CHAPTER 2- FACE HIM
MARIA
Just smile maria. Pretend that nothing happend between you two. Smile like you can't remember everything. Just chill and act cool. Chill ka lang, huminga ng malalim. Smile. Show him how attractive you are. Ipakita mo ang alindog mo sa kanya. Dahil ikaw si maria Isabella Dimasali AKA mayang. Aja!
I sighed heavily when he moved closer to me. I gulp then smiled at him showing that I am not afffected by his presence, But I'm actually shaking in the insides. Hindi ko pinahalatang naapektuhan ako sa presensya nito kahit na nanginginig na ang mga tuhod ko sa kaba.
"Good morning sir. A-ahm welcome back po." Nakangiting bati ko sa kanya and I am just hoping na hindi nito napansin ang pagstutter ko. I don't want to sound so nervous infront of him.
His eyes wandered around my face then down to my lips. His stares lingered on my lips so I unconsciously swallowed. The smirk on his face just added to the nervousness that I am feeling. Out of nervousness, I bit my lower lip and I saw how his eyes darken. It looks like I did something that should not did.
I gulp and I can feel my knees shaking but I still manage to act cool after. I know he can sense my nervousness and that is the reason why he is smirking. His smirk says it all.
"Good morning too." Nakangisi nitong bati. It makes me confused how he shows emotion now. He always has this stoic face and it is not his habit to smirk. Well, siguro ang sumigaw ay pwede pa pero ang magkaroon ng mapaglarong emosyon sa mukha nito nakakapagtaka. Is he really that amused about what happened to us? Why?
"So let's go." Aya samin ni miss Aria and I am very thankful that she is here. She just cut the awkward atmosphere between me and her son.
I am really thankful that his mom is here so that he can't do anything. He can't confront me about what happened. I know he is thinking why I let him take me. I know the reason why I surrendered but not him. And I will never dare to confess why.
I know my boss is a dragon. He always spit fire and that fire can burn you into ashes. And he did it to me but I still came back whole--physically.
"Let's go hija?" Because I am spacing out I didn't realized that they are already inside the car. I looked like a fool outside and that embarrassed me.
Nakakahiya ka talaga Mayang! You always embarrassed yourself.
Para maiwasan ang pagkapahiya pa ay agad na akong sumakay ng sasakyan. I didn't bother to look at his direction. I know he is smirking. He is smirking because he knows what's bothering inside my head. But not fully.
I keep my mouth shut while watching outside the window. They are both talking and as usual he always answers his mom using one word. Para bang kinukulang sya palagi ng mga salitang mahahagilap. Yung kung ano nalang ang nahagilap nyang salita 'yon nalang ang sasabihin nya.
I secretly shook my head while listening to their conversation.
"So how's your trip? Did it go well?" Usisa ni Ma'am Aria sa anak nito.
"Yeah."
Pasimpleng ngumiwi ako sa sagot nito habang nakatingin pa rin sa labas ng bintana. Mabuti nalang talaga nandito ako sa passenger seat at nakaharap pa sa bintana kaya hindi nya makita kung ano mang expression ang ginagawa ko.
"How about the deal with Mr. Gatchallan?" Ma'am Aria keeps questioning him but I didn't heard any of his response so I secretly glance at the rear view mirror and to my shock, he also is looking at me in the rear view.
I wonder what's running inside his head this time. Why is he looking at me? Nahuhumaling na ba ito sa ganda ko? Well hindi ko naman sya masisisi. Iba nga talaga ang alindog ni Maria Isabella.
"Great." As expected, that was his answer to his mother. I can't help myself but to roll my eyes. My rolling eyes suddenly became big when I saw that he is still looking at me in the rear view. And it means that he saw---oh my gosh! Tanga ka nga talaga Mayang!
Ang kaninang nerbyos na nararamdaman ay mas lalong nadagdagan. Patay! What the heck did I do? Umirap na nga lang ako, nahuli pa! And with his expression right now I know that he is pissed.
O my G! Kailangan ko na bang mag empake o iindahin ko nalang ang sigaw na makukuha ko mamaya? Lahat ba ng swerte ay nakuha ko ngayong araw? Dahil kung oo ay ramdam na ramdam ko talaga. Well, note the sarcasm here.
