Unexpected Desires

CHAPTER 16: Cityscapes Confidences

Chapter 16: Cityscapes Confidences

Mayari Calleope's Point of View

In the heart of the city, amidst the shimmering tapestry of vibrant lights, Riley and I found ourselves perched on the precipice of revelation. Our clandestine refuge offered an unparalleled view of the urban sprawl, a sanctuary of solitude where secrets begged to be shared.

Breaking the hush that enveloped us like a velvet shroud, my voice emerged like a delicate chime, my words laden with vulnerability and curiosity.

"What do you want to know about me?" I inquired, my voice as soft as the whispering breeze that rustled through the night.

Andito pa rin kami sa lugar kung saan kitang-kita namin ang nagagandahan at makukulay ilaw ng mga gusali ng syudad.

Riley's eyes, like twin stars, met mine. "Everything," he replied, his smile a glimmer of curiosity and warmth. It was a smile that beckoned me to dive into the depths of my own narrative.

"I don't know where to start, though," I admitted, my gaze dancing with the city lights below. The enormity of my own past seemed overwhelming at this moment. Atsaka totoo naman hindi ko talaga alam kung saan magsisimula. Like this is the very first time na mag-uusap kami ni Riley ng tungkol sa mga sarili namin.

"It's okay. If you're not ready to share your life story with me, that's okay," Riley's reassurance was like a gentle breeze on a summer's night. I turned to him and found his sincerity, my faint smile an acknowledgment of the comfort he provided.

Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapangiti ng bahagya. Ramdam mo talagang mabuting tao si Riley. Never niya akong pinilit sa mga bagay-bagay.

Kahit itong relationship na mayroon kami ay hindi niya rin ako pinilit. Tulad nga ng sinabi ko, ako ang kusang sumama at ginusto ko rin ang bagay na ito.

As the world buzzed below us, I continued, "No, it's okay. I just don't know where to start." My words hung in the air like the unsung lyrics of an unfinished song.

Muli kong binalik ang tingin ko sa syudad na nasa ilalim namin kasabay ng pag-ihip ng malamig na hangin.

Ewan ko pero I find this place a peaceful one. Wala kasing katao-tao. Tahimik ang buong lugar at kaming dalawa lang ni Riley ang andito. Malayo sa mga tao sa ibaba, malayo rin sa problema.

"Okay, how about this? I'll start first since I have this idea," Riley proposed, his laughter a harmonious note in the symphony of the city. Playfully, I rolled my eyes, but my smile welcomed his tale.

"Go on." I said.

"So, yeah, alam mo na naman kung ano ang full name ko at kung saang pamilya ako nanggaling," he began, and I nodded knowingly.

"Yeah, who doesn't know you?" I teased, and Riley's chuckle joined the city's nocturnal chorus.

"I'm not the one who's famous, it's my family. And you know what? Sometimes, it's kind of tiring to be part of such a well-known family," Riley confessed, his eyes wandering into the distance. His emotions painted a complex portrait—frustration, melancholy, and a longing for simplicity. It was a side of him I had yet to discover.

Well, naiintindihan ko naman si Riley kung bakit niya sinabi iyon. Galing rin ako sa isang kilalang pamilya. Hindi man kasing kilala ng pamilya ni Riley at kasing yaman nila pero naiintindihan ko pa rin ang nais niyang iparating.

The expectations, the relentless scrutiny, the unceasing adulation—he was more than a scion; he was an embodiment of tradition. Yet, behind the veneer of prestige lay the yearning for simple recognition as an individual, for the freedom to be just Riley, untethered from the echoes of his storied lineage. At masasabi kong hindi kami nagkakalayo ng sitwasyon.

"So, you hate being born into the Del Fierte and Middleton families?" I ventured, seeking to unravel the layers of his identity.

"So, you hate being born a Del Fierte and a Middleton?" Tanong ko sa kaniya. Agad naman siyang umiling.

