Not a Perfect Tale

Chapter12: Map

                              ***

"Hobs?! Escort them to the Earth palace." Gadina commaded to the rat who suddenly appeared from the door.

He's familiar...i think i saw him somewhere. Misty spectacles, ragged clothes.

"Aye,aye M'lady!" he salute then beamed at us lumabas ang dalawang malaki niyang ngipin. Oh! I it's him! I saw him awhile ago,riding an ant with a carriage.

"Good." Gadina said.

Thalia and Orna sit upon my shoulder. Nauna na kaming lumabas nina Teagan kasama ang daga. Naiwan naman si Massimo sa loob. They're just talking about something,ayaw ko namang makichismis kaya umalis nalang ako.

"Can we trust that Rat, master?" she whispered. He look ragged but i guess he's a good rat.

"I guess so.." i shrugged. Sinilip ko ang necklace at hindi naman nag iitim iyon kaya safe kasama ang daga.

"But, he look so weird."

"Don't judge the book by its cover Thalia." Teagan said.

"Shut up you dwarfy! I'm not talking to you."

"Nye,nye mosquito."

"Mosquito?! I'm not a--"

Ugh. Bakit ba sila nagaaway? Nakakarindi ang sigawan nila.

"Guys? Can you please stop?" pigil ko. But they didn't stop.

"Eh kasi si Teagan!"

"Nauna ka kaya!"

"Epal ka kasi!"

"Mas epal k--"

"Calm down, you two!" i bursted out. Parehas naman silang tumahimik kasabay non ang paglabas ni Massimo.

"What's happening here?" he asked.

"Shut up! Let's go." hinila ko na si Teagan at sumunod naman sina Thalia.

Dire-diretsyo akong umupo sa karawahe,  hindi naman masyadong masikip sa loob kaya komportable akong humalukipkip.

"What's your problem?" he asked.

"Nothing." i plainly answered.

"What is it?"

"Wala." i tried my best not to look at him.

"Avyanna..." he warned. My brows furrowed then i hastily looked at him.

"What?!"

"What's bothering you?" it seems like he's tryin' to calm his voice.

"Wala nga! wala akong problema! wala akong problema okay?! Ikaw baka namomroblema ka, kung sino ang pipiliin mo? Si Gadina ba o si Queen Juniper.. Paano kung magpakasal ka?! Paano ko na hahanapin ang Ina ko? Well kaya ko namang mag-isa, kasama ko naman sina Thalia and i don't need you! You can go and marry that Queen! I don--"

"Are you jealous?"

"What?! me? jealous?!" i laughed sarcastically.

"Impossible." i added, then rolled my eyes.

"Don't deny it. You're obviously jealous."

"I'm not."

"Yeah. Whatever."

"So it's just okay for you to marry the Queen if ever she'll ask you to?"

"Your answer will be my answer."

"Huh?"

"If you say 'Yes' then yes but if you say 'No' then It's a no."

"Its your choice, not mine. What if i answered 'yes'?" paghahamon ko.