Best Part

Never

MARCUS CIAN's POV



"Cian, pinatatawag ka ng Mommy at Daddy mo sa baba. May pag-uusapan daw kayong importante," rinig kong tawag ng maid namin matapos ang ilang katok sa pinto ng kwarto ko. Napatingin ako sa monitor ng laptop ko bago binalik ang tingin sa kanya.

"Sige po. Pakisabi na lang po na susunod na ako," sagot ko sabay harap ulit sa laptop ko nang makitang tumango s’ya at sinara na rin agad ang pinto. I'll just leave a message for Yna, my girlfriend. "Be right back, Babe. Something came up.." sambit ko habang tinatype iyon. We were currently chatting using their maid’s account. Her parents, especially her Dad, are just so strict. Kahit ang gumamit ng phone ay ayaw s’yang payagan. And if ever she has projects to do using the computer, she was instructed to do that in her Dad’s computer. Kaya wala talaga s’yang pwedeng magamit sa ngayon para magkaroon kami ng communication dahil nalipat na ako ng school at hindi na kami nagkikita araw-araw. I sighed and tried to be cool about our current situation. I was quite frustrated for a while after transferring to another school. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dahilan ng parents ko sa biglaang paglipat ko sa school kung saan sila parehong nagtuturo bilang isang guro. My parents are both Secondary teachers and they are both good in their chosen field. Parehong pangarap ng mga magulang ko ang makapagturo. And being their eldest son is hard and handful at first but eventually, I became so used to it. Sanay na ako sa pressure at sanay na ako na i-accomplish lahat ng kailangan kong i-accomplish para maging karapat-dapat na matawag na anak nila. I am so used to this kind of lifestyle.

I saw how Yna replied to my chat and I was quite expecting her rage. Ikaw ba naman ang mag-effort na manghiram pa ng phone sa katulong n’yo, pagkatapos ay iiwanan ko lang dahil kailangan kong bumaba para makipag-usap sa parents ko. But do I have a freaking choice? They are my parents and I should be prioritizing them. Ni hindi alam ng mga magulang ko na may girlfriend na ako. That’s something that would not be good to hear though. Sa edad na ito ay dapat priority ko ang pag-aaral kesa sa kung ano pa man.

I closed my laptop and went out of my room. Napatigil pa ako sa paglalakad nang paakyat naman ngayon ang kaisa-isang kapatid kong si Coleen. She’s currently a freshman in my current school. Tumaas ang kilay n’ya sa akin at inirapan ako.

“Oh! My all-knowing brother is home early. Akala ko sa library mo na balak tumira?” she obviously mocked me. Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanya at magsasalita na sana pero mabilis na s’yang naglakad palayo sa akin.

I sometimes feel like she isn’t considering me as her brother. Parang mas masaya pa s’yang kausap ang mga pinsan namin na kaedaran ko. I don’t know why but I feel like she has something against me. Hindi ko naman kasalanan kung nasa akin ang atensyon ng mga kamag-anak namin. She isn’t trying to prove herself too at masyado din s’yang bulakbol sa pag-aaral kaya hindi ko na kasalanan na palagi s’yang nasesermonan ng parents namin at palagi s’yang kinokompara ng mga kamag-anak namin sa akin. They sometimes see her as a blacksheep because she’s nothing compared to me.

I remember how she was always involved in some troubles in our former school because of me. She will never get along with those who have a crush on me.

Bihira din s’yang magsama ng kaklase dito dahil kapag nagsimulang magtanong tungkol sa akin ay nawawalan s’ya ng ganang makipag-usap. And she’s making me feel like I am quite responsible for her losing friends because of me. Tsk!

I sighed and started walking towards where my parents were waiting for me.

"Mom, Dad…" I called to get their attention. Sabay silang napatingin sa akin at halos mapatayo pa nang makita ako. Kumunot ang noo ko. My Dad looked nervous. Ano naman kayang sasabihin nila this time? Papabalikin na ba nila ako sa dati kong school?

"Have a seat, Cian,” si Mommy ang unang nagsalita kaya umupo ko sa tabi n’ya at nag-angat ng tingin sa kanila na nagtitinginan ng makahulugan na parang nag-aalangan kung sino ang unang magsasalita. Lalong kumunot ang noo ko. My parents aren’t usually like this. But lately, they looked more secretive and lately they didn't look genuinely happy with all my achievements. My mom was the one who broke the silence.

"Ahm, Cian.. You know Daphne, right?" umpisang tanong n’ya kaya kumunot ang noo ko pero tumango na rin. Why is she suddenly mentioning that girl?

