang beses pa urong at napatigil sya sa ginawa ko. I also noticed how his thick eyebrows rose up. 

"Why? I used the bathroom and retouch my face." I answered in his question earlier, and his head tilt at that, not looking so pleased with my answer. Bago pa kung anong mangyare ay iniwas ko na ang tingin ko sa kanya at handa na sanang umalis ng muli ay humakbang sya palapit sa akin dahilan ng pag urong ko, ngunit isang hakbang pa ay nasa likod ko na ang malamig na pinto. 

Kinain ng malaking hakbang nya ang espasyo sa pagitan namin. Lalong lumakas ang tibok ng aking puso, at sa lapit nya ay pakiramdam ko ay maririnig nya ito. 

I tried to escape by walking through his side but he put his long broad shoulders to block me, I tried to the other but he then, again, locked me up with his another. Ngayon ay nakakulong ako sa gitna ng kanyang mga bisig, at sya ay nasa harap ko na mariin ang titig sa akin na kagaya kanina, ay parang pinapasok ang kalooban ng aking isip. Gaano man kalakas ang tibok ng puso ko ay nagawa ko pa rin na magtanong sa kanya ng diretso. 

"What are you doing? Let's get back there." I said, my sight is not directly in his eyes, more on the side of his face, I can't look at his intense eyes especially with our distance now. I can smell the manly perfume of him, na parang nanghihimok sa akin na amuyin ito. 

"Did you cried?" He asked in a low voice. My eyes widened with his question. How did he noticed that?! 

"N-no, I'm not. Why would I-I? Gosh! Bakit ako nauutal? Piling ko ay mahahalata nya na nagsisinungaling ako, nilipat ko ang paningin ko at hindi sinasadyang dumapo ito sa kanyang mapupulang labi. Nakita ko ang bahagyang pag angat ng gilid nito dahilan ng pamumula ng aking mukha. 

"Want to taste that?" He asked huskily na lalong nagpapula sa aking mukha. 

"T-the what?" I asked acting I didn't know what is he talking about. Nakita ko ang pagtitig nya din sa aking mga labi at muli ay binalik nya ang tingin sa akin. And slowly, nilapit nya ang kanyang mukha papalapit sa akin. Nagulat ako sa kanyang ginawa ngunit muli ay bumagsak ang tingin ko sa kanyang labi. Sa bawat paglapit nya ay ang lalong pagkabog ng aking puso, halos maduling na ako sa sobrang lapit nya sakin. At nung halos gahibla na lamang ng buhok ay layo nya sa aking labi, by instinct, I slowly close my eyes. 

I waited for him to touched mine but it didn't come so I opened my eyes again. And there I saw, the amused look in his so handsome face. Halos mangamatis na sa pula ang aking mukha when I realized what I just do. I freaking closed my eyes and it was an indicated that I'm waiting for his kiss! Damn it! 

Sa sobrang kahihiyan ay sinubukan ko ulit na tumakas mula sa kanyang bisig na nagkukulong sa akin, but before that happens......

.... his lips touched mine.