10 Years Before The Engagement

"MJ! MJ!"

I am leaning on the bark of an acacia tree when I hear someone's yelling my name. I then saw who was it but barely recognized the name of him. Sorry, I'm bad with names.

"What?" I ask.

"Your two suitors are fighting inside the men's comfort room!" he reported.

"Who are they?" But before I could ask him about it, my friend named Ressie already asked it. And there she is.

"Vad and Maj!"

"Salvador Montero and Major Gerardo Yap!" said in unison by the twins of the century: Lory and Lorene. And they also laugh about it, it's like they're teasing me or something.

I sigh and comfortably lean on my back, look up to watch the leaves. "Let them. I'll never say yes to them anyway."

"Alrighty, Kirk... can you please relay a message to those guys? Can you please say that they need to stop. They already know that MJ don't do boyfriends." I hear Nicole talk and that's the time I knew that unknown schoolmate's name. Kirk. Wow.

"The guys are really head over heels of your beauty, MJ. Amazing!" I heard that guy named Kirk said.

"Salvador Montero V and Major Gerardo Yap: sons of the two most prominent politicians in Negros Occidental. Fighting over the most beautiful girl in the island: Maria Josephina Constancia Leonardia Osmeña," interrupted by Jessa with her known dramatic expression. I look at her and just stare at her.

Idiot, of course I answered!

"What now, Jesshane Alaina Marañon?" I answered borely.

"Friend, in just my own opinion, why don't you give them a chance? Is that really hard to choose from the both of them?" she said. "Of course, it is! The two are equally handsome and rich and everything you could ask for. Yeah, of course, that's so hard to choose from them."

Oh, she answered her own question.

"What do they need from me? I've already gave them a chance to kiss me-"

"Ew, MJ! Stop! My virgin ears!"

I stop midway by Lory's exaggerated reaction. She even covered her ears. I shrug my shoulder and give back my attention to my other friends. "It's true! That's what they need: to score with me. I can give them that without giving them a label. Like, duh, that's too much if I ever give them a label." I crossed my arms and look at them one by one.

"Oh, my God! Don't tell me there's something censored happened to you? Who's your first?" hysterically asked by Paulla.

"Really, Paullita? Do you think I can do that? I already told you about the bases right? Base one, base two, base three? God! The only base I did so far is the base one! You're so OA!"

"Moron! I'm asking if who's your first kiss between the two of them?" she then ask.

I didn't answer immediately. There's some kind of a memory that came in and had to think of it in a jiffy. But I then shrug of it, like it's nothing.

"They aren't my first kiss." None of them was.

"OMG! So who's the first kiss then?" asked by the twins of the century.

"Of course, my parents! Who else? C'mon, I'm hungry. Cafeteria."

"MJ's too showbiz. Who's your first kiss between Vad and Maj?" asked Ressie.

"Maybe that's the reason why Maj and Vad fought. Maybe they're quarrelling about who kissed MJ first," Jessa said, maybe to our other friends.

"Of course, they should debate about it. They're talking about the most beautiful girl in town!" said by Nicole.

But I ignore all of it. Not saying much. I don't want to talk. There's nothing to talk about.

I continue walking going to our school's cafeteria. My girl friends are at my back, still talking with nonsense topic that doesn't concern me.

But on our way, somewhere in the canopy, I saw Steve and his friends. I stop from walking and I don't know why. My friends at my back didn't expect me from stopping that's why I feel someone bump my back, maybe accidentally.

"God, MJ! Why did you stop?" I heard Ressie asked.

But I didn't give it a fuss. I give my attention to Steve and friends.

"Steve, what's that?" I calmly ask.

They all look at me, giving me the attention I want. Steve smile at me as wide as the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo.

"MJ!" he enthusiastically greeted me so I nodded in response.

"What's that?" still asking to what they're doing.

"We're just having a very interesting conversation with this little... nerd!" and then they laugh again like there's no tomorrow.

Their laugh is too loud that I can obviously see the deadly cells on their faces. Nothing's good with this group, as always.

