“BRO, I’M really sorry,” bungad ni Clark nang pagbuksan ito ni Rhodel ng pinto ng kwarto. Sa totoo lang ay hindi na siya nagulat pa kung bakit nandoon si Clark sa labas ng kwarto. Inaasahan na siguro nito ang pagdating niya. Hinayaan niyang bukas ang pinto upang makapasok ang kaibigan.
“It’s okay, bro. You don’t have to explain.” Bumuntong-hininga siya, saka ibinagsak ang sarili sa kama.
“No, it’s definitely not okay.” Umiling si Clark. “Alam kong ako ang sinisisi mo kung bakit ka nahanap ng parents mo. But I swear to God, bro, it wasn’t me. It was Dad who e-mailed you. Okay, I’m partly to blame dahil iniwan kong naka-sleep mode ang laptop ko. But believe me, bro, hindi ako ang last na nag-send ng e-mail sayo.”
Rhodel looked at his best friend and nodded. “I believe you, bro. Alam ko namang hindi mo ako magagawang ilaglag sa mga magulang ko. At first, I doubted kung ikaw ba talaga ang nagsabi sa parents ko kung nasan ako. But now, you finally explained yourself.”
“Thanks, bro, for believing me. But I won’t blame you kung sira na ang tiwala mo sa akin.”
Hindi na siya nakasagot pa. Marahil dahil may katotohanan ang sinabi nito.
Bumuntong-hininga si Clark at umupo sa kanyang tabi. “So, what now? Ano nang gagawin mo ngayon?”
“Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko talaga alam, bro.” sabi niya.
For a moment, they were both silent. Then Clark patted his shoulder.
“She must be special.”
Napalingon si Rhodel sa kaibigan.
Tumawa ito nang marahan. “I know you met someone in Cagayan de Oro. Base kasi sa e-mails mo, you sounded happy.”
Hindi niya napigilang mapangiti.
“What’s her name?”
“Merry Cris.”
“So she’s the reason ayaw mo akong pumunta sa CDO in case may sinet up sina Mom at Dad sa akin.” It was not even a question.
Natawa na si Rhodel. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Ngumisi si Clark. “I knew it.” Pagkatapos ay marahan siyang siniko. “I know she makes you happy, bro, more than anyone else can. And the way you said her name, I know she’s special.”
“She is,” he muttered softly, his gaze on his fingers.
“The days are flying by so fast, Mark. Before you know it, ikakasal ka na sa babaeng hindi mo mahal. You have to stand up for yourself, bro. It wouldn’t hurt to try, kahit na mukhang imposible. But I believe Merry Cris is definitely worth the risk.”
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MARK RHODEL fought off the overwhelming feeling of standing up and walking out of the room. Instead he balled his hand into a tight fist. Kadarating lang ng Tito Edwin niya kasama ang asawa nito at si Barbie, ang unica hija ng mag-asawa —— in other words, his fiancée-not-by-choice. He gritted his teeth as he glared at his father, who looked at him as if to say ‘you better behave, son’.
Kanina lang, before this family dinner, ay nag-away sila ng ama. Sinikap ni Rhodel na paliwanagan ang ama ngunit hindi siya nagtagumpay. Ayaw nitong makinig sa kanya.
He sighed exasperatedly and looked at Barbie who was in a sullen mood, too. May kutob siyang pareho ang kanilang nararamdaman. He met Barbie in a business gatherings but they were not friends. She was beautiful, all right, but she was not even close to Merry Cris beauty.
Parang biniyak ang puso ni Rhodel nang maalala ang dalaga. Nami-miss na niya ito nang sobra.
“Well, let us not waste time. Let’s discuss everything now,” sabi ng dad niya.
Kahit na mukhang masarap ang mga pagkain sa harap ay walang ganang kumain si Rhodel. Sino ba naman ang may ganang kumain kung ang pinag-uusapan ay ang kasal? Hindi lang naman siya ang tikom ang bibig habang nakikinig, pati rin naman ang mom niya at si Barbie. Her mom, however, was...

