M A X E N E

Waldrin is humming happily habang naglalakad kami papuntang classroom. Kanina pa siya nagpaparinig na next week na ang birthday niya. At magkasama kaming bibili ng wedding ring mamaya. 

"What are you so excited about? Parang first time mong magbirthday." I asked him. Ngumuso siya sakin. 

"It's not about my birthday, it's about our wedding!" May halong tampo sa boses niya. "Kalat na sa campus na ikakasal na tayo sa birthday ko. I wanted to invite them all but you want this to be exclusive for us." He giggled. 

"Paanong hindi malalaman ng campus eh ang laki-laki ng tarpaulin sa may gate na ikakasal na tayo!" I grunted at him. Tumawa lang siya habang pinipisil ang kamay ko. 

"I'm so excited..." He mumbled again. 

Buo na ang desisyon ko. Plantyado na lahat ng mga plano ko. Pinatigas ko na rin ang puso ko para lang magampanan ang misyon ko. I will break their hearts for sure, they will loathe me after my death pero binura ko na ang pake ko sa kung ano mang mararamdaman nila pagkatapos ng lahat. 

Afterall, I am no one. I am someone who doesn't have the right to exist and continue living. 

"Have you tried your dress? You don't need to look fancy. You are perfect as you are." He tucked some hair strands behind my ear and smiled at me. My heart is clenching painfully. 

"In our next life, tayo pa rin ha?" I held his face. He pulled my head to give me a tight hug. 

"Syempre naman. I want to be happy like this in my next lives. Ikaw at ikaw pa rin ang hahanapin ko." He rubbed the tip of his nose on to mine. Napangiti na lang ako ng mapait. 

Dumiretso na kami sa cafeteria kung saan andun na silang lahat at naghihintay samin. Christian and Raven volunteered to order for us. Pumunta muna ako ng vending machine para bumili ng maiinom. 

"W-What the heck are you doing?!" Marshan gasped in horror when she saw me mixing the lemon juice and gatorade in a glass. 

"M-May lemon flavored naman na gatorade sa vending machine." Nakangiwing sabi naman ni Monique. 

"It's not sour enough. I like this better." 

"Kailan ka pa nahilig sa maasim?" Marshan asked me.

"Why are you bothering her? Bumili kayo ng sa inyo kung naiinggit kayo!" Waldrin hissed. Agad namang napasimangot sina Marshan at Monique na umirap na lang saming dalawa. Natawa na lang ako before I drank my juice. 

Dumating na rin yung order namin. Hati kami ni Waldrin sa isang bowl ng bulalo. Dahil good for three naman yun. I took a separate bowl and put some mayonnaise in it bago ko lagyan ng bulalo soup. 

"Sh*t! Y*ck Maxene! Ano ba yang kinakain mo?" Halos maduwal si Marshan ng makita niyang hinahalo ko yung mayonnaise sa bulalo soup.

"Arte mo! Masarap kaya! Why don't you try it?" Alok ko sa kanya. She covered her nose at umiling-iling sa kin. I just laughed at her before I continued eating. 

Binakuran na ko ni Waldrin mula kay Marshan para daw hindi na niya ko inaabala sa pagkain. Pansin ko rin madalas akong magutom nitong mga nakaraang araw at marami akong nakakain. Good thing continuous are training ko kaya hindi ako tumataba. After effect na rin siguro nung mga therapies na pinagdaanan ko. 

We decided to go separately from them dahil may 2 hours pa naman kaming vacant. Nasa park kami ngayon ni Waldrin, nakaupo sa bench sa ilalim ng malaking Narra. 

"Your cheeks are getting fluffier, ang cute-cute naman ng girlfriend ko." Waldrin pinch my cheeks then pressed his palm on them hanggang sa tuluyan na niya kong pinanggigilan at napalakas na ang pagkurot niya sakin. 

"Aww!" I faked my tears as I looked at him. 

Agad naman siyang napabitaw sa mukha ko and horror is written all over his face. 

"D-D-D-Did I hurt you?! Oh no! I hurt you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry." He was so rattled and he looks so cute kaya natawa na lang ako ng malakas. 

