The Royal Series 01: The Royal Agreement

Chapter 13

VICTORIA

“Oh…thanks.” Sabi ko sa isang kagrupo ko na tinama yung sagot ko.

He looked a little surprised so I raised my brows as a silent question if something was wrong. But he just looked away and continued solving the other problems.

I, on the other hand, grabbed a piece of my lunch as I stared at the solutions I’ve done.

The finals examination is approaching fast so the professors have been bombarding us with projects and papers. Yung iba, by group, like this one. Kaya naman inaasikaso namin ngayong lunch time yung project namin. Dino-double check na lang namin yung mga ginawa namin at mga sasabihin dahil lahat kami magsasalita sa presentation.

“Yeah, just like that—” sagot ko sa tanong ng kagrupo ko pero napatigil ako dahil may narinig akong tili.

Hinanap ko yung pinanggalingan ng tili at kumunot yung noo ko nang makita yung kabilang cottage. Ilan sa mga babae na nandon, nakaupo sa table. Actually, naka-squat yung iba na para bang may hindi kaaya-aya silang nakita sa sahig.

Sinundan ko naman yung tingin nila. Because if they saw a snake on campus grounds, I’m running for my life.

Pero bumalik yung tingin ko sa kanila na magkasalubong yung kilay nang makitang pusa yung tinitilian nila.

“Ang OA ha.” Hindi ko mapigilang sabihin.

“Ay true.” Sang-ayon ng kagrupo ko.

Humakbang na naman palapit yung pusa sa table ng mga babae kaya tumili na naman sila. They actually look stupid. Squealing like their life depends on it because of a cat. Just looking at the people looking at them as well, I know they’re thinking of the same thing as me.

“Hey, can you go and buy me a tuna?” Tanong ko sa isang kagrupo ko na nagulat pa.

“Um…small, medium, or large?”

“Just a small one and a bottled water.” Dagdag ko at kumuha ng bill sa wallet ko.

I kept my eyes on the cat as it walked away from the table of the girls. But I don’t know why I lifted my gaze. I just found myself staring back at Monique Drew.

Frankly, I wanted to hold the eye contact longer as she seems to want to have a stating contest with me. But the meowing sound caught my attention. When I looked down, the poor car that got scared with Monique and her friends is looking at me while meowing.

Its eyes looked so pure and shiny while looking at me that I couldn’t stop the urge to pet its head. So I crouched down and looked back at the cat, who then tilted its head to the side. Carefully, I reached out my hand to caress its head.

The cat looked like it has its suspicions so I let my hand hang in midair. Until the cat rubbed its own head on my palm. I just carefully rubbed its head until I heard my group mate that I asked for a favor come back.

“Sorry to bother you.” Paghingi ko ng pasensya sa kan’ya pagkatapos tumayo.

“Okay lang naman. Pero…para saan ‘to?” Tanong n’ya at inabot sa akin yung tuna na nasa cardboard box at bottled water.

“For the cat. I think the car just wants some food.”

Bago ko ibinaba yung cardboard box ay tiningnan ko yung tuna. Pinaliit ko yung mga tuna na sa tingin ko ay masyadong malaki para manguya ng pusa. Nang ibinaba ko yung cardboard box sa harap ng pusa ay nilapitan n'ya agad ‘yon.

I think the cat smelled the content of the box before it looked back up at me and meowed before starting to eat.

From time to time ay nililingon ko yung pusa sa baba. At nang makita kong ubos na yung tuna ay nilagyan ko ng water yung cardboard box.

Nang tumalon yung pusa papunta sa tabi ko ay napangiti na lang ako saka hinimas yung ulo ng pusa. At ilang minuto bago magsimula yung klase namin para sa subject na inasikaso namin, napagdesisyonan naming umakyat na sa room. Of course nilinis namin yung ginamit naming cottage bago umalis.

“Um…Tori.” Tawag sa akin ng isang kagrupo ko.

“Hmm?” Tanong ko.

“Sinusundan ka ng pusa.” Sagot n’ya.

Tumaas naman yung kilay ko at agad akong tumingin sa may sahig. And totoo nga. The cat was beside me. Bakit hindi ko napansin noong nasa lift kami na sinundan ako?

“Una na kayo sa room.” Sabi ko na lang sa kanila.

Nang makapasok na yung kagrupo ko ay nakipagtitigan ako sa pusa. Humilig naman sa isang gilid yung ulo n’ya na kinamot n’ya gamit yung hind leg n’ya. I wanted to see something so I took a step back and the cat took a few steps closer to me.

Then I took a few steps back and the cat was really following me. So I crouched down and the cat sat.

“I don’t know if you’re allowed inside the classroom.” I told the cat as if it can understand me.

To my surprise, it meowed and moved closer to me. And I swear, the cat’s eyes looked sad!

Mukhang kung sino man ang dating may-ari ng pusa na ‘to, basta-basta lang s’yang iniwan. It’s like it understood me that it can’t come with me.

Though kung wala akong next class, dadalhin ko ‘to sa Palace. Pwede naman ako siguro magpaalam tungkol sa pusa. Or kung bawal, dalhin ko sa house for stray animals. Sa Royal Hands sana kaso wala pa sa gitna ng renovation yung magiging Royals Hands building dito.

“Tori are you—uy!”

Dahil pa-squat akong nakaupo sa gitna ng hallway habang kaharap yung pusa ay nawalan ako ng balanse nang maramdaman yung humawak sa likod ko. Pero bago pa ako matumba sa sahig ay may humawak sa braso ko at hinatak ako hanggang sa makatayo ako.

