Him

I wonder what she's thinking right now. She's awfully quiet.

Napasulyap sa akin si Arabelle ngunit mabilis niyang ibinalik ang atensyon sa harapan, mahigpit din ang hawak niya sa buhok ng kabayo para lang mabalanse ang sarili. Gusto kong bilisan ang pagpapatakbo ngunit baka sabihan niya nanaman akong tsansing kaya hindi ko na ginawa. Although I do want to hold her waist, just to ensure her safety, it will prevent her from falling.

"Saan ba tayo pupunta?" Finally! She talked.

"I already told you."

"Saan hindi sino." Inirapan niya ako, napangisi ako. I don't know why it amused me whenever she rolled her eyes at me.

"To a birthday celebration. The government's nephew celebrated his 20th birthday today."

"Oh? Magkaedad kami."

She's the same age as Cara. I wasn't shock though. 

"Ikaw? Ilang taon ka na?" Bumaling siya sa banda ko, halos magtama ang ilong namin kaya kaagad niyang iniiwas ang sariling mukha, lumaki ang ngisi ko.

"Twenty-five." I lazily answered, not making it obvious that I'm enjoying the flustered look on her face.

"Gurang ka na pala." She commented, napawi ang ngisi ko.

"What did you say?" Iritado kong tanong.

Tinikom niya ang bibig at hindi na nagsalita, ah gano'n pala ha. Pinalakasan ko ang pagpapatakbo sa kabayo, she screeched and cursed at me. Muntik na siyang mawalan ng balanse kaya napahawak siya ng mahigpit sa braso ko, glaring at me.

"Ganito ba ang gurang? Mabilis mangabayo?" I asked her.

Her lips parted and she blushed. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa akin kaya nagtaas ako ng kilay. Didn't know this innocent looking woman had a green mind. 

At dahil mabilis ang pangangabayo ko ay mabilis din kaming nakapunta sa mansyon ng gobernador, hindi lang naman ako ang gumamit ng kabayo, marami rin lalo na't kadalasan sa mga naimbitahan ay hasyindero. I prefer horse than a car because I grew up with them and was attached to them, it reminds me of my mom. 

Bumaba na ako sa kabayo at nag-angat ng tingin kay Arabelle. "Would you mind?" I smirked, finally asking for consent.

"No." Masungit niyang sabi at sinubukang bumaba ng mag-isa, at dahil hindi mataas ang damit na suot niya, mayroon akong hindi kaaya-ayang nakita, kaagad akong tumingin sa paligid para lang mahuli kung sinong nakakita, mabuti naman at wala.

"Yellow huh." I whistled.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Arabelle at kaagad na hinawakan ang saya, humalakhak ako at nagkibit-balikat samantalang pinandilatan niya naman ako ng mata. Pulang-pula na siya nang tinulak niya ako at kinurot sa tagiliran, I ouched but she didn't care.

"Sadista." Bulong ko.

"Manyak." Bulong niya rin.

I feel offended, in my twenty-five years of living, no one had ever called me that way, girls like it when I check them out and yet this woman just called me names! I glared at her, she glared back at me. 

"Adam Benjamin Carter! What a pleasure to meet you!" 

Bumaling ako sa pinanggagalingan ng boses, it was Mr. Governor, my father's friend. I gave him a polite smile and pretended to be a gentleman to the woman beside me. I guided her towards the man, Arabelle looked at me with confusion but I just gave her a look to behave.

"What a pleasure, Mr. Governor. Happy birthday to Aston." I said with a smile.

Nanigas ang babeng nasa tabi ko kaya napabaling ako sa kaniya. She looked pale, parang hindi siya makapaniwala sa pangalang binanggit. Why? Does he know who Aston is?

"Oh! Is this Cara?" Baling ng matanda sa katabi ko.

"Yes." I smiled and put my hand on her back, napaayos siya ng tayo at binigyan ng matamis na ngiti ang matanda.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Governor." She gave him her hand.

Humalakhak ang matanda at tinanggap ang kamay ni Arabelle. "Totoo nga ang narinig kong balita na maganda itong mapapangasawa mo, Adam! Napakasuwerto mo!" Mr. Governement haven't met Cara yet, ako lang kasi ang madalas na pumupunta sa tuwing may pakain siya, today is the first time I brought Cara with me in his house.

I chuckled. "Yeah . . ." 

"O siya! Maaga pa pero pasok kayo!" Aya ng matanda.

I assited Arabelle with my hand on her back, she glared at me but I didn't mind her. Nang makapasok kami sa malaking sala ng governor ay nakita ko kung paano gumala ang mata ni Arabelle sa mga muwebles. Her lips parted as she looked at the fancy food on the huge table, tumuon ang atensyon niya sa chocolate fountain, I see that she's a fun of chocolate.