I let them laugh for a couple of seconds. I busy myself by looking at the other guy. He's looking at the floor that's why I don't have the opportunity to see his face fully. His hair is quite long, like shoulder level, but I do assume he's a guy. He's wearing the boy's school uniform.

"What were you talking about?" I ask after giving that other guy a quick look.

Steve and friends calmed down when they hear me talk.

"Oh, it's all about you. This guy has a crush on you, MJ. We're just asking if he wants to join Vad and Maj's brawling about you. We'd willlingly join him, if he wants, though."

And then they laugh again like there's nothing tomorrow. Will I give these guys a day to live or nah? It irritates me to hear their laugh, especially Steve. This guy is an asshole. He can't be trusted.

"They're so happy, right?" I heard Paulla sarcastically commented to the happiness of these three assholes.

"Stop it, Steve. You're clearly bullying him. You're ruining his silent moment."

"Oh, no, MJ. You're not going to save this nerd," say by Steve, finally stopped his joyous moment.

"Don't give him false hope, MJ," say by Brey, one of Steve and friends.

"Yeah, MJ, no! He will hope that you also like him if you're going to save him from us," seconded by the other one, which is Serg.

"I'm not. I don't care if he likes me or nah. I'm just stating the fact that you're invading his personal space. And we all know that people don't like to be invaded, especially with their perosnal space. That man right there is not an exception to that rule."

They all look at each other then immediately give a distance from that unknown schoolmate. I smile at the back of my head. A bunch of assholes who listens to MJ Osmeña, to me, the one and only.

"Come with us. We're heading to the cafeteria."

They all left that unknown schoolmate and join us like nothing happened.

"Your treat?" ask by Serg.

"In your face! Your treat, your treat! You're so rich, you should be the one treating us!" irritatedly answered by Lorene.

Okay, I'm out of them already.

"You know that guy?"

Few meters to the cafeteria, Nicole broke that question to me.

"No. Never seen that guy. Why?"

"He's familiar to me."

"Me, too. I think I saw that guy from somewhere." Paulla join our little conversation while walking.

"Maybe somewhere around the school? He's our schoolmate, Pau. And I don't know him and I will not make a fuss about him anymore."

When we arrive at the school's cafeteria, I can still hear their animated conversation about that guy I "saved" awhile ago. I did not listen to them anymore and just bought an ensaymada for my snacks.

"They say he's Decart's brother."

Brey said that when I went back to our table inside the school's cafeteria. They're all talking and it seems like their whole attention are diverted to Brey Montebon.

"Decart? Kuya Decart Lizares?"

"He's one of the Lizares?"

It seems like they were all shock by Brey's revelation, which I don't have any idea what since I just came back from buying a snack.

"Uh huh."

"Then why did you that?"

"We like treating him like that because he don't fight back. And nothing can confirm if he really is Decart's brother. That's a hearsay."

"That's impossible. It's so impossible that he's one of the Lizares we all know."

"Yeah, Brey. Don't be a talkshit. You knew the Lizares, right?"

"Handsome, oozing with sex appeal, and everything that a handsome could be defined of. Name it."

"Seriously, Lorene? Were you ogling with the Lizareses?"

"Shut up, Serg! I'm just stating some facts here because that's the fact of the Lizares brothers."

"Are you jealous, Serg?"

Then laughter came when Nicole asked that intriguing question to Serg Ponsica. I don't want to interrupt their talk and their happiness. I'm out of it so I busy myself with checking some messages from my phone.

I had a few, from known and unknown admirers. Some nonsense group message from classmates, cousins, schoolmates, and friends. I ignore some of them but only open Vad and Maj's messages.

Vad:

A chance, MJ, please?

Me:

I already told you, Vad. No.

Maj:

That one suitor of yours is really full of his head. He boasted to me that you only say yes to him. I got irritated that's why I advanced to him.

Me:

Maj, I don't do boyfriends, remember? I already said stop courting me, Vad as well.

Vad:

But we're still friends, right? Where are you?

Me:

Sure. Friends. As usual. Cafeteria.

"Who are you texting with?"

