[√]Lady of the White Rose

9: Worth It

VESPER

"My Lady? Ayos ka lang ba diyan? Kailangan mo ba ng tulong? Ano'ng nangyayari?" Nag-aalala at sunod-sunod na tanong ni Abby mula sa labas ng silid ko. Panay din ang pagkatok nito sa pinto.

Should I scream?

Wait, no. My Father and brothers are here, if they heard something unusual happened to me, even just the smallest thing. I'm sure they'll come running here immediately. And who knows what will happen if they're involve.

Baka may mamatay ng maaga at sa silid ko pa talaga. Konsensya ko pa kapag nagkataon. Nope, thank you na lang.

Tinapik-tapik ko ito sa balikat at senenyasang alisin ang kamay niya sa bibig ko. But he just glared at me, completely not getting what I was trying to say. So I end up slapping the wound on his forehead for him to get his hand off me.

He winch in pain and swore violently under his breath. Nang magsasalita pa sana ito ay ako naman ang nagtakip ng bibig niya. Mahirap na at baka marinig siya ni Abby.

But it's not that I want to keep him a secret or what, sadyang ayoko lang na may dumanak na dugo sa kwarto ko kapag nalaman ng mga kuya at papa ko.

"It's fine Abby! Nothing's wrong here. May nasagi lang akong bagay but all is well!"

"Sigurado kayo, My Lady? Do you need me to clean -" I immediately cut her off.

"N-no it's fine! Bukas mo na lang linisin 'to, gabi na rin naman, magpahinga ka na muna!"

"Sigurado -"

"Yes, yes! I'm fine, Abby! Thanks for checking! Goodnight!"

"Alright, goodnight My Lady!"

I sigh when I heard that she's finally convince with my alibi and left. Ngunit muli akong naalerto nang maalala na may isang problema pa pala ako dito.

Itutulak ko na sana ito, dahil kanina pa talaga siya nakadagan sa ibabaw ko. Swerte naman ng lahi niya. Ngunit nangunot ang noo ko ng mamukhaan ito. I didn't clearly see his face a while ago when he appeared since it was dark and I was completely panicking.

But now that we're seeing each other's face up close, he looks familiar. Too familiar, in fact. I recognized him! He's that insolent magician back at the Magic Tower that keeps on bugging my inner thoughts for weeks!

"Ikaw!?"

We both utter in unison. I think we have the same expression written in our faces now. Utter disgust.

Mabilis kaming lumayo sa isa't-isa na para bang diring-diri o kaya ay para bang may nakakahawang sakit. Pakiramdam ko nagsisitayuan lahat ng balahibo sa katawan ko.

"I need an explanation, why are you here? No, why did you suddenly appear? What did you do?" I cross my arms in my chest.

"Tsk," he click his tongue and turn his back at me.

I stared at me disbelievingly because of what he just did. "Kinakausap pa kita, 'wag mo akong talikuran! And did you just click your tongue?"

Hindi ako nito pinansin at naglakad paalis kaya tila mas lalong umakyat lahat ng dugo ko sa inis. Magsasalita na sana ako ulit ngunit bigla itong tumigil, yumuko at may dinampot na bagay. It was when I only realize that he pick up the pearl necklace that Kuya Iklis gave me.

Mabilis ko itong dinampot mula sa kanya. "This is mine!" I glared at him.

Iginilid nito ang ulo niya. "No, that is not certainly yours. Give that back, you don't deserve such thing."

Shivers run down my spine when he glared at me. It was way too different from when we met in the Magic Tower. His eyes right now is so damn scary and dangerous. Like a predator looking at his pitiful prey. It was enough to make my limbs shake a little.

"W-what? T-this is m-mine - hick!" I hiccup. I wanted to run away, he's too scary and I can't believe I'm stuttering in front of him with shaking limbs!

He suddenly grab the necklace from my hand. "Hindi ko alam kung paano napunta sa'yo 'to. Pero hindi 'to para sa'yo. This also explains that I was summoned here because you're not the original owner that should possessed this pearl. Someone like you don't deserve even the cheapest magic tools created by us magicians."

"Bakit ka galit na galit sa'kin? It's not like I did something wrong to your kind or what. Katulad din ito noong unang nagkita tayo sa Magic Tower. Unang kita mo pa lang sa'kin ay ang sama na kaagad ng tingin mo sa akin. Don't you think I deserve some kind of an explanation why some complete stranger is glaring at me?"

He scoff and did the same exact thing I did to him. He cross the distance between us and push my shoulder using his index finger.

"I hated your kind. Ang mga kagaya mong gagawin ang lahat makuha lang ang gusto kahit may maapakang ibang tao. Hindi porket nasa taas ka at makapangyarihan ay may karapatan ka ng mang-apak ng iba especially to people who clearly did nothing wrong!"

The more he talks, the more I don't understand what's he's talking about. Hindi ko matukoy kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. Inaapakang tao? Wala akong maalalang may inapakan akong tao! At mas lalong mga taong wala naman palang ginagawang masama! I'm not that evil enough to inflict pain and suffering to people who did nothing wrong, excuse me!

"Hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi mo," I fight the urge not to slap his hand away from me.

"Ashley De Blaine. Does that ring a bell?"

"Ah..." Ashley De... What? "No, not really -"

I gasp when he push me rather harshly by the shoulder. Napaatras ako dahil sa ginawa niya.

"She did nothing wrong but because of you she became a laughingstock of high society just a year after she debuted. Your bullying pushed her to recuperate to the countryside in the South." He push my shoulder again.

"Insensitive remarks. Immature actions. Because you don't understand your standing in the society you didn't realize that even just a single word from you could send someone to despair and misery. Ashley is one of those people who got bullied by everyone just because you commented negatively to her dress being not matched with her body figure. Just because of a fcking dress, her life was completely ruined! She's a magic swordsman, so her body was a bit muscular than ordinary women her age but that doesn't mean you can just say whatever you want!" He added.

I can feel the swirls of emotions with his every word. Pain, hate, angry, sorrow and pity. And as he continue talking, some vague recollection of the girl she's talking about resurface in my mind. Though I couldn't completely remember.

"Ayun sa kwento mo, I only just made a comment so it wasn't me that bullied her, but why are you taking your hatred towards me? And are you even sure that the comment I've made was negative? Or was it just negatively perceived?"

"What did you just say? Unbelievable! So in the end you're just going to twist the truth and wash your own hands?" His eyes shone even more in anger as his hands reach for my neck. "Or is it because you're just jealous of her that you ruined her. Is it because apart from being skilled in swordmanship, Ashley was also gifted in magic, whereas in contrast, you're useless in both areas."

Chills run down my spine when his cold fingers touch my bare neck. I wanted to push him away but my pride tells me that I'll appear weak and scared. So I muster my courage and face him head on.

"Diamond was formed under pressure. If she couldn't handle that much then she's worth nothing at all. What use is her talent when she cowers in the slightest nudge of adversity? Do you think someone like that is worth it to be envied?"