Accept

Jarvee Marcelius Real

I caught my breath as I ran while shouting my brother's name. My heart kept pounding and I felt like I was in a race. I wanted to cry but it seemed like my heart had turned to stone.

This feels like a needle pricking my heart, seeing him push me just to save me from being kidnapped? That's freakin' insane, dude! Nagawa 'yon ng kapatid ko para sa akin!

Nang sandaling marating ko ang gate ay gano'n na lang ang kabang naramdaman ko nang makita si Patricia sa may gate na papasok na roon. There was even a glimpse of light from a distance, so I believe there was a car just passing by.

My mom watched as I kept catching my breath.

"M-Mom!" I shouted while panting.

My mother asked me in an annoying voice, "Vee, alive ka pa pala? Bakit ka humahangos?" Parang gusto kong i-urong ang gusto kong manahimik na lang kaysa humingi ng tulong sa kanya.

"M-Mom! Help m-me! Jairus was being kidnapped by a van!"

"What?" I saw the confusion on her face when I told her what I had said.

"Jairus was kidnapped, mom!" I shouted.

Patricia covered her mouth in shock but it seems like she's just pretending. I felt disgusted by her reaction. Shame on her!

"Oh, really?" She asked in her fake tone. "Good for him. I hate that gold digger!"

I clenched my fist in anger. Hearing those words from her makes me want to punch her in the face. Once, I wanted to get revenge on her. But I guess I'll do it another time.

I've tried to hold my grudge for a long time and I think I'll do it again. After taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down so that the situation could be improved. Pero nakakagigil talaga rin minsan 'tong bruhilda 'to.

I count mentally from one to ten just to calm myself more. "Mom, could you just be considerate? My brother just kidnapped and hindi ka man lang rumesponde?"

Fuck! She really knows how to play the game. Or more likely, all of us are her puppets with strings that she's been playing for a long time.

"Why would I? I'm not your real mother. So who am I to help you---"

"Damn!" I was pissed off by her answer. She's really gone crazy!

"You know what, Vee, it would be much better if you fixed yourself. We'll go to your fiancé. She's waiting for you."

My eyes widened at what she said. No! Why would I go to my faceless fiancé while my brother was in serious danger? How could she say those words?

"No, mom! Then I'll chase them. It's so stupid to seek help from a wicked person like you! Goodbye, mom!" I shrieked.

I was shocked to see a man in a black suit blocking my path when I turned my back on her. I am getting more pissed off by his presence since he is taller than me.

I raised my brows to him, "Mr. Whoever you are, please, get out of my way," I commanded him calmly.

"Roque, take him now," I froze for a second hearing my mother's words.

As he raised something and stabbed it into my arm, I noticed.

"What the hell?" I shouted. I throw a hard punch in the guy's face for fucking doing it to me. But I felt the pain in my knuckles dahil sa sobrang gaspang ng mukha niya.

I face my mom and hold my arm, which was numb after he plunged the vial inside the injection.

"Mom, w-what did he do?" I felt pain all over my body and my vision became blurry.

"Son, as I told you, you need to meet your fiancé---"

Everything around me feels like spinning. I can't hear any noises while my mom keeps mumbling words.

Seconds later, my sight turned black.

***

I heard a dog barking which made me open my eyes. Puting kisame ang bumungad sa akin at napagtantong hindi ako pamilyar sa lugar na 'to.

Agad akong bumangon at napatingin-tingin sa aking paligid. The room is so wide and there are lots of antique vases and portraits around. Sobrang aliwalas din ng paligid at hindi mapagkakailang maganda naman talaga ang buong k'warto.

But that doesn't matter all that much to me because what really caught my attention is this outfit I'm wearing right now. I'm seeing a navy slack, and when I check my upper, I'm wearing a white inner and navy blazer with a maroon necktie.

Fuck! Why do I dress like that? Do I look like I'm attending a wedding?

Napahilot ako sa aking noo dahil sumakit ang ulo ko kaiisip sa mga nangyayari. Life is so fucking hard!

Hindi ko na alam kung anong nangyayari. Everything confused me.

It wasn't even me who saved Zach from those kidnappers. I'm here wearing this shit for I-don't-know stuff.

Papa, nasa'n ka na ba?

I want to cry. I miss my father! Gusto ko siyang kasama ngayon. 'Yong kapatid kong si Zach. I want to be with them.

I was about to shout my anger when a maid entered the open door. She looks pale like someone who didn't get enough sleep for days.

"Good morning, Sir Vee. I am Regina, your maid. It would be nice if you followed me," she said, speaking like a robot. Isn't she?

Hindi na ako nagtanong pa, sinundan ko siya palabas ng k'wartong pinamamalagian ko. Hallways meet me. The room is filled with antique vases and portraits of famous scientists.

I refrain from touching those weird things.

Nakailang lakad pa kami nang marating namin ang isang malawak na kitchen. The table is long and made of wood. Parang galing pa ata 'to sa panahon ng mga kastila sa luma ng disenyo.

Chairs are empty. Candles are everywhere. The chandelier on the ceiling is so elegant. Food is everywhere.

And I know those are expensive. Those dishes are from different parts of the world. There's Cou cou and flying fish from Barbados, Feijoada from Brazil, Bandeja paisa from Colombia, Langouste à la Vanille from Comoros and Doro wat from Ethiopia. Despite knowing these, I am still unable to eat right now since everything around me is so strange.

I was about to ask the lady when she pointed to the first chair on my right.

"There sir. That's your chair. Just wait for the other guests to be here," saad ng babae sabay alis.

