Unexpected Desires

CHAPTER 3: The Departure

Chapter 3: The Departure

Mayari Calleope's Point of View

"Are you really sure about this?" Amara's voice echoed with concern, her eyes searching for the unwavering determination they longed to see.

"Oo nga, Mayari. Sigurado ka na ba?" Dagdag tanong ni Sophia.

"We mean, we can still talk about this with your parents and convinced them to change their minds." Alex added.

"I'm with Alex on this. Maybe a heartfelt conversation could change their minds," Ashley's words swirled in the room, tinged with the hope of a different outcome.

Napatingin ako sa kanilang apat. Their gaze settled upon me, a silence blanketing the room like the calm before a tempest. Napabuntong-hininga ako at tinigil ko ang pagliligpit ng aking mga damit at umupo sa aking kama.

Andito kami ngayon sa aking kwarto at ikinuwento ko sa kanila ang naging desisyon ng mga magulang kong ipakasal ako sa lalaking hindi ko naman kilala. Sinabi ko rin sa kanila ang plano kong umalis dahil ayoko talagang magpakasal. Plano kong lumayo. Plano kong bumalik ng Manila at doon manirahan pansamantala.

Hindi alam ng parents ko ang plano ko at tanging mga kaibigan ko lamang ang nakakaalam. I'm planning to leave tonight.

"Listen, I did try discussing it with my parents. I swear," my voice wafted gently across the room. They hung onto each syllable, ensnared by the silent plea in my eyes. Hindi naman sila umimik at nanatiling nakatuon lamang ang mga tingin nila sa akin. My frustration poured forth as I continued, "But all they told me was to change my mind, to consent to this union. A union, I can't fathom. Marrying someone I scarcely know, for heaven's sake!" Exasperation punctuated my words.

Hindi rin naman madali sa akin ang ginawa kong pagpapasya. Leaving was an agonizing choice; it meant severing ties with everything familiar. My cherished life, my parents, the sum of all I held dear. But I need to leave. I need to sacrifice those things. Dahil kung hindi ako aalis at susunod sa gusto ng magulang ko, mawawala naman ang kalayaan at ang kasiyahan ko. Masaya ako sa pagiging malaya, and I think that's the most important thing to me. My freedom, and my happiness.

"Eh paano ka niyan? Babalik ka sa condo mo do'n sa Maynila?" Tanong ni Alex sa akin. Tumango naman ako.

"Ganoon na nga. Doon muna ako pansamantala." Ang tinutukoy niya ay ang condo ko noong nag-aral ako ng college sa Maynila.

Buti na lang talaga at hindi ko naisipang ibenta iyon. May purpose pa pala siya.

"Are you really sure about this, Mayari? Wala kang makakasama do'n. Wala kami doon," Sophia voiced her concern, her gaze unyielding.

My gaze shifted to each of them, their agreement resonating through the room like a harmonious chord. Another deep breath escaped me, not from relief but from the weight of the impending separation. Leaving them behind, though necessary, was a heartache I wished to spare us all.

Ayoko man mawala'y sa kanila pero kailangan dahil ayoko rin talagang magpakasal.

"I can still visit you guys. Cheer up," I reassured them, mustering a bright tone in my voice, concealing the sadness that nestled deep within.

Then, like an unexpected gust of wind stirring the calm, Amara's proposition cut through our contemplation like a lightning bolt.

"Or we can accompany you there," Amara suggested, abruptly shifting the course of our conversation. Agad kaming napatingin sa kaniya.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Ashley queried, her astonishment mirroring my own.

Ngumiti naman si Amara sa amin na para bang isang magandang ideya ang tumatakbo ngayon sa kaniyang isipan.

"Bakit hindi tayo sumama kay Mayari sa Maynila? Malaki 'yung condo mo roon 'di ba? And in that way, hindi tayo malalayo sa isa't isa. At higit sa lahat..." She paused, allowing the suspense to fill the room.

"What?" The question sprang from our lips in unison, echoing our shared curiosity.

Mas lalong lumapad ang pagkakangiti ni Amara.

"We can continue our nightly hangouts. However, this time, we'll explore new horizons, seeking adventures beyond our imagination," she exclaimed, her excitement permeating the atmosphere.

Our eyes met in a silent exchange of thoughts. Amara's proposal was undeniably enticing, a tantalizing prospect filled with the allure of new experiences. The prospect of adventure in uncharted territories beckoned.

Pero ayoko namang idamay sila sa gagawin kong paglayas at ayoko ring ialis sila sa buhay na kinasanayan nila. Living independently is not that easy as we all think.

"The idea does sound appealing, but I don't wish to—" I began, only to be cut short by Ashley's interjection.

"I wholeheartedly endorse this idea. Count me in," her declaration left me taken aback.

"But Ash—" I attempted to protest, my voice laden with concern.

"Me too. Ayoko rin naman na maging malayo si Mayari sa atin and to think na siya lang mag-isa sa Maynila, hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala." Dagdag ni Sophia. Agad na napatingin ako rito. Seriously?! Pati si Sophia ay sumang-ayon sa idea ni Amara?

