CHAPTER 2.3: The Planned Engagement (Part 3)

THE DARK SIDE OF HIM

CASS

I was about to stand and leave when I heard a very loud thud on the table that caught my attention. Nakita kong nakatayo na si Chad habang nakapatong sa ibabaw ng lamesa ang kamao at igting-ang bagang habang nakatingin sa akin nang masama.

"Chad my son---"

"What is your problem Cassidy?"

For the very first time, I was yelled like a criminal being confronted by a brutal policeman. Chadler's chest is moving up and down slowly, showing that he is breathing really deep. If Chad is scary enough when he is calm, he is way worse now.

"Again Cass, what is wrong with you?"

"Enough Chad! I won't allow you yelling my daughter in front of me!"

Napatayo na rin si mommy-bear habang dinuduro si Chad to defend me like what mothers really do. I am completely scared and terrified.

"I-I can't believe this!" He even shakes his head in disbelief before violently pushing his chair backwards and walking out of the dining area.

"I-I'm sorry about my son's attitude. I did not see that one coming. I'm so sorry Cass sweety." Tita Devin is also in the state of shock while titopapa stand up then 

he followed Chad out of the dining room. Everything was smooth at first. I never thought it will come to this.

"I-I should be the one saying sorry tito, tita. I really can't marry Chad. I just, I just don't like him. I want to marry someone for love. Not for any other reason."

***

"Psst! Cass! You're spacing out!" Napatingin ako bigla kay Trixy na ngayon ay tinitingnan ako nang masinsinan. Imbes na kumibo ay yumuko na lang ako sa arm chair ng upuan ko.

I cannot forget about what happened last night because it was a complete disaster. If I already know about their news, I would have dropped everything earlier kaysa umabot pa iyon sa ganoong pangyayari. Kahit sinong tao ay hindi gugustuhing makasal sa taong hindi n’ya naman talaga mahal. I believe that what I did was right.

"What’s your problem besh? Alam mo, kanina ka pang umaga ganyan." Pangungulit nito ngunit nanatili akong tahimik at walang kibo.

I feel really terrible. May mukha pa kaya akong maihaharap kina tita? Matutulungan pa kaya ako ni Chad sa research ko? Naku naman!

"Hey Cass! Its Zeke!" Nai-angat ko bigla ang ulo ko at nakita si Zeke na mabagal na diretsong naglalakad sa labas ng classroom. Dali-dali akong tumayo mula sa upuan at nagmamadaling naglakad palabas para maabutan ito.

"Zeke!" I called him out but he just continued walking so I started running after him while still calling his name. "Zeke wait please!" When I got near him, I immediately grab his strong arm to pull it and make him face me.

"Don't touch me!" He harshly removed my hand while looking at me with his pissed off face.

"Wait please just listen to me okay?" Pagmamakaawa ko kahit pa diring-diri itong nakatingin sa akin. Thankfully, he stayed and wait for what I am about to say.

"Do you know anything about tita Devin and mommybear's plan?" I asked him while wishing that he will tell me that he knows nothing about it. I am still hoping that he will get jealous even it is way impossible than a goat getting inside a needle hole.

"I don't know what you're talking about and I don't care." I was positive when he said he does not know about it but still sad when he said he does not care.

I grabbed his arm again to say something pero bago pa makapag-salita si Zeke ay may biglang humila rin sa kanya palayo sa akin at walang sabi-sabing sinuntok sya sa panga. It was very fast that I did not even glance at the man and I hurriedly went to Zeke.

"Zeke!"

"So, he's the reason why you don't want to marry me huh?!"

Agad akong napatakbo palapit kay Zeke na ngayon ay nasa sahig na at napahawak sa panga. I sat beside him and checked if the are other injuries but it looks like there is nothing more than his swollen jaw.

"This guy is the reason isn’t it?" Napalingon na ako kay Chad dahil masyado nang malakas ang boses nito na umalingawngaw sa buong corridor ng building.

