Aligaga si Red buong umaga. Mukha namang normal ang lahat. Well, except for the fact that her dad gave her another ultimatum. Or the fact na dumating na si Troy kahapon. Her stomach was in knots. Ni hindi niya natagalang inumin ang kape na inihanda ni Vico kanina. Pakiramdam niya'y masusuka siya.

Ayaw niyang sundin ang ama, pero galit pa rin siya kay Troy. If this goes on, baka nga kay Vince na lamang siya magpakasal. Just to get even.

Napatingin siya sa may pintuan nang biglang umingay.

"You can't go in there!" she heard Vico yell. Tapos ay bumukas ang pinto.

Napatigil siya sa ginagawa nang biglang pumasok si Troy. Mukhang hindi pa ito natutulog. His tie's loose and skewed. Magulo ang buhok nito at namumula ang gilid ng mata. She was not even ready to react yet when he yanked her out of her chair and pulled her out of her office.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Shut up."

"Troy, ano ba! You're hurting me!" Nilingon niya si Vico. "Call security!"

Tumigil si Troy sa paglalakad at hinila siya palapit dito. He crushed his lips against her and she was again too stunned to react.

"Now, shut up."

Hinila siya nito palabas ng opisina, papunta sa lobby at papasok sa elevator. Pansin niyang nanginginig ang kamay nito, but he didn't let go of her hand. Dumiretso sila sa parking at halos itulak na siya nito papasok ng kotse nito.

"Where are you taking me?"

He didn't answer. He simply started the car.

"Answer me, goddammit!"

"Itatanan kita!" pasinghal nitong sagot.

It took a while bago mag-sink-in ang sinabi nito.

"Baliw ka ba?! Anong tanan?! This is kidnapping!"

She tried to open the door but he already locked it.

"Let me out!" bulyaw niya rito.

"Shut up!"

It was already a struggle to get the car out of the parking space, but she made it more difficult. Hinampas-hampas niya si Troy. She even tried to get the key out of the ignition. Ngayon lang kasi niya ito nakita. Tapos ganito pa ang eksena. Gusto niyang magwala sa inis.

"Damn it, woman. Stop making things difficult!" saway nito sa kanya.

"You're the one who's making things difficult!" she retorted.

They glared at each other. Her dad was right. They're so alike, it's destructive. Ngayon pa nga lamang na wala silang relasyon ay halos magpatayan na silang dalawa, what more kung maging sila? What more after marriage? What more after having kids?

"Troy—"

"I can't let you marry him."

"Why not?"

He looked at her with disbelief, as if he cannot believe that she just asked why. Nag-iwas din ito kagaad ng tingin at saka nag-focus sa pagmamaneho ng kotse.

"After bringing that two-faced bitch in Santorini, my beloved place—of all places!—and spending 5 fucking days with her there, babalik ka rito para bakuran ako? Tapos tinatanong kita kung bakit, wala kang maisagot? Anong klaseng kagaguhan 'to, ha?!"

Troy sighed. "I'll explain everything later. I just need to get us out of here first."

--

"Are we there yet?"

Pang-limang tanong na ito ni Red. Hindi niya alam kung nasaan na sila. Basta bandang Rizal ang huling sagot ni Troy kanina.

"Where exactly are we going?" tanong ulit niya.

"Somewhere far."

"How far?"

"Matulog ka na muna. I'll wake you up when we get there."

"But I'm not sleepy," reklamo niya. "I'm hungry."

She thought he didn't hear her. Hindi kasi ito sumagot. Pero maya-maya ay pumarada ito sa tapat ng isang fast-food chain. He parked the car and got out. Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pintuan at saka hinila palabas.

"Seriously? Here?"

"Do you want to eat or not?"

She rolled her eyes. Sinundan niya ito papasok ng establishment. Jam-packed na sa loob, dahil na rin siguro sa tanghali na. Pumila si Troy para bumili ng pagkain. Siya naman ay inutusan nitong humanap ng upuan.

She sat next to a family. Nasa kabilang table ang mga ito. Mag-asawa iyon na may tatlong anak. The children are eating spaghetti. Ang mag-asawa naman ay chicken meal ang order. The smallest kid, who she's guessing is the youngest, was eating his sundae simultaneously with the spaghetti. Yung isa namang bata ay sinasawsawan ng fries ang sundae nito.

