Chapter 6

Hindi ko mai-kwento kay Raj ang balita na natanggap ako sa isang company na in-applyan ko. He was inviting me again to do an interview sa company kung saan siya nagta-trabaho, and he would easily give me a recommendation for the role I was applying for. I wasn't sure if there would be a catch sa ino-offer niya, but he works for the company I was aiming for so I couldn't just ignore that.

"Why are we rushing back home, Raj? Is there something wrong?" I asked worriedly.

He shook his head and then took a deep breath. "I'm not sure, Kash. I think something's going on and I don't know that yet."

I feel like I shouldn't be worried at all kung ano man ang nangyayari, but it somehow made me concerned. We were about to have a date earlier, pero hindi natuloy dahil tumawag ang parents niya sa kanya. Hindi niya binanggit sa akin kung anong dahilan. Hindi ko rin sigurado kung ibababa niya muna ako sa bahay namin. We just rushed back to his car and drove away.

Napansin ko rin naman na malayo-layo na kami sa bahay kaya nasigurado kong hindi niya ako ihahatid pauwi. If he would take me to their place, ano naman kaya ang gagawin ko ro'n? I was wondering if I would play a part in their family's proble or I would be standing there to witness how it will unfold.

Ayoko pa namang sumali sa mga problema ng ibang pamilya.

I've already had enough problems in my life, ayoko nang may dumagdag pa. Ni hindi ko nga maayos ang buhay ko ngayon, daragagan ko pa ba? Halos kamalasan nga ang nakuha ko nitong nakaraang linggo. Parang no'ng umulan ay sinalo ko lahat nang dumating ako rito sa India. Hindi naman umulan no'ng dumating ako, pero ibang klase ng hangin ang sumalubong sa akin.

Hindi ako pamilyar dinaraan namin ni Raj kaya sandali lang ay inanunsyo nito sa akin na nasa bahay na nila kami. Bumaba kami ng sasakyan niya. He even opened the door for me. Muli pa akong nagtanong sa kanya kung anong gagawin namin habang papunta kami sa loob bahay nila.

"This doesn't matter to you, but please come with me in the meantime. . ."

"Oh, okay, sure. . . No problem. . ."

I get a little more confused about his answer to me. Wala akong problema kung walang kinalaman 'to sa akin. His assurance was enough for me to believe him. 

Raj's family is rich. Hindi sila 'yong pamilyang mayamang-mayaman, they were conventional rich because of their business and hard work, they were able to reach this part of their life where money wasn't a problem. Maraming nagkakagusto sa Raj lalo na't maganda ang family background nito. Some would love to arrange their daughter for him, but I'm sure he has a plan for why he wasn't entering marriage sooner.

I followed Raj behind as soon as we entered their home. I quickly felt the cold rush into my bones when we stepped in and my eyes started wandering around. Gusto ko na sanang bawiin kay Raj na umalis na ako at bumalik na lang sasakyan. Feeling ko hindi ko naman need sumama sa kanya kung hindi naman ako need at all.

Nang marating namin ang living room ay nandoon ang parents nin Raj. I knew them because I'd seen them a couple of times before. I was following Raj din on Instagram so I knew about what they looked like now. Wala naman sa akin ang atensyon nila kung hindi nasa anak nila. Aside from his parents, I also noticed some people in the living room. Hindi sila pamilyar sa akin, but the girl who was wearing Sari looked at me. I tried giving her a smile, pero iniwas niya rin kaagad ang tingin palayo.

Did I offend her with my smile? Hindi naman ako pangit para iwasan niya ng tingin.

As much as I wanted to listen to what their family was talking about, I slowly put myself out of the scene at bumalik ako sa hallway na nilakaran namin kanina. Looking at the walls were some paintings hanging on the wall and some of them are actual family photos. Siniyasat ko pa ang ilang picture nila ro'n. I was amazed that since Raj was a child and until he was a grown man, kompleto ang litrato nila. I figured that it was him dahil only child lang naman siya ng parents niya. I knew a long time ago I heard from someone that his parents had a miscarriaged when he was still little. Hindi ko sigurado kung paano umabot ang tsismis na 'yon dahil masyadong personal para sa akin kaya hindi ko rin ikinukwento sa ibang tao.

I wasn't criticizing each picture on the wall, but everything was interesting. Habang nasa kalagitnaan ako nang pag-uusisa ay biglang sumalubong si Raj sa akin. Wala itong pasabi kung hindi ay kinuha na lamang niya ang kamay ko pabalik sa living room. I was confused and nervous about what he would put me up to when in the first place, siya na mismo ang nagsabi sa akin na wala naman akong kinalaman sa kung anong problema ng pamilya nila.

"This is her. This is Kashmir Rashmi and she came all the way from the Philippines just to see me. We're so in love with each other. I'm sorry, but I have to decline this marriage you were asking me for. I'm not against Noor, she's a lovely person in and out, but my heart belongs to this woman. . ."

What the fuck is happening?

Nakatingin sa akin ang mga magulang ni Raj pati na rin ang pamilya ni Noor. I was put into a situation where I felt like I have nothing to say. May gusto akong sabihin, pero ayokong mangialam. I let Raj handled it, but it seemed like everything was only falling for his favor. Why would he tell everyone na he was in love with me? Anong nakain nitong lalaking 'to?

