Lasing ba ako? Isang baso ng wine lang naman ang nainom ko, hindi ba? Papaanong tila nawala ako sa tamang pag-iisip kahit na sa kalagitnaan ako ng pag-iisip ng plano at sumigaw?
Ayos lang sana kung ang sinigaw ko ay iyong mga salitang mga magulang ko lang ang magagalit at magsasalita, bakit hindi nalang ganun!?
“I didn't mean to... I don't... no,” nauutal-utal na lintaya ko habang mahigpit na nakahawak sa kamay ni Jewel at pilit na pinapaliwanag na hindi ko gusto ang prinsipe habang inilibot ang aking paningin sa loob ng kuwarto.
“Are you okay, Gabby?” nag-aalalang tanong ni Jewel sa akin. Hindi ko masyadong narinig ang kaniyang katanungan sapagkat ang aking paningin ay dumako kay Lord Henston na mayroong gulat na ekspresyon.
Tama! Nandito pa rin si Lord Henston, at alam ko na mayroong namamagitan sa kanilang dalawa ni Jewel. Para hindi na lumaki pa ang ang confession ko, ay kailangan umamin din si Lord Henston na mahal niya si Jewel.
Rinig na rinig ko na ngayon ang mga bulungan ng mga bisita, ngunit ang galit at gulat na ekspresyon ng aking mga magulang ang nanaig sa kanilang lahat.
Alam ko na kung ano ang mangyayari pagka-uwi na pagka-uwi ko. Pagagalitan na naman nila ako kung paanong ipinahiya ko ang aking sarili sa harap ng maraming tao at gumawa ng eskandalo sa mismong kaarawan ng aking kaibigan. Alam kong iyon ang kanilang mga sasabihin.
“Lady Gabriella? Lady Gabriella?” agad naman akong nabalik sa katinuan at tumayo ng tuwid ng marinig ko ang pagtawag ng Emperador sa akin.
“Yes, Your Highness?” sagot ko at mabilis na yumuko sa kaniyang harapan. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang kasalukuyang ekspresyon ng Emperador o ng ama ni Jewel.
Nawa’y hindi sila galit dahil sa aking sinabi. Hindi ko naman talaga gustong mangyari ito. Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa akin at sinabi ko iyon.
“Do you really, like the Crown Prince?” mahinhin na tanong ng Emperador sa akin.
Ipinikit ko naman ng madiin ang aking mata dahil sa kaniyang katanungan. Tila gusto ko nalang mawala ng parang bula mula sa aking kinatatayuan dahil sa hiya.
‘Pero teka. Hindi ba’t nag-iisip ako kung paano ko aagawin ang spotlight mula kay Jewel? Paraan kung paanong hindi matuloy ang engagement nila ng Crown Prince? I'm not sure about my situation right now, but this is the solution.’
It's alright to give up my dream of pursuing the man of my dreams, I can't give this opportunity up to help Jewel take a big thorn out of her heart and not to shackle her with this arrangement with the Crown Prince.
Itinaas ko ang aking ulo at ngumiti sa Emperador bago tumango. “Yes, Your Highness. I really like the Crown Prince,” sagot ko.
Sana hindi narinig ng Crown Prince iyon. Nawa’y maaga itong umalis upang gawin ang kahit na ano. Natatandaan ko rin sa dati kong buhay, ng inanunsyo ng Duke at Hari ang patungkol sa engagement ng Crown Prince at ni Jewel, ay wala na ang Crown Prince sapagkat umalis ito ng maaga.
‘Sana, umalis ka rin ng maaga ngayon. Nagmamakaawa ako,’
Kanina pa sumasakit ang aking ulo at tila ba nahihilo ako. Lasing ba talaga ako? Isang baso lang ng wine ang ininom ko ah! Hindi ko alam kung mayroon bang nagsasalita sa paligid o pinagagalitan ako ng Hari ay wala akong naiintindihan sa kanilang mga sinasabi.
“Father, I’m afraid I can't marry the woman you chose for me to marry. I have chosen the person who would one day become my wife, and no one can be compared to her,”
“Your Highness, our Emperor. Please forgive our daughter, she is just drunk and don't know what she is saying,”
“Please pardon her, Your Majesty! We will scold her and make sure that this will never happen again!”
“Don’t talk nonsense, Marquess Tranidior. You are not the one who confessed, it's your daughter. We will send an official letter to meet with her sooner or later,”
“Jewel darling, I'm sorry about the commotion,”
“Not a problem at all, Your Majesty. I'm glad everyone accepts Gabriella’s confession,”
“Well then, please let Lady Gabriella rest and let's continue enjoying the night!”
***
My head hurts so bad, and so is my whole body. What the hell happened yesterday that made my whole body ache like this?
I don't want to wake up just yet as I feel like all of my energy plummeted just yesterday for no reason. I don't have the energy nor strength to open my eyes and stand up. I don't remember anything big happen yesterday for me to consume all of my energy.
I just remember drinking one glass of wine while standing on the side being a wall Flower again, and that the engagement announcement did not happen. I believe that's all.
‘Wait. The Engagement Announcement did not happen? Huh!?’
I gasped and opened my eyes. All of the things that happened yesterday came back to me like a flood and almost drowned me. What the hell was that!?
I confessed in front of Jewel that I like the Crown Prince and that I shouted it! I shouted it because I was so anxious thinking of a way for the engagement announcement not to happen! For her sake!
Everyone who joined the birthday celebration heard it, even the King and Queen! The King even asked me if I really liked the Crown Prince! And said yes! What has gotten to me last night!?
Alcohol should not be consumed! Why is it not forbidden when it can cause a huge disaster?
“Did I really did that last night? Did I really confessed?” kinakabahang tanong ko sa hangin habang nakatingin sa aking mga palad.
“That’s right. You surely let everyone know you like the Crown Prince,” natatawang sagot ng babaeng dahilan kung bakit ko magawa iyon, kahit hindi talaga iyon ang plano ko.
“Why didn't you stop me!?” tanong ko sa kaniya. Hindi naman ito sumagot at pina-alis ang mga katulong bago lumapit sa akin at umupo sa aking tabi.
“How would I know that you are going to shout it out? I just simply returned your question,” sagot niya.
“I’m so embarrassing! I can't face anyone now! I hope the Crown Prince did not hear it,” naiiyak na lintaya ko bago muling humiga at tinabunan ang mukha ng unan.
“I don't know if you're unlucky or lucky, but the universe let the Crown Prince hear it and he is waiting for you in the drawing room,” sagot niya.
“What!? Stop joking around,” kinakabahang sagot ko kay Jewel pagkatapos ko marinig ang kaniyang sinabi. That can't be right, it just happened yesterday and I did not see the Crown Prince in the crowd yesterday! I thought he left!
‘What do you mean he's downstairs waiting!?’
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The Side Character Wants The Spotlight
FantasyGabriella considered herself as a side character even in her own life who always gets compared to the Main Character, her best friend. She died after wishing for her Best Friend and its lover to have a happily every after, but returns back in time i...