"Is that Cara? Cara dear!" It was an old woman's voice. Madaming kilala si Cara na kaibigan ni Papa dahil nga alam nilang mapapangasawa ko ang babae. Mabuti nalang at may pamalit kaagad dahil kung hindi, kakalat ang balitang tinakasan ako ng mapapangasawa ko and that would reach my Father's ear. Tiyak akong magkakaroon ako ng kakompetensya sa paghahanap kay Cara. Cara would be in danger by then.

"Shit." Pinagpawisan na ang katabi ko, humigpit ang hawak niya sa braso ko, tila ba nanghihingi ng tulong.

I chuckled, "you can handle that." I pushed earning a glare from her.

"Cara! You're so pretty! Parang iba ka na no'ng huli tayong nagkita!"

"Maybe because she's already twenty. Not a teen anymore." I chimed in.

"Oh right! The last time we met was on your debut! Now you're completely an adult!" The old woman chuckled.

"Yes." She chuckled awkwardly. 

Nagpaalam na ang matandang gobernador na sasalubungin niya muna ang ibang bisita, I nodded and he went out. A waitress holding a tray of martini passed by us, I grabbed one and sipped.

"Kailan niyo planong magpakasal?" I coughed at the question, pinisil ni Arabelle ang tagiliran ko at tumawa.

"Soon." She answered, there was still a hint of awkwardness in her voice.

"Really! Don't forget to invite me!" Excited na sabi ng matanda.

"Sure." She handled it so well while I was quiet beside her.

"I'm sure the little versions of both of you would be full of visuals!" Ani ng matanda.

"I'm not sure." Baling ni Arabelle sa akin, implying that I'm ugly! 

"Ha?" Litong tanong ng matanda.

"I'm sure." She twisted her words and chuckled elegantly as if she did not just insult me.

Damn this woman. She deserve a punishment. How many times did she already insult me today?

"Why don't I leave you two then?" The old woman chuckled.

"Yeah. Thanks for the wonderful time!" Arabelle said in a friendly tone.

Nang makaalis na ang matanda ay kaagad na tinanggal niya ang kamay kong nasa likod niya, I raised my hand in surrender while she huffed and looked around us. She looked uneasy as if she knew she's about to see a ghost. 

"Who was the government's nephew you were talking about earlier?" She asked anxiously. 

Kumunot ang noo ko. "You mean As—"

"Adam Benjamin!" 

Speaking of which, here it is, Aston. One of the few man I became friends with. He looked at me with a wide smile, I greeted him with a tap on his shoulder. Tinapik niya rin ang balikat ko, halatang masayang makita ako. We have things in common and that is horse-riding. Every weekends, we do horse racing and pretty much, we were both good, most of our scores were tie.

"It's been awhile! Kailan ulit and laban? Last time, I won!" He said.

I tsked. "I won the first round but you insister for a second round. We're tie." 

He laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's have a rematch this weekend then! To see who's better!"

I raised my brow, this dude is a narcissist, one thing I just like about him is that he's equally as good as me when it comes to horse-riding. No one had ever beaten me up, only he came close to it.

"Sure." I said smugly.

He winked at me and slowly, his eyes shifted to the woman standing beside me. Ngayon ko lang napansin na mahigpit na pala ang pagkakahawak ng babae sa braso ko. Bumaling ako kay Arabelle na nakatagilid ang mukha, bigla niya nalang inulugay ang buhok, now her curly hair is covering her face, para siyang nakatingin sa malayo at may malalim na iniisip. She looked like a beautiful ghost.

"Is that your . . ."

"Fiancée." I said confidently.

"Oh! I heard your Fiancée has quite the Beauty, why don't you introduce her to me?" 

"Shit." I heard her soft whisper. Her fingers dug deeply into my arm. 

"Her name is Cara." I said and tucked her hair behind her ear so I would see her face, our eyes met and I was welcomed by her deadly glare.

It shifted when her eyes landed on Aston. Aston's eyes widened and her mouth parted, I see that she had never seen such a beautiful woman. He must've been mesmerized by her beauty just like what I felt when I first saw her, but it doesn't look that way though. Aston seems so shock, he cannot believe what he's seeing right now. Indeed, a beautiful ghost is right befote his eyes.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Cara." Her voice is unknowingly sweet and attractive very unusual from her usual voice.

"A-Arabelle?" His voice was in disbelief.

I snapped. He knew her! Why didn't I think of that? Binalingan ko si Arabelle, gulat at hindu makapaniwala. She should've told me!

"Huh?" Her dark brown brows knitted in confusion, damn she's just a good actress. "Arabelle? Pardon me but I do not know who you're talking about."

Aston gulped and he looked at me in disbelief. "Dude, we have the same Fiancée!" He laughed incredulously.  

"The fuck are you talking about?" Galit kong tanong.

"Woah!" Aston raised his hand and chuckled, "what I mean is your Fiancée has the same face as my Fiancée!"

"Fiancée . . ." Bumaling ako kay Arabelle na hindi makatingin sa akin, pinanliitan ko siya ng mata kaya pinandilatan niya ako. 

