Her Prince

- 44 -

- ADDYSON LOPEZ -

If not for the final exams, I would think Julien was avoiding me. Today was the last day of Hell Week, pero kahit anino niya hindi ko pa nakikita.

A week had already passed since I last saw him, it was the day I bought him a gift to make it up to him! I tried replaying our conversation that day, may nasabi ba akong mali? O nagawang hindi maganda? Did I offend him in some way? The very next day, he had messaged me that he would spend the whole weekend studying for the finals. I even felt guilty, dahil palagi ako at mga friends ko ang tinutulungan niya. I worried na baka siya mismo ang hindi nakakapag-review dahil kami ang inuuna niya. Fortunately, binisita ako ni Hana. We'd studied together instead, nalibang ako kahit papano. Then Monday, the first day of the Hell Week had come, but Julien messaged me the same thing. He'd focus on his study the whole week, kaya hindi niya ako masasabayan na pumasok o umuwi.

I get that he needed to focus but...

I was so used to his presence now, and only now did I realize that we really do spend an incredible amount of time together, during the day, and especially on weekends. It was like, he naturally just became part of my everyday life.

And now...

I missed him.

What if he was really avoiding me? And just using the exams as an excuse?

Mentally, umiling ako. Julien was not like that. I'd already spent months with him. He was not the type to avoid someone out of the blue.

Still, he never once forgot to ask what I was doing, kung kumain na ba ako, nakarating sa school o naka-uwi, kinakamusta niya rin ang exams ko, that had better results than last time all thanks to him! Hindi ko na alam ang mararamdaman.

What if he had a reason?

Did he... find out somehow? About my growing feelings for him? Masyado na ba akong halata? Once again, I recalled the events from the seafood restaurant, from Book Bound... to our ice cream routine in 7/11.

I stared at my wrist. Was it because of the bracelet? Nahalata ba niyang nawala ako sa mood? Napilitan lang ba siyang ibigay 'to sakin? Sa 7/11, baka napansin niyang nagwawala ako deep inside sa hawak niya? Nakahalata na ba siya? Kaya siya umiiwas? It was very much possible! 

Ano nang gagawin ko? His presence... I wanted it. I wanted him so much. I wanted to be him, beside him...

Isang linggo pa lang pero... 

Nami-miss ko na siya... sobra.

"Ugh!" Propping my elbows on the concrete table, I cupped my face.

"Ano ka ba, busy lang 'yon sa exams." Marina, seated beside me, clapped a hand on my shoulders.

Sa shed sa tapat ng CEA kami kasalukuyang nakatambay. Isang subject na lang, and Hell Week would be officially over. I should really be studying, pero paano ko naman gagawin 'yon kung hindi maalis sa isip ko si Julien? It was a miracle I survived the other subjects being miserable like this.

"He's totally avoiding you." Blaire, right in front of me, dropped the bomb. May nakabukas na reviewer sa tapat niya, but her attention was on me.

"Blaire!" suway ni Eunice sa tabi niya.

Blaire ignored her, "Julien is never too busy for you, Addy. Kahit na may report siya, long quiz or whatever, you're always in his schedule, a priority. So yeah, he is avoiding you."

"This is different, we're in Hell Week!" depensa ni Eunice, even Marina nodded.

"We all know he's a damn genius. Final exams are a piece of cake for a guy with a brain like his." Blaire eyed me, raising a perfect brow. "Did you give him a reason to avoid you?"

"Addy..." Marina hesitated, "You haven't confessed, have you?"

"No!" mariing tanggi ko, bago napayuko. "Pero... baka nakahalata na siya."

My friends were silent. Iyon lang naman ang posibleng dahilan kung bakit ako biglang iiwasan ni Julien eh.

"What if it was the other way around?" Eunice mused, fingers on her mouth in deep thought. "What if it wasn't your feelings but his?"

Blaire rolled her eyes, "Here comes the delusion."

Eunice ignored her this time, "What if he realized he was falling for you? And had to distance himself to sort his feelings?"

I forced a smile to not hurt my friend, "It's impossible—"

"What's not possible?" Eunice pressed her palms on the table vigorously, the action hurt her as she groaned in pain, but went on, "I mean, it's just as Blaire said. You are his priority, Addy. And there are his messages, too! He's still very concerned about you. You can't tell me he's just being kind!"

Agreeing to Eunice's claims, Marina once again nodded, "Walang ganyang kabait na kapit-bahay o kaibigan. Ano siya, santo?"

Eunice bobbed her head too, excitedly. "There must be something!"

They were too good, even for my delusional self. I was about to comment just that, when someone from behind me spoke.

"There's a way to find that something out."

Me and my friends' jaws might have dropped in sync.

It was Keenan! With Reign!

Oh my God!

Reign in all his ruggedly handsome glory, offered us a stunning smile. "Mind if we join you, ladies?"

Blaire was the first one to shake her head, so Reign sat beside her. My friend went absolutely still.

Keenan blessed us with his spectacular smile as well, bago umupo sa tabi ko.

"Hi, Addy." Bati nilang dalawa sa'kin. Keenan and Reign introduced themselves to my friends, as if they were not known by every single one of the students here in East University. Engineering Hotties, as I always say, are basically celebrities.

I know they're just normal college boys but still.

"We know a very effective way to confirm someone's feelings." Keenan stated after their introduction.

"Make him jealous. Easy and effective." Reign declared matter of fact-ly.

"Will you help us then?" tanong sa kanila ni Marina, nakapamaywang. "What you suggest is not easy, you know. We're all girls here."

The two Hotties looked at each other, communicating with just their eyes, or probably performing telepathy of some sort.

Keenan sighed, relenting. "I'm afraid he would find out immediately if it's us two."

"Or any of us, really." Reign shrugged, referring to the other Hotties.

Blaire who had a huge crush on Reign, still hadn't uttered a thing. She was just watching him with fondness. It was our first time to see her like this.

My heart jumped when Eunice suddenly grabbed my hands, "Call Hana right now!"