The King's Court

XXXI

Nagsisi ako kung bakit ako umalis kanina. I should have just stayed and ate to my heart's content but no, Leon managed to convince me to go out. And deep down, I was pissed with Nikolas too. Kaya mas mabuti na rin siguro na umalis ako do'n kaysa mainis.

I pulled my blanket to my chin and thought of their exchange earlier. If Nikolas just wanted to be kind to Lady Caroline, aba nasobraan naman yata 'yon.

I let out a frustrated sigh and turned to my side when I heard something cluttering on my window.

Agad akong napabangon at tiningnan ang bintana ko only to find it already open. 

"What the--"

"Why did you leave dinner?" 

Muntikan na akong mahulog sa kama dahil sa gulat. 

The room was dim at tanging liwanag lang mula sa mga ilaw sa labas ang nagbibigay ilaw sa loob. Nikolas got in the window somehow and I have no idea how he did it. Pero nakatayo na siya sa sulok kung saan walang ilaw kaya hindi ko siya nakita agad kanina.

"Nikolas?" I called.

Only then that he step into the light. He was still wearing the same clothing he wore at dinner at naalala ko na naman ang nangyari at naging usapan nila ni Caroline kanina. 

I frowned and he saw it.

"Is there something wrong?" tanong niya at umirap ako at humiga. I pulled the blanket over me and covered my whole body with it pati na rin ang ulo ko.

Silence filled the room and then seconds later, I heard him sigh.

"Do you want me to leave?"

How do I tell him na nagtatampo ako ako pero dapat hindi halata? And I am not just sulking for no reason. What the heck was that conversation with Caroline? He could have just declined and still be kind about it if being impolite is something he was worried about.

Hindi ako sumagot. I don't feel like communicating how I feel now. I need time. Maybe I will be better tomorrow. Maybe then—

"Alright, then. If you don't want to talk, I'll take my leave."

What? No!

But I heard his footsteps walking away and then I heard the door open and close.

He left?

Agad akong napabalikwas ng bangon at inis na napatingin sa pinti but then I did not expect to still see him standing there. He was holding thr door's knob at nakataas ang kilay na nakatingin sa akin.

Cunning bastard.

"Good. You're out of your cocoon."

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin habang naglalakad siya papalapit sa kama.

"You're a sham," I spat and he shrugged before he sat on the bed. I scuttled back to get away but he kept on coming hanggang sa naramdaman ko ang headboard sa likuran ko.

"Stop running away, Evelyn."

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you. Why did you leave dinner?"

"You knew I had to help your brother—"

"Bullshit," he muttered and I hitched my breath when I saw his expression darken.

"Why are you getting pissed? I should be the one—"

Napigilan ko ang sarili ko bago ko pa man matapos ang nais sabihin. My relationship with Nikolas is indeed complicated. I know he is free to do that flirting with whoever he pleases because I am not going to be staying here forever, anyway. Perhaps I am the problem for feeling this way. Maybe I am pissed for feeling this way when I am not even entitled to it.