In reflex, I, then, hide my phone inside the side pocket of my skirt. I need to hide it before Sister could confiscate it. Phone's not allowed during school hours. I'm dead if one of the faculties and the principal herself, which happened to be a strict Nun, will see me using one.

"Boys..." I calmly answer Paulla's question about who I'm texting with. "Aren't we going back to our classroom?"

"Joanna came here a while ago, informing us that Miss Tes has an emergency and can't be present during our schedule but she left some activities. We'll go back later."

"Okay. Steve?" I've noticed that they're not around anymore.

"Went back to their classroom. You're too busy with your phone, you didn't hear them say goodbye."

I nodded and say nothing. I look around the entire cafeteria. Students, like us, are still busy buying some snacks and foods from the cafeteria's counter. Some where on their tables chitchatting with either of the two: school stuffs or some gossips that's running around the school. Or maybe both. But the later is obviously what my friends are doing.

"Look, Lorene. I really can't believe that he's one of them."

Gossips. Again.

I have no interest about the gossips. It did nothing good to me and I don't want to talk about it. Maybe if you'll ask my friends about me taking gossips? They'll surely say I'm the worst gossip receiver because I don't pass it with anyone. I like it that the gossips will end to me. There's a term about that but I just forgot about it. But, yeah, that's it.

I just roam around the area. I'm getting bored. I need new playmates. I don't like Vad and Maj anymore. It was turn off to me for what they did today. They got luck it didn't reach the faculty. They're dead if it did.

Someone caught my attention. There's a guy who just came in. He's face is lowered but because of his air, I remember him. He's the guy Steve and friends bullied awhile ago. I still can't see his face because of his shoulder level hair.

Okay, he's a long haired guy and it's kind of weird and unusual to see someone, especially a boy, to have that kind of hair. Our school, which is a catholic school, is very strict about proper hygeine and one of them tackles about clean hair cut for guys.

Is he new? If he is, from the enrolment stage, he should be warned about the rule. Steve wants to pull that kind of hair but it's not allowed that's why he did not dare again. But him? Wow.

He's obviously enrolled here. He's wearing our usual school uniform for boys. The top is a white polo shirt with a little pocket on its left side, and embroided there the school's logo. He's also wearing our school's lanyard with IDs on it. The bottom is the usual brown-colored school pants. And it's so neat. Everything about him is so neat.

I'm not really fond of checking somebody's over-all appearance. But this guy? Damn! He's an epitome of a prim and proper kind of guy. Yeah, I bet he got all the 'Most Neat and Clean' ribbon way back grade school days.

"See that? He's so neat and that's way too different from his family's image - if he really is one of them."

Oh, so they're also looking at where I'm looking.

"Maybe he's adopted? Do you see any resemblance? I don't see any. Kuya Sonny's their youngest, right?"

"Their oldest is Kuya Decart, right?

"Then next to him is Kuya Einny."

"And after him is Kuya Tonton."

"Then Kuya Siggy."

"And lastly... is Kuya Sonny."

Jessa, Nicole, Pau, Ressie, Lory, and Lorene exchanged their sentiments about this known family in our town: the Lizares.

Why are they talking about them?

I rest my face on the palm of my hand and comfortably look at them one by one.

"Ate said, they have a youngest, next to Sonny Lizares. She also said that they're not exposing him that much because he's not here, grew up and is still living in States."

"What?!"

Punyemas! Do they need to shout like that? It feels like my spirit will be out of my body because of their screams!

"You knew something but you did not tell us anything? What kind of bruha are you?"

"We've been brainstorming since Steve and friends left. Asking and wondering about the allegedly Lizares' new youngest child. But you remained silent and did not say anything!"

It feels like Jessa has a movement that she needs to fight with. She's strong.

I smirk and straightened my posture. "That's the only thing I know about them. I don't know much about the Lizares of Lizares Sugar Corp. They're just my family's business partner." I shrug my shoulder and play the little ornament on top of the table. "Asus, you're all calling them Kuya. If I know, you all like the Lizares brothers."

"Why, MJ? Don't you have any interest with the Lizares? They're so handsome, for pete's sake!" Lory say.