Riley's reply was swift, "Of course not. I'm grateful and lucky to be part of this family. It's just that sometimes, it's challenging." His words echoed against the city's backdrop. He revealed the constraints of legacy, where perfection was the currency, and every misstep was a dent in the family's polished armor.

"I find solace in the unwavering support of my parents," Riley's voice carried a heartfelt resonance as he spoke. His gaze wandered to a distant point, a wistful glint in his eyes. "They've always been the pillars of encouragement in my life. Unlike some, they've never imposed their will on me, nor have they bound me with expectations. It's this very freedom they've granted me that allowed my dream to flourish, the dream of owning my own bar."

His words held a weight of gratitude and an underlying determination. As the city's vibrant lights painted his face with shifting colors, he continued, "In a world where many of us are prisoners to our family's legacy, I'm fortunate to have parents who let me forge my own path. They don't prescribe the course of my life; instead, they've nurtured the seeds of my ambitions, allowing them to grow into this bar, this place where I find my purpose."

The atmosphere seemed to still, as if nature itself paused to listen. Riley's story resonated with a universal yearning for independence and self-expression. His eyes, now alight with a mix of passion and contentment, revealed the deep fulfillment he derived from pursuing his dreams.

Bumaling si Riley sa akin at kita ko sa mga mata niya ang tuwa at pagmamahal na mayroon siya sa larangang tinatahak niya ngayon. Alam kong hindi madali ang magpatakbo ng isang negosyo dahil I, myself, have one too, and it's not really easy. But I'm glad that Riley was very happy with what he was doing.

Nakakainggit lang dahil hindi gaya ng mga magulang ni Riley ang mga magulang ko. Yes, my parents let me do the things I love to do, but at the same time, gusto nilang kontrolin ang buhay ko sa pamamagitan ng ikasal ako sa lalaking hindi ko naman kilala. They decided it without asking me first.

"I'm glad to hear that. I wish my parents were more like yours," I sighed, my gaze back on the enchanting lights of the metropolis.

"Why?" Riley's curiosity prompted me to unveil my own narrative. With a smile tinged with sorrow, I began.

"I'm not from Manila. I came from Cebu," I disclosed, the words heavy with the weight of distance and longing.

"What? Eh anong ginagawa mo rito?" Riley's astonishment was palpable, his eyes widening with surprise.

Halatang gulat na gulat siya ng malaman niyang hindi ako laking-Maynila.

"I ran away," I declared, my gaze now lifted to the cold night wind sweeping my hair. Riley's next words were disbelief personified.

"You what?" he stammered, clearly taken aback by my revelation.

"I said I ran away," I reiterated, my voice tinged with determination. Riley's furrowed brows demanded an explanation.

"But why?" he implored, his eyes searching for answers in mine. I heaved a sigh and cast my eyes downward.

"I ran because my parents arranged my marriage to a stranger," I confessed, each word a boulder of pain resting on my chest. The silence that followed seemed to stretch into eternity. Inangat ko ang mukha ko at malungkot na tumingin kay Riley. "At ayokong magpakasal sa lalaking hindi ko naman kilala, lalong-lalo hindi ko naman mahal." I said.

Parang may kung anong batong mabigat ang dumagan sa dibdib ko habang sinasabi ko ang dahilan ko kay Riley kung bakit ako umalis at pumunta rito sa Maynila. Sa tuwing naiisip ko ang desisyong ginawa ng mga magulang ko para sa akin ay talagang nalulungkot at nasasaktan ako.

Hindi ko pa rin sukat akalain na magagawa nila akong ipakasal sa hindi ko naman kilala. Paano nila nagawang magdesisyon ng hindi man lang muna nila ako tinanong kung papayag ba ako o hindi?

"So, you're already engaged," Riley whispered, his eyes mirroring the sadness that had cloaked my heart.

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, I mean, I don't know. It feels like that because my parents have already arranged my marriage to some man." The city's heartbeat echoed in the pause that ensued.

"What's your other reason for not wanting to marry that stranger?" Riley's inquiry unearthed the depths of my convictions.