It was so fascinating to watch. It looks like the kids are having the time of their lives.

"Quit staring. You'll creep them out."

Inilapag ni Troy ang tray sa lamesa.

"Ang bilis mo naman."

"Fast-food kasi," sabi nito sa kanya.

He ordered two chicken meals and an order of spaghetti. Saka fries and burgers. He peeled off the wrapper from the rice and dumped it on his plate. Then he smothered his chicken with the gravy. Nang mapansin nitong nakatingin lamang siya, he did the same thing with her food.

"Eat up," he told her.

Plastic spoons and forks ang gamit nila dahil kulang yata sa stainless utensils ang fast-food chain. Unang subok pa lamang niya ay nabali na iyon sa manok. Sumimangot siya kay Troy. Naiiling na lang ito.

"You can use your hands," he said.

"I don't want to."

He set aside his spoon and fork and took the chicken in his hands. Hinimay nito iyon at saka kinain. He waited for her to do the same. Nagpalinga-linga siya. May ilan namang nagkakamay, especially yung mga bata. And it looks like it was easier to eat the chicken that way.

Grunting, naghimay na rin sya ng manok using her index fingers and thumbs.

"Use your whole hand."

She obliged. Gutom na gutom na rin naman siya.

They washed their hands after and then proceeded on eating the rest of their orders. She didn't finish her burger though. Naumay kasi siya. He finished it for her, bago sila umalis.

"I want a sundae."

Kumunot ang noo nito. "Sundae? Okay."

He bought two and brought them to the car. But they ate them outside dahil baka raw marumihan ang sasakyan nito. Sumandal na lamang sila sa kotse nito at doon kumain.

And after that, they continued their journey.

--

"Are we there yet?" tanong niya makalipas ang isa't kalahating oras.

"Malapit na."

She groaned. Ilang oras na rin silang nagbibyahe. Nakailang tigil na rin sila para mag-stretch man lang o mag-CR o magpa-gas. Kanina ay tumigil sila sa isang gasoline station. He told her to change to a more comfortable outfit while he buys stuff from the nearby convenience store.

"Don't run away," he'd warned her.

Napangiti siya. The notion of eloping made her excited. It was scary, yes, but she won't deny that she found it romantic of him to just whisk her away. But she didn't know if this would be permanent, o kung impulse lang. Ilang araw kaya silang hindi magpapakita sa kani-kanya nilang pamilya?

Naiisip pa lamang niya sina Ela at Ariesa ay nalulungkot na siya. Will they ever come back? Bakit kasi ang kumplikado ng buhay nila?

Habang tumatagal ang byahe ay unti-unting nababawasan ang mga bahay at dumarami naman ang mga puno. Nang maging zigzag ang daan, the houses became scarcer.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes."

Sumilip siya sa bintana. The sun was already beginning to set. May mangilan-ngilang bahay sa tabi ng daan. Troy stopped in front of a house hidden behind viny plants. Bubong lamang nito ang kita dahil may mataas na pader na nakaharang. The gate looks like it was made of iron and wood.

Bumusina si Troy at maya-maya ay may matandang babaeng nagbukas ng gate. Ipinasok nito ang sasakyan at saka ipinarada sa harap ng bahay. Saka sila bumaba.

The house looked small, but cozy. Mapuno sa likuran nito pero may nakapalibot na pader. On the other side of the wall was a ravine.

"Kanina ko pa kayo hinihintay."

"Sorry, manang, ang dami kasing stopovers e."

"May lutong pagkain na sa loob. Ayos na rin ang mga gamit ninyo. Siya, ako'y uuna na at marami pa akong gagawin sa bahay."

"Salamat po, manang."

Pagkaalis ng matanda ay kinuha nila ang mga pinabiling gamit at pagkain saka dinala sa loob. Maliit lang talaga ang bahay. Isang kwadrado lamang ito na may partitions para sa kwarto, kusina at sala. Tapos ay may isang maliit na space para sa banyo.

It felt very warm. Halos yari lahat sa kahoy. Inilapag niya sa mahogany table ang mga plastic na hawak at hinarap si Troy.

"We're finally here." She took the plastic bags from his hands and set them aside. "Start explaining."