Viel Imperium 1: TWISTED AFFECTION

Prologue

5 years later
Present time

As the soft tendrils of sleep gently wrapped around me, the intrusion of sunlight piercing through the curtains disrupted my slumber. With a groggy murmur, I stirred, blinking away the remnants of dreams as the golden rays danced playfully across my eyelids.

It wasn't the gentle hand of morning that roused me, but the mischievous act of my friend Carla, who, with a grin as bright as the sun itself, had decided it was time to bring me back to the waking world.

As I squinted against the sudden brightness, I couldn't help but touch my head. It's kinda throbbing maybe because I did have a lot of drinks last night.

"Good morning sunshine." Carla said and removed the blanket that was covering my body. I groaned and got the nearest pillow to cover my face from the sunlight also to tone down the high pitched voice of my friend.

"Wakey wakeyyy!" I ignored her and tried to sleep again.

"Aria Maya Sullivan, wake up! Can't you hear? Your phone kept on ringing! Your sister's name kept flashing on your phone!"

That made me stand up and I instantly regretted it as I felt another headache because of my sudden movement.

I saw Carla holding my phone and waving it in front of my face.

"You damn girl, I thought you already told ate Lily that you'll have an overnight here. "

" I told her? " I said not sure if I really told her though.

"Get your phone now and answer the call! Ayokong sagutin yan kahit kanina pa nagriring, baka mapagalitan lang ako." Carla said at mabilis na inilagay sa kamay ko ang aking cellphone.

Tinitigan ko lamang ang cellphone ko na nagriring pa rin ngayon sa aking kamay, lumabas na ng kwarto si Carla at naiwan ako ritong nagdadalawang isip kung sasagutin ba ang tawag or hindi.

I bit my lower lip and close my eyes habang inilalapit ang daliri para masagot ang tawag. I'm nervous okay! Hindi pala ko nakapagchat sakanya kagabi and seeing her missed calls right now I'm doomed.

I slowly press the green icon to answer the call. My eyes are still closed, I don't want to open my eyes because I know she's looking at me intently right now.

"Open your eyes, Aria Maya and tell me where you are." Tila nahinto ang aking paghinga ng marinig ang napakalamig na boses nito, dahan-dahan akong dumilat at sumalubong saakin ang malalamig niyang mga mata.

"I'm in C-Carla's apartment right now a-ate." Nauutal na wika ko, gosh I'm so nervous okay!

She looks so mad right now even though there's no emotion that can be seen on her face.

I know what I did was wrong, akala ko talaga ay nakapag-paalam ako sakanya kagabi though alam naman niyang may pupuntahan akong party pero hindi ko sinabing mag-oovernight ako. I was so drunk last night to even type a message. Geez, I should have just called her. I know she's just worried but I'm not a kid anymore. I'm already old enough, I'm already 22 years old, I am free to do whatever I want.

Yes she let me do the things I want, but she's so strict and protective over me. As if someone will hurt me or do bad things to me, I can handle myself. I'm not the fragile kid she first met 5 years ago.

"Just go home now, Aria." Kita ko ang pag-masahe niya sakanyang noo tila ba sumasakit ang ulo niya dahil saakin.

I sighed and just nodded to her before I bid my goodbye.

Mabilis akong nag-ayos ng sarili, nakiligo na rin ako sa apartment ni Carla para mawala ang headache ko, ayokong humarap ng lutang kay ate Lily, baka mas lalo lang akong mapagalitan.

Paglabas ko ng kwarto ay agad akong dumiretso sa kusina, alam kong naroon si Carla dahil kanina pa siya tawag ng tawag saakin na akala mo ay hindi mapakali. Bakit kasi hindi nalang niya ako pinuntahan sa kwarto at nagsisisigaw siya ngayon.

"Oh gosh Aria, come here! You need to see this!" Rinig ang excitement sa boses nito habang nakatingin sakanyang cellphone at pinapalapit ako sakanyang puwesto.

"Ano ba yan? I need to go home now." Walang ganang sagot ko rito habang naglalakad palapit sakanya.

"Guess who's back?!" Humarap ito saakin habang may mapaglarong ngiti sa labi na agad namang ikina-kunot ng aking noo.

"Who?"

"Try to guess Aria! Don't kill the fun!" I rolled my eyes upon hearing what she just said.

"I don't have time guessing Carla. Ate Lily is fuming mad right now, if you won't tell me now then I'll go home na." Akmang tatalikod na ako rito nang hawakan niya ang kamay ko at iniharap saakin ang screen ng cellphone niya.

"Selene is back! Oh my gosh, haha your girlfriend is back!" I was just staring at her  phone, I saw a picture of a woman standing in the entrance of the airport with a caption of 'Ph'.

Napakatipid naman mag-caption nito.

"She's not my girlfriend Carla." Walang ganang sagot ko rito that earned a laugh from her.

"Are you still mad with her? I thought you guys were cool now?"

"We're cool, but she's not my girlfriend. Ni hindi nga naging kami."

"Wait what? Anong hindi, you guys have mutual feelings right?!" Ano bang pinagsasabi nito ni Carla? Bangag pa rin ba siya hanggang ngayon?

"I did like her okay? But she doesn't have the same feelings with me. So stop saying that she's my girlfriend nakakahiya sa tao isipin pa nila ang ilusyunada ko." Nakasimangot na sagot ko rito.

"I don't get it! I thought you guys were a thing? "

"You never ask Carla, you just assumed things."

"No way, I know how she looked at you. And you guys were inseparable during our trip in Palawan last vacation."

"You mean, I kept on following her during that trip? Tss."

"What?!"

"Argh, just shut up Carla. It's nothing now, I already moved on that woman is so cold, tss. " Totoo naman akala mo yelo, pansin naman siguro agad iyon sa caption niya sa Instagram photo niya. Two letters lang hindi manlang binuo yung Philippines.

"I really thought y-you guys?--" Hindi ko na ito pinatapos at tinalikuran na ito dahil hindi nanaman kami matatapos mag-usap kung hindi ko pa siya iiwan ngayon.

I really need to go home now. Ate Lily is waiting for me.

Ahh, should I buy her some brownies ? It's her favorite, it might cool down her temper. Yes, I'll buy her some, bibilisan ko nalang. Alam naman niya na pauwi na ako, at bibili lang naman ako ng pang-suhol kaya okay lang naman siguro na malate kahit saglit, right?

A small smile crept on my lips. Though I really enjoyed seeing her mad.

****