"I love my life right now. I love my freedom. And hindi pa ako handa sa ganoong klaseng responsibilidad. Hindi naman kasi biro ang pagpapakasal. Hindi siya parang mainit na kanin na kapag napaso ka ay pwede mong iluwa. Naniniwala akong kapag nagpakasal kayo, it means you are ready to be with that person for eternally. And hindi ko pa nakikita ang sarili ko sa ganoon. Hindi ko rin nakikita ang sarili kong habang-buhay makakasama ang lalaking ipapakasal nila sa akin. Kung magpapakasal man ako, gusto ko sa lalaking mahal ako at mahal ko. Hindi sa lalaking itinakda lang sa akin ng mga magulang ko," I confessed, the words etched with the earnestness of my beliefs. In the city that never slept, my confession hung like an intimate secret shared only with the stars.

As Riley contemplated my revelation, he remarked thoughtfully, "So, that's why you're here."

I nodded, my eyes returning to his. "Yeah, that's why I'm with you right now."

Riley's smile returned, genuine and reassuring. "You really trust me, huh?" he quipped, his playful tone pulling me from the weight of my own narrative.

With a teasing smile, I replied, "Yeah, you're the first person I've trusted aside from my friends."

"Then, it's my pleasure to be your trusted companion," he declared.

"Baliw." Natatawang pahayag ko. Narinig ko namang tumawa rin si Riley, his laughter breaking the night's solemnity.

"But kidding aside, Mayari, whatever happens, you always have me," Riley said earnestly, his gaze never leaving mine. "If you want to talk about your problems, I'm here to listen. If you want to cry, I'll lend you my shoulder. Just don't snot all over it," he added, his humor a comforting embrace amidst the shadows.

"But kidding aside, Mayari, whatever happens, you always have me," Riley said earnestly, his gaze never leaving mine. "If you want to talk about your problems, I'm here to listen. If you want to cry, I'll lend you my shoulder. Just don't snot all over it," he added, his humor a comforting embrace amidst the shadows.

Amused, I responded, "Kadiri ka." Natatawang pahayag ko sa kaniya. Tumawa rin si Riley. Our laughter mingled with the city's symphony.

"Just kidding. But yeah, I'm always here for you, Mayari. If you ever want to run away again, you can ask me to come with you," Riley offered, his vulnerability masked by a hint of shyness.

A smile, laden with gratitude, graced my lips. "I will. Don't worry."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nasabi ko 'yon pero siguro nga ganoon kalaki ang tiwala ko kay Riley. Magaan din kasi ang pakiramdam ko pagdating sa kaniya. I don't know why pero talagang kakaiba ang nararamdaman mo sa lalaking ito.

"Come." Saad niya sa akin. Then, as if guided by the city's magic, Riley's arms enveloped me. My head found its place on his chest, his heartbeat in sync with the city's pulse.

"You always have me, Mayari. Remember that I care for you more than I care about myself," he whispered, sealing our newfound connection with a soft kiss atop my head.

I closed my eyes, finding solace in the rhythm of his heartbeat—the rhythm of trust, understanding, and a connection that transcended the ordinary.

I don't know why pero sa sinabi niyang iyon ay parang gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Ramdam ko rin ang kakaibang t***k ng puso ko. Parang umaapaw ito sa kaligayahan.

Masaya ako na nakatagpo ako ng taong naiintindihan ako at handa akong damayan at tulungan ano mang oras. And I am glad that someone was Riley.

---

In the heart of the city, amidst the tapestry of lights, Mayari and Riley discovered an unbreakable bond. And as the night unfolded its secrets, they clung to each other, lost in the profound embrace of their shared vulnerability.

But little did they know that beyond the horizon of this revelation, a tempestuous storm awaited, threatening to shatter the fragile sanctuary they had woven. A cliffhanger hung in the air, a question yet to be answered, a challenge yet to be faced—a storm that would test the depth of their newfound connection.