I sighed. I did all my best to divert my attention to something. I did it to ease the nervousness that I am feeling. Pero imbis na makaramdam ng konting kaginhawaan ay hindi ko naramdaman bagkus ay mas lalo lamang lumala ang naramdaman ko. It is because of my foolishness. And this is because of my foolishness why I am in this situation right now. Yes I know that it is because of my love for him. But what do you think people can do when they are in love? Sometimes they can be foolish or even worst than that.
I know I am foolish, I know what happened is partly my fault. Even if we turned the world upside down, what happened is partly my fault. I was sober that time but I didn't do anything to stop him. I didn't do something and let this feeling dictates what I should do. I let him because that was my heart wants me to do. I know, I admit that, that part was my fault. I just added fuel to the fire. No, I played with fire itself.
"Hija kumain muna tayo ng lunch. Manong ibaba mo kami sa pinakamalapit na restaurant." Turan ni Ma'am Aria kaya napatango nalang ako. Now, what's running inside my head is the possibility of getting pregnant. I know it is not impossible because we didn't use any protection that time.
This is the only time that I realized how flirtatious I am. In my two years in the company, I managed to control my self. I didn't waver. But now, after all of my self- control, I already gave up.
Napuno na ba ang puso ko at noong hinalikan nya ako ay hindi ko n pinairal pa ang utak ko? Nakiusap ba ang puso ko na sya naman ang sundin? Pero ano na ngayon ang mangyayari sa akin na ang puso ko ang sinunod?
I know that there is a consequences. I am trying to be ready but I know I can't. Iniisip ko palang kung magbunga ba ang ginawa namin ay kung ano ang magiging reaksyon nito. Kaya doon ako kinakabahan at puno ng what if's ang utak ko ngayon.
"Hija. Hija." Napatanga naman ako ng tinapik ako ni madam Aria.
Ngumiti ito sakin. "You're spacing out." Sabi nito kaya napakagat ako sa labi ko at pinilit na ngumiti. Masyadong malalim ang iniisip ko para marinig ang pinag uusapan nila kanina. I was drowning with my own thought throughout the ride.
"Pasensya na po." Turan ko kaya ngumiti ito bago ako inaya. I even saw my boss smirk when his mother guided me to the restaurant. And it feels like I am her real child because she is really taking care of me.
I feel so warmth because of how she treated me. I am really touch with her attitude.
****WRITTEN BY: STRINGLILY****
WARNING: SPG CHAPTER 3-WHO'S WHO Maria When we settled in our seats she already starting to throw questions on me until our order arrived. Hindi pa rin ito tumigil hanggang sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain namin. "So hija, how is my son? Did he treat you right? I know my son and he is really short-tempered." Habang kinakausap ako ng ina nya ay nakamasid lamang ito sa amin. His eyes is focused on me and it makes me uneasy.Hindi nya ba alam nanaiilangna ako? "Ahm...Hindi naman po madam." Sagot ko pero labag 'yon sa kalooban ko.
CHAPTER 4- CONFIRMING MARIA Morning came and I feel like my stomach turns upside down. I didn't waste any second and run faster than I could. Nang makarating ako sa Cr ay agad akong nagsuka. Aside from vomiting, I am so dizzy that I can't help my self to stand up. I was breathing so hard, and everything is still not sinking up on me. I am so fragile right now, and I am just looking at nothingness. There is no thought in my mind. I just feel so exhausted. "Mayang kain na." "Mayang." "Hoy bruha nasaan ka?" "Mayang?" I want to say something but I can't find my voice. And when I did, it is
CHAPTER 5- Pregnancy MARIA Pregnancy test kit. Tumayo ako at inilalayan naman ako ni macey papuntang cr na ipinagpasalamat ko dahil nangangtog na ang mga binti ko. I don't know why but I'm feeling mixed emotions. Kanina nga ay kinakabahan ako pagkatapos ay ibang emosyon na hindi ko mapangalanan, ngayon naman ay sinalakay ulit ako ng kaba. I closed my eyes to calm my self. I bit my lower lip when I entered the Cr. Pagkatapos ay agad kong binasa ang instructions na nakalagay at naghintay ilang minuto bago ko tinignan yun. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba dapat ang mararamdaman ko. Happiness, anxious and excitement. There are still some that I can't name. Para akong babagsak sa sahig kaya naman kumuha ako ng supporta sa dingding habang naglal