Noong nakaraang linggo nga lang ay kinasusuklaman ko siya tapos ngayon ay bibiglain niya ako na in love siya sa akin? Gago ba 'tong lalaking 'to?

"We're pulling ourselves from this situation," sabi ng tatay ni Noor. "Thank you for letting us inside your home, but if this was something we have to deal with, we can't be a part of it. Noor can't be with a man who is in love with someone else. This isn't what we've all agreed on. We're leaving. . ."

Umalis ang pamilya ni Noor. Pagkadaan niya sa harap ko ay may kakaibang tingin pa itong iniwan sa akin. Nagtaka naman ako dahil wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa kanya, but it seemed like I did something wrong. I looked up at Raj. Parang wala lang sa kanya ang nangyari. When I realized he was still holding my hand, I slowly pulled my hand out of his grip. I put my hands behind my back while trying to understand the situation going on between Raj and his parents.

"What's going on Raj?" his father asked.

"Let's not talk about this for now," he said, shaking his head. "Not with my girlfriend around."

Napangisi naman ang tatay nito. "You have a girlfriend, but you didn't even tell us? You embarrassed us Noor and her family, and my son. This wasn't right. You know how many times we've talked about you getting married to Noor, but you kept insisting on the perfect time for it. Now's the perfect time, but you brought this girl out and made a stupid mistake."

"No, I didn't do anything. Her name's Kashmir and she's not just a girl," depense pa ni Raj sa tatay niya. Ngayon ay hindi ko siguradokung tama ba na nandito pa rin ako. "I don't want any woman. I don't like to be arranged with anyone girl you thought would be best for me because I knew what would be best for me, and Kashmir's that woman for me."

His father shook his head. Ayaw pakinggan ang paliwanag ng anak niya. "No. I don't want to hear any of your explanation. You just disappoint me."

Umalis ang tatay nito at sinundan naman siya ng asawa niya. Nang maiwan kaming dalawa ni Raj sa living room at masigurado na walang ibang tao ay hinampas ko siya sa braso. Ikinagulat pa niya kung bakit ko ginawa ko.

"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his arm.

"That was for bringing me here and in this situation! What are you saying to your father? I'm not even your girlfriend."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I pulled you into this situation, Kash, but this was the only thing and the opportunity I had to stop my father from arranging for me to get married to anyone. Please don't get mad at me, but I only have one request for you to do while I'm still trying to work this one out with my father. I can assure you that you won't be in any sort of trouble."

Napataas ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya at saka ako napahalukipkip. "I'm not sure what's in it for me, but sure, I would help you. . . What should I do?"

"Alright, I want you to pretend as my girlfriend because I know he won't stop making me change my mind about marrying Gaandi's daughter. I knew Noor was an amazing woman, but she wasn't the one I was looking for—to be honest, I didn't want to get married at all. I even wanted to move to the US where I could be free. My life's here a mess so if you could help me by doing that, I would appreciate it a lot."

"Is that all? But just what I was saying, what's in it for me? Will you pay me for pretending as your girlfriend? Would this be some sort of a job?"

His brow furrowed quickly shaking his head. "No. No. That's not what I meant, but sure, remember the job I was still offering you to our company? Just accept my interview invitation and I will process your application immediately for employment."

"Hm. . . Seems to good to be true."

"It is true, Kash. I'm a manager at the company there so I can actually do that."

"Hm. . ." I smirked. "What if I said that on our way here, I received a message from the company I applied to and I got hired? They could probably be offering me higher than what your company could pay me. Why should I join your company? Would it benefit me at all?"

He nodded his head, felt like he was out of option anymore and he had to resort to this idea of mine. If he was asking me something for his benefit, I think it should be the same thing for me. Hindi pwede na siya lang ang makikinabang sa bagay na 'to.

"I will make sure of that, Kash. . . Just go with my plan and everything will fall in place—hopefully," he said. "Should we have a deal?"

He handed his hand over to me. Tiningnan ko lang iyon nang ilang segundo para makapag-decide. Nakikita ko rin naman na may magandang mangyayari sa akin kung susundin ko ang plano ni Raj. After all, kung magkatrabaho na ako sa company na pinapasukan niya at mag-pretend pa as a girlfriend niya, I think it was a win-win situation.

"Deal," I firmly said. "I hope you're a man of your word, Raj."

"I am. . . I'm going to take you home for now. I'll call you if something comes up, but please tomorrow, be prepared to go to the interview, we have to do it as soon as possible, alright?"

I nodded. "Understood, Mister Singh."

"Thank you Kash. I really appreciate what you do for me and I promise you, this won't put you in any trouble."

"I hope so. . ."

Gaya ng sabi niya, hinatid niya nga ako sa bahay nila Priti. Hindi rin naman siya nagtagal at umuwi na rin. His father was intimidating. Ni hindi ko nga matingnan nang maayo sa mata. What Raj introduced me on today's dillema held me spiraling, but seemed like the start of a new beginning for me.

***