"Hindi ka naman nagsosorry sakin kapag nasasaktan mo ko sa kama mo." I teased him. His face flushed red at maging ang mga tenga niya'y namumula na. 

"T-That's different... Ugh! Don't do this to me Maxene." He pouted as he hide his red face on my shoulder. "You're so naughty, you know that?" He pinched my nose at muli akong niyakap. 

"S-Sir Waldrin, you want us to take a photo?" Waldrin immediately wore his poker face as he glanced sharply at those boys from the photography club. 

"S-Sorry---"

"Diba balak mong dagdagan yung picture natin sa kwarto mo?" I asked Waldrin. His face immediately softens upon glancing at me.

"Okay. I want a good shot." He said to those boys. Umayos kami ng upo at inakbayan naman ako ni Waldrin. Hindi ko alam kung ilang pictures ang kinuha nila. 

"That's enough! You're disturbing us already!" Waldrin hissed. 

"Y-Yes sir! We'll just email you the photos." They ran away. I held Waldrin's hand. Bumuntong hininga siya at parang batang nagsumiksik sa leeg ko. 

"Do you want to sleep on my lap?" 

"Really?!" He asked excitedly habang nangingislap ang mga mata. I smiled at him widely and nodded. Agad naman siyang umunan sa hita ko and hugged my waist. I brushed his hair and hummed him to sleep hanggang sa makatulog na rin ako. 

"Hoy! Andito lang pala kayo! Bakit hindi kayo nag-attend ng class?!"

"Shhh! You'll wake her up!" 

Naalimpungatan ako ng marinig ang boses ni Marshan. 

"See? You woke her up stupid!" Waldrin slashed at her. I slightly rubbed my eyes habang nagbabangayan itong dalawa. 

"Last day of therapy mo na ngayon Maxene, hindi dapat tayo ma-late." Christian told me. I looked at my watch and yawned. Pansin kong nakasandal na pala ako sa balikat ni Waldrin. He woke up earlier and didn't bother to wake me up. 

"You didn't wake me up." Naggalit-galitan ako sa kanya. Agad naman niya kong niyakap at nagsorry sakin. 

"Sorry baby, gusto ko lang namang makapagpahinga ka ng mabuti." He pouted at me. 

Maaga kaming nakarating sa hospital. It's my last day of therapy kaya puro check ups na lang ngayon. Actually, halos ngayong buong week puro check ups na lang ginawa namin. 

I was busy munching some marshmallows ng biglang pumasok si Dr. Marquez. Nakahawak ito sa sentido niya habang may binabasang papeles. 

"Did you know about this?!" I just stared at him while I continued stuffing marshmallows inside my mouth. 

"You know about this!" He stated furiously. "Hindi ko na talaga alam ang gagawin ko sayong bata ka!" He breathed. I just watched his movements habang patuloy pa rin akong kumakain. 

He's mad about my pregnancy. Actually, alam ko ng buntis ako last week pa. The sudden change of appetite, sensitivity, dizziness and morning sickness. I just had my check up with the OB this week and based on his reaction, it's 100% positive. 

"I told you! You can't get pregnant Maxene? Lalaban ka! Mamamatay din ang mga sanggol sa sinapupunan mo!" 

Nabulunan ako sa sinabi niya. "M-Mga sanggol?" 

"You're having twins Maxene! What do you want me to do now?! Lalaban kang buntis? Mamamatay kang buntis?!" 

"Isn't that nice? I'll die with my angels." Mapait akong napangiti habang nakahawak sa puson ko. Napasentido muli si Dr. Marquez habang pabalik-balik na naglalakad sa harapan ko. 

"Sasagarin ko na ang pagiging selfish Doc, I have received my last wish. I am a mother now and I'll be a wife soon. I've never been this satisfied." 

Napakurap-kurap ako when Dr. Marquez walked out at hindi rin nagtagal ay bumalik ito. 

"Sign this..." He breathed. Naningkit ang mga mata ko dahil hindi ko mabasa ang mga nakasulat dahil malabo ang mga mata ko. 

