Pursue Her Heart

CHAPTER 6

MIA WAS ABOUT TO CALL A TAXI when a luxury car parked in front of her. Tumaas ang kilay ni Mia saka tinignan ang driver na nasa loob ng magarang kotse. Napabuga siya ng hangin nang makita si Austin.

“Anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong ni Mia ng may pagtataka.

Ngumiti si Austin. “Ihahatid kita sa school.”

“Ate, did you call a taxi?!” tanong ni Charles na kalalabas lang ng gate.

“Hindi. May dumistorbo sa akin, eh.”

Napatingin naman si Charles sa kotseng nakaparada sa harapan nila. Tumingin siya sa Ate Mia niya. “Ate, ang gara naman ng taxi na ‘to.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “Mukha bang taxi ang nasa harapan natin?”

Natawa naman si Austin. “Get in. Ihahatid ko kayong dalawa.”

Namilog ang mata ni Charles. “Boyfriend mo, Ate?”

“I…” Hindi pa man nakakasagot si Mia, bumaling si Charles sa driver ng kotse.

“Are you my sister’s boyfriend?” Charles asked. He opened the backseat door and went inside.

“Ahmm… maybe,” sagot ni Austin. “You can ask your sister.” Aniya. Tumingin siya kay Mia na nakatayo pa rin sa labas. “Well, Miss Baltazar?”

Napakurap si Mia saka pumasok sa loob ng kotse ni Austin. Sumakay siya sa passenger seat. She looked at Austin saka itinuro ang kapatid na nakaupo sa backseat. “Hindi ba nakaabala sa ‘yo?”

Austin smiled. “No. Let’s go.” Kapagkuwan napansin niyang hindi pa nakaseatbelt si Mia. Tinanggal niya ang suot na seatbelt. And then he leaned towards Mia and reached out for the seatbelt.

Napaatras naman si Mia sa sandalan ng kinauupuan niya. Sa pagkakalapit ni Austin sa kaniya, naamoy niya ang mabango nitong amoy.

“Safety first,” wika ni Austin saka ikinabit ang seatbelt ni Mia.

Mia nodded, while her heart was beating so fast.

Hinatid ni Austin ang kapatid ni Mia sa school nito bago naman niya hinatid si Mia sa university. As the car parked near the gate, Mia couldn’t help herself but to ask Austin. Hindi siya makapagtanong kanina dahil kasama nila ang kapatid niya.

“Why are you here? I mean, why are you doing this?” tanong ni Mia. They were just pretending to date. Bakit parang sineseryoso naman yata ng binata?

“Didn’t we say yesterday that we should date?” Austin asked.

“It’s pretending, Mr. Esquivel.” May diing saad ni Mia.

Bumagsak ang balikat ni Austin. But I want to make it real. “Well, I want to do this. By the way, did your mother tell you about the arranged marriage?”

“Ah?” Nagtaka si Mia. “What arranged marriage?”

“Mukhang hindi mo pa alam. Our mothers arranged for us to get married, and this happened before our blind date. They have to make each other in-laws, and they set the blind date yesterday for us to meet.”

Namilog ang mata ni Mia. “Teka. Teka. Anong kasal?” tanong niya at biglang nag-panic.

“Don’t worry. Don’t panic. Let’s pretend to date, and in the future, we can only say that our relationship didn’t work out.”

Nakahinga ng maluwang si Mia. “That’s good then, because I don’t want to get married.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Austin. “Bakit naman?” tanong niya.

Nagkibit ng balikat si Mia. “Marriage is scary.” In marriage, you will lose not only your freedom but also your will in life. Well, that’s what she saw in the married life of her parents before. Bata pa lang siya noon pero nakita niya kung gaano kalupit ang kaniyang ama.

Napahawak si Mia sa sariling braso. Good thing their school uniform was long-sleeved with a tie and coat. Naitatago nito ang burnt scar sa braso niya. It was not the marriage that was scary. Ginagawa niya lamang ‘yon na rason. It was men who were scary. And it’s not because they are men, but because of what they can do.

Humigpit ang hawak ni Austin sa manibela. “We can be friends,” he suggested. “But in front of our parents, we act like a loving couple. In the future, if you really don’t like me, then we’ll split.”

Napatitig si Mia kay Austin. How about you? Will you like me too?

Mia forced a smile. “Alright.”

Austin gave his phone to Mia. “Save your contact number.”

Kinuha ni Mia ang cellphone ni Austin. She saved her contact number on his phone but didn’t write her name. So, Austin put Mia’s whole name on his phone.

“Camille…”

“What?” Mia asked.

Umiling si Austin. “Wala. Parang mas maganda kasi na tawagin kita sa buo mong pangalan. Maganda naman ang pangalan mo. At isa pa parang ang layo sa ‘Mia’.”

Nagkibit ng balikat si Mia. “Camille ang tawag ng mga taong hindi close sa akin. Right, we’re not close. Dapat talagang Camille ang tawag mo sa akin.” Aniya.

Ngumiti si Austin. “You misunderstood me, Ms. Baltazar. I want to use your name as my endearment to you. Don’t you know that your name, of French origin, your name evokes a sense of elegance and beauty?”

Hindi alam ni Mia kung ano ang mayroon sa sinabi ni Austin at bigla na lamang siyang nakaramdam ng awkwardness.

“Camille.” Saad ni Austin. The name rolled on his tongue smoothly.

But for Mia, pakiramdam niya ay inaakit siya ni Austin sa pamamagitan ng masuyo nitong pagtawag sa kaniyang pangalan. Namula pa siya kaya nagmamadali niyang tinanggal ang suot na seatbelt.

“Actually…” We can make it real if you want. Austin wanted to speak what was in his mind, but before he could speak, Mia got out of the car.

Austin sighed. Sinundan niya ng tingin si Mia hanggang sa makapasok ito sa loob ng school gate. After making sure that Mia had entered the school gate, he maneuvered his car and left.

HABANG SI MIA NAMAN ay napahawak na lamang sa sariling mukha. Ramdam niya ang pag-iinit ng mukha niya. Kusa na lamang gumuhit ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi.

“Camille…” she muttered.

“Uy!”

Nagulat pa si Mia nang biglang may humawak sa braso niya. It was Audrey.

“Bakit ang pula mo?” tanong ni Audrey nang may pagtataka.

Ngumiti lang naman si Mia. “Secret.”

“Asus! May pa-secret secret ka pang nalalaman diyan.” Pag-ingos ni Audrey.

Nagkibit lang naman ng balikat si Mia.

Sabay na naglakad ang magkaibigan patungo sa kanilang classroom.

Mia, on the other hand, was happy but at the same time, she was sad. Masaya siya na may nakukuha siyang atensiyon kay Austin pero makungkot rin siya dahil alam niyang panandalian lamang ang saya na ‘yon.

Because in the end, their fake relationship will end. They only wanted to make their mothers stop nagging about their lives.

Pero sa tingin ko, mas lalo lamang akong mahuhulog.

But if Mia falls for Austin one day, marriage scares her. It’s not because of the marriage itself, but because of what a man can do. If not because of her father, hindi sana siya natatakot na ganito ngayon.