Ruled by the Blaze (The Unwanted Marriage)

Patricia's POV (Interview)

Everything seems so fast. My everyday routine was just so plain and only filled with thrill when I was about to go to school and when Callum and I talked. I'm still not comfortable with him around me. It's so hard for me to deal with our situation every time we ate together and had dinner also with our families. Akala ko ganoon na lang ang sitwasyon ko. Akala ko mahirap na 'yon pero may mas ikakahirap pa pala. Hindi naging madali sakin ang mag-aral sa med school kahit na pangarap ko 'yon. I was judged by the students. Some was thinking of me as a user and others seems doesn't care but I don't care about them either. Parang paulit ulit lang ang nangyayari sakin. When I come home from school, I will avoid Callum. I avoid talking too much since we're both busy and we don't talk that much. Sometimes, he's insisting to take me to school or maybe pick me up but I don't agree because I don't want students to talk about us anymore but today is an exception...

"Oh! Ayan na ang asawa mo, sinusundo ka na!" itinulak ni Jess ang balikat ko habang nakatingin kay Callum na nakatayo sa gilid ng sasakyan niya.

"Ang kulit talaga" bulong ko.

"Ano ka ba! Dapat panindigan niya ang sinabi niya roon sa interview! He's doing this to at least show people that you've been his girlfriend for a long time and you didn't get married just because of the company!"

Napailing na lang ako ng maalala muli ang bagay na 'yon. The media had a chance to interview Callum once they attended a conference together with big people in business industry. They insist on asking Callum about us. They wanted to seek more information but Callum just answered them directly that he has been my boyfriend for a long time and we're just dating in private.

Good tactic isn't it?

It also surprised me so it makes me to avoid him more because I felt that he was just being forced and disgusted with the bad assumptions about us so he did it to cover up the real motive of our marriage.

"Sige, mauna na ako, ah!" paalam ni Jess bago ngumiti ng makahulugan.

Humarap ako kay Callum na blangko ang mukha. "I told you-"

"I need to do this and besides I'm already out of work"

Tumalikod siya para pag buksan ako ng pinto, napairap akong pumasok.

"How's your school?" he suddenly asked.

Wow, first time kong marinig sa kanya 'to.

"It's good" sabi ko na lang kahit hindi totoo.

"Uh.. does students still bullied you about issues last month? You know.." may alinlangan pa ang boses niya.

"N-No" I said as I remember the times that I was the topic of students in every corner of the school.

"That's good"

Diretso lang ang tingin niya sa daan habang nagmamaneho.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked and finally got his attention, he looked at me.

"Tired from pretending?" he asked back. "I'm used to pretending about my situation"

"How about pretending that it's okay for you to marry me? To live in the same house with me?"

I was holding my breath as waiting for his words but he just laughed playfully

as if there's something funny in what I said.

"I was already expecting this, to be honest. I do not expect this to be the outcome of my life and I have no right to speak about it" he said blankly.

"I know what kind of world I grew up in and I love it now.."

Parang may kung ano na kumurot sa dib-dib ko ng makita ang lungkot sa mata niya o lungkot pa ba na matatawag 'yon.

Natahimik na lang ako hanggang makauwi kami sa bahay, hindi niya na rin ako kinausap. We ate together and it was interrupted when someone called Callum, maybe it was his client.

After I ate, I did my night routine lalo na kapag hindi pa ako inaantok. Tumambay muna ulit ako sa gilid ng pool habang nakababad ang paa sa tubig. Nang medyo nakaramdam na ako ng antok at lamig ay pumasok na ako sa loob. Bubuksan ko na sana ang kwarto ko ng marinig ang boses ni Callum.

"Already sleepy?"

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Nalingunan ko siya'ng papalapit at may hawak na puting papel.

"Yeah.." sagot ko bago tumingin muli sa hawak niya. What does he need?

"Here, it's an invitation" he handed me the invitation card.

My brows furrowed when I read the name written on the front of the card. It's a birthday party of Mr. Shiloah Salvador that will happen.. tomorrow?

Who the hell is this?!

"You seems bothered" he laugh a bit when he saw my reaction. "Mr. Salvador is one of the closest to our family. He's our business partner too and I need to include you tomorrow to finally meet him. He wanted to see you" "But why-"

"Because you're my wife" mabilis niya'ng sagot habang diretso ang tingin sa'kin.

Nabitin sa ere ang sasabihin ko at sadyang natahimik. Natuon lamang ang tingin ko sa invitation at hindi na magawang mag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. Ngayon ko lang 'yon narinig sa kanya ng personal at hindi ko alam bakit iba ang dating sa'kin ng salita niya.

"Go to sleep, then" tumalikod na siya at mabilis naman akong pumasok sa kwarto habang sapo ang dib-dib.

Fuck! Bakit biglang bumilis ang kabog ng dib-dib ko?