#CTG54 Chapter 54

"You're here!" Katherine shouted upon seeing me. Kakarating ko lang kahapon at sa bahay muna ako dumiretso. I wanted to go to my apartment, but Papa insisted na sa bahay muna ako matulog. He was being so paranoid... pero hindi ko naman siya masisi dahil kahit naman ako, hindi pa rin naaalis iyong kaba.

But Gracey was right.

Life goes on... hindi pwede na tumigil ang buhay ko dahil doon.

"Why are you so surprised?" I asked.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Joey, favor, pasamahan naman si Cha sa makeup and iyong dress nasa car yata. Make sure na isusuot niya! Pasaway 'yan, e!"

Napa-buntong hininga na lang ako. I really should've looked for Iñigo first bago ko pinuntahan si Katherine... but then I remembered that I was one of the bride's maids, so I needed to see her first.

Tahimik akong naka-sunod kay Joey. I felt like she wanted to talk to me, pero hindi niya alam kung saan magsisimula.

"Buti pumayag kang umuwi," she finally said nung nasa sasakyan na kami.

"She already got me tickets," I replied.

Joey laughed. "Yeah... She's really like that," she said. "But I'm really happy na maayos na ulit siya."

I agreed. I'd rather Katherine annoy me to death kaysa makita ko na naman siya kagaya nung nasa kulungan pa siya. We weren't even friends then, pero sobra akong naapektuhan sa kaso niya. She looked so down... so defeated... Naawa ako kay Jax nun. Kitang-kita ko na kung pwede lang na itakas niya si Katherine sa kulungan, gagawin niya. He was that desperate to get her out.

Joey handed me a champagne colored dress tapos ay pumunta kami sa isang kwarto kung saan mine-make-up-an iyong ibang bride's maids. Agad kong nakilala iyong ibang kaibigan ni Katherine dahil nakikita ko sila madalas noon nung ongoing pa iyong kaso.

I specifically told the makeup artist not to put too much make-up. After that, pinabayaan ko na lang siya.

"Ang ganda, Cha!" Joey said, beaming. "Nagkita na ba kayo ni Iñigo? Nakita ko siya kanina na kasama nila Jax."

I pursed my lips.

Maybe I should go see him... pero bago pa man ako makapagsabi sa kanila ay hinatak na nila ako pabalik sa suite ni Katherine para sa picture taking.

They took lots of pictures. Katherine was smiling in all of them—she looked so happy. Masaya rin naman siya sa pictures ng kasal nila ni Kier... but there's something about her smile now...

Si Jax talaga 'yung gusto niya mula noon hanggang ngayon.

Sure, maybe she really did love Kier... pero iba si Jax.

Napa-aray ako nang humigpit ang hawak ni Katherine sa kamay ko. Kumunot ang noo ko at sasabihin ko pa sana na bitawan niya ako, pero nang sundan ng mga mata ko ang mata niya, natigilan din ako.

I saw how Iñigo's eyes widened upon seeing me.

"He's not supposed to see me yet!" Katherine said, panicking. Bumilis na naman ang mga pangyayari dahil mabilis na umalis sina Anj habang hatak-hatak ako. Ni hindi ako naka-lapit man lang kay Iñigo dahil sa nangyari.

Habang hatak-hatak ako ni Andrea, naramdaman ko iyong pagvibrate ng phone ko. I quickly got it from my pocket and answered it while I was walking.

"Cha," Iñigo said. "Nasan ka?"

"I don't know," I replied because I sincerely had no idea kung saan kami papunta ngayon.

"Kailan ka pa bumalik?" he asked.

"Yesterday," I said, but then the organizer told us to keep our phones kaya naman nagpaalam na agad ako kay Iñigo dahil sa akin mismo naka-tingin iyong organizer.

"Iñigo?" Joey asked. I nodded. "Don't worry, makikita mo naman siya mamaya sa church."

I wasn't exactly sure... ganoon na ba ka-close sina Jax at Iñigo kasi parang naka-tuxedo din si Iñigo... Groom's man ba siya?

Pagdating namin sa simbahan, agad kaming pina-pila nung organizer.

"Cha."

Agad akong napa-tingin sa pinanggalingan ng boses. My lips parted when I saw Iñigo again. I was about to say a word, but he quickly bridged the small distance between us and caught me inside his arms. He held me so close that it was hard to breathe for a second.

"Kanina pa kita hinahanap..." bulong niya sa 'kin habang yakap pa rin ako.

"Kanina pa rin nila ako hina-hatak," sagot ko.

I felt him laugh.

"Bakit 'di mo sinabi na uuwi ka na? Dapat sinundo kita."

