Chapter 9

As soon as I signed the agreement paper Raj asked me, HR reached out to me and I was able to process my documents for my onboarding schedule. Sinunod ko lang ang pinapagawa nila sa akin, so the further process wasn't a problem for me. I think I waited for a few hours until I was called to join the orientation along with the new hires. Raj was there to speak, but my mind was all over right now. Sinubukan ko namang mag-concentrate sa pinagsasabi nila, pero minsan ay lumulutan na lang ang isipan ko sa kawalan.

How did I ever get myself into this situation?

Halos hapon na nang matapos ang lahat ng commitment today. I've got my company ID. Everything was quick. Nabigay na rin sa akin ang schedule ko maging ang reporting supervisor ko. It wasn't Raj, obviously, but I thought work would be easy by then dahil hindi ko kailangang makita siya. I don't need to work for him, but I knew I had to obey him dahil siya nagpasok sa akin sa kompanyang ito. Para tuloy may utang na loob ako sa kanya—though not at all dahil may kailangan din naman siya sa akin.

Once his parents found out that he was lying, things could go on the wrong side at ayaw niyang mangyari 'yon. We both needed each other in order for this to work out.

Hindi naman ako pinauwi ni Raj mag-isa at sabay na raw kaming aalis kaya hinintay ko siya. I wasn't sure what would we do. Kung may sasabihin pa ba siya sa akin o wala na. There could be other things that was left unsaid. Busy rin siya buong araw. No'ng lunch time ay tinawagan niya ako, pero hindi ko sinagot ang tawag niya. I was in the cafeteria, too, and found him with his colleagues, and hid myself from him. Palinga-linga rin siya no'n at mukhang hinahanap ako. I knew we had to act as a couple when we were in public, but this is our workplace, I don't think they allowed any romances between employees.

I waited in the lobby. They've got beautiful small couches for all visitors and other people who are coming in and out of the building. I was looking around and saw people who had seemingly been at the company for so long. They intimidated me at some point kaya hindi ko na sila tinitingnan. 

"Thank you for waiting." Umangat naman ang tingin ko mula sa phone sa taong nagsalita sa tabi ko. "Come on, let's go. We've got something to do. . ."

Naningkit ang mata habang tumatayo sa kinauupuan ko. I was wondering what he was talking about, but I didn't ask for it. Sinundan ko na lamang siya palabas ng building at patungo sa sasakyan niya. Once we reached where his car was parked, he opened other side of the door for me. Pumasok naman ako sa loob at saka niya isinara ang pinto habang siya naman ay pumasok sa kabila. We settled ourselves inside the car and glanced at him fixing the rearview mirror.

"Are you going to take me home?" I wondered.

He nodded. "Yes. . . But I need you to get all your stuff at your cousin's house first."

"Huh?" I was found dumbfounded when he uttered those words. "Wait. What are you talking about? Why do I need to get all of my stuff? That's where I live and I've got no place to go."

He looked at me, couldn't read his face dahil ang seryoso nito masyado. "Starting today, you'll be living with me. You don't have to pay anything. No rent. No grocery contribution or whatever. You just have to live with me."

"Okay, but why? Is it necessary?"

He nodded, seemed with finality. "Yes. In order for us to make my parents believe that our relationship was real, we have to live together."

"But it wasn't part of the agreement. . ."

"I know, but are you also going to live under the same roof with your cousins for the rest of your stay here in Mumbai?" he countered.

Umiling naman ako. "No. I ahave a plan of moving out once I've got enough money."

"Here's your opportunity. Fortunate of you, you don't need to pay rent to live with me." Hindi na ako nakapagsalita sa sinabi niya dahil pino-proseso ko pa ang mga sinabi nito sa akin. "Do you still have questions? We'll have dinner once you pick up your stuff. I'm kind of hungry. I got busy with all the work I needed to finish today."

"Yeah, it was exhausting. . ." I responded.

"We're going. You can let Priti know we're coming home and get your stuff ready."

"Oh, okay!" I said, panicking.

Agad ko rin namang tinext si Priti at pinahanda ko lamang sa kanya ang mga gamit ko.

Priti: What?! I don't understand. Why are you moving out tonight? Are you crazy? What happened to your work? Did you get hired? Are you even my cousin?

Me: Priti! Calm down. I will explain to you later when we get there. Just please get some of my stuff ready.

Priti: Are you with Rajendra right now?

Me: Yes, I am, and we're already on our way there.

Priti: This is crazy, Kash!

Me: Well, don't ask me. I was as surprised as you.

"I texted Priti," pagpapaalam ko naman kay Raj. "I think she wasn't ready for me to move out at all. I can't tell her about our fake relationship, right?"

He shook his head adamantly. "No, you can't. I know she's your cousin and your closest one here, but I can't risk you telling her about it. You know, she's a public figure and she could say a lot of things about us. I don't want that to happen. I'm not sure how long we have to play this one out, but I can tell you that you don't have to worry about anything. You're in good hands. Just follow what I'm going to tell you and you'll be fine."

"Okay, understood. . ." sagot ko saka ako tumango sa kanya.

