This I Promise You

7

Girlfriend

"Reve, your guards told me that you ran away from them again."

We are all in the dining room one evening, and I just came home from school, but Mamma decided to nag me as soon as I sat down on my chair.

"I just want to hang out with my friends, Mamma." I answered wearily.

"You shouldn't trouble the people around you, little miss."

"Förlåt (Sorry)." Tanging nasabi ko bago kumagat sa meatball na kanina pa nakatusok sa aking tinidor.

"Blenda, your teachers told me that your test scores are dropping. Vad händer, min prinsessa (What's happening, my princess)?"

Akala ko tuloy-tuloy na kami sa pagkain, pero si Blenda naman ngayon ang napansin ni Pappa.

"Förlåt, Pappa." Tipid na sagot ng aking kapatid.

I noticed that she hasn't looked good since last summer, when Princess Farida visited her.

"Vill du att jag ska anlita en annan handledare (Do you want me to hire another tutor)?"

"Om det är vad du vill, ers majestät (If that's what you want, your majesty).

Aalma na sana ako sa inimungkahi ni Pappa, pero mas ikinabigla ko ang naging sagot ni Blenda.

"Another photo of Reve and Evan was released in the Philippines from the Swedish media, your majesty."

Nalipat ang atensyon ko dahil sa sunod na sinambit ni Mamma kay Pappa.

"Don't worry, I'll ask them to take it down immediately." Sagot naman ng hari.

Paulit-ulit nalang lumalabas ang litrato namin ni Evander sa iba't ibang media platform pero kaagad naman naipatatanggal iyon ni Pappa. But it's not just the two of us in those photos. Pareho naming kasama ang aming pamilya pero nahulaan kaagad ng mga media na isa sa mga batang lalaki doon ang fiancé ko, at si Evander nga ang pinakasigurado sila. But it's been years!

Hindi na ulit nakabalik ang mga dela Cerna dito sa Sweden kaya bakit wala pa rin sinasabi sa akin sila Mamma na hindi na tuloy ang pagpapakasal ko kay Evander!? Don't tell me, tuloy pa rin iyon kahit ilang taon na kaming hindi nagkikita? Det är nonsens (That's nonsense).

How can I marry someone who I haven't seen for almost five years now?

"Varför gick du med på Pappas förslag, syrra (Why did you agree with Pappa's suggestion, sis)? You already have a tutor for every subject." Usal ko pagpasok sa kwarto ni Blenda.

Sumama ako sa kanya pagkatapos ng dinner.

"Du hörde honom (You heard him), Reve. My grades are dropping...I don't have a choice."

"Yes, you have."

Binalingan ako ni Blenda galing sa pagliligpit niya ng kanyang mga libro. Pinantayan ko naman ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa akin.

"Don't worry about it, Rev--"

"You can tell the King if you're having a hard time at school, especially now that you're in senior high. It's going to be even harder."

"Jag kan inte (I can't)!"

Nagulat ako sa pagtaas ng kanyang boses.

"I can't, okay?" Ulit niya sa mas mahinahon nang tono. "I don't have a choice but to work hard on my own because I'm next on the throne."