Naiwan naman akong nakaharap sa pagkain. Lonely and silent, almost deafening.

Ultimo paghinga ko ay rinig na rinig ko pa.

The tip of my fingers kept tapping the table. Hindi ko alam pero kanina pa ako naiirita sa mga nakikita ko.

This is shit!

"Hi, darling!"

Isang matinis na boses ang umalingaw-ngaw sa buong silid dahilan para mapatingin ako sa gawing unahan ko.

An above-the-knee purple dress embellished with shiny sequins was worn by a girl with a height of 5. There's also a huge ribbon around her waist that makes her look like a child.

She's cute, but I can tell she's flirting with my eyes right now.

"Oh, Mr. Real! Nice to see you awake!" Saad ng kapapasok lang na lalake. When I look at him, I feel sick. He's in his 50's.

Nanatili akong tahimik habang nakatingin sa kanilang dalawa. Umupo sa pinakadulong upuan ang lalake habang umupo naman sa katapat kong upuan 'yong babae.

She's smiling the whole time while staring at me and she's giving me creeps at this moment.

"W-Where a-am I?" I stuttered.

"You're here at Villa Sandoval. Your mommy brought you here dahil ikakasal na tayo!" She said excitedly. My eyes widened. Pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa dalawang nandito dahil hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

"W-Wedding?"

I saw the girl nodding.

"Whether you like it or you like me... ikakasal tayo," she playfully raised her eyebrows while giving me a smirk.

Inirapan ko ito sabay tingin sa lalake. "So, am I the payment that you want?" I asked. Trying to be sarcastic.

"Nope, dati na tayong nagkaroon ng arrange marriage, mi amor," her words gave me creeps. Napalunok ako ng ilang beses.

"T-Then why is it so sudden? You're preparing to marry someone whom you just met? That's insane!" Pagmamaktol ko.

"Watch your words, young boy!" Suway ng lalake sa akin. "Hindi mo alam kung sinong binabangga mo!"

I guess I need to act rude in front of them just to turn them down. As much as kaya ko. Pipigilan ko 'tong kasal na 'to dahil ayaw na ayaw kong makasal sa taong hindi ko naman gusto. She's not even my type.

"How am I supposed to know someone like you if I'm not even exposed to the outside world? Do you even think that I can answer you like I'm a saint?"

"Is that how your parents raised you?"

"Nope. When I was growing up, neither of my parents stayed by my side. Even homeschool can't even teach me manners," I lied. At least my father was there to ease my boredom at the mansion. Isa siya sa naging dahilan kung bakit nakakapagtimpi pa ako sa nanay kuno ko.

"Such a shame. You grew in rudeness, child!"

"Nah, sir. I was locked in a cage for almost two decades. You don't know how it felt just looking at the four corners of the room. Looking at a monitor trying to imagine that I am in a place that I want to go." I felt a pinch of pain in my chest while saying those words. A bird that has been locked up in a cage for a long time.

I guess I am a puppet now. Attached to my body and being moved by my mother... Patricia.

"Ohhh!" I heard the girl say in disbelief. I rolled my eyes at her. "Daddy, kawawa naman pala si hubby ko. Like, he's been imprisoned for years. Tapos ngayon lang nakalabas ng bahay. My poor baby." His eyes did the puppy thing. But I just felt disgusted by it.

"So, you want to call off this wedding?"

I hesitantly nod in response to his question. Something is off about his face as I stare at it. He looks like someone who has a dark plan.

"But before that happens, you need to see this," he held up the iPad and handed it to Regina. She then lent it to me.

Tumambad sa akin ang isang video ng dalawang tao na nakaupo sa gitna ng tambakan. There were two of them tied together and surrounded by amputated chairs.

Napatakip na lang ako sa aking bibig nang mapansin na ang isang nakahandusay sa sahig ay si Zach. Pero ang isang hindi ko inasahan ay kung sino ang katabi niya. He is endowed with the same features as me.

What the fuck! Are we triplets? May kamukha pa kami ni Zach!

Agad akong nag-angat ng tingin sa lalake. Seeing what I'm seeing right now has made me clench my fist in secret.

"What the fuck did you just do to Zach? And who's this other guy that looks exactly the same as us?" I asked confusingly.

Is everything about you and your family okay, Mr. Real? I know them all."That video you are watching right now may be their last since Loro is obsessed with organs and meat," he explained. My eyes widened and I gritted my teeth in anger.

Does he mean that they're with a psycho? Fuck! How can I save them? How can I save my siblings?

"What? Organs and meat? Do you mean he's a killer?" I asked kahit alam ko na ang sagot.

"Uh, maybe? Dahil ang alam ko, random na nangingidnap ang ex-bestfriend ko. 'Pag umatake sakit no'n, papatay siya hanggang sa ma-satisfy siya. That's taking their organs... he'll kill them brutally." I dropped the iPad and refrained from punching him.

"What the fuck!" I screamed.

Agad akong napatayo sabay takbo papunta sa direksyon ng matanda. Pero bago pa ako makalapit dito ay agad nang naharang ni Regina ang kanyang sarili. Alam niyang aatakihin ko ang lalakeng 'yon.

"Don't you dare touch my brother! I'm gonna kill you for it!" I screamed at him. Patuloy pa rin akong pinipigilan ni Regina na hindi makalapit dito. Kahit gano'n ang hitsura ng katulong nila ay nakakamangha ang lakas nito.

"I can do it. Kung gusto mo silang mabuhay, accept what my daughter wants."

"Okay! Okay! I'll accept it! Just give me the assurance that they're alright! I'll marry your daughter!"