The ride was calm and quiet. Panay pa rin ang text ni Priti sa akin, pero hindi ko na sinasagot dahil paulit-ulit lang din naman. She obviously wasn't expecting for me to come home with Raj tonight. 

Hindi rin nagtagal nang marating namin ang bahay nina Priti. She was already waiting outside for us. Pagkahinto pa lamang ng sasakyan ay alam kong inaabangan na niya ang pagbaba ko. As soon as she saw me, she was rushing me to get to her side after greeting Raj. Nauna naman kaming dalawa ni Priti papasok sa bahay nila habang kasunod namin si Raj. I knew Priti would ask about this. Hindi siya titigil kung anong nangyayari at bakit may biglaang mag-move out ako ng bahay. I couldn't tell her the truth, but I could possibly find another way to lie without digging too hard on it.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Did you get all of my things ready? Especially those clothes I have in the laundry?"

"They're not ready yet," she said. "I will give them to you once they are ready, but all of your stuff is in your room right now. Now, tell me what's happening? Why would you move out so suddenly?"

I took a deep breath. "I will tell you in a moment, but I have to make sure I've got all of my stuff."

Nang makarating kami sa loob ng bahay nila ay dali-dali naman akong tumungo sa loob habang naiwan si Priti sa salas at kinakausap si Raj. I was going all around the room. I have to check if Priti got all of my things. She got most of it, but some of the clothes to be washed weren't ready yet so I have to leave them for now.

Hatak-hatak ko naman ang mga maleta ko paglabas ng kwarto.

"I think I've got it all now," anunsyo ko pa. Napatingin naman silang dalawa sa akin.

"You guys are married?!" biglang bungad ni Priti sa akin. "What's happening? Where's the rings? I can't see you guys wearing rings on your fingers. You must be lying to me. Was this the reason why are you moving out, Kash?"

I swallowed and nodded my head to confirm. "Yes. . ."

"Oh, gosh! This is unbelievable," she said hysterically. "I won't believe it until there are rings!"

"Alright! If you say so. . ." ani Raj at may binunot ito sa kanyang bulsa. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mata ko dahil literal na singsing na may bato ng diamond ang isa ro'n. "Come here, Kash. Your cousin wants to see you wearing our ring, so here it is. . ."

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya at inabot ko ang kamay ko. I watched him slide the ring on my finger and Priti watched him doing it. Laglag pa ang panga nito dahil hindi siya makapaniwala. Pinigilan ko lang din ang sarili ko na mag-react nang malala dahil hindi ko rin inaasahan na may naka-ready na pala siyang singsing para sa aming dalawa. The ring fit right on my finger. Priti snatched my finger to get a closer look for the ring.

"What in the world. . ." she muttered. "I still don't understand what's happening."

"We just got married yesterday," pag-amin pa ni Raj at saka biglang napalingon muli si Priti sa akin. "When I picked her up yesterday, we got married. That's all Priti. If you don't want to believe us, it's your choice. But your cousin and I are now moving together."

"But. . . Wait! This is all so confusing for me," she said, putting her hands on her hair for putting her in so much confusion.

"We'll tell you more soon, Priti, but we're kind of in a rush. We will invite you to our home once everything is settled," Raj said to her. Kinuha naman ni Raj ang maleta ko. "Are you ready to go, hun?"

"Hun?!" gulat pa ni Priti. "Oh my gosh! This isn't what I expected! But okay, you promised that to me so please explain it soon. If you're going to leave now, you should leave now and I need my mind to rest. This is so stressful for me. Kashmir getting married to a Singh wasn't on my bingo card this year!"

"It is now," Raj said. "See you around, Priti. Have a good night."

Nauna na namang lumabas si Raj sa akin at may pahabol pa na babala si Priti sa akin. She wanted me to spill all the details, but I told her to calm herself down and I will tell her all soon. I'm not sure if I would be able to keep this as a secret lalo na kay Priti na super nosy sa lahat ng bagay. 

Habang patungo kami sa sasakyan ay natatawa na lamang si Raj. He didn't expect Priti would be so nosy about it. Hindi na lang sana niya binanggit 'yon at hindi pa magtatanong ang pinsan ko. But he told me he needed to justify it para mapaniwala ang ibang tao. Making my cousin believed we were married was a success—as he said. Alam kong hindi titigil si Priti hangga't hindi niya nalalaman ang totoo. She wasn't a Chopra after all if she wasn't so nosy.

Nang mailagay ni Raj ang maleta ko sa trunk ng sasakyan nito ay sabay na kaming pumasok sa loob. Napabitaw pa ito nang malalim na hininga matapos isuot ang seatbelt.

"Well, welcome to our marriage life," he jokingly said, I grimaced. "Before I can get you home, let's grab some dinner first because I'm so famine. What do you want to eat? Chicken Korma? Masala? Curry? It's up to you."

I shrugged. "Anything."

"Alright. I think I've got something you would like."

He drove the car away. My mind was still full of thoughts about the situation I entered, but hopefully, there would be no regrets because the only thing I cared about was getting a job and making my family proud. Getting in a relationship was never on top of my head, but I guess, I also have to deal with it now, especially, since we were talking about marriage and it was a sacred thing and we made up a lie about it.

***