I remained silent. Mamaya ko na sasabihin sa kanya iyong tungkol kay Papa. I needed to sit the two of them down para maging maayos sila. Hindi naman pwede na ayaw lang ni Papa kay Iñigo kasi hindi aalis si Iñigo sa buhay ko. He needed to deal with that and move on.

Iñigo broke the hug and stared at my face.

"What?" I asked, feeling conscious with the way he was staring at me.

"Hindi ka na aalis ulit?" he asked back.

"The next time I'd leave, isasama na kita," I replied. The side of his lips rose, but only for a few seconds dahil nagagalit na naman iyong wedding organizer at sinabihan na kami na pumila.

The wedding ceremony was very intimate. Konti lang ang tao... parang mas marami pa nga iyong security sa labas ng simbahan pati sa hotel. Kahit naka-ngiti na si Katherine, ramdam na ramdam mo pa rin iyong trauma na nakuha niya sa lahat ng nangyari.

Pareho lang kami... mas magaling lang siguro akong magtago.

When Jax kissed his bride, napa-tingin ako sa iba dahil nailang ako sa paraan ng paghalik niya kay Katherine... It almost felt like I was intruding a very private moment.

These two, really...

Nang matapos iyong ceremony, we took pictures. It was a very happy occasion. Naka-ngiti lahat ng tao. Sobrang saya.

"Congrats," I told Jax nang maka-usap ko na siya finally.

"Thanks. Nakita mo na?" he asked.

"Yeah..." I said.

"Did you talk?"

"Not really the kind of talk you're asking," I replied. "But we will. Later."

Napa-tingin ulit ako kay Iñigo na kasalukuyang kinukuhanan ng picture kasama si Katherine at Deanne. They looked still a little weird... pero masaya ako na okay na sila. They were such good friends back then. Ilang beses ipinagtanggol ni Iñigo si Katherine sa akin noon. Tinuturuan niya pa ng obli dati kahit siya mismo ay nalilito. And when Katherine and Jax broke up, Iñigo was there for her all throughout...

Sayang iyong pagkakaibigan nila.

Hopefully, they'd be back to being close friends.

I was trying to fix the pins in my hair when I saw Iñigo standing right before me. He was looking me like I'd be gone any second.

"Sabay na tayong pumunta sa reception?" he asked.

"I was about to ask you that," I replied. Nagpahatid lang ako sa hotel kanina dahil balak ko talaga ay sumabay kay Iñigo pabalik sa hotel. I planned on talking to him once and moving back to the apartment and to continue whatever was halted.

It's about damn time.

Tahimik kaming dalawa sa loob ng sasakyan niya.

"I love you, Cha," bigla niyang sabi habang naka-tigil kami sa isang stop light. Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya. "Na-miss kita nang sobra."

He reached for my hand and kissed my knuckles.

"Naka-ready na 'yung pera sa bangko para sa lupa sa bahay natin... kung 'yun pa rin 'yung plano."

With the way he was looking at me, it was almost like I could taste the fear in him... Huminga ako nang malalim. I needed to give him assurance that I wouldn't leave... so he wouldn't be this afraid that I'd just bolt and leave... kasi simula nung tanggapin ko sa sarili ko na si Iñigo na talaga, wala na akong balak umalis.

"That's still the plan," I replied.

His lips parted. "Totoo—"

"Greenlight na," sabi ko sa kanya.

Iñigo's eyes focused on driving again, but he would occasionally glance at me... pero kahit na ganoon, hawak pa rin ng kanang kamay niya ang kamay ko. He rested our hands on his thigh and I just let him.

Pagdating namin sa hotel, binigay namin iyong susi ng sasakyan niya sa valet. The valet looked a little shocked with Iñigo's modest Vios compared sa mamahaling sasakyan ng mga kaibigan ni Katherine.

But I'm proud of Iñigo's Vios—that's his hard work.

"Dito 'yung ballroom, Cha," Iñigo said, pointing at the direction of the elevator papunta sa floor kung nasaan iyong mga ballroom.

Dumiretso ako hanggang sa maka-rating kami sa pool area. This was the exact same hotel kung saan kami nag-usap noon... Ang dami pala naming memories sa hotel na 'to.

I stopped just few steps from the railings that showed the view of the Manila bay.

"How are you?" I asked. Alam ko nag-uusap kami sa chat, pero iba iyong sa personal. Iba iyong katabi ko siya mismo. With Iñigo gone, I appreciated him even more... Akala ko siya lang iyong naging dependent sa akin... Hindi ko napansin na ako rin pala... Nung unang mga linggo ko sa Alaska, ilang beses akong hindi naka-kain ng dinner dahil walang nagpapaalala sa akin. And I'd been too tired to get off of bed. Wala kasing Iñigo na nangungulit.

I appreciated him even more now.

"Okay naman," sagot niya.

