Bridgetine Trilogy II Be Still, My Heart

Yanna | Antonio's, Tagaytay City I am finally here. We are meeting at seven in the evening sharp. Traffic was not too bad. It was my day off today so I had time to prepare for our date tonight. Earlier today, I went to the salon for a hair treatment and decided to get a haircut. I didn't stop there, I got myself a manicure and pedicure too! Wearing my haltered red dress and stilettos, tiningnan ko ulit ang sarili ko sa salamin saka lumabas na ng sasakyan. When I got there, I scanned the room and found my boyfriend in the corner. He looks dashing as ever. Madami nagsasabi na kamukha nya si Brandon Routh at sang ayon ako dun. Naglakad ako papunta sa kanya at tumayo sya noong makita nya ako. "Hi Honey!" I gave him a kiss on the cheek. He just stood there and nod, nagbigay ng pilit na ngiti at hindi ko alam kung masyado lang sensitive ang pang amoy ko pero parang iniwas nya ang mukha nya sa akin kanina. Guni guni ko lang siguro yun. "Have a seat." Ipinaghila pa rin nya ako ng upuan. Agad lumapit ang waiter sa amin at nagorder kami. "I would like to have the beef fillet and sweetbread plancha. Baba au rham for dessert." Order ko sa waiter. "What would you like to drink Madam?" "I'd have a Rosé. Grenache-Muscat is fine. Thank you." "How about you Sir?" "I'd have a Moscato first. I will order later. Thanks." The waiter left. Andrei is acting very weird tonight. His eyes kept avoiding mine. Something is not right. "Are you okay?" Tanong ko sa kanya. "Yanna." He sighed. "What is it? May sakit ka ba?" I can't help but frown. He's acting strange. I held his hand pero hinila nya. "We've know each other for over two years." Panimula nya at tumango ako. He's proposing to me finally! I'm so excited. I'm turning twenty five soon. Sa aming magkakaibigan, I want to be the first one to get married. High school pa lamang kami ay sinabi ko sa mga kaibigan ko na kapag bente singko na ako – mag-aasawa na ako. It is the perfect age to get married to the perfect man and tonight's the night! "You've been so great to me. You're a wonderful girlfriend, I don't have any complaints." Heto na talaga yung matagal ko ng hinihintay. I can't wait to tell Gabe and Anne about this later. Matyaga kong hinintay ang sunod nyang sasabihin. "Remember when I went to Quezon with my friends?" His eyes twinkled. Kanina yung mata nya walang expression but then he talks about Quezon province na parang may mina ng diamante dun, what the f*ck? Kumunot ang noo ko pero hindi pa rin ako nagsalita. "I met someone there." Lalo ng kumunot ang noo ko. Think positive Yanna. Dumating ang waiter dala ang aming wine. I took a sip. Andrei gulped the wine like it's beer. Tumaas ang isang kilay ko. You don't do that with wine. Sobrang uhaw na ba nya? "I met someone there." "Get to the point Andrei." F*ck the endearment, I don't feel like calling him honey when he's making me feel like kinuyog ako ng bubuyog! "Her name is Jillian. She's really fun and spontaneous." I lost it. "Did you sleep with her? You cheated on me?" It's dawning on me now at mahina pero may diin ang pagsasalita ko ngayon.  I'm trying to hold back my tears. Damn it! Tonight is supposed to be the night. "I was drunk and one thing led to another. I'm sorry." Tumungo sya at hindi makatingin sa akin "You were drunk? How can you be so careless?! I trusted you Andrei!" I was livid. "I'm sorry." But is he really? "No. This is not happ—" I choked. "Is she pregnant?" He nodded and tried to take a sip of wine without realizing he drank it all down earlier.  "Sh*t!" Mahina syang napamura. Napahawak ako sa batok ko. Pakiramdam ko umakyat lahat ng dugo ko sa ulo. Here I am trying to be calm. Hindi ko alam kung magmumura ako o maiiyak sa nangyayari ngayong gabi. "We are having a civil wedding next week." Parang bombing sumabog sa akin ang sinabi nya. They just met, slept together on a one drunken night, this random girl is pregnant and now they’re getting married! "Here's your dinner Madam. Bon appetit!" When Andrei dropped the news, kasabay nilapag ng waiter ang order ko. It looks delicious but there's no way I am eating that now. "Are you in love with her?" Mapait kong tanong sa kanya. Daig ko pa ang kumain ng ampalaya. Hindi naman siguro magpapakasal si Andrei dahil buntis lang si -- what the hell was her name again? Malapit sa chichirya yun. Jack and Jill -- Jillian! "I don't know if it's love. But I like her, a lot.  And we're going to have a baby." I stayed quiet for awhile. Pinipilit kong lunukin ang inumin ko. Hindi rin sya nagsasalita. He ordered another wine for himself. This time, hindi na nya ininom ng isang lagukan. I studied his face. He is gorgeous no doubt about that and secured financially. He cared for me. He's always been good to me.  Well, f*ck it - until now. "Say something." Untag nya sa akin. Humigit ako ng malalim na hinga at nagsimulang magsalita "I don't know what to say Andrei. You could have said this to me somewhere else. This restaurant screams proposals and forever and not shattering hearts and definitely not shattering mine." I am not going to cry over this. At least not in front of him. "Patawarin mo ko Yanna. Hindi ko sinasadya."  He almost sounded sincere for a minute there. But I am so hurt I can't comprehend, I don't know what to feel. Sobrang sakit. "I have to go."  I finished my wine and got up. "Yanna." Pigil nya sa akin. Tinawag nya ako pero hindi na ako lumingon. I hate this night. Ano ba ang naging kasalanan ko at nangyayari sa akin ito? I've been a good daughter. I treasure my friends. I have a good job at may naipon na rin ako. Sariling pamilya na nga lang ang kulang sa akin. Buti na lang pala at nagdala ako ng sasakyan, kung hindi ay kakailanganin ko pang magpahatid sa kanya, and he's the last person I want to be with at this moment. Ayaw ko na syang makita kahit kailan! Ang tagal kong nakaupo sa kotse. Binuksan ko ang bintana at pinuno ko ng hangin ang dibdib ko. Pumatak na lang bigla ang mga luha ko na parang gripo. Mabuti na lang at nasa bandang dulo nakapark ang kotse ko. Nakakahiya rin ngumalngal sa gitna, tawag pansin. Ginawa kong unan ang manibela at tahimik akong umiyak. Hindi ko namalayan na may tao sa may hindi kalayuan sa kotse ko at tahimik na nakamasid. Nagyoyosi, kita ko ng pinitik nya ang upos ng sigarilyo. Humithit pa ng isa at saka tinapon at tinapakan ng sapatos nya. Sa sandaling napagmasdan ko sya, medyo malabo pa at hilam sa luha ang mata ko - maganda ang tindig nya. Sa tantya ko ay six footer pero hindi ako sigurado. He's wearing slacks, loafers and a V-neck light cashmere sweater. Sa biglang tingin, kamukha nya si Julian Baker ng One Tree Hill. Medyo mukhang barumbado, siguro dahil may 1 day old facial hair. Tinamad pa yatang mag-ahit. In fairness, ang pogi nya. "Enjoying the view?" Hindi ko namalayan na napansin pala nyang nakatingin ako sa kanya. Parang hindi naman ako ganoon katagal tumingin sa kanya kanina. "Ex -- excuse me?" Lumapit sya sa akin kaya medyo nautal ako. Sumandal pa sya sa kotse ko at inulit ang sinabi nya. "I was asking you if you enjoyed the view. You were eye-raping me awhile ago." He chuckled and crossed his arms. Ang lakas naman ng bilib nito sa sarili nya. Tumaas ang kilay ko. "Did you just say I was eye-raping you?" "Yup!" He flashed a smile. Whoa! Nice set of teeth you have there. Damn! Focus Yanna! Weakness ko kasi ang maganda ang ngipin. Kahit nagyoyosi sya kanina, hindi ko inexpect na walang stain ang ngipin nya. Alam mo naman yung ibang nagyoyosi, madaming dilaw sa ngipin. I cleared my throat at pasimpleng pinahid ang luha ko. Buti na lang at nakawaterproof mascara ako. "Contrary to your observation, I was NOT eye-raping