It Started Without Love

Chapter 26

“Hey Therese, you wanna join us? We’ll be gone for shopping.” Napalingon ako sa kaklase kong American na si Nathalie. Siya ang una kong naging kaibigan dito sa New York at hanggang ngayon. Siya ang tumulong sa akin para makapag-adjust kahit na mahirap. She is liberated, sobra pero when it comes to me, sobrang protective.

“Oh, maybe next time Nath, my cousin is waiting for me at the airport.” nakita ko ang sayang bumalatay sa mukha niya ng marinig niya ito. Naging close na din sila ni Ash. For the whole 3 years of stay here, I mean almost 3 years, palaging pumupunta dito si Ash. But for some reasons, ilang buwan nang hindi nagpaparamdam ito sa akin. Nagulat pa nga ako  ng tumawag ito kanina at nagpapasundo sa airport.

“Ashleah babe is here? OMG, let’s meet tomorrow.” Masigla nitong saad. Wala na kaming pasok dahil puro na lang practice simula next week. Next next week will be our graduation day. Next week na rin pupunta dito ang parents ko at ang parents ni Ash kasama si Alexa.

A thought suddenly popped in my mind. How’s he? Wala na akong naging balita pa. Bago ako umalis, isang balita na lang ang naabutan ko. He and Tatiana were seen together coming from an OB. Naging matunog ito sa internet so I decided to log out all of my account. Hindi ko ito dineactivate pero prinavate ko. Minsan inoopen ko just to accept request from my new friends. Pero kahit kalian ay hindi ako nagscroll sa feed at nagbasa ng mga messages or notifs.

“Ash!” I called her when I saw her walking from the arrival area. Parang modelo itong naglakad papunta sa akin.

“Reese!” nabigla ako ng bigla itong yumakap sa akin ng napakahigpit at humagulgol ng iyak sa balikat ko. Sabi ko na nga ba’t may problema nga talaga ito.

“Let’s go to my car. Baka makilala na ako dito.” I scan the people around us at may mga nakakilala na nga sa akin. I have the urge to just drag Ash from there pero ang laki ng luggage niya.

“Bakit ba kasi ang sikat mo na? Pati sa Pinas ay may billboard ka na. Sabi ko naman kasi sayo eh, magmodel ka.” Natatawa naman nitong saad ng makitang nagmamadali ako dahil may kumukuha na ng mga larawan ko.
For the past 3 years, I learned how to carry myself. I’ve been Tita Beth’s model for her Magazine here in New York. At hindi lang ito ang ikinahanga ko sa sarili ko. I manage to top the school, making me earned merits and awards for NYU and my school in the Philippines. I am graduating as a Magna Cum Laude next next week.

“Tiyak laway na laway na si-“ I glared at her to stop her from talking. Siya lang talaga ang naglalakas ng loob na inisin ako sa kanya. She’s been asking me if I really don’t want to hear something about him, tanggi naman ako ng tanggi kahit kating-kati na akong makibalita sa kanya.

“Until now, hindi ka pa ba nagtataka kung bakit wala pa ring development updates ang attorney mo sa annulment niyo? Its been years Reese. Hindi pa rin ba nababalik sa Gozon ang apelyido mo?” yes, until now, I am a Suarez. Magtatapos akong isang Suarez.

I’ve been questioned when I studied here kasi iniba ko ang gamit kong pangalan, I used Gozon. When they scan through my records, I am already married so I was forced to use my husband’s name. They also questioned me especially during my internship about being married but not wearing a wedding ring so I decided to wear it again. Ang hirap kasing magpaliwanag sa mga ito lalo na at they considered it as moral issues. Strikto ang school, kung kasal ka na then you should wear a wedding ring. Kung hindi naman, you should be a decent one, especially when you are already going to receive you diplomas.

The school do not aim to just produce intelligent students, but also moral ones. I’ve been contacting my lawyer about it but she said that the other party wants to have a meeting with me personally. Ilang beses ko pa siyang kinausap na baka magawan niya ng paraan at nitong nakaraang taon lang ito nagsabi na on process na daw and it will take time for it to be done. I became busy with my studies and internment so hindi ko na ito napagtuonan ng pansin.