Nagsilabasan na ang mga estudyante sa kanya-kanyang classroom para makiusyoso sa amin. Naging agaw pansin ang pag-iiskandalo ni Chad kaya’t pinagpipiyestahan kami ngayon. Bago pa ako makasagot ay agad na tumayo si Zeke at agad ring gumanti ng isang malakas na suntok.

"Who the hell told you to punch me huh?" Zeke also yelled at his brother who almost got out of balance. He fixed himself and then he wiped the blood on his lip but before he could ever step to give another punch, I already made my way in their middle.

"Tama na!" Sigaw ko pero imbes na tumigil ay bigla na lang akong hinila ni Chad palapit sa kanya bago muling sinuntok si Zeke sa tiyan. Nang mapadapa na ang kapatid niya sa sahig ay binuhat n’ya naman ako na parang sako ng bigas.

"Zeke! Ibaba mo ako Chad!" I watched Zeke groaning in pain on the cold floor while holding his abdomen kaya't naawa ako. Nagpumiglas ako mula kay Chad pero masyado itong malakas at lalo lang humigpit ang pagkakahawak sa akin.

"I’ll make you mine Cassidy!" Galit nitong bulalas sa akin bago hinampas ang pang-upo ko which made me scream. He is being violent!

"Cassidy!" I saw Trixy walking out of the room then when she turned her head to me, she got stopped and she knows she can't do anything about this.

***

He brought me on an old bodega house outside the school building which is a little bit dark and a messy place to stay in. I got even scared when I completely see eerie setting of the place. Broken chairs are everywhere and rotting trash are splattered in the dirty floor. The foul smell of the place is even making my feeling worse and Chad's scary aura can kill me immediately.

"Chad! Let me go--ahh!" I have not finished my words yet but he pinned me already in the wall harshly so I felt the very hard wall hitting my sensitive back.

"Tell me you'll marry me!" He yelled near my face as he tries to threaten me with his dagger eyes and his painful grip. My teary eyes are staring at his dim face to beg for mercy but it did not work.

"No." I tried to speak in a tone that I will not sound mad. Ayokong magalit kay Chad since I am the very reason why he is acting like this. I thought I could tame him but before I knew it, he crashed his lips on mine and he tried to deepen his kiss violently before moving away again.

"Now marry me Cassidy!"

"How many times do I have to say no? I will never marry you!" I already lost my temper because I feel disgusted with what he did. This is already harassment and this should not be tolerated anymore.

"Is it because of Zeke?" My confidence faded when he mentioned his brother's name. Wala akong ibang nagawa kundi ang yumuko at umiyak sa harap nya.

"I love your brother Chad." I said between my sobs then I covered my face out of mixed emotions. I can't hold this anymore.

"He's not my brother." He said coldly while still locking me up to a corner and maintaining his anger. I removed my hand to face him and try to talk him down.

"Just because I like him rather than you, makes him worthy to be disowned--"

"He is not my brother!"

I thought it was because of his anger that is why he said that but I can see in his eyes that he is talking about something. Something that is something serious.

"W-what do you mean?"

"He's a bastard Cassidy! You can never gain anything from him! Why do you even want that guy huh?"

Now everything started to make sense. From tita Devin's treatment to Zeke up to the point that his family teases me to Chad. Everything is like a piece of puzzle that is completing a huge picture I did not yet thought of.

"He's just my father's child to another woman Cassidy! Between the two of us, I am a true Trevoir! The one who will have everything from my family's wealth!"

Now I understand why Zeke leaves their house and staying in his own condo unit every weekends. Now I understand why everyone appreciates Chad and ignoring Zeke's hard work. It was not a favoritism. It is something I have never even thought of. But one thing is for sure, my heart will never change its feelings. I love him whether he is a bastard or not.

