Ruled by the Blaze (The Unwanted Marriage)

Patricia's POV (Decision)

Days and weeks pass by so fast. It's Monday again and I'm back at school.

"Patriciaaa!"

Nag echo sa hallway ang sigaw ni Kelvin, my other friend. Nakakahiya. Kulang na lang ay panlisikan ko siya ng mata habang tumatawa papalapit sakin. Sinalubong niya ako ng yakap. "Kanina pa kita hinihintay!" malandi niyang sabi.

"Bakit, feeling mo ba ang lapit lang nitong building natin?"

Dumiretso kami sa lovers lane since maaga pa naman, dito muna kami tatambay.

"Spill it!" maloko siyang ngumisi sakin. "Nasabi sakin ni Jess ang tungkol sa kasal-"

Tinakpan ko ang bibig niya dahil baka may makarinig. Talagang walang preno ang bibig ni Jess.

"Totoo nga? Silence means yes!" Umirap ako kaya tumawa ulit siya. Ano pa bang choice ko?

Maya-maya pa ay agad rin dumating si Jess kasama si Tyrone, isa pa naming kaibigan. Kaya pinaliwanag ko na sa kanila lahat.

"The life of being rich, arrange marriage is just normal" komento ni kelvin. "Wala ka na talagang choice. Pero hindi pa ako handa na makita kang ikasal!" peke siyang umiyak. Ang arte talaga. "Well, the only thing that I can say to you is... good luck. Iyon lang ang kaya namin," Tyrone smiled at me that made me feel sad.

"Based on my source, Mr. Velasquez's son was... rude" Jess tapped my shoulder. "You'll getting married just for responsibility and I think you can still do what you want when you get married" "We will graduate this year. I still had plan to study in med school and pursue my-"

"I don't think your marriage will be an obstacle for that" putol ni Tyrone. "There's no special feeling between you and him, right? You can survive"

Sa ngayon, iniisip ko ang kahihinatnan ko kapag natuloy 'yon. Maraming magbabago pero wala akong magagawa kundi sumugal.

"You didn't experience of having a boyfriend and you will have an instant husband soon!" ani Jess. "Thank god I didn't end up in a situation as complicated as yours because I couldn't take that" "What if, ayaw sayo ng pamilya ng mapapangasawa mo? What if masama ugali nila? Gosh! Scary!" nanlulumo si Kelvin na para bang siya ang ipapakasal.

"Her parents know and trusted them so I think she'll be good" singit ni Tyrone.

"Malay mo sa umpisa lang magaling?" sabat naman ni Jess. "Kaya mag-ingat ka Patricia! Hindi porket maganda ang record ng pamilya ay maganda ang ugali"

"Mas kinakabahan lang ako sa mga sinasabi niyo," mapait kong sabi bago tumayo dahil magsisimula na ang first class namin.

Hanggang sa mga klase namin ay dala ko parin sa isip ko ang problema. Tingin ko nga ay walang pumapasok sa isip ko.

I am currently studying as a fourth year college student and I'm taking up Bs Biology. Ilang buwan na lang ay matatapos na ang paghihirap naming mga estudyante at ga-graduate na kami. I also maintain my high grades because I have been a certified honor student since elementary but in my current situation, tila nawawalan ako ng gana.

"Okay ka lang? Malamya ka kanina sa class" puna ni Jess habang nasa cafeteria kami.

Tumango lang ako.

"Wag mo muna isipin ang problema mo. Buti na lang mataas ka parin kanina sa quiz kahit hindi ka masyado nakapag-review!"

"Yeah,"

"That's because you were naturally born smart! Kaya wag mo hintayin na bumagsak ka sa mga inaasta mo" para talaga siyang nanay. "By the way, may event tayo next month at mayroong beauty pageant! Kailangan ng representative by course at lahat ng section ay inaasahan na ikaw ang sasabak!" tinapik niya ang braso ko. "Kapag ikaw ang sumali ay siguradong panalo agad tayo! Wala ka naman sinalihan na hindi mo ipinanalo!"

"Pass. Hindi ako sasali"

Her smile disappeared. Marami pa naman ang pwede riyan at hindi ko alam kung maipapanalo ko ang contest na 'yon ng may problema akong malaki ngayon. I can't concentrate.

"Bakit? Sayang 'to, Pat! Last year na natin kaya subukan mo na!"

"I have a problem, Jess. Maraming magaganda na pwede nilang isali" tumayo na ako para bumalik sa room.

"Sayang rin kasi dahil ikaw ang halos inaabangan ng mga estudyante kapag may pageant! Pero sabagay, mas mahalagang intindihin mo muna ang kasal na yan"

Our class continued and until dismissal, I was silent.

Problemado at nanlulumo ako sa mga sumunod na araw at sa mga sumunod na linggo naman ay mailap ako kay mommy. Hindi ko alam kung bakit habang tumatagal ay nawawalan ako ng gana. Nakapag-isip ako na papayag na lang sa plano nila at kahit hindi ko pa nakakausap si daddy tungkol dito ay nasisiguro kong pipilitin niya rin ako.

Hindi ko rin naman maaatim na mag hirap kami.

"Mauna na ako sa inyo" paalam ko sa mga kaibigan ko at sumakay na sa sasakyan ko.

Tuluyan na akong lumabas ng school at dumiretso sa company building namin.

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Along with my way, my mind was in puzzled. Halos lutang ang isip ko sa maraming bagay.

"Good afternoon, Mam" ngumiti sakin ang guard at agad akong pinapasok.

