"I now pronounce you, husband and wife ..."
Everyone applauded after the ceremony of Martina and Randell's wedding. A simple beach wedding took place and only a few guests, only their relatives and close friends attended.
“Ma'am Martina is very beautiful and Randell is handsome. Ma'am Martina changed a lot when she fell in love. Seriously, maybe love is very magical.”
There was a gleam in Alina's eyes as she looked at the newlyweds. She could not deny but she also dreamed of being a bride and marrying her ideal guy. But how can that happen? The length of time they haven't seen each other. And aside from that, she's still worrying about the debt of her late parents.
“What are you jealous of?” Her forehead furrowed as the man next to him, Ricky, Randell’s half brother, suddenly spoke.
Earlier, Ricky noticed how Alina could control her trembling. He found her stunning in a mini dress, actually she's the only girl who caught his attention.
"Yes," was her short reply and proceeded to roll her eyes.
The single women gathered when the bride, Martina, snatched the bouquet, one of the parts after the wedding that whoever would partake of the bouquet, believed to be the next bride.
"One, two, three!" Martina happily yelled as she threw the bouquet. Almost everyone was excited and dying to snatch the bouquet— except Alina, because Ricky ruined her good mood again. She didn't know why he always noticed her even if she's not doing anything. That was what she hated most of all.
But to her surprise, she still caught the bouquet. She was just stunned when her fellow guests looked at her who were still fighting but failed.
‘Wait? Why did it go to me?’
She awkwardly smiled and held the bouquet tightly. For a few minutes, they took pictures before going to the reception where they will eat.
But on the other hand, she was still happy and envisioned what she would look like if she's going to get married in the future.
SIX MONTHS LATER ...
"Alina, can we talk first?"
Alina quickly let go of the stick she was holding because of the appearance of Nanay Remmy, her boss to whom she owed a great debt.
"All right Madam," she said as he approached her. The old woman's face wasn't clear so she felt that the reason why she would talk to him was not because she was lazy at work.
"Alina, it's not hidden from you that you'll be with me for ten years, is it?"
"Yes, madam." Alina's smile faded. Only now had she heard Mom Remmy say that even though she was smiling, as if she wanted to indicate something else.
’Are you going to drive me away?’ That's the question she couldn't voice out.
"In the ten years we've been together, I've considered you a grandchild. I see your efforts as our housemate so I thought ..." Nanay Remmy cut off what she wanted to say because she noticed the pallor on Alina's face . The girl was nervous and was afraid of being reprimanded. She wants a thrill so she hangs on to it.
"I was just wondering if you still want to study? Continue the accountancy course that was stopped because I got lost here in the mansion."
Alina nodded and hugged Nanay Remmy with great joy. "Yes, I really like it."
"You will enroll next week, we will ask for help from June," said Nanay Remmy then stroked Alina's long hair. Now is the right time to give her the reward because her granddaughter Martina, who is married to Randell, is already helping with the housework.
Alina's joy doubled when she heard the name "June". June is Alina's first love. Also, he is Nanay Remmy's niece and Alina treats him like an older brother.
She fell in love with him when she's only 15 years of age. Ahead of him was the man of five years. He remembers the first time they met, June came to the mansion to inform Mother Remmy that she had passed the teachers' board exam. That was the first time he had seen the young man's sweet smile cause a tremor in her heart. And even though Alina was still young, she was sure that she already felt love for June.
June also used to go on vacation to Nanay Remmy's mansion but when she started teaching at a university, he became busy and could not visit more often.
"Why do you seem to be embarrassed?" She was taken aback by Nanay Remmy's intriguing question. Alina's mind went back to reality.
"Nothing, does that mean that Kuya June teaches at the university I used to attend?" she asked, smiling.
(In Filipino, ‘Kuya’ is the term for an older brother. It could be used to address your own brother or any man who's older than you to sound polite and courteous.)
"Yes, he has been teaching there for only one year. Mathematics is his subject."
"When is Kuya June coming here?" Alina seemed to miss June a lot.
"Maybe next week, if he's not busy anymore."
"Is that so? Thank you very much Madam." Alina hugged Nanay Remmy again.
The old woman sighed after they hugged and suddenly the smile on her face disappeared. "Alina, you must also comply with my request when you return to school."
The wrinkle on Alina's forehead deepened. "What's that madam?"
"Do you like June?" Mother Remmy asked explicitly. She already knows the answer, Alina was just a girl then, she could clearly see how she simply flirted with June. She beautifies and wears nice clothes when the young man visits. Moreover, he heard her confess to fellow housemates Kikay and Yayo about admiring June. But of course, Nanay Remmy didn't approve of what Alina is doing before because it's inappropriate for her young age.
Alina's throat seemed to have dried up with saliva and she couldn't figure out how to refute Nanay Remmy's suspicion. "W-why did you say that? I didn't have a crush on Kuya June. I only consider him an older brother."
"Why does your cheek turn red if you don't really have a crush on him?" Nanay Remmy teased Alina with another crisp laugh. Alina quickly turned her face in the other direction so that Nanay Remmy would not notice her blushing.
"Just admit it. I've known that for a long time."
"But Madam, it was just a crush. Then he didn't even know that I had a crush on him." She was forced to tell the truth because her denial was useless since Nanay Remmy knows the secret she's been hiding for a long time.
"But Alina, I just want you to know that you should focus on your studies. And the condition I'm going to ask for; you can't have a boyfriend. What happened then to my granddaughter Martina who didn't graduate ahead of time because she's distracted from dating. Is that clear?" Nanay Remmy's gentle statement even though she could see the disappointment on the girl's face. She just takes care of her just like she took care of her own granddaughter, Martina.