I sigh and look at them. "Lizares are untouchables. I can't like them or have an interest with them. I don't want to. They're not worth of my time. They're not worth to be in my collections."

I look away and accidentally give my attention to the guy I just saw entered the cafeteria's premises.

He's looking at me, straight in the eyes, and I want to say I fucked up. He looks like a Lizares.

~

I'M on my ninth grade, and it's still the same. Suitors along the way. Admirers blocking my way. I'm generous enough to answer their attention. There are lucky people who gets my attention. I give them a chance to know me. But I don't want to call them suitors, I want to call them flings. Flingsy flings.

After that incident with Vad and Maj, which happened a year ago, the flings still lined up. But I am a generous girl so I give them some chance just like what I said. You can call me a playgirl at such a young age because I want to play. But never, ever, call me a timer because I was never one.

For the third time, I want to call myself a generous person again for giving Maj and Vad a chance to be a friend to me. In short, I became friends with them. But I assure you, all that happened in the past are nothing to us now. We can even laught at it like it's no big deal at all. Swear.

My flingsy fling for this moment is Albert Ballesteros, he's from Grade 10, a year ahead of us.

"Hey, MJ!" he sweetly call my name.

We're currently just chilling under a big shade of a tree beside the soccer field. He's laying on my lap and just purely chilling, alone.

"Yes, Al?"

"My parents wants to meet you."

Oh, no!

I clear my throat and straighten my posture. He was force to get up and face me.

"Is that necessary, Al?"

"They really want to meet you, MJ. You know how supportive they are to me, right? He holds both of my shoulder like he's trying to explain me a thing that I don't really understand.

"We're not officially in a relationship, Al. I don't know what's the relevance of them meeting me. We're just flings, Al." And I made it clear to you before we got clingy like this.

Playtime, as always.

"You'll be my girlfriend soon, MJ. It's your yes I'm only waiting for."

Whoa there! Wait!

I was dumbfounded to his response that's why I immediately stand on my feet and gather my things.

"Oh, no, Albert. You're expecting me to be your girlfriend." That's not a question. That's a statement. Final conclusion.

"Of course. I love you, MJ, and I can feel that you love me too."

Oh heck, no!

"That's too deep, Albert. I already told you that I can accompany you like a real girlfriend but you can't make me one. And love? You love me within that three days that I'm with you? Are you sure?" I cannot believe this shit. "You're just infatuated, Albert. If you're not contented with what we have now, I'm sorry but we need to stop this."

I walk away. Immediately walk to the cafeteria, where I can usually find my friends.

"Oh?" Jessa is shock to see me that early. So as the others.

"Let me guess... Albert Ballesteros is out of the list, right?" I guess Lorene's guess is right.

"Why? What happened?"

"Like the usual, Vad." I did not answer but luckily Nicole answered it for me.

"H-Hey, MJ... I'm sorry."

Someone touch my arm. If I didn't recognize his voice, I could've punch him straight.

I slowly look at him. "Albert, I said what I needed to say. We're done. Stop chasing me now."

"And I guess you need to take her words seriously, Albert."

Albert look at Maj's face with gritted teeth. I can see it because I am looking at Albert Ballesteros.

"We can stay as friends, Albert. That's the best offer I could give you now. Not the one you wanted from the start of this arrangement."

He, then, give his attention to me. Forgetting about what Maj said.

"B-But-"

"Ooooh!"

The crowd went oooh when someone tripped beside Albert. But that's not the only thing that got our attention. It was the red slimey liquid that's currently dripping from Albert's upper uniform up to his school shoes. It's so sticky by the sight of it. I think that's a watermelon or a strawberry smoothie.

"Fuck shit!" Albert shouted.

Albert was fast enough to get that guy's collar and almost choke him with his anger.

"Hey! Calm down!" But I am also fast enough to make him calm.

"Why did you do that, huh?" He asked, not giving any chill at all.

"So-So-Sorry... I-I-I didn't mean to-"

"Shut the fuck up, Nerd!"

"Hey, Albert! Stop it! He didn't mean it!" I tried calming Albert's hand from choking this guy to death.

