The Side Character Wants The Spotlight

chapter seven: suspicion

Agad na nanlaki ang aking mga mata ng mapagtanto ko ang aking sinabi. Mabilis akong humarap sa Crown Prince ng matuwid at yumuko.

"I greet the future sun of our Empire, Crown Prince Navviel," magalang na muling bati ko.

'Nakakahiyaaaa! Ano ba ang iniisip ko!?'

"Hello, Lady Gabriella. I'm happy to see that you are doing alright," bati nito pabalik.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I am honored," magalang na sagot ko habang nakayuko pa rin.

"You can raise your head now. Why don't we all sit down?" lintaya ng Crown Prince na agad naman naming sinunod. Hindi ko napansin na tumayo rin pala silang dalawa ni Jewel. Umupo naman ako sa kaharap na upuan ng Crown Prince habang si Jewel ay bumalik sa kaniyang kina-uupuan kanina.

"May I ask the reason for your visit, Your Highness?" tanong ko.

"Ah yes. The King ordered me to see how you were as you suddenly collapsed at Lady Jewel's Debut Celebration," kalmadong sagot ko.

"What!? I collapsed at your party? Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Jewel. I didn't mean to create a ruckus on your big day, I swear!" mabilis na paliwanag ko kay Jewel at humingi ng paumanhin.

Mabilis namang tumawa ng malakas si Jewel habang umiiling-iling sa akin.

"What's so funny?" nagtatakang tanong ko. Patuloy pa rin ito sa pagtawa habang nakahawak ang kamay sa tiyan.

Ano ba ang nakakatawa sa aking sinabi para maging ganito ang reaksiyon niya? Lumuluha pa habang tumatawa.

"Nothing is funny, Gabby. You're just really cute," tumatawa pa ring sagot niya. Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay tumigil na ito sa pagtawa at tumingin sa akin.

"It doesn't matter if you make a scene, what's important is that you are fine now. We also found out that you're not good with alcohol. You should not drink in the future," nakangiting lintaya niya.

Binigyan ko naman siya ng isang ngiti at tumango. Ngunit nagtataka ako, isang baso lang naman ng wine ang aking ininom ah? Hindi pa nga iyon puno. Sa dati kong buhay, tatlong bote ng wine hindi pa nga ako tinatablan.

Dahil ba sa bumalik ako sa nakaraan at naging labing anim na taong gulang ulit? Nakakapagtaka.

"Oh by the way, Crown Prince. Please deliver the news to the King that I am now fine and has woken up. I must have been very tired yesterday for me to collapse at Lady Jewel' debut party," usal ko sa Crown Prince na nakatingin sa akin.

Itatanong ko sana kung bakit siya nakatingin sa aking mukha at kung meron bang dumi roon, pero hindi ko nalamang itinuloy.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa utak ng Crown Prince ngayon, at tila ba, ayaw ko ring malaman sa hindi ko alam na dahilan. Kahit sa dati kong buhay, isa pa rin siyang nilalang na kahit kailan hindi mo malalaman ang susunod na hakbang niya. Magugulat ka nalang na nangyari na ang hindi mo inaasahang mangyayari.

Hindi nagtagal ay tumango naman ang Crown Prince sa amin bago tumayo.

"Thank you, Lady Gabriella, Lady Jewel. The King would be very pleased to hear that news. I'll go ahead and be off then as I still have some matters I need to attend. Continue on taking a rest, Ladies," pagpapasalamat niya sa amin bago tumalikod.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas niya ng pintuan ay sinalubong agad siya ng aking ama na mayroong malaking ngiti sa labi kasama ang ama ni Jewel.

'Ano na naman ba ang iniisip ng dalawang matatandang ito?'

"I have never seen the Crown Prince smile like that before," bulong ni Jewel.

Itinaas ko naman ang aking kilay at tumingin sa kaniya ng ilang segundo bago ibinalik ang tingin sa pasaradong pintuan.

"He smiled?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Yes! Didn't you see that? He just smiled!" malakas at masayang sagot ni Jewel.

Iniling ko na lamang ang aking ulo sa kaniya at ngumiti bago humarap sa kaniya.

"I'm really sorry about what happened at your party, I didn't know that I would collapse yesterday for drinking one glass of wine," muling pagpapaumanhin ko.

"That's totally fine. Don't mention it. I'm even more grateful to you for doing that. I actually and genuinely thought that you were doing it on purpose," natatawang sagot niya.

"What do you mean?" nagtatakang tanong ko. Hindi ko masyadong nakuha ang ibig na sabihin ni Jewel.

"You know, my father was about to announce that I will be engage to the Crown Prince. Then you suddenly announced that you like him. You even told the King that you really like the Crown Prince and afterwards you collapse. Because of that, the engagement didn't went through. So thank you!" masayang eksplinasyon niya.

'Wait what!? So it really happened? I told the King that I like the Crown Prince!? Oh my god! That can't be true! I was drunk! That right,'

"I don't think that was a genuine confession, Jewel. I believe I was drunk at that time and was not in the right mind," pagpapa-intindi ko kay Jewel.

"I understand, Gabby. But since I just turned adult, I have learned something. Sometimes, alcohol give you strength and courage to really show what you feel and what you want deep inside that you wouldn't say or do when you are sane. Why didn't you tell me you like the Crown Prince before?" sagot niya.

Umiiling-iling ako sa kaniya at napampal nalang ng noo. Bakit ba naging ganito ang kinalalabasan? Hindi ito ang gusto kong mangyari.

Pero, parang naging biyaya na rin ito para kay Jewel at Lord Henston. Nawa'y makikita ko na ang dalawang lumabas at magpakasaya sa publiko.

"Oh and by the way, the party did not happen last night," lintaya ni Jewel na siyang kumuha ng atensyon ko.

"Huh? What do you mean?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"I don't think I'll believe you when you say you only drank one glass of wine," sagot niya na mas lalong ipinagtaka ko.

"And what do you mean by that? What happened last night after I collapsed?" muling tanong ko, mas lalong nagtataka.

"I'm telling you, the party did not happen last night. You have been sleeping for one week already," sagot niya.

Agad namang nanlaki ang aking mga mata ng marinig ko iyon.

'What? That can't be! I only drank one glass of wine and that's it! How the hell did I sleep for a whole week straight? Is this the side effect of going back in time?'