"But girls—" I tried to utter my objections again, but their determination was unwavering.

"Where you lead, we follow," Alex asserted with unwavering conviction, revealing the depths of their commitment to accompany me.

"Hey, hey!" I implored a halt to their fervor. Their collective attention focused on me.

"Are you guys for real?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanila. Agad na nagsitanguan naman silang lahat sa akin. Halos matampal ko ang aking noo.

Akala ba talaga nila ay naglalaro kami dito? These girls...

"Listen closely, girls. Choosing to accompany me means you're bidding farewell to the world you've known," I stated, my gaze traversing each one of their faces, understanding their very essence. These were women of privilege, lives cushioned by opulence. Save for Sophia, whose roots differed from the rest.

Nagkatinginan ang mga kaibigan ko na para bang pinag-iisipan nila ang mga sinabi ko. Sana'y magbago pa ang kanilang mga isipan dahil ayoko rin na madamay sila sa problema kong ito.

"Nah, it's totally fine," Alex responded promptly, echoed by the nods and affirmations of the others. My jaw hung slack. Akala ko'y maiisip nilang tama ang mga sinabi ko.

"Siryoso?!" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanila.

"Mukha ba kaming nagbibiro, Mayari Calleope?" Ashley retorted with an assertive tone, her expression leaving no room for doubt.

"Para saan pa't magkakaibigan tayo kung papabayaan ka namin mag-isa sa problema mong ito?" Dagdag naman ni Amara.

Tumango naman sila Alex at Sophia. I stared at them, each of them meeting my gaze unwaveringly. Their unanimous agreement with Amara's proposal left me stunned.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips, the weight of the moment pressing down on me like an unyielding burden.

"May magagawa pa ba ako?" I finally surrendered, and in response, a chorus of cheers erupted around me.

"Yes!!"

"Manila, here we come!!!" Masayang hiyaw ng mga kaibigan ko at napailing-iling na lamang ako habang pinipilit kong ikubli ang ngiti sa aking mga labi.

Deep within, a profound sense of relief washed over me. Their decision to join me on this journey meant the world. I wouldn't have to brave this ordeal alone.

With my four best friends by my side, I felt a renewed strength welling up within me. Together, we would confront the challenges that lay ahead, united in our pursuit of the freedom I held so dear.

...

The sun crept over the horizon, casting its first golden rays into my room, heralding the day of our early departure to Manila. I reluctantly left the warmth of my sheets, shivering from the chill of dawn. A steaming shower washed away the remnants of sleep as I prepared for the journey ahead. With a sigh, I clad myself in simple attire, devoid of the fineries that had once defined my existence.

Pagkatapos kong mag-ayos ay lumabas na ako ng aking kwarto at bago pa man ako tuluyang bumaba ay malungkot ko munang pinagmasdan ang pintuan ng kwarto ng mga magulang ko.

A heavy sadness filled my chest. In a hushed voice, I uttered words of regret that danced on the edge of my lips, "I'm sorry, mom, dad. Hindi ko lang talaga kayang gawin ang gusto ninyo. I hope someday you'll understand me."

My breath hung in the air as I exhaled, a tangible testament to the heaviness of my decision. Summoning my resolve, I turned away, steeling myself for the unknown that lay beyond those doors.

As I stepped outside, my eyes swept one last time over the familiar façade of our house. It had been the backdrop to a lifetime of memories, both cherished and fraught with conflict. Today, it marked the point of no return.

My friends awaited me there, huddled by the gleaming car of our unofficial leader, Amara. Their presence was both reassuring and disconcerting.

"Come on, Mayari," Amara beckoned, her voice a soothing balm. She sat alongside our other friends in the backseat, their faces a mosaic of anticipation and support.

A feeble smile formed on my lips, a façade for the multitude of emotions that churned within. I nodded at them and moved towards the car, the threshold to my newfound fate.

"Are you ready, Mayari?" Sophia asked, her eyes probing mine with unwavering intensity. I met the collective gaze of my friends, a mix of hope and determination reflected in their eyes.

With newfound strength, I declared, "Yeah, I'm ready." A sense of camaraderie enveloped us as I climbed into the car. We set forth on a journey that held no promise of return to the life I once knew.

Throughout the voyage, my thoughts raced as I contemplated the enigmatic path that awaited me in Manila. What twists of fate lay in store? How would my parents react to my audacious escape?

Uncertainty clung to me like a persistent shadow, yet in the depths of my heart, I felt an ember of courage flicker. It was a stark realization - I had embraced change willingly, and it was irrevocable.

As we ventured toward the sprawling cityscape of Manila, I clung to the certainty that, whatever lay ahead, the bonds of friendship that encircled me would provide solace and strength. The uncertainty of tomorrow was met with the unwavering resolve to confront it head-on.

The car sped forward, carrying us into the unknown, leaving behind the remnants of my past life. The cliffhanger of my fate loomed, a suspenseful chapter yet to be written in the story of my life.