"Yeah . . ." He chuckled. "Her name is Arabelle." 

Arabelle pinched my arms so hard, I fought the urge to hold her hand just so she would stop. She didn't tell me she has Fiancé, but then again we weren't that close to know each other. 

"Arabelle? I assume she's not as beautiful as my fiancée." I said.

Bumaling sa akin si Arabelle, nakakunot ang noo na para bang binibigyan niya ako ng babala. Hindi naman ako natatakot sa kaniya.

"You're wrong. My Fiancée is much more beautiful than yours." That bastard looked at my Fiancée from head to toe.

"I bet that." I sipped my martini.

"Kamukhang-kamukha mo." Narinig kong bulong ni Aston.

Inagaw ni Arabelle ang hawak kong Martini pagkatapos ay sinunggaban, napaubo siya nang malasahan ito, mukhang hindi pa nakakatikim ng alak ang anghel. I smirked and she glared at me.

"I will visit Arabelle later and I will show you the proof just how beautiful my Fiancée is." Aston said confidently, Arabelle's grip on me tightened, anxious. 

"Maybe you're just making it up." I calmly said and snatched the Martini off Arabelle's hold so I could sip.

"Making it up? No way! I swear, my Fiancee just looks like Cara!" 

I shrugged, "lost twins I guess?"

"Yeah . . ." He nodded and stared at Arabelle. His stare is making her uncomfortable, I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to me, Aston's eyes drifted down to my hands, I acted naturally.

"I'm having doubt that we know the same person." Aston finally said.

"Continue your doubt. She's mine." 

Tumikhim si Arabelle, nanatili ang kalmado kong ekspressyon. I know the insides of her are already anxious that's why I decided to stay calm, if I do, she'll think I have a plan in mind. I don't need to put more anxious on her by panicking as well.

"I'll meet you this weekend, by then, I'll show you Arabelle."

Weekend, 6 days left I need to find Cara so no one will doubt she's missing.

"Sure. No problem." I calmly said, he nodded and said goodbye so he could greet other guests although his eyes were lingering on Arabelle.

"Bakit ka ba kasi tinakasan ng Fiancee mo?" Iritado niyang tanong nang tuluyan nang nawala si Aston.

"Mind your own business." Inalis ko na ang pagkakahawak sa baywang niya at umayos ng upo.

"Sabagay, sa ugali mong 'yan. Talagang iiwan ka."

Because of your temper, everyone will leave you including your mother.

That . . . hit hard. I felt the fire burning in my chest, the throbbing of my head and the lack of oxygen in my lungs due to uncontrolled emotions. I clenched my fist and closed my eyes to control the raging anger boiling inside of me. I suddenly want to throw the glass I'm holding right now in front of this woman but that would create a scene.

"Get the fuck out of my sight before I open my eyes." I warned.

I heard her gasped, she must've realized I'm about to be violent in a matter of second.

Count, Adam. From one to five, count until it all dissipates. 

One . . .

I breathed hard.

Two . . .

I exhaled.

Three . . .

I slowly let go of my clenched fist.

Four . . .

Five . . .

I opened my eyes and she's gone.

"Adam! It's nice to meet you!" A man approached me.

I heaved a breath. I scanned the room for a second but I couldn't see her. I'll find her later. For now, I need to deal with this shit.

🥀

Fuck. Where is Arabelle?

I've been looking for her for ten minutes and I still couldn't see her. Lahat na nilapitan ko, pero hindi raw nila nakita ang babae. That stubborn woman, where the hell could she be?

"Excuse me, ma'am. Have you seen my Fiancée?" I asked the old lady maid.

"Cara? Nako, pasensya na, sir. Hindi ko nakita."

Damn. Where the hell is she?

Lumabas ako ng masyon, maaga pa dahil umaga naman kami umalis ngunit hindi pa rin ako nakakasiguro kung ligtas ba. Walang tao sa labas, tanging huni ng ibon at napapalibutang puno ang nakita ko. Baka nagpahangin sa labas? Naglakad ako patungo sa labas ng tarangkahan at ipinalibot ang tingin.

"Arabelle?" Tawag ko.

Walang sumagot. Bumuntong-hininga ako at papasok na sana sa loob ngunit may nahagip ang mata ko. Nagtama ang mata namin ngunit kaagad itong nawala sa paningin ko. Lumakas ang pintig ng puso ko sa kadahilanang pamilyar na pamilyar ang mata at kung hindi ako nagkakamali . . .

"Cara!" Hinila ko siya sa pulsuhan at tinulak paharap sa akin, tumama ang katawan niya sa katawan ko dahil sa lakas ng pagkakahila ko.

"Ano ba?!" Arabelle's voice.

Pero sigurado ako . . . hindi iyon mata ni Arabelle ang nakita ko kanina. 

"Bitiwan mo nga ako!" Boses ni Arabelle ngunit si Cara ang nasa isipan ko.

Are you hiding from me, Cara?

🥀