"I can't read it. Anong nakalagay?" I asked him as I took the pen from him and signed it. Hindi ko na kailangang basahin yun dahil may tiwala naman ako kay Dr. Marquez. 

"I-It's just the receipt for all the medical expenses." He slightly coughed. Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ko, it looks more of a contract than a receipt sa naaninag ko. Oh well, baka iba lang ang format ng resibo nila. 

"Here are the stuffs you need to buy. We cannot let you have miscarriage before your fight. And this book will help you---"

"Masyado kang praning sa pagbubuntis ko. I'll die next week, what's the fuss?" I chuckled. 

"I'm freakin' serious right now Maxene at kanina pa mainit ang ulo ko sayo!" He grunted. Napanguso na lang ako at inubos na lang yung marshmallow ko habang pinapanood siyang tapusin lahat na ng dapat tapusin. 

"Sinabi ko na sa Lolo mo ang kondisyon mo, he'll adjust your training for you. You have two more lives to protect now. If you won't be able to survived, we will remove the fetus inside your womb, we have artificial wombs in our laboratory. We'll make sure your children will stay alive and we could ask Marshan to be their foster parent."

Parang may bumara sa lalamunan ko sa narinig. Humapdi ang mga mata ko sa narinig. I am too selfish, ain't I? May karapatan ding mabuhay ang mga bata sa sinapupunan ko. They are not made to suffer with me. 

Wala akong karapatang ipagkait sa kanila ang buhay na nararapat para sa kanila. They'll live. And I'll make sure of that. 

"Do everything you could, doc. I will entrust them with you." Ngumiti ito saakin at bahagyang tumango. He tapped my shoulder. 

"Makakaasa ka." 

----

"I think this is prettier..." Marshan said habang sinusukat ang napili niyang wedding ring. 

"Kung makacomment ka parang ikaw ang ikakasal ah?" I teased her. Ngumuso siya sakin at binalik yung singsing sa box nito. Kinuha ko yung isang simpleng golden ring na may mga maliliit na diamonds sa gitna.  

"I want this." I said to Waldrin. Agad namang tinignan ni Marshan yung price nito at agad itong napasapo sa noo niya. My forehead creased and look at it's price. Maging ako ay nalula sa presyo nito. 

"I change my mind---"

"It's okay we'll take this." Waldrin said at iniabot dun sa saleslady yung box at yung card niya. 

"B-But that was too expensive..." Halos pabulong na sabi ko. Napatingin ako sa gawi nina Monique at Christian who were trying some pandora's bracelets. 

"It will be the symbol of our love Maxene. I don't really care about the price." He said and kissed my temple. Lihim akong napangiti as I watch him talk to the saleslady para sa ipapaengrave niyang pangalan sa singsing. 

"Tapos na ba? Kailangan pa nating kunin yung wedding dress mo." Marshan called me. 

"Ngayon ba ang appointment niyo? We better hurry. Kukunin ko lang ang sasakyan." Aalis na sana si Waldrin ng pigilan siya ni Marshan. 

"Hep! Hep! Hep! Hindi mo pwedeng makita si Maxene na magtatry ng wedding dress! Sige ka hindi matutuloy ang kasal niyo." Nakapamewang na sabi ni Marshan sa harap nito. 

"What?! Saan mo naman narinig yan?!" Waldrin grimaced. 

"Bro, ganyan din ang sabi nina Mommy. It's  a bad omen. Better safe than sorry. Kasama naman niya sina Marshan at Monique. Let's just wait for them in your house." 

Mas lalong dumilim ang mukha ni Waldrin. Alam kong gusto rin niyang makita yung dress. Simple lang naman yun dahil hindi naman engrande yung ceremony. 

"Fine then, update me." He kissed my cheek at napansin ko naman ang paniningkit ng mga mata ni Marshan. 

"Let's go Maxene, para makalayo ka naman diyan sa walking PDA na yan." Marshan tugged me at napatawa na lang ako. 

A/N: Last few chapters!!!