But he's strong enough that I can't make him stop.

"Major? Salvador? Help?" That's why I needed rescue from my friends who are dumbfounded to what just happened.

Maj and Vad were successful enough to give Albert and that schoolmate of ours a distance. But it didn't stop the faculty to see what just happened.

They were invited for a talk in the guidance office. Since I'm out of this, Albert insisted that I should do nothing with this. So they spare me. Good.

Punyemas. I need to find new playmate. I can't deal with a hot-headed like Albert Ballesteros. I'm not going to settle down with that kind of attitude. As if I'll get settle down with someone.

The afternoon classes continue. While waiting for our next subject teacher, I busy myself with just staring at the white board of our classroom.

"What did Albert say? Is he really okay about ending you and him?"

I give my attention to Paulla when she approached me while I'm dead stating. We're seatmates by the way.

"He needs to accept it. Whether he likes it or not, we need to stop because he's falling in love with me. You know that I don't like boys who directly confess their undying love for me, right?" I say borely.

I really don't like guys who say they love me. It irritates me more when they ask me that they want me to be their girlfriend. They're so full of theirselves.

"Why don't you like guys who confesses to you? Don't you like it? They're really love you."

"Because love is an impossible word," I say directly. Nothing more, nothing less.

~

ON the next few months, my life went to normal again. It's normal because Albert is not bothering me at all. And thank God for that!

Our final grading for our ninth grade is fast approaching. I don't have in the mood to find new flingsy flings. I let the finals pass before I find one. They're just out there, waiting to be found.

One week before the finals week, our subject teachers were busy handing out the pointers for the coverage of the exams. My classmates then were busy for the group studying or just simply studying at all, preparing fot the exams.

"Where will you guys study?" I ask to my friends while arranging my things, ready to go home.

"At home, as usual."

"With my tutor."

"Self-study to concentrate."

I nodded to Jessa, Nicole, and Pau's response. Nothing new, just like the usual.

"I'll go with the twins' house tomorrow."

My burrows furrowed when I hear Ressie's answer. "Group study?"

"Something like that."

"But Kuya Darry said he will help us. Originally, it's just me and Lory but he suggested that we should bring our friends. We asked Ressie if she can join us since we're neighbors."

Kuya Darry? Is that their cousin? Never heard of that name.

""Really? So he agreed with it? Can I join?"

I look at Jessa when she giggle with her answer. Can I join? What the punyemas hell?

"Of course! He wants you to join us! This is the thing I want to tell you. It should be a surprise, though."

"I like that!"

"Me, too! I want to join!"

Okay, what's going on?

"What about you, MJ?"

I was about to answer Ressie's question but Jessa spoke first.

"What time?"

"Eight to five PM. Whole day," Lory said to Jessa.

Wait, just wait! Jessa, Nicole, and Pau's answer awhile ago is different. They're gonna go with the usual, why all of a sudden they want to join the group study of Ressie and the twins? What the hell?

"You know that I'm not effective with group studying, right?" I say like a matter of fact.

"It's up to you. You're missing half of your life."

I roll my eyes to Jessa's answer. As if I'm missing the half of life, I'm enjoying every bit of my entire life.

"I can't be with you. I want to visit but I guess we're going somewhere tomorrow."

They didn't mind me anymore. They're now busy talking with the group studying. I'm not interested so I keep my mouth shut.

The hell I care with that Kuya Darry?

~

I went home after class then one of the housemaids get my things as I watch our other cars being packed with things. They're packing something on the back compartment of Range Rover and some on the Everest.

"Alice, what's going on?" I ask the housemaid who get my things.

"Ah, Ma'am MJ, good afternoon. Madam Blake said you're going to Don Salvador for the monthly visit of the factory. You'll gonna spend weekend there, Ma'm."

"Is Mama still inside?"

Obviously, MJ, yes! The Range Rover, which my parents use as their own vehicle, is still here.

Alice nodded then I continue walking until I'm inside the house.

I, then, saw Mama walking down from the stairs. I went to her and greet her.

"How's school, anak?" she sweetly ask aftr I kiss and hug her.