you. You maybe gorgeous but you're definitely not my type." Who am I kidding? He is my type! "Really? Hmm, you think I' m gorgeous?" Tumungo sya at nangalumbaba sa bintana ng kotse ko. Ang lapit na ng mukha nya sa akin ngayon kaya napaurong ako ng bahagya. Even his breath smells like mint. Hindi ko man lang maamoy ang sigarilyo sa kanya. Damn it! He's giving me goosebumps and my dying heart is beating so fast. "So what is your type, Yanna, right?" Nagulat ako. Alam nya ang pangalan ko? But I don't know him. Stalker ko ba ito? At para namang nabasa nya ang iniisip ko. "Don't worry, I'm not a stalker. I heard your name earlier. Katabing table nyo kami kanina." Napahawak ako sa ulo ko. Mukhang alam pa nito na nakipagbreak si Andrei. "So, hindi ka lang pala feeling — chismoso ka pa?" Patuya kong sabi sa kanya. I can't believe this guy. Tumikhim ito "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But you and your boyfr — or should I say ex-boyfriend are not exactly talking as quietly as you think at mahirap na hindi mapakinggan sa lapit ko kanina. So you see, hindi ako chismoso. You guys were actually feeding me information." He chuckled. "Whatever. I don't care what you think at hindi na rin naman kita makikita pagkatapos ng gabing ito." Nagsimula na akong hanapin ang susi ko sa shotgun seat at  pati na rin ang telepono ko sa bag. Hindi pa rin sya umaalis sa tabi ng kotse ko. Nilingon ko sya. "Bumalik ka na sa loob at baka hinihintay ka na ng girlfriend mo." Walang anuman kong sabi sa kanya. I am trying to dismiss him and I think he's dense. "I'm not here with my girlfriend." "Ows?" Dayuhin ng mga magkasintahan ang restaurant na ito at imposibleng mag isa syang nagpunta dito. "Hindi pa man tayo, selosa na agad." I heard him whispered. Akala yata nya hindi ko maririnig. "I heard that!" Tinaliman ko sya ng mata. He smiled. "I was here with my older sister and her husband. Ano okay na?" "Ewan ko sa yo. Umalis ka na." I finally found my keys and phone. I put it in the ignition when he started talking again. "I'm not leaving you." Determinadong sabi nya sa akin. "Well, if you're not leaving then I am. Tsupi!" Tuluyan ng nagusot ang mukha ko. "Spend the night with me. One date." Napatingin ako sa kanya at tumaas ang isang kilay ko. "Seryoso ka?" "One date." Ulit nya. "I don't even know your name and you're asking me for a date? You are a loon!" Napatawa ako ng pagak. Ang pogi naman ng sira ulong ito. "I'm Leonard Montemayor. You can call me Leo, pwede ding sweetheart." He chuckled. This guy is crazier than I thought. "F*ck! Are you for real??" Naiirita na ako. Pinatay ko ang makina ng kotse at hinila uli ang susi saka ko sya hinarap at lumabas ng sasakyan. I slammed the door habang kapit ko pa ang susi at phone ko. Tumuwid naman ito ng tayo noong binuksan ko ang pinto ko. Lumapit sya sa akin at itinukod ang dalawang kamay nya sa bubong ng kotse. He caged me. Ang lapit lapit ng mukha nya sa akin. Hindi ako makahinga. "Don't swear. If something happens between the two of us tonight, it's not going to be like that." bulong nya sa akin. Dinampi pa nya talaga ang labi nya sa tenga ko na naghatid ng mainit na pakiramdam sa akin. Pakiramdam ko ay nanuyo ang lalamunan ko. "Just one date. Tonight." Napatingin ako sa kanya at pilit kong tinitimbang ang pakiramdam ko sa imbitasyon nya. Hell! It's just one date. I've never done something as impulsive as this but I don't want to be alone tonight either. I sighed. "Fine. One date." "Good girl. Get your things and lock your car. We'll take my car." "Paano yung kotse ko?" "We'll come back for it. I know the owner of the place. Don't worry, they won't tow your car. Let's go." Wala naman ako masyadong dala maliban sa bag ko. Itinaas ko ang salamin ng kotse at sinara.  Sinilid ko lang uli ang phone at susi ko sa bag at giniya nya ako papunta sa kotse nya.