Her Prince

- 5 -

- ADDYSON LOPEZ -

"May payong ka ba?"

I looked up at the ceiling, na para bang makikita ko doon ang payong na naiwan ko sa 4th floor ng CEA - College of Engineering and Architecture Building, while here we were, at the first floor, paalis na sana nang biglang bumuhos ang ulan.

"Meron." sagot ko kay Eunice, "Pero magpapatila muna kong ulan."

"Then I'll go ahead na?" I nodded at her question, and she hugged me, "See you tomorrow!" Opening her cute, transparent umbrella, she went ahead kahit malakas ang ulan. She had club duties, and as the vice president of the Coser East, Eunice was a busy girl.

Mag-isa lang tuloy akong uuwi. Maagang sinundo si Blaire ng driver nila dahil masama ang pakiramdam niya, at sumabay naman sa kanya si Marina dahil may date naman ito. Kung kanino this time, hindi ko na alam, honestly. Hindi ako sumabay dahil ayoko namang iwan si Eunice, na busy pa kanina sa pagp-print ng letter of approval for her club. Si Hana naman, mamaya pa ang uwi, sa condo na kami magkikita. Lumipat kasi ako sa condo niya a month ago, dahil hindi niya raw kayang mabuhay mag-isa.

Once Eunice was out of sight, I released a breath. Too tired to go back up to the fourth floor, susugurin ko na lang ang ulan.

"Wala ka ring payong?"

I flinched at the voice, then at his handsome face. Sa lakas ng ulan, hindi ko man lang narinig ang paglapit niya.

It was the prince.

Julien Wyeth Kingston. Even his name screamed royalty, hindi lang siguro sa alternative universe prinsipe 'to, baka sa past life niya rin. That very day when I thought he smiled at me, pumunta agad ako sa website ng school na dedicated sa Engineering Hotties, and clicked on his profile. He was a second year, in Mechanical Engineering at ang bunso ng grupo. Tall as hell too, as his height on the website said he was 5'11. Hanggang balikat niya lang ako.

And he smelled good. Like, really good.

"Naiwan ko sa fourth floor." sagot ko finally.

"I could get it for you, if you share it with me." He grinned, and my heart was at it again, almost skipping a beat.

It took me a few moments bago muling nakasagot. "Uh, sure."

"Anong room?"

"403."

"Got it." And he beelined for the stairs. Before I knew it, nakabalik na siya, at naglalakad na kami sa gitna ng ulan, gamit ang iisang payong. He was too near, I figured out his scent. Vanilla. He smelled like a damn vanilla, and for what? While his voice... so soft it reminded me of marshmallows.

Sumulyap ako saglit sa mukha niya, he did the same and smiled. Ang ganda ng mata, ang tangos ng ilong, at ang pink ng lips! Juice na colored! Ang gwapo naman nitong katabi ko! Parang gusto ko tuloy magtakip ng mukha. Ang sama ng tingin sa'kin ng mga nakakasalubong naming students eh, with bulungan pa! Binabash nila ako, for sure.

"Sa waiting shed lang ako sa tapat..." He informed me, as he pouted at the shed across paglabas namin ng campus.

"Okay, tatawid din naman ako."

We waited for the traffic light signal. Habang tumatawid, I could feel his shoulder lightly bumping mine. Binalik niya sa'kin ang payong nang makasilong na kami sa shed. Siya ang mas matangkad eh, kaya siya ang may hawak.

"Thanks." He smiled again. His left shoulder was soaked, while my whole body was dry, except for my shoes. What a gentleman, this hottie. Bigla kong naisip ang mga scenes sa anime at kdrama, did that just happen to me?

I smiled politely, "No worries."

"I'm Julien by the way." He extended a hand, na para bang hindi siya kilala ng mga students sa East University.

I took it, at ang lambot ng kamay, shemay. "Addyson."

"Addy, then?"

Tumango ako. Wow, close na ba agad kami?

"It was you, at McDonald's the other day." He said, not asked, as if he was sure. And he was sure. Naalala niya, iyong two-seconds na pagtama ng mga mata namin. Did he really smile then? Hindi ko imagination lang?

"Ako nga," I confirmed. He freaking remembered, and for what? The eye-contact was what he was referring to, right? Wala naman kaming ginawa ni Hana sa McDo that day kundi kumain eh.

Julien beamed and it might have been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "I knew it." He stepped forward, at pinara ang papalapit na bus. "See you around, Addy."