14 - Compromise

Charm's POV

"Are you alright?" RJ asked while running towards me

"Na-flat tire ako, mabuti na lang naramdaman ko agad kaya nakapagmenor pa ako ng dahan dahan tapos bigla ring pumutok yung sa harap kaya nagulat ako at nawalan ng balanse, ayan tuloy semplang" I said while he helps me on my bike.

"This only mean I cannot claim the victory if ever I win kasi naflat tire ka." He told me. "What shall we do now?" He asked.

"Ano pa nga ba eh di hihingi ng tulong." I replied.

Before I was able to get my phone to make the call, RJ immediately dialed the NLEX emergency number and ask for some help.

"Hintayin na lang muna natin yung tutulong sa atin." He said after his call.

"Salamat ha." I sincerely said.

"Maliit na bagay." He replied.

"Salamat pa rin kasi pwede namang tumuloy ka na lang para ikaw ang manalo. Pero tumigil at sinamahan mo pa ako dito." I said and I am sincere when I said that, wala naman kasing rason na sungitan ko ang anak araw na 'to, tinulungan na nga ako tatarayan ko pa ba?

"Wala yun. Kahit naman sino malamang gagawin din yung ginawa ko. Atsaka ayoko ng ganung panalo. Hindi patas eh." He replied.

"I can't believe karma hits me immediately because I cheated earlier." I said chuckling after realizing what I did when I challenged him.

"You choose to cheat just to get rid of me." He said.

"Yes nakakabwisit ka kasi eh. Umayaw ka na, binabawi mo pa." I honestly replied. "Bakit ba kasi talaga nagbago ang isip mo?" I asked because I wanted to know what made him changed his mind.

"Dahil nga kay Rizza." He insisted.

"Ok, para kasing hindi sigurado kanina. Let me guess, she's upset because of what you did last night." I said.

"Yes she is upset. Actually, kagabi pa. She was expecting na hindi na aabot sa kanya ang arrangement na 'to because I promised her na sa akin na 'to matatapos. But after what happened last night she looses hope, now she is very disappointed in me." He replied.

"Tell me honestly, ganon ba talaga kababa ang tingin mo sa mga unwed mothers, nakakahiyang i-display sa mga friends mo?" I asked him.

"No." He quickly replied. "I have nothing against them, nabigla lang talaga ako kagabi kasi pakiramdam ko among sa ating lahat na nanduon, ako lang ang hindi nakakaalam who is Celestine." He said.

Ako rin naman nabigla na alam ng pamilya nya ang tungkol kay Celestine, pero mabuti na rin yun para sa umpisa pa lang alam na nila na hindi ako perpekto. I can't help but to stare at him because now, slowly I realized maybe I should give him a chance to prove that he also has a good heart.

"Pwede na rin siguro." I eventually said.

"What do you mean?" He asked me and I can see some anticipation in his eyes but I can still be wrong.

"Para kay Rizza at Celestine, sige ituloy natin ang kasal." I finally uttered.

"Seryoso ba yan?" He asked and I nodded as my reply.

"But I have conditions." I told him.

"No problem, kahit ano pa yan, kahit isang round pa ng karera I won't mind." He replied.

"Mamaya pag-usapan natin, nandito na yung emergency service eh. Ipaayos muna natin yung bike ko." I said with a lighter feeling.

The emergency service assisted us to the nearest vulcanizing shop. RJ was kind enough para samahan ako habang hinihintay kong maayos ang bike ko. May good side naman pala talaga ang anak araw na 'to kahit madalas nakakabwisit.

"Maybe you can tell me the conditions while we are waiting for your bike." He said.

"Nothing much Faulkerson Jr. First, I want to reiterate na ayoko sa lahat yung papakialaman ako. After the wedding dapat I can still do my own stuff. I can go wherever I go, and do whatever I want to do." I said.

"Noted, pareho lang naman tayo eh. I want my privacy to be respected, too. But at least let me know where you are, at least if someone would ask me where you are alam ko kung ano ang sasabihin ko. As to do whatever you want, no problem as long as it won't compromise the family, ayos lang." He replied.

