Our Beneficial Agreement(English-Tagalog)

Chapter 3: The Arrangement

loveorhatethisgurl, hi ate! I really love Marrying the Casanova! I'll wait for volume 3 ahii <3

"Po? Now po? Sige po." Then they hang up on me.

"Who was that?" asked Lia still sitting down, admiring the park.

"We have to leave early. Family Business."

We took some more photos before going back to Manila. What is so important that I have to go home so urgent? Baka naman ipakilala lang nila ako sa mga iba mga business partners, boring pa naman pag ganoon!

~~O~~

"Hannie get dressed, something formal."

I get home and this is what mom has to say? No 'Welcome home' or 'How was the trip?' sheesh, this is what you get with busy parents.

Lia and Snow already texted me that they got home safely and they're going to rest. Good for them!

I took a short bath. I wore my long sleeved black knee high dress and black high cut converse.

"Hannie what is that?! Change your shoes! Wear some heels! Model ka tapos ganyan ka manamit?" I sighed and went back to my room mumbling about how mom can be so strict sometimes. It's style, sheesh.I love her but she can be quite a nagger. I changed into my black stilletos. Ohh how I pray that we would only have dinner and sit the whole time, my feet are going to hurt like crazy if not!

Dad's chauffer drove us to the venue, a 5 star hotel named Evolution. What a name for a hotel. We went inside. The décor was elegant; it had this futuristic theme to it. We were guided to one of its restaurants and welcomed by a tall waitress who led us to a table where three well-dressed people sat; a young boy who I think is in his fifteens or sixteens and I don't doubt that beside him are his parents who are in their mid-30's like my parents.

"Michael! Long time. Good thing you finally contacted us! This is my wife, Angie(Mom's nickname), who you might already know and my daughter Hannie," my dad said while guiding us into our seats.

"Well we needed the time to you know heal and recover some things," he said while giving this we-can't-talk-about-this-now look to my dad. "Oh Angie! Mas gumaganda ka ata? And Hannie, you're so big! It has been so long! 12 years I presume? This is your tita, my wife, Sheila and our youngest son, Leo. I'm your tito Michael."

"Nako Michael! Mambobola ka pa rin!"Natatawang saad ni mommy habang pa-upo.

I smiled at them as a greeting and stayed quiet. I'm not that social. Youngest.. so where's the older son? I wonder

"Sorry I'm late. Fell asleep."

Tito Michael stood up and put his arm around the guy. "Sorry for his tardiness, this is my eldest son, Xander Evo."

Napa-isp ako. "Iyong suplado!"

Then I saw everyone look at me with confusion. I bit my lower lip. Aish!

"I-I mean supla-supla.. Ah wala ako palusot. Sorry."

"Still adorable! Very fitting!" tito Michael said while laughing as he sat down with Xander.

We ate our meals, a Lauriat to be exact. It was so heavy. I have to go to the gym tomorrow just to burn the fat I gained.

All throughout the night they talked about THEY getting married and how THEY would turn out. Honestly, whoever THEY are, I wish them a happy marriage and the guy wouldn't be like my unfaithful ex. But could the adults just talk about this some other day? The kid, I mean Leo is obviously bored, he kept on yawning loudly on purpose, onti nalang at papasukin na ng langaw bibig niya. And Xander just stares at his cellphone. I couldn't read the book I brought because every time I tried to bring it out mom would whisper,

"Don't dare." A warning, a very deadly threat.

I would only answer, "Fine."even though I felt so heartbroken not being able to read. I'm almost at end of the story!

"So why not let us tell the kids the arrangement?" mom asked.

I drank my tea too blow off the boredom and listened carefully to whatever they would say.

"Hannie and Xander, you are arranged to get married."

Muntikan na ako mabilaukan sa sinabi ni mommy. Can she repeat that? Arranged? To get married?? ANO DAW?!

"WHAT?"I asked in revolt. I glanced at Xander who had no care in the world.

"Ma, isn't this a little too cliché?"

"But dear, this is for our company! A merge between two companies and families!" Mom explained.

"Mom, are we losing money? If yes, I could work just to pay anything!"

"Oh no no dear. No one is losing money here."

"And Hannie, Xander already agreed," Tita Sheila said while smiling.

"If I protest, will you still force me?"I asked losing hope.

"Yes we would still force you," mom said emphasizing the word FORCE.

"Hannie, experience na din ito anak." Argh dad! Idamay pa naman iyong rason na yan?!

"Is it alright if I could get some fresh air first? I-I can't make sense out of this. I can't think straight." I didn't wait for an answer. I stood up and walked towards the glass door and opened it. A well decorated balcony welcomed me. Good thing we were in the 25th floor, I can smell the fresh air and feel the cool breeze of the night on my skin.

"Arranged marriage? How cliché my life would turn out to be," I whispered.