"Obviously. Then I won't have a boyfriend if it's not just like Kuya June or Kuya June himself will be my boyfriend," Alina clarified.
"It's good. But the university is vast, there are a lot of handsome students. You'll get to know a lot, so it's good that you also know your limitations."
"Yes, I'm not really going to have a boyfriend," Alina promised. She is one hundred percent sure in part that she will never have a boyfriend because she will have a boyfriend if her older brother June is not her boyfriend?
Call her the illusioned frog but she still hopes that June will notice her beauty when they meet again. Of course, she is no longer the former Alina who has no self-discipline. She is very young and ready to flirt if necessary.
"Come here, I have a chicka with you, hurry!"
(Chicka - In Tagalog, it's a slang for a “talk” or implying to start a conversation about rumors or topics that you only want to share with the people you trusted and those people you are close with; it could be a friend, relative, or any acquaintance.)
Alina's voice was sharp when she called her housemates Kikay and Yayo to their room.
"What chicka? I guess you're having fun now huh?" Kikay stopped ironing the clothes first.
"Nanay Remmy is going to study with me again!" Alina screamed and rolled over on her bed.
"Wow! That's good news. We are happy for you Alina," Yayo said with a smile and imitated Alina while rolling on the bed too.
"You will fulfill your dream of being like Ma'am Martina. But you are almost the same. Beautiful, sexy and smart!" Kikay replied, accompanied by a burst of laughter.
Alina fell silent and suddenly got up. "Anyway, you're right. But apart from the degree, there's something else missing."
"What's that?"
Alina glared at the two then grinned. "I don't have a lovelife yet."
"What's that! You're only 22, you shouldn't be in a hurry," Yayo retorted, since she was 35 years old before he got married.
"But I just thought, what if Madam also intended something for me? Isn't Ma'am Martina looking for a husband and she's still very beautiful. And now, she eventually got married to Randell."
Alina's lips were almost torn with a smile when she thought that. She slapped Kikay on her arm.
"Really what? Then Ricky will be the one to match you," Kikay teased.
“Don’t be silly!” Alina’s smile faded. She could only think of Ricky, her good mood was immediately ruined. "With that crook? Really? Don't mention him because I still can't accept that he charged me 200 for a motorcycle rental even though their hut is nearby. Remember that time I got lost in Quezon Province."
"Why are you angry that you didn't ride his motorbike?" Yayo replied. before Kikay laughs at them.
"Whatever!" Alina sighed and rushed out of the room. Maybe it would be better if she just kept busy and didn't end the conversation with Yayo and Kikay who seemed to be pushing her to be with Ricky or just adore him instead.
She would have gone straight to the garden to water the plants but she met Martina. "Hello Ma'am," she greeted her boss.
"I bought your stuff for the upcoming school semester," Martina said, lifting the shopping bags of supplies she bought from Alina. "You deserve it," she added and Alina accepted the gift.
"Ma'am, this is too much," she cried in response and quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. She's still so thankful how Martina changed for good. She admitted that Martina's behavior was rude. She was often scolded by her but that changed when she met her partner. She married Randell and her irritability was reduced. Lovelife can change someone's behavior. Confirmed!
"Don't cry. You lose your beauty when you cry," Martina advised her. "By the way, please clean Randell's old room because we have a guest."
"Okay ma'am, I'll go clean upstairs." Alina was still hopping when she went up to Randell's old room. He and Martina have been married for six months so the room can no longer be used.
On the other hand, Alina was excited to think that June was possibly their guest to live in the mansion.
‘Finally! I will always see him!’
She took some time to clean the room right away. June needs to be impressed with his arrival and she needs to make sure that his sleep will be comfortable. And she also wanted to hear again how he praised her for her cleaning skills.
‘Whenever he praises me, I feel like he just really wants to say that I am his ideal wife.’
She grinned with the thoughts of his ideal guy. After cleaning up, she also felt drowsy, she lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
****
"Thank you so much brother for helping me find a job." From time to time, Ricky glances at his older brother Randell who is driving. They were on their way to the mansion and he was excited about his future job. Ricky is just a fresh graduate and he admits that it is difficult to get an opportunity in their province of Quezon. Most companies prefer those with work experience especially those who experienced working in the National Capital Region area. He was aware that ever since, employers have a strong prejudice against those fresh graduates lacking experience and graduating from provincial state colleges.
Ricky is a graduate of the Office Administration course and it is difficult to find a job that fits the course he completed.
"Small thing, I just want to help you and Papa. I know it's tiring in Quezon too and you want him to retire from work," Randell said with a smile while still looking at the road. He's trying to know more about his half brother Ricky, since they grew up separately. He now fulfills the role of a responsible brother to the best of his ability.
Ricky turned his gaze to the side view mirror. Aside from the new place and opportunity, there was another reason why he was excited— Alina, that he would never forget. His excitement was so strong that maybe he would hit on that woman if he had a chance. Didn't he know, when he was on vacation with the relatives of his brother Randell's wife, he really wanted to make friends but he was always bored every time he saw her. Even if he didn't even do anything, she immediately growled like a ferocious tiger.
When they first met, he knew he wasn't attracted to Alina's beauty. In fact, Alina wasn't so pretty that time, she only wore an oversized t-shirt, she hadn't combed her hair yet and had no lipstick on her face but he was really drawn to her right away. He knew there was something about Alina that he couldn't name yet. And one of his missions is to get to know the girl who captivated his sleeping heart better.