"Thanks. At least we are on the same page on that. Next, please naman, wag mo akong piliting mag-attend ng mga parties. I am not into that kind of stuff. I hate hitting the bed late lalo na kung may competition ako the next day." I told him.

"But I think once in a while won't hurt. There are gathering kasi na kailangan talagang kasama ang spouses na mag-attend. I hope those can be an exemption." He said.

"Ok, pag-usapan na lang natin yung mga parties na yan as it comes." I said.

"Thanks. What else?" He asked.

"Ok lang naman ang church wedding but please not as grand as how we are preparing it now. Preparation pa lang lunod na lunod na ako, ang stress level ko nasa tuktok na ng Mt. Apo. Let us manage our guests, yung talagang closest friends and relatives. Kapag kasi sobrang bonggang dami yung mga taong aattend sa wedding mas nakakapagod at oftentimes those people who celebrates with you are the same people the will spread gossips about you. Malamang mauna pa ang mga yun na makaalam ng tungkol sa annulment kesa sa korte." I said.

"Tama ka naman. If those people are indeed happy for us, it will not be a big deal if we invite them or not. But, I hope you understand that this event has a business touch as per your father and my Dad, isama mo pa si Lolo." He explained. "But, I promise to talk to them para hindi rin masyadong nakakapagod." He added.

"Thank you I appreciate the effort, ako rin kakausapin ko si Tatay to choose only those business partners which he thinks are important." I said.

"Is there anything else, yun na ba lahat ang kundisyon mo?" He asked.

"Isa na lang, ayokong malayo sa anak ko." I straightly said and I saw him took a deep sigh before he reply.

"I don't have problem with that, but can we wait until the end of this school year? I agree with Tita Mary, baka mahirapan si Celestine if we transfer her to another school in the middle of this school year." He explained.

"But she has to be with me during weekend." I said.

"No problem with that. Napaghandaan na nga ni Dad yung room nya di ba?" RJ said and I could not help but to smile.

"You are prettier when you are smiling. " He abruptly told me and I can feel myself blushing.

"Gago ka, inuto mo pa 'ko. Kahit anong gawin mo hindi magbabago ang mga kondisyon ko." I said.

"Pumayag naman ako sa kondisyon mo ah, so I think there is no point na utuin pa kita. Nagsasabi lang ako ng tutoo." He said.

"Sino ang magsasabi sa kanila na itutuloy natin ang kasal." I asked to sway the topic.

"We can do it simultaneously, isang text lang masaya na yung mga yun." He replied.

"Game, text ko si Tatay. Ikaw naman, text mo si Tito Ricky." I said. He smiles and quicky took his phone and tinker on it, and I do the same.

After a few minutes our phone simultaneously vibrates, grabe talaga mga tatay namin.

"Ang daddy ko nagreply ng smiley emoticon." RJ said smiling

"Ang tatay ko naman, pinapauwi na ako agad-agad." I said chuckling, hindi naman halatang masyadong excited ang mga tatay naming.

"Rizza says thank you." He told me.

"Sinabi mo na agad sa kanya?" I asked.

"Yes, hindi ako sanay na may tampo sa akin si Rizza." He replied.

"Ang swerte naman ni Rizza, may kapatid na sasalo sa kanya." I said.

"Nag-iisang babae lang si Rizza. I would like to protect her as much as I can." He replied.

"Ako naman gagawin ko 'to not only for Dean but also for my Ate, para makabalik na sya sa amin at para mapatawad na sya ni Tatay. Also I want to give this back to Tatay for accepting Celestine." I said.

"Salamat ha." He said and in fairness, I felt his sincerity.

"Salamat naman saan?" I asked.

"Kasi pumayag kang ituloy 'tong kasal." He said.

"Don't thank me, pare-pareho lang naman tayong may dahilan bakit natin gagawin 'to. Ang importante, matatapos din naman ito agad kaya pagtiisan na lang natin. Who knows we can be friends after this circus." I replied.