into the conversation. To him, at least, ang dad lang niya ang may gusto sa kasalang iyon.
Napatingin siya kay Barbie na nakaupo sa katapat niyang upuan. Kumikislap sa luha ang mga mata nito. Parang anumang sandali ay iiyak na. Hindi na siya nakatiis pa. He dropped his fork and slammed his fist on the table.
“This is bullshit!” bulalas ni Rhodel. Nanlalaki ang mga matang tumingin sa kanya ang lahat ng naroon.
“Mark!” May babala sa tinig ng dad niya pero wala siyang pakialam.
Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa mga magulang ni Barbie. “With all due respect, Tito Edwin, Tita Marlyn, hindi niyo ba nakikitang nasasaktan ang anak ninyo sa arranged marriage na to?”
“Mark, stop it now!” galit na sawata ng ama.
He stood up, dragging the chair noisily along with him. “No, dad. You’d better stop this stupid arranged marriage dahil walang patutunguhan ito! I’m in love with someone else—-”
“Hah! That girl from CDO? You have to be kidding me!”
“She has a name, Dad. Her name is Merry Cris, and yes, I am in love with her,” walang pag-aalinlangang sagot ni Rhodel. Narinig niyang napasinghap ang ina ngunit hindi siya nagtangkang alisin ang tingin sa ama. “And I’m sure Barbie’s in love with someone else, too. Am I right, Barbie?”
Humikbi ang dalaga at nagkatinginan ang mga magulang nito. “I-Im in love with Darwin and this stupid wedding is hurting me so much.” Tumingala si Barbie sa mga magulang nito. “Please, Mom, Dad, stop this wedding. Tama naman si Mark, eh. Walang patutunguhan ang kasalang ito. We’re both in love with someone else. Please, Mom, Dad, end this arrangement now. Please, I’m begging both of you….” She bit her lip to stop herself from crying but it was no use. Tuluyan na itong napaiyak. Barbie’s parents looked at her and he saw the understanding in their eyes.
Nabuhay ang pag-asa sa puso ni Mark. Tumingin uli siya sa ama. “Please, Dad…”
“Listen to your son. Kung ayaw mong mawala ang nag-iisa nating anak, makinig ka sa kanya,” his mom said, her voice filled with coldness.
“Dad, please…..” muling samo niya, nakikiusap ang mga matang nakatingin sa ama.
Matalim ang tinging ibinigay nito, nagtatagis ang mga bagang.
Rhodel knew that look but he was not going to give up that easily. No, he was not.
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TATLONG linggo na ang nakalilipas mula nang umalis si Rhodel at sobrang nami-miss na ito ni Cris. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya sanay na wala na ang binata. Lagi na lang niya itong hinahanap tuwing mag-a-out siya sa trabaho. And when she realized he was not there, tears filled her eyes. Hindi lang talaga niya mapigilan ang sarili. Nasanay na siya sa presensya ng binata. Kahit na mukhang imposible, gusto niyang makita uli ito.
It was like Sendong all over again. Walang magawa si Cris kundi ang tignan na lang ang pag-iwan sa kanya ng mga mahal sa buhay. The pain she felt before came back. Only it was much more painful this time.
Pinahid niya ng likod ng kamay ang luhang naglandas sa kanyang pisngi. Lagi niyang dinarasal na sana ay inurong na ng ama ni Rhodel ang kasunduan para sa binata. Pero kung sakaling ginawa na nito iyon, babalik pa ba si Rhodel sa kanya? Oh, kinalimutan na siya?
Parang may kutsilyong sumaksak sa puso ni Cris dahil sa isiping iyon. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked around the house. Naalala niya si Rhodel at ang mga alaala nila sa loob ng bahay. She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked away the tears. Every single thing in the house reminded her of him. It was all too much; too painful. Hindi na niya kaya pa.
Making up her mind, she reached for her phone and called her Tita Lina.