Royalties and Nobilities --- COMPLETED

CHAPTER 22: His Real Motif!

ANGELIQUE

Compiling the documents that were submitted by various clubs for the upcoming school festival was surely a cumbersome job, but I was doing it anyway. I was currently alone in the School Representatives' Office of the college division as the other representatives were also doing their designated jobs. This room was also used whenever all the year level representatives would need to discuss about something important that were related to our school activities.

I stood from my chair to carry the files that I was done checking, but then a book fell down from the table. I laid back the files on the table and picked up the book, when a picture suddenly fell on the floor. Ugh! Really, why did everything have to keep on falling? I bent down to pick up the picture and felt a sudden nostalgia as I recognized who the two kids were on the image. The golden-haired girl was smiling broadly while glancing at a good-looking boy with reddish-brown hair and smug expression standing beside her. It was Tib and I when we were still children. Who would have thought that I still had this picture after all these years? I smiled faintly, remembering our happy memories together. We were so close with each other then, so much that we became each other's best friend. We always played with my younger sisters and did a lot of fun things together. Being a royalty, Tib was the only friend I had, until I turned twelve. When I started studying here at Royal University, I met a girl named Mackie. Because of her cheerful personality and friendly nature, we eventually became friends. It was such a bliss having two close friends I loved the most.

My grip on the picture tightened, crumpling it a little. I also remembered some unpleasant memories that made me wish didn't happen. One time, I was about to open the door leading to my parents' room, when I overheard them talking with Tib's parents. I became curious on what they were talking about so I decided to eavesdrop on them. They were talking about a certain arranged marriage and mentioned Tib's name and mine. I immediately understood what they were planning for us in the future. But I still didn't care about it at the time. I was still too young to think of those silly things. I still had an awful lot of important things in mind other than marriage. But on my thirteenth birthday, everything changed. He unexpectedly walked into my life and messed up everything especially my heart. Not that I blamed him, though. My father introduced a boy who's two years older than me. I was confused at first but my father made it clear that the boy, who's name was Vance by the way, would be my personal bodyguard from that day on. Well, who would have thought that a certain bizarre feeling would blossom in me gradually?

That made me realized that I was against the fixed marriage my parents were forcing upon me. I tried to talk them out of it, but to no avail. They didn't listen to me, rather, they wouldn't listen to me. Tib heard about what I did and why I did it. And from then on, for an unknown reason, his behavior toward me and the way he treated me changed drastically.

Without a second thought, I tore the picture to pieces and threw it in the trash can that was beside my table. Remembering the way he treated me and my friends for the past few years made me want to hate him even more. As far as I knew, I did nothing wrong in telling my parents about what I realy felt and what I really wanted. So why did Tib have to ruin everything? I sighed in frustration and plopped down on the chair. Everything... everything is just so exasperating.

"You look tired, do you need help with your work?"

I was startled by the voice beside me, but I kept myself composed. "When did you came in here?" I asked Vance. He went to get a chair and sat beside the table.

He smiled. "Kanina pa ako kumakatok pero walang sumasagot kaya pumasok na lang ako, since hindi naman nakalock yung pinto. And then I found you here, lost into some deep thinking. Did something bad happen?"