Mabilis akong nag park at sumakay ng elevator. Sunod-sunod ang pag bati sakin ng mga empleyado ng makita ako. Nakaramdam tuloy ako ng hiya dahil nakasuot pa ako ng all white uniform ko sa school. Nakasalubong ko ang secretary ni mommy. "Sakto, may free time po si Mam Alondra"

Ngumiti ako bago pumasok sa office. Nag liwanag ang mukha ni mommy ng makita ako at sinalubong ako ng halik. Kahit nakangiti ay halata sa itsura niya ang pagod. Alam kong stress na siya sa kompanya.

It's been one month since she told me the proposal and she didn't pressure me. She didn't sculpt me anymore, she really gave me time to think. I also have no idea what they talked about with the Velasquez. My mind was full of many questions.

"Are you okay, mom?" I asked worriedly.

She laughed. "Don't mind me. I'm fine" we both sat on the couch. "Do you need something?"

"Uh, nothing" umiling ako. "Uhm...a-about the-"

"About the proposal marriage? What about that? Have you already decided? Ayaw mo ba talaga?" her voice cracked.

"No, mommy" I gulped. "Pumapayag na ako sa p-proposal"

Pushing those words out of my mouth felt like something sucked all the energy out of me. My hands were sweaty and shaking. I'm so nervous.

"For r-real?" hindi siya makapaniwalang nakatingin sakin. "I-I mean, we're not pressuring you. Kung napipilitan ka-"

"I'm not" pigil ko. "I think, it's my responsibility to help you. Hindi kakayanin ng konsensya ko kapag nawala ang kompanya satin. Kung may solusyon para isalba ito, I would grab it"

Nagsimulang mamuo ang luha sa mata ni mommy habang paulit-ulit siyang umiiling.

"I can't believe it" she started crying. "You really agreed!" she hugged me together with her sobs.

"Just for our family, mommy" I whispered.

"Your dad would be happy!" she held my hand. "Mrs. Velasquez just called me earlier and she was asking about your decision"

"What will happened to me?" agad kong tanong. "After I marry the man I don't even know?"

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"I know you'll be confused now but I'm telling you, you're in the right hands. Me and your dad won't trust them if we don't know them fully" she explained. "You just need to go with the flow. Hindi ka mahihirapan dahil nasayo parin ang kalayaan mo. You're still free to do what you want and continue your studies" she caressed my hair.

Kinakabahan at natatakot parin ako kahit may assurance na kay mommy, hindi ko parin mapigilan makaramdaman 'to. Yeah, I have my freedom to do want I want but there's always limitation. I won't be able to like someone else because I am already tied with the specific person.

Tumingin ako kay mommy dahil may gusto akong itanong. "About my f-fiance..."

"What about it, honey?"

"Did he also agree with this set up? They're already rich and wealthy, walang mawawala sa kanila kung magpapakasal sila sa hindi mayaman" I asked out of confusion.

Bumabagabag sakin 'yon simula ng sabihin niya ang tungkol sa pagpapakasal. Tulad ko ay napilitan lang din kaya siya na magpakasal sakin? Kilala niya ba ako? O, baka naawa lang sila sa pamilya ko? Gosh! Here I am again. Paranoid and thinking some negative thoughts but I can't help but to think of it. Wala akong maisip na dahilan dahil successful na sila. What else?

"I just tried my luck to talk with them and I was surprised because they held me a proposal. I know that they did a background check on our family and we don't have bad records," there's traces of joy on her face. "I know you're thinking that maybe, I begged for them?" she laughed. "No, I would never do that"

May kinuha siyang folder sa drawer at binigay sakin. "It's all about the background of their family. It can help you"

I immediately opened the folder. Bumungad sakin ang larawan ni Mr. Velasquez. Wow, he's really handsome. Kahit may edad na ay kita parin ang pagiging makisig. I flip the next page and it's a picture of his beautiful wife. The following pages are pictures of their children who are also handsome, from youngest, second and the last page is the eldest...

Napatigil ako ng makita ang isang lalaking seryosong nakaupo sa sofa, nakasuot ito ng black suit na lalong nag paangat ng kagwapuhan niya. Kusa akong napalunok at hindi makapaniwala na ito ang mapapangasawa ko? I scanned his face that was almost perfect for me. Mula sa maganda at mapupungay na mata, mahabang pilik-mata at ilong na tama ang tangos, ang mukha at panga niya na tama lang din ang pagkakahubog. Halos makaramdam ako ng uhaw ng pagmasdan ang namumula niyang labi. Sa pananamit pa lang ay alam mong mabango na pero hindi dapat ako masilaw sa itsura.

Mabilis akong napakurap ng mapagtanto na masyado na pala akong napapatitig sa larawan, nakakahiya lalo pa at kaharap ko si mommy.

Sinipat ko ang nakasulat sa ibaba ng larawan at doon ko nakita ang edad at tunay na pangalan niya.

"Callum Teo Velasquez... 25 years old?" bulalas ko habang nanlalaki ang mata sa gulat.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"Yeah, Callum is your future husband and he's so gentlemen, proven and tested when I met him in their company"

"Mommy! He's already 25 and I'm just 20!" reklamo ko at walang reaksyon si mommy.

"You'll graduate this year and turning 21. There's nothing wrong," kalmadong sabi niya. "You two look good together!" she clapped her hands.

Napairap ako at itinago ang folder. Maraming paalala na sinabi si mommy bago ako umalis. Tinawagan niya agad si Mrs. Velasquez para kumpirmahing pumayag na ako at ora mismo ay nag bigay siya ng araw para sa isang dinner ng mga pamilya namin. "Tama ang desisyon ko? Everything is just so fast!" ibinuhos ko sa loob ng kotse ang lahat ng frustration ko.

Hindi ko akalain na mabilis ang pasya ng mga Velasquez. Ganoon ba sila kaexcited para ikasal kami ng anak nila? Hindi nila kami binigyan ng chance na magkaroon ng quality time para sa sarili namin para sulitin ang mga araw na single pa kami!