Rings & Bullet

Prologue

Esmee Celestino

“How's your day, princess?”

I looked at my Papa and smiled, while handling him a three roses that I picked in the garden. “You see, I picked these for you, Papa. I and Verena went to garden and play there for like, two hours!” and I giggled. “It's nice! She's nice!” Verena is the only daughter of Ric Van der Meer and now a friend of mine.

He held me in his arms and smiled at me sweetly, petting my head. “That's good. Do you want to see your mother?”

“Really!? Can I really see her?” I can't help but to feel excited. My mother is pregnant, her belly is really big. My Papa said that I will be having a baby brother next next month and I can't wait. I am now a seven years old girl and ready to care a baby brother.

“Yup. Let's go to her room, she's done in her food.”

“Wait, I will pick a roses too and give it to her!” Papa put me down and I run to the garden, telling Mr. Wiser to pick me a three roses. It's really bad for me to pick it without a cutter, roses have thorns and it will bleed my fingers.

“Here you go, Lady Esmee.” he gently gave me a roses.

“Thank you, Mr. Wiser.”

“Your welcome.”

I run back to Papa, he smiled and carried me back to our house. We went to Mama's room, after opened the door, Papa put me down again as I run to reach Mama.

“You're so hype, Esmee.” my Mama said while laughing.

“This is for you, Mama.”

“How's sweet of you. Thank you.”

I just smiled at her and started talking about what I and Verena did at the garden. They say I'm a nice girl and super hype daughter of Celestino Family. At the age of seven, I begun to understand some things in my life. Like, how rich my family is and how to behave in front of other people. I am being ‘me’ when I'm with Papa and Mama.

As days go by, my little brother was born. And his name is Nikolai. He's super cute and have a face of Papa while the personality is just like Mama. While me, I have a face of my Mama and Papa's personality.

As I turned to a teenager, thirteen years old, I met a kid, a five years old kid. I don't know his name but I hate his personality. My Papa told me before meeting him, he's the son of one of his friend, surnamed Rayos Del Sol.

“Tomorrow is my birthday.” a brat said while crossing his arms to his chest.

I just finished my homework and on my way to the garden to relax my mind and then, I met this kid. Talk about luck.

“So?” I arched my one eyebrow.

“Gift. You can't go to my birthday party without a gift.”

“You are so brat.” I commented. “I don't want to go to your birthday party, it's just a waste of time.”

His expression changed, mukhang paiyak na.

“Isusumbong kita! How dare you to tell me that it's just a waste of time?!” and that, he run away from me. I heaved a sigh. Mas lalong sumakit ang ulo ko sa kanya.

We're not close and he's a kid, ano'ng gagawin ko sa birthday party niya na pambata? 'Di ako bagay sa gano'ng event. I'd rather stay here and relax.

Kinagabihan, my Mama told me to attend his birthday party together with Nikolai. And now, I know his name.

“Russel wants you there, Esmee.” Mama said. Lahat kami nasa salas. Kakatapos lang magdinner.

“Pagbigyan mo na siya, iyak nang iyak pagkakita ko sa kanya.” Papa said. “Nagsumbong.” and then he laughed.

“He told me he wants a gift, I don't have time to buy gifts for him, Pa.”

“I have an extra gift if you want, Ate.” Nikolai said, while munching a bread beside me.

Nakikita ko sa kanya ang sarili ko noong bata pa ako, but now, I'm matured. I am no longer a hyper kid Esmee.

“Okay.” tumayo na ako at nagpaalam na matutulog na. Pagtungo sa kwarto, I went to my closet and started to choose an outfit for the event tomorrow.  I just chose a lavender dress that is above the knee. It's cute, and have a ribbon on the center. And after that, I went to my bed and sleep.

I woke up early, the brat's birthday party will start at 9:00 a. m at their house. I just did my daily routine and after I finished, I went to Nikolai's room.

“Where's your extra gift?” kakatapos niya lang maligo pagkapunta ko sa kanyang silid.

“Here.” he handed me a relo, a green one. And a Ben 10.

“It's so...” so childish, but yeah, since that brat just turned six today, bagay 'to sa kanya.

“Okay na? Magbibihis pa ako, Ate.”

Umalis na ako ng kanyang silid at nilagay ang relo sa isang paper bag na maliit, 'di ko na binalot at sayang naman din. Sisirain lang.

“Let's go, Ate!” masayang wika ni Nikolai pagkasundo sa'kin sa silid ko. Kaming dalawa lang ang nagpunta sa birthday party ng Russel na 'yon, may date raw kasi ang Mama at Papa.

Pag dating sa bahay nila, some maids greeted us. “This way, Miss and Sir Celestino.” an old man said, leading the way to the garden. Maybe he's a butler? Since, seeing the house of Rayos Del Sol, napagtanto ko na mas mayaman sila kaysa amin. Their house is twice as big as our house. A white and gold color of furnitures and curtains. Everything screams luxury.

“Niko! You're here!”

Sabay kaming napatingin sa batang 'yon, since Nikolai is older than him ng 6 months lang, naging close ang dalawa. He hugged my brother and petted the back of him.

“And you are here.” he slowly said while his eyes are locked on mine. I smiled at him slightly and handed him a gift.

“Hey, brat. Your gift.”

“I'm not a brat!” at sumimangot siya. “One day, I'm no longer a brat, you'll see!”

“Okay.”

“And one day, you'll see, I'll be your husband! And you will stop calling me a brat!” he said in a voice that's full of determination.

Tumawa si Nikolai pati ang mga taong nakarinig niyon sa kanya. I just stared at him and slowly laughed at him.

“No way.” lumapit ako sa kanya at yumuko, “'Di ako magpapakasal sa'yo, bata. I hate a brat, remember that.”

“No!” he screams, “One day! Just one day! Makikita mo!” and he grabbed my brother's wrist sabay hila rito papunta sa garden.

I just shrugged at him and go to their kitchen, imposible na mangyari 'yon.

And a years had passed, sa daming nangyari, I didn't see him again and now at 29 years old, with a NBSB title and with a dreams that I am hoping to happen sooner or later, will shattered by that man— he's no longer a brat that I'd known, he's now a bastard.