I'm Busted Loving the Prince (A Story About Us)

Ch.12: Drunk

Ch.12: Drunk

Ashley just got out from a restaurant galing sa isang "date". Well, it was just another date set up by her family for her. She've been out for like a gazillion times on these so-called "dates" para makipagkita sa mga lalaking gusto ng pamilya nila. It seemed more like of a business thingy instead of a romantic one. She liked none of them. Lahat naman ng mga nakikilala niya ay mga rich playboys that want nothing about love and nothing more but to "score" with her.

Naglalakad siya sa street nang may makikita siyang isang pamilyar na tao.

Si....

...Anthony?

Tumawid si Anthony sa may kabilang kalsada. She noticed that he wasn't walking straight, but he's swaying side to side.

"Anthony!" tinawag siya ni Ashley.

Parang.....

'Wag mo sabihing....

He's been drinking?!

Ashley ran as fast as she could through the crowd and she quickly crossed the street.

"Hoy!"

"Ano ba?!"

"Makatulak ka naman!!!"

Marami siyang tinamaang tao out of her way but she doesn't care. She's really worried about Anthony.

"Anthony!"

Anthony stopped at tumingin siya sa kanya.

Anthony's bloodshot eyes were half closed. His breath emitted strong smell of alcohol. Ni hindi na nga siya makatayo at makalad ng maayos.

"Anthony...uminom ka ba?!"

He tilted his head to the right.

"Oh..Ashley!..ikaw...pala yan! Anong...ginagawa mo...dito?" he asked, pointing at her.

He was about to walk closer to her but he almost lost his balance. Hinawakan siya ni Ashley para hindi siya matumba.

"May problema ka ba? Why did you drink?" Ashley asked, worried.

"Bakit hindi?! I'm 18 for crying out loud!"

Then he smiled foolishly.

"Ash?...Anong gagawin...mo...kapag nalaman mo...that the person...you like, likes someone else?" he suddenly asked.

Ashley was taken aback by that question. She didn't expected that coming. She was speechless. In fact, 'yon ang tanong na matagal ng gustong tanungin ni Ashley kay Anthony.  And it's also a question that Ashley asked herself a million times already.

"Kalimutan mo na yung tinanong ko. Let's just drink together!" he said, clapping his hands.

"No, uuwi na tayo."

Sumakay sila ng taxi at umuwi na.

***

Ashley and Anthony entered Anthony's house. Tinulungan si Ashley ng mga butler para ipasok si Anthony sa loob at paakyat sa kwarto niya. Their footsteps echoed loudly down the hallway while the main front door closed with a loud click.

Anthony and Ashley had been friends since childhood. Katulad ni Daniel at Lilian, classmates sila since first grade.

Anthony's house, katulad kina Ashley, ay palaging walang tao. Their parents often went overseas to work. So the atmosphere in the house is really stale. At kaya siguro sila naging mag-bestfriends ay dahil pareho sila ng klase ng pamilya. They're physically alone and emotionally lonely. Meron lang sila ng isa't isa to count on. They've been together for a long time--and she's been loving him ever since.

Anthony totally passed out. Ashley laid him down on his bed. Tinanggal niya ang sapatos nito. She gently lifted Anthony's head and put a cushion beneath it. She kneeled to take a look at Anthony's face.

She strokes his hair, looking at his sleeping face. Parang walang kaproble-problema si Anthony kapag natutulog pero ngayon he looks so wasted, tired and hurt. She really knows that he's hurting inside, just like how she's hurting inside looking at him now.

Kilalang-kilala niya si Anthony at alam niyang isa lang naman ang dahilan ng paglalasing niya...si Jeryll.

Why can't it be me, Anthony? Why?

Tumayo siya at paalis na sana siya when suddenly a hand caught her wrist and held her back. She turned her head and saw Anthony holding tightly to her wrist.

"Please..." pagmamakaawa niya.

"Stay with me."

From his closed eyes, she saw a single tear drop. Sobrang sakit na makita mong nasasaktan ang taong mahal mo.

Dragging her feet back closer to the bed, she sat on the floor with her back and head rested against the bed where Anthony's sleeping.

Wala akong pakialam kung sumakit man ang likod ko because of staying in this position...but I will never leave you, Anthony. I'll never let you feel that you are alone.

I will never leave you.

And with that, the blanket of slumber slowly enveloped Ashley.

She slept in that position...

....holding Anthony's hand and never letting go.