The Wicked Princess

Kabanata 2

Baligtad.

"I don't want to..." Umirap ako habang nasa harapan si Mommy. Namamahinga ako sa garden table ngayong gabi habang nagbabasa ng libro, inaantay ang pagpatak ng alas-dose para sa birthday ko.

"Selene..." banayad na pakiusap ni Mommy pero naging matigas ang pag-iling ko.

I know I am stubborn most of the time dahil napapansin ko na lagi na lang akong pinipilit. Kailan pa ako ipinanganak para bumuntot kay Zeus? Was I born to be his guardian or something? As if it is my problem if his family is not always here. Do I need to be his family? Paano pala kung hindi nabuo si Zeus? Kawawa naman pala ako dahil hindi ako maipapanganak.

"Selene, Zeus wants to be a part of a special service. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin kami kumbinsido ng daddy mo na ayos lang iyon because he's just sixteen. But Lorraine let him and she's his family, so..." Ngumuso si Mommy para hindi ipakita ang lungkot. Her natural pouty lips looks so cute.

I got distracted for a while because I cannot see myself in Mom. Hindi ako cute. Sabi sa akin ni Sue, I look like a witch and I believed her.

"Mom, don't worry. He's Tita Lorraine's responsibility. As if naman may magagawa ako kapag nagloko 'yang anak-anakan n'yo." I snorted.

"Selene, please? Keio is a good school. One of the best. Parehas naman kayong nakapasa roon ni Zeus." She looks so hopeful habang ako ay wala talagang gana.

"Paano pala kung hindi ako pumasa?" I slouched in the garden chair and crossed my arms into my chest. Kung alam ko rin lang na ganito pala, sana nga ay hindi ko na lang ipinasa ang entrance exam. I want to study abroad. I want to pursue Fashion Design. Ngayon ay mabibigo ako. It is all because of that Zeus Eliseo Romualdez.

Alam ko namang mahirap makapasok sa Keio, that is why I took all the odds to pass it. Ilang araw akong nag-aral kahit confident akong papasa roon because passing is simply not enough. I want to be on the top. But I came in second on that entrance exam and Zeus was first. Ilang linggo ko na siyang hindi kinikibo dahil doon. Siya na naman ang bida sa mata nina Mommy at Daddy dahil sa pangunguna niya. Nakakairita talaga.

"But you did. You landed second..." Malambing na hinawakan ni Mommy ang kamay ko. Napailing ako.

"Don't remind me that anymore, Mom," inis na sabi ko. Pointing out being the second is like adding salt to my wound. Hindi na nga ako ang nanguna, ipagdiriwang pa nila na naging pangalawa ako. A celebration for being the second best? No way.

Mom smiled kindly, she always does. Sinuklay niya ang buhok ko gamit ang daliri.

"When I gave birth to you sixteen years ago, hindi ko akalain na lalaki kang ganyan kaganda at katalino. I was so happy when I learned the Zeus came out few minutes before you did. Sabi ko noon, may bantay si Selene." She looks dreamy.

"Kabaligtaran naman 'yang sinasabi mo, Mom. Lagi ako ang pinapalapit mo kay Zeus. Baka sabihin no'n, crush ko siya. Yuck. I am not like those girls in Shellington. Eew."

I rolled my eyes when I mentioned our former school where we spent our elementary until high school days. Halos maghubad ang mga babae ro'n sa harap ni Zeus at halos patayin naman ako ng karamihan dahil sa lagi kaming magkasama. Kung alam lang nila na napapanaginipan ko pa si Zeus na hinahabol ko ng itak dahil sa ginawa niya sa akin noong birthday namin four years ago. That time when he kissed me!

Noong high school na lang ako namulat na hindi pala basta-basta ang ginawa niya sa akin na panghahalik. Dahil noong grade seven kami nang nagpapirma sa akin si Chelsea ng slambook, ganoon na lang ang pagtigil ng mundo ko sa katanungang: 'Who/When was your first kiss?' I was about to write 'My Parents' as an answer, pero tiningnan ko ang bawat pahina ng slambook na may sagot na ng mga kaklase ko. And all their answers were 'None.' Imposibleng hindi pa sila nahahalikan ng kanilang mga magulang, hindi ba? I asked Chelsea what does first kiss means? Ang sabi niya, it is a romantic kiss between a boy and a girl aside from your parents of course...