Equinox Academy of Royalties :The Lost Princess

Chapter 4:Prince Nathaniel

"Aurie?"

I glanced at the woman behind me who called out my name. Her face looked familiar, but I couldn't recall her name. I had forgotten it. However, I was certain that I had known her before; I recognized her by her face. Perhaps we had crossed paths in the past.

"It's you right,Aurie?"Tanong nong babaeng pamilyar.

Tinabingi ko ang ulo ko bago sumagot."Yeah?"

Natawa siya saka lumapit sakin."It's me,Emery."

As I turned to face the woman who called my name, a sudden rush of recognition flooded over me. Emery. Yes, that was her name. Memories began to resurface, and I recalled her as the companion of Kolly. It was disheartening to realize that my memory was becoming more forgetful these days, but I couldn't deny the familiarity and connection I felt with Emery.

"Dito ka mag-aaral?"She asked smiling.

"Hmmm."

Mas lumapad ang ngiti niya."That's nice.Makakasama ka namin."

"Ahm..."

Feeling a mix of awkwardness and discomfort, I didn't know what to say. I was not only feeling uneasy around Emery but also the man I accidentally bumped into. He was looking at me intently, as if assessing the situation, which made me even more self-conscious.

I gathered my courage and faced the man directly. With a slight bow and a nervous tone, I apologized, "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking in your direction. It was my fault. I'm really sorry."

As I anxiously waited for him to shout, curse, or insult me, it dawned on me that it was my conditioned response from my previous experiences. However, after a few seconds, I realized that there was no audible response from him at all. Curiosity got the better of me, and I slowly lifted my head, only to find him staring at me with a serious, almost expressionless gaze.

"Uhm?"Hindi ko na naman alam ang sasabihin. Natameme na naman ako.

"No need to apologize.Just be careful next time."Sabi niya saka naglakad na paalis.

"See you on monday.Nice seeing you again,Aurie."Emery saka mabilis na hinabol ang lalaki.

"Hey, wait!" she called out, trying to catch up with the man who was walking briskly, making it difficult for her to keep up. "Hey, Nath! Slow down, will you?!" she pleaded, hoping he would hear her and pause for a moment.

Nath? So, his name is Nath. Nath, what a cute name. It could possibly be a nickname or a shortened version of his full name. Nathan or Nathaniel would be likely possibilities. If that's the case, it wouldn't be surprising.

Sinundan ko lang sila ng tingin hanggang sa mawala sila sa paningin ko.Naglakad na rin ako't bumalik sa dorm.Agad akong nagsipilyo at naghilamos nang makapasok ako sa dorm ko.

Inaantok na ako kasi wala naman akong ginagawa at gusto ko nang matulog pero ayaw ko naman na baka pumunta dito si Bella at gusto akong makausap pero tulog ako.Tatawagan o eme-message ko na lang sana siya pero hindi ko pa alam ang number niya.

I let out a sigh and retrieved my sketch pad, which was tucked away in the drawer of my study table. I briefly considered going back to my bed to sketch there, but I ultimately decided to stay at the study table. I returned to my seat, settled in, and began to sketch, letting my creativity flow onto the pages of the pad.