Tale of The Substitute Princess

Prologue

PROLOGUE

"You know what? May weird guy daw na kanina pa nasa labas ng hotel," sabi ni Layla habang nag-aayos kami ng gamit.

"Weird guy?" Napatingin ako sa kanya saglit bago bumalik sa paglalagay ng gamit ko sa loob ng locker.

"Yah, I heard na he was wearing some kind of weird outfit. Hindi ko lang maalala kung ano 'yon."

Nagsalita si Pia pagkatapos niyang i-lock ang locker niya. "Basta ang narinig ko lang ay gwapo siya."

Layla made a face while I held my laugh.

"Lakas talaga ng radar mo pag gwapo, 'no?" sabi ni Layla.

Tumango ako. "Grabe talaga 'yung senses niya sa ganyan, parang na-eenhance palagi."

"Pero 'yun nga, binalak daw pumasok sa loob ng hotel pero hindi pinapasok ng guards dahil nga sa suot niya. I heard hindi rin daw nila siya maintindihan," Layla shared.

"Chismosa ka talaga," diretsuhan kong sabi sa kanya. Kaya pala kanina pa niya kausap 'yung ibang mga kasamahan namin, sumasagap ng chismis. Why am I not even surprised?

Layla smirked. "Hindi ko naman itatanggi."

"Baka foreigner?" Pia defended.

"If hotel lang naman ang habol niya, he can just search for another. Unless may hinihintay o gusto siyang makita dito sa hotel natin?"

The both of them just shrugged with what I said.

"I wonder if nasa labas pa rin siya ng hotel. Gusto kong makita kung gwapo ba talaga," sabi ni Pia.

Napailing na lang ako at sinarado ang locker ko. "Priorities mo talaga," komento ko.

Pagkatapos naming mag-ayos ng gamit, sumakay na kami ng elevator.

As we made our way towards the exit, Layla faced us and walked backwards. She now has a weak expression on her face. "Nanghihina ako..."

"...Parang gusto ko ng alak," Pia and I added. Alam na namin 'yung susunod na linya dahil favorite line niya 'yon.

She grinned. "Inom tayo, please. Ang stressful kaya this week!"

I made a face with her comment while Pia groaned. I couldn't agree more.

"I'm okay with it," I said.

Tumingin kaming dalawa ni Layla kay Pia. She sighed. "May choice ba ako?"

Layla grinned. She also tried to persuade our other co-workers. Pumayag naman 'yung iba pero may iilan ding nag-pass kasi mas gusto raw nilang humilata at mag-relax. That's the normal thing to do though, kapag pagod ka, magpapahinga dapat, hindi iinom. Pero ang pahinga kasi kay Layla ay alak.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas namin ng hotel, mabilis na gumalaw ang ulo ni Pia, as if she's searching for someone.

I also did the same because I was curious about the weird—and handsome, according to Pia—guy my co-workers were talking about all day long.

"'Wag kayong masyadong obvious pero 'yon ata siya—"

Hindi na natapos ni Layla 'yung sasabihin niya dahil automatic na gumalaw ang ulo namin ni Pia sa direksyon kung saan siya nakatingin. Wala na siyang nagawa kaya napabuntong-hininga na lang siya.

There, we saw a young man—looking around our age—standing straight with his hands both placed on his lower abdomen.

That's so... formal.

I scanned his outfit—the highlight of his rumors. He was wearing dark blue long sleeves with some designs on the front and on the sleeves—that also seemed like a turtle neck— with a few accessories hanging around it. May parang black cape din siya na nakabalot sa bandang leeg niya. It wasn't the usual outfit that people would see men wear because it had a vibe of...