Her Prince

- 56 -

- ADDYSON LOPEZ -

Ang init.

At may kung anong mabigat ang nakadagan sa'kin.

Hana was probably all over me again. I moved her arms away, pero mahigpit silang nakapalupot sa bewang ko. Based on the weight on my thighs, her legs were around me too.

I sighed and forced my eyes to open, my sense of sight adjusting...

Instantaneously, last night's events flashed on my mind. I was not in Hana's condo, nor was I in Lingmell...

Napalunok ako. This... was not Hana's arm...

It was Julien's. His chest was pressed firm against my back, I could feel the steady beating of his heart.

I tried to break free, but his arms only gripped me tighter, pulling me close, holding me against his body. Julien was snoring softly, he was still sleeping, but his arms held me tight, like he didn't want me to get away, even in his sleep.

It wasn't a dream... yesterday was all real!

Anong gagawin ko?

Muli kong sinubukan na makawala, pero lalo lang humigpit ang yakap niya.

"No..." he mumbled, voice still thick with sleep as he nuzzled my neck.

"Gising ka na ba?"

He hummed in my ear, napapikit na lang ako ng mariin.

"Ju-julien..."

"Jules... it's Jules, Addy." He whispered sexily—I meant, sleepily! His morning voice was deep, sultry, and with him so close to me... I might just lose my mind.

"Jules... let go..." habang nasa tamang pag-iisip pa ako! "Please..."

"Hmmm... no." Lalo lang humigpit ang yakap niya, leaving no space between us.

I took a deep breath, seizing his arms and forced them apart, but he was too strong. I paused, trying to gain more strength, willing myself to break free from his vice-like grip—until I saw his wrist.

Wrapped around it, was the red string bracelet I bought him. Bakit suot niya pa rin? My heart started to ache once more, I can't cry in from of him!

"The red string... of fate." He uttered, noticing why I stopped resisting. He went on, "An invisible thread that binds those destined to meet along the path of life. It may stretched or tangle, but never break."

"Alam mo... 'yong ibig sabihin?"

He hummed, his breath fanning my neck. "It was why I gave the other to you..."

When I moved, turning my whole body to face him, he loosened his grip, but still did not let me go. His face, still puffy with sleep looked adorable. "It refers to soulmates, Jules. Bakit sa'kin mo binigay?"

His left hand took my right, interlacing our fingers. "Because I think you're my soulmate, Addy. You're meant for me... you're meant to be with me... As I am for you... with you..."

"I lost mine." I averted my eyes, pulling my hands away but he still wouldn't let me. "Nawala ko sa Baguio last week."

It was a lie of course, dahil noong huling araw namin sa Baguio, I threw the bracelet away. I was determined to forget everything, para wala na akong babalikan. I cried the very next day, pagbalik namin sa Lingmell.

But Julien opened his left hand, my bracelet in his palm... like some sort of magic. I knew it was mine, dahil nilagyan ko ng purple heart bead iyon as a pendant, to remind myself it was mine and no one else's. Without a word, he returned it to its place, wrapped around my wrist.

My eyes were wide in absolute shock as I watched him, "How did you..."

"Hana gave it to me yesterday, when she came after I called." He explained with a smile, intertwining our fingers once again. "I think... you're meant to be here, with me. I think we're meant to be neighbors, and friends and... if you allow it, maybe more than that."

Pumikit ako nang mariin. Ayoko nang umiyak. I sat up, and immediately, he followed. "Why are you doing this to me, Jules?"

"Addy—"

"I heard you! Sabi mo I was only your friend..." I gasped, trying to catch my breath, feeling so vulnerable under his gaze. "Hindi ako ang gusto mo. Narinig ko. I was there you know? When a girl confessed to you, I was in the washroom--she asked you Jules, she asked you kung gusto mo ako, and you said no! You said I was only a friend! Alam mo bang umasa ako? I thought you would say yes, and I felt so fucking stupid and pathetic."

"That was to protect you!" He clutched my hand tighter, "How could I carelessly tell her na ikaw ang gusto ko? I only wanted to be careful. You're already having a hard time with your block mates bombarding you with questions about me. About us. I know, Uno told me."

I watched our interlocked fingers, and couldn't help but feel how perfectly mine fit in his. It made my heart ache even more. "But I confessed to you, Jules. And you know what? You didn't even need to say it, I saw the rejection clearly in your eyes... pero kahit ganon umasa pa rin ako na hahabulin mo ko, pero hinayaan mo lang akong umalis."

"I don't know what you saw Addy, but I swear on my life, it wasn't rejection." His free hand held my chin, lightly forcing me to look up at him, and meet his tender eyes. "I never planned to reject you, but I got scared, so fucking scared of my own feelings for you. You knew I liked Trina, and if I suddenly confessed then..." He released a breath, "I didn't want you to think that she had influenced on my feelings. I wanted to settle things with Trina first. It was selfish, and I'm so fucking sorry but I wanted her gone before I lay myself bare to you, Addy. I am already aware of my feelings, long before Trina came..."

"You didn't attend her party..." I murmured.

"The girl I like don't want me there so..." He shrugged, and flashed me a soft, sincere smile. His hand moved to my cheek, rubbing his thumb on my skin soothingly. "I like you, Addy... as a friend, as a neighbor, as a person, as even more. I like you romantically—you have no idea how much." He pointed at his temple and chest, "You're in here and here, the moment I wake up and before I go to bed..."

"Jules..." closing my eyes, I leaned on his touch. My whole chest felt like bursting.

"I even tried finding you. Alam kong bumalik ka sa Lingmell, I begged your friends for your exact address but they wouldn't tell me. I was so close Addy, na isa-isahin ang mga lugar sa Lingmell mahanap lang kita."

I snapped my eyes open. In those two weeks, my foolish heart was hoping he would miraculously show up at our front door. "Did you—"

"Of course I did. I had my ways. Legal ways." He clarified, and chuckled when I narrowed my eyes. "I begged Kuya Sana instead, and got down quite literally on my knees, you know? I was tempted... na puntahan ka. But your friends told me you needed time. So I let you be, and waited for you here... kahit na hindi ko alam kung babalik ka ba sa'kin o hindi."

I held his wrist, "I'm sorry..."

"Addy..." His fingers stopped, his eyes overflowing with need ang longing locked with mine. "Will you let me court you?"

"No." At my answer, Julien quite literally deflated. He was like I lost puppy, I couldn't help but chuckle. "There's no need for that—I mean, I like you—and you like me. We're both on the same page so..."

"So?" I could see his invisible dog ears perked up, his tail wagging.

"You—you know! Alam mo na dapat ang ibig kong sabihin." Umiwas ako nang tingin, as my cheeks burned.

He leaned in closer, eyes adorably bigger in excitement and anticipation. "But I want to hear you say it, Addy."

"So... well... ugh..." Nanghihina akong sumandal sa dibdib niya. I could feel his heartbeat going wilder by the second.

"Okay..." Julien chuckled, the sound so beautiful my toes curled. He wrapped his arms around me again so he could pull me closer. "So... am I your boyfriend now?

"Yes..." I squeaked. Pwede nang magpakulo ng tubig sa buong mukha ko.

"Hmmm I love that. My girlfriend, Addy." Placing his forehead against mine, he kissed my knuckles, like a promise to forever.

Our forever.