CHAPTER 6- PROPOSAL MARIA "Maria, kindly give me the papers that I needed to sign. Also, bring my schedule for today." Isang baritonong tinig ang nagpabalik saakin sa realidad. I was just staring blankly infront of my computer. I tried to work my a*s off but I just can't because there is so many things running inside my head. There is so many what ifs that didn't help me to calm down. I am really nervous right now. I tried to divert my attention, but I still keep on drowning in my thoughts. I want to be calm as possible, but I don't know how to. Being relaxed was out of my vocabulary right now. I was wondering what would be his reaction. Will he be mad at me? Magagalit kaya sya at pipilitin na ipalaglag ang bata o papanagutan ako nito? Those question keeps on repeating inside my head that will make me end up drowning. "Maria! Are you listening?" Rinig kong sigaw sa intercom kaya agad akong napabalik sa realida
CHAPTER 7- ONE AND ONLY MARIA DENRICK Oh sh1t! Fvck it! Even now, I can't still believe that I will follow orders from someone who is under than me. Don't get me wrong. I am not conceited, I just find their suggestion as a plain stupid. How lucky my father when he found my mom. They are also a product of arrange marriage but later on they develop a feelings for each other. I know that is why Dad agree to their suggestion because he believe that what happened to their love story will also happen to me. But they are completely wrong. Arrange marriage is completely not my thing. I don't want to marry someone I don't love---and that means eternity. Eternity because I will never love someone aside from her. And now that she is gone, the vision of having a happy also vanished. My parents want to arrange me because they said I am a very workaholic person. They said that I need
CHAPTER 8- HER PLAN MARIA I don't know if I should be thankful to his offer or what. I am shocked, yes. Who would not right? I was very nervous because of the thought that I am pregnant with his baby. I don't know how to tell him my condition and that is the reason why I am not in my self awhile ago. My thoughts drowned me earlier and I was able to pull my self out of it because of his sudden proposal. His proposal pull me back to my reverie but it manage to take all of the air that I was breathing. I was breathing so hard and I don't know if I should be thankful to him. I don't know if fate was with me. Nakisama ba sakin ang tadhana? Kung ganoon nga ang swerte ko naman. I want to smile. Maswerte ba talaga ako? Maybe I really am. My baby is so lucky and I am so happy for that. Marrying him doesn't mean I am lucky. Or am I? Diba nga pag nagpakasal kami ay matatali na ito sa akin? Pero bakit parang hindi masaya ang kalahati ng
CHAPTER 9- BITTER REALITY MARIA "MAYANG dalian mo na dyan! Nandiyan na ang fafy mo! Wag mo na syang paghintayin!" Rinig kong sigaw ng bakla sa labas ng kwarto ko kaya mas binilisan ko naman ang pagsuklay ng buhok ko. I look at my self in the mirror and smiled sweetly.What a gorgeous creation.I laugh and tried to act cute infront of my reflection. Ang ganda mo talaga Mayang! "Mayang!" I took a last glance at my reflection before I hurriedly got out. Pagkalabas ko ay sya naman hila nito ng buhok ko. Tinignan ko ito ng masama pero umirap lang ito bago bumaba. Sumunod na din akong bumaba sa kanya at naabutan ko ang boss ko na nakaupo sa luma naming sofa. With his simple t-shirt and a denim pants, he looks like a model. He looks like model without even trying hard. Yung kahit simpleng t-shirt lang ang suot mo ay nagmumukha ka pa ring dyamante. How can he do it? And why
CHAPTER 10- MARIA "Hey are you okay? Kanina ka pa parang wala sa sarili." He keeps on questioning about that and I always said that I am okay. We are now on our way to my apartment and just got done with my check up. Hindi ko sinabi na narinig ko kanina ang pinag uusapan nila ng pinsan nya. Para ano pa diba? I know now my role in his life. That is important so that I know my place and my limits. Hindi na ako aasang mamahalin nya ako dahil hinding hindi nya gagawin yun. Tipid nalang akong ngumiti sa kanya. "Okay lang po ako. Napagod lang siguro ako ngayong araw." Rason ko kaya napabuntong hininga ito. I know he is wondering why I suddenly acted like this. I just let him because I don't have the energy anymore. I feel like his word