"Buti nagpa-gupit ka."

He laughed a little. "Yeah... Sabi ni Kitty aattend ka raw, e... Kaya lang wala ka namang sinabi sa 'kin kaya 'di ko alam kung san ako maniniwala... Pero to be sure, nagpa-gupit na lang din ako."

I felt him standing beside me and facing me. Ramdam ko iyong tingin niya sa kwintas ko kung saan naka-sabit iyong singsing. I held it, and then looked at him.

"Let's get married," I said. Iñigo's lips parted like he was surprised to hear the words from my mouth... pero hindi naman nagbago iyong plano... Na-delay lang... Pero alam ko na dito pa rin kami babagsak.

"Or do you want me to get on my knees—" I asked because he was still silent after a few seconds, like he's so stunned.

Agad siyang umiling. "No. Let's get married."

I nodded. "Help me," I said as I turned my back on him para matulungan niya akong tanggalin iyong kwintas ko. I felt Iñigo's shaking hands. Kinakabahan pa rin siya. Maybe I should kneel down and properly ask him to marry me... Paano ko ba siya mapapaniwala na gustung-gusto ko rin siyang pakasalan? I'd even been so bored when Katherine left that I actually made a mood board for the wedding—it was quite challenging dahil may budget akong sinusundan dahil alam ko na iba na iyong sitwasyon namin ni Iñigo ngayon kaysa noon nung una niya akong inayang magpakasal.

He's in a different job.

I was jobless.

But we're in this together.

We'd been through the worst... I was sure we'd get by just fine.

Nang matanggal niya iyong kwintas, agad kong sinalo iyon... pero agad ko ring naramdaman ang yakap ni Iñigo. I felt him breathing deeply behind me.

"I have nothing to offer you now, Cha..." bulong niya sa akin. Ramdam na ramdam ko sa boses niya iyong hirap. I knew he wanted to give me everything...

I held his hand.

"I just want to be completely honest," he continued, taking a deep breath. "Hindi ko alam kung makaka-hanap pa ulit ako ng magandang trabaho... Hindi ko alam kung maibibigay ko pa sa 'yo lahat ng pinangako ko noon... Pero iyong sa lupa ng bahay, pangako kahit iyon lang tutuparin—"

I broke the hug, faced him, and then got down on my knees.

"Will you marry me?" I asked him still.

"Tumayo ka nga—"

"Will you marry me?" I asked him again.

Iñigo tried to pull me up, but I was adamant. Umupo siya hanggang magpantay ang mga mukha namin.

"Cha—"

"Did you seriously think that I agreed to marry you just because you can provide for me?" I asked him. "I can very well provide for myself—I agreed to marry you before because I love you, you idiot."

Iñigo laughed, but I clearly saw the tears forming in his eyes. Such a crybaby.

"Wag ka ngang umiyak," sabi ko sa kanya kasi naiiyak ako kapag naiiyak siya. Nahahawa na talaga ako sa kanya.

"Pinapa-iyak mo ko," sagot niya.

I held the ring again in front of him. "Will you marry me?" I asked for the 3rdtime.

He pursed his lips. "Cha—"

"We don't need to buy a nice lot, Iñigo. If we need to live in a rented apartment for the rest of our lives, I'm good with it... Basta magkasama tayo," I said while tears betrayed me and began to fall. I looked at him and he was crying, too.

God, I just love him so much.

I'd seriously live anywhere basta kasama siya... Living without him drove me nuts to the point that I became a plant mom.

"Cha naman..."

"I'm serious... Or we can sell the bags Katherine gave me," seryosong sabi ko sa kanya. Tumawa siya. I was serious. Katherine gave me a Hermès bag. Doon pa lang, okay na pambili ng lupa. Iyong mga LV bag, pwedeng pambili ng mga gamit sa bahay.

Tahimik pa rin siya.

"I'm sorry I had to leave..." I said, holding his cheek with my hand. "Pero nandito na ko... We'll figure everything out together, okay?"

He nodded, tears still clouding his vision.

"I'll find a better job..."

"Okay," I said.

"If I can't, maybe I'll try another career."

I didn't reply.

Iñigo got the ring from my hand and held my hand.

"Charisse Faith Viste..." he began.

I was trying to breathe evenly, but tears just kept on falling. I wiped the tears to see him better. Para kaming tangang naka-upo dito parehas... but this was happening.

"Cha... I love you beyond reason... God, I know it's wrong, but I really love you more than myself... You're everything to me..." He paused and took a deep breath. "Please, let's get married."

I nodded.

"Let's get married," I replied as he slid the ring on my finger.

Iñigo's smile on his face was something that I'd etch in my mind. He cupped my face and planted his lips on mine and softly kissed me.

"I love you so much, Cha," he repeated against my lips.