"Fine, Ma. Nothing special."

"I heard it's your finals week? How's the preparation?"

We both went down the stairs. Roaming my attention around, finding Papa.

"Like the usual, Ma. Self-studying. Actually, my friends will have a group study tomorrow at the twins' house."

"Are you not coming?"

"As if I can do the group studying, Ma?" I say like a matter of fact.

"I see. Hmm... I think you need to change your clothes? We're going to Don Salvador in a minute for the monthly check-up of the factory. We're going to join us. I'll let you study there."

I got excited to what Mama said.

"Can I go to Jomax Peak, Ma?" It's a popular tourist spot in Don Salvador Benedicto, a town here in Negros Occidental which is in the mountains.

"Of course! So, go and change your clothes. They're about to finish packing the things inside the car. Don't mind packing things anymore, your things are inside the car already. Just change your clothes."

I kiss Mama's cheek and then rush to my room to have a quick shower.

I pack my reading and studying materials then I went down. They're all waiting for me.

I am with my older siblings and we use the Everest, with Kuya being the driver. Mama and Papa use the Range Rover with their own driver.

We were silent the whole ride. Kuya's busy with driving, while Ate's busy with her phone. They usually talk something out of my range but it's a miracle that they went silent. Did something happen? I can't meddle with them since they're years older than me. They're almost adult now. I'm still a teenager.

Them and our other older cousins have their own world. That's why I always stick with my two idiot cousins. They're so gago you'll gonna curse whenever you're with them.

We arrive at Don Salvador Benedicto around eight PM. We were so tired. So after dinner, I went inside mine and Ate's shared room here in our rest house. I'm so tired I let the bed consume me.

~

THE next day, I wake up early because of the cold weather. It's always like this in Don Salvador Benedicto or what everybody call DSB. It's so cold here, especially during dawns and mornings. It's Little Baguio of our province.

Despite of the cold, I still took a shower. There's a heater available that's why I still can enjoy the fresh mountain water.

Ate's still sleeping so when I finish preparing, I went to the kitchen to have my daily dose of coffee.

Our helper here in our rest house is busy cooking our breakfast, so I make my own coffee. It's easy peasy, I can handle it. I always do this.

After making the coffee, I sit on the stool here in the kitchen island and just idly stir the coffee using a teaspoon. I'm dead-staring to the artificial fruits that lie above the counter of the kitchen island. Look what mornings do to me. I became dead.

"Are you okay, Ma'am MJ?"

I look at manang and smile to her. "I'm fine, manang. Are Papa and Mama awake?"

"Yes, Ma'am. They were early. They said they're going to visit the factory. But will be back soon."

I didn't ask further questions. I let her prepare and I let myself savor the warm coffee.

I'm almost done with coffeing when manang set the table. I, then, notice that it's more than five. The plates are more than five.

"Ah, manang, are we expecting some kind of visitors?"

Manang stop setting the table and look at me. It was a jiffy though.

"Yes, Ma'am MJ, there is. Three of the Lizares brothers were here. They went with your parents to factory together with Sir Yosef."

Lizares brothers? Who?

I just nodded. I don't have any business with those guys. So I shut my mouth.

I, then, saw Ate entering the kitchen. She's like walking zombie. Not on herself. Obviously, she just woke up.

"Morning, lil sis. Morning, manang." She tap my head and smiled to manang.

She really is a mess. Is she really a young adult? I look more young adultish than her.

"Good morning, too, Ma'am Tonette. Aren't you going to shower or prepare, Ma'am?"

"Huh? Why? Am I ugly with this state, manang? I'm so beautiful especially during morning, manang." She's conceited, too. Something I got from her. Lol.

"It's not like that, Ma'am. But-"

But manang stop from talking when we all look at the living room's direction. We heard some voices and one of them is familiar since he's so loud. Like the rest of us.

Kuya's loud voice bombarded the whole rest house. He's not alone. He's with the Lizares brothers, manang were talking about.

I was about to ignore it when Ate, hysterically shouted.

"What are you doing here, Decart?"

~

(To be continued... She Leaves - 2)