Babysitting The Frog Princess

Chapter XXXII: A True Love's Kiss

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Aika Villavicencio

After hearing that blast from inside the establishment, I just found myself frozen. I couldn't moved an inch, all I could do is whispered while calling Lola's name countless times. What happened to them? What was that blast all about? D-Did something happened to t-them?? N-No!!

"Paco, I have to go inside". I uttered.

"It's too dangerous, Aika". He replied to me.

"Pero, si Lola!". Protesta ko.

"Aika, I'm so sorry if I ever made you feel like I don't want you. I love you so much, more than I thought I would". He softly whispered those words to me.

"Why are you stopping me from going inside?". I asked him.

"Because Chairwoman told me to do so, she doesn't want you to get involved and suffer anymore". He briefly explained.

Paco was carrying me, he and I were just staring at each other. Nalulungkot ako dahil alam kong may hindi pa siya sinasabi sa'kin tungkol kay Lola Andreanna, he and Lola are quite close to one another at alam kong mayroong posibilidad na may sinabi si Lola sa kaniya na hindi ko alam.

"Do both of you honestly think that this play time is over?". Someone asked from nowhere. Hindi ko makita kung sino ang nag-tanong pero alam kong lalaki siya, inilibot namin ni Paco ang mga mata namin kaya naaninag namin ang isang anino mula sa malayo.

"Chase, that jerk". Iritadong bulong ni Paco.

"Chase? 'Yung kakambal ni Charles? Nabuhay siya?". Nalilito kong tanong kay Paco.

He shook his head. "He wasn't the one who died, it was Charles himself who passed away because of that incident". Malungkot niyang paliwanag sa'kin. Si C-Charles ang namatay?! H-Hindi ang kapatid niya, p-pero? S-Sino 'yung k-kausap ko n-noon? 'yung nakipag-break sa'kin? It wasn't him?

"Charles doesn't like basketball, he doesn't even know how to play it either. He hates Okra so much but Chase doesn't hate it, his favorite color and everything about Charles is the same exact opposite as him". Dagdag pa ni Paco.

"Charles didn't changed at all, the Charles that we knew is gone and the Charles who's here with us is an impostor". Seryoso niyang wika. Nagalit ako sa kaniya dahil sa pag-aakalang siya ang nang loko sa'kin pero mali ako, maling-mali ako!

Wala na akong nararamdaman para kay Charles, naalala ko pa ang mga pinag-samahan namin lalo na 'yung araw na unang beses kaming nag-kita sa Las Espadas Circle pero wala na akong pag-mamahal na natitira para sa kaniya. Oo, maaaring natagalan ako bago makalimot pero wala na talaga ngayon.

I'm in love with Paco, hindi ko alam kung kailan ako nahulog o napamahal sa kaniya pero siya na ang mahal ko ngayon.

"Aerin, didn't you say that you can't live without me?". That jerk asked me while he was slowly walking towards our direction while carrying something behind his back.

"I did say that but it wasn't meant for you! It was for Charles! And you're not him!". Sigaw ko sa kaniya.

He laughed. "I didn't knew that the airplane would crashed then he and my Father would die instantly, it seemed like he was aware but he doesn't care. That retarded sacrificed himself for someone like me". He uttered. He sounded like a person who got escaped from a mental institution.