And how could I really forget that name? She's the very first person that got my curiosity. She's one of a kind. Kaso nga lang, she looks quite bossy and arrogant. That's why she easily got into my nerves even if I just met her for the first time. I’m pretty sure we will never get along so well. That isn’t possible with that kind of attitude. Tss!

"Daphne? The girl in my class? What about her, Mom?" sunod-sunod na tanong ko. I just don’t get why we have to talk about her in this hour. Nagalit pa si Yna sa akin dahil inuna kong makipag-usap sa kanila samantalang ang babae lang pala na ‘yon ang pag-uusapan namin?

Nagkatinginan naman silang dalawa bago nagsalita si Daddy na sobrang ikinagulat ko

"She's your fiancée, Cian." My Dad uttered while looking intently at me.

It took me quite a while before I totally comprehended what he said. Fiancée? Seriously? What the hell is wrong with my parents? As far as I know I am living in a new generation where fixed marriage is no longer a thing. They can’t be serious. And with that girl? Of all people, bakit s’ya pa? I barely know her. Ngayon ko pa nga lang s’ya nakita pagkatapos ay s’ya ang mapapangasawa ko? And the most important thing here is… I have a girlfriend, for Pete's sake! I remained to be cool and smirked.

"Is this some kind of a joke, Dad? Mom?" I asked in disbelief. Kahit na wala sa hinagap na magbibiro ng ganito ang mga magulang ko ay gusto kong isipin na nagbibiro lang talaga sila ngayon. Because if this thing is seriously what they want, this will probably be the very first thing that I would never consider to please them. I always obey my parents. Mula noong naging aware ako sa paligid na masyadong mataas ang expectations ng mga kamag-anak namin sa pamilya namin dahil parehong teacher ang mga magulang ko, I began to get really conscious about everything I do. Maybe I don’t want to disappoint them, that's why I am trying to live up to their expectations. I am always trying to be better and superior to everyone na s’yang kinasanayan ko na. Wala akong ginagawa na hindi ako nag-exert ng extra effort para maging maayos ‘yon. I always aim for the best of everything. I am damn afraid to get criticized by my relatives. So, I am always doing my best. I don’t accept defeat. Defeat is considered a failure. At kahit kailan ay hindi pa ako sumuko at natalo ng kahit na sino. At kahit kailan ay wala akong balak na magpatalo except with my parents. I always let them win in any arguments we have. But this time, I don’t think I will ever let them manipulate me.

"Do you think this is something we can joke about, Cian? She's your fiancée and you know that you can’t do something about that. So, be good to her and treat her nice if you don’t want us to get disappointed in you," my Dad said with finality in his voice. I gasped, trying to control the seething anger that was starting to build within me. I looked at my Mom, trying to make sure if this is really happening. She nodded and glanced at my Dad’s direction. I swallowed hard, still couldn’t believe everything I heard. Nanlulumong napayuko ako nang makitang pareho silang seryoso at mukhang wala nang balak na bawiin ang mga sinabi.

I hate the fact that I can’t really say that I already have a girlfriend right now. Yna's Dad is so strict at pwede s’yang pahintuin nito sa pag-aaral kapag nalaman na may boyfriend na s’ya. Patago lang halos kaming magkita sa labas pero okay lang naman ‘yon as long as magkasama kami sa school. And I also cannot just spill everything about us because I am in a situation where I also needed to hide our relationship. Isang salita ko lang ngayon ay pwede ko nang masira ang kinabukasan ni Yna. And that's the last thing I would ever do to her. She’s been really nice to me and she wasn’t the typical girl who would chase me just because she wanted to get my attention. I don’t like girls who approach and confess first. And Yna isn’t like that that’s why she got my attention. Tumingin ulit ako sa kanila nang mapagtantong wala na silang balak na magsalita pa ulit.

"Can I ask something?" tanong ko na sa Mommy ko nakaharap. Tumango naman s’ya at hinintay ang tanong ko. "Why her, Mom? Of all people, why Daphne?"

I saw how my Dad tried to avoid my gaze. He looked away and my Mom obviously couldn’t find words to answer me. That’s when I know that there's really a reason behind why they have to marry me off to the girl that I just recently met.

Hindi ko na hinintay pang sumagot si Mommy at walang paalam na tumayo na ako at iniwanan na sila doon. I didn’t try to complain any further, so they might be thinking that I will do what they want.

Alam kong meron talagang rason kung bakit nila ginagawa ito.

And I felt the need to find that out for me to be able to stop this nonsense.

This isn’t something that I can tolerate for me to be a better son. Besides, I already proved myself to them. I can obey everything but never this.

Never for someone like Daphne.