"Do you think loving him would do good? Do you even know what would Mom say to him huh? Do you think my family would allow you to be with that bastard? No! You are betrothed to me!" After all the realizations, I finally looked up to Chad and with all the hopes I'm still holding onto and all the love I have to my angel, I spoke.

"I will only want him and I will never ever marry you." I assured to him that whatever he is going to say, whatever the world sees through him, and whatever the blood that is running through his veins, I love him. I love him for no reason and no one could ever change what my heart desires.

"Really Cassidy? Well let me tell you this, you will never get any benefit if you will be with him. Besides, it doesn’t have any benefit at all." His face started forming an evil smile while looking at me. He is planning to say something that he knows that could change my mind. "Your family will hate you and he will be kicked out of our house. You two would only end up begging for scraps and he would only regret being with you."

I started thinking about his situation this present time. He still owns a part of his family's property. He still owns a comfortable home. His parents still support his education and they still supply his meals three times a day. He still has everything even though the treatment of his family is a bit sadistic. if I cross the line and neglected what his family wants and I told them it is because of Zeke, everything he owns will be gone by the wind. My family will hate me and since he is hated already, they will make his life miserable and God knows I don't want that.

"Well, he hates you, already doesn't he? He never even liked you so, why would you force yourself with someone who don't like you?"

I started reminiscing everything I did for him. Every sacrifice, craziness, stupidity and all the rule-breaking efforts I did for him. All of those were not appreciated and ignored by him. I received a lot of turn downs and shaming from him. Lahat na ata ng mga salitang masakit ay nasabi n’ya na for me to stop but, I did not let myself down. Even its really too much that sometimes, I even cry at night, I did not care.

"Because I'm not loving him for him to love me back. I'm loving him freely." Halos pumiyok na ako sa pagsabi ng mga katagang iyon dahil nagpipigil akong manghina.

I want Chad to see that I am devoted to Zeke. Although I calculated too much of all the pain he did, I still want Chad to see that I do not mind all of those which is a success since he now looks so disappointed. His eyes are filled with pain and he laughed bitterly.

"I will never give up on you Cassidy. I will do the same thing that you do to Zeke."

In that very moment, I felt something in my heart changed. The pain I felt a while ago is now tripled because I realized I have to do something that is very hard to do than loving Zeke. I think it is really the right time to set him free.

***

TRIXY

"Besh, I'm sorry."

Nang makabalik si besh ay halos lumukso ang puso ko sa tuwa at tila ba ay may natanggal na malaking tinik sa puso ko. Pero agad rin naman akong nag-alala dahil namumugto ang mga mata n’ya at bumalik sya sa klase na bagsak ang balikat at nagpipigil humagulhol. Niyakap n’ya nga ako agad nang makita nya ako then she started telling me everything that happened. Now, I do not know kung bakit s’ya humihingi ng tawad sa akin.

"Sorry saan Besh?"

"Sorry kasi hindi ako nakikinig sa mga payo mo."

I understand what she was talking about. Wala naman akong ibang sinasabi sa kanya kundi ang layuan niya si Zeke. He caused her a lot of pain that is too much for her to bare. Masyado itong nabaliw sa lalaking hindi naman sya kahit kailan tinapunan ng atensyon.

"Titigilan ko na si Zeke."

I felt relieved when she finally said those words. I know it is not the right time to feel happy but I have been waiting for her to say it. I have been waiting for this day that she will finally realize how freaking wrong it is to fall for a total jerk.

"Ayoko ng pahirapan ang sarili ko Trixy. Ayoko na rin s’yang pahirapan. Ayokong ako ang maging rason ng pagkabagsak nya. Mahal ko sya ng sobra Trixy. Pero kung pagmamahal ko ang magpapahirap sa kanya, siguro ay mas tamang tumigil na ako. It’s for his own good."

Well I thought she was going to stay away from him for her own good. Turns out, ang lalaking ‘yon pa rin ang rason hanggang ngayon. Now I really think she will never change until the pigs could really fly.

***