“Clinton.” Gulat na sabi ko.

“Bakit hindi ka pa pumapasok sa room?” Tanong n’ya. “Nasa loob na yung mga kaibigan at kagrupo mo ikaw wala—huh?”

We looked down at the same time when we heard a hissing sound and saw the cat with its ears and tail perked up.

“No, it’s okay.” I chuckled at the cat and crouched down to pet its head.

Oddly, the cat calmed down.

“You think the professor will let the cat stay inside the room?” Tanong ko kay Clinton.

“Is that the cat roaming around the university since last year?” Instead of answering my question, he asked.

“Do you think I’d know the answer to that?”

“Oh right. Ngayon ka nga lang pala nag-transfer dito.” Aniya at ginaya yung posisyon ko.

Tiningnan ko naman kung anong gagawin n’ya at tumaas yung kilay ko nang inabot n’ya yung kamay n’ya sa pusa. Parang walang pag-aalangan na makakalmot s’ya.

“Baka kalmutin ka.” Sabi ko sa kan’ya.

“Hindi ‘yan.”

I was thinking of all the things I can do if the cat scratches him but the cat just let him pet itself. When Clinton looked at me with a smug face, I scoffed and stood up.

“Mr. Williams and Ms. Sparks—I mean, Mrs. Williams.”

Napalingon ako sa tumawag sa amin at nakita yung professor namin sa next subject.

“Papasok ba kayo sa klase ko o ano?”

“Um…papasok po. Pero...” may pag-aalangang sabi ko kaya tumaas yung kilay ng professor “…can the cat get in the room too? Sinusundan po kasi ako.”

Kinabahan ako nang bumaling yung tingin n’ya kung nasaan yung pusa at akala ko sesermunan ako pero pumayag yung professor.

Apparently, the cat is quite known to the professors as they have been giving the cat food whenever they see it. Hindi rin daw ito yung first time na may estudyante na sinundan yung pusa.

“Uy Tori! Ikaw ah, may hindi ka ba sinasabi sa amin?” Bungad ni Anne nang makalapit ako sa pwesto namin.

“Ha?”

“’Yan ba yung pusang pagala-gala rito?” Tanong naman ni Sandy.

Tumango naman ako at umupo sa pwesto ko. Medyo nagulat pa ako nang lumundag yung pusa sa hita ko at doon pumwesto.

“I’ll be continuing the discussion on the topic we had last session. So please remind me if an hour has passed so that we can begin with the first group’s presentation.” The professor announced to the class while setting up the laptop. “And Mrs. Williams.”

“Huy, Tori tawag ka.”

“Po?” Gulat na tanong ko after ako kalabitin ni Sandy.

“I hope your late response is because of you not being used as a Williams as most people in this class are and not because of the cat.”

Isang pilit na tawa at ngiti naman ang lumabas sa akin na nagpailing sa professor. Napalingon din yung mga kaklase ko na nagtataka. Kaya inangat ko nang bahagya yung pusa.

But my brows raised because I think I heard someone stifling a laugh. I looked around to see where it’s from and I saw Clinton whose shoulders are slightly shaking. And when our eyes met, he acted like he wasn’t laughing a moment ago.

Plano ko pa nga sana na samaan s’ya ng tingin pero nagsimula na yung discussion. Pero naramdaman ko yung pag-vibrate ng phone ko at dahil nakatalikod naman sa klase yung professor ay tiningnan ko. Isang text message galing kay Clinton. Pagbukas ko ay natigilan ako sa nabasa ko.

From: Clinton

You look cute with the cat.

Tiningnan ko naman si Clinton pero nakatingin lang s’ya sa harap habang hawak yung ballpen n’ya. Hindi ko na lang sana papansinin pa pero bigla s’yang lumingon sa akin at ngumiti.

I immediately whipped my head to face the board and just wrote whatever was on the presentation. Buti na lang at hindi nagtatawag yung professor kasi wala akong maintindihan masyado sa dini-discuss n’ya.

Also, I’m thankful that when the time for our group to present came around, I was able to discuss my part properly. As well as answer all the professor’s questions.

“Hindi ka makakasama?” Tanong ni Anne sa akin nang inaayos na namin yung gamit namin.

Last class na kasi namin ‘to at may gala na s-in-et si Gian.

“Bakit?” Tanong naman ni Sandy.

“May politics lesson ako after class. At hindi ko maka-cancel basta-basta.” Sagot ko.

“Aalaskahin ka na naman ni Henry. Hindi ka na raw sumasama sa gala.” Sabi ni Anne.

“Sabihin mo sa kan’ya, sabi ko ayaw ko lang s’ya makita.” Natatawang sabi ko.

We were just joking around as we went down to our building’s lobby, of course with the cat. And we had to part ways since the car is here and they’re going out.

Pero napatigil ako at napatingin sa pusa. Napalingon naman ako nang makita kong lumakad si Clinton. At taka ko s’yang tiningnan nang binuhat n’ya yung pusa.

Nanlaki naman yung mga mata ko nang pumasok s’ya sa sasakyan dala yung pusa.

“What are you doing?” Tanong ko.

“Taking the cat with us since it looks like you don’t want to leave it.” Sagot n’ya. “Ano? Tara na.”

Hindi makapaniwala akong sumakay sa sasakyan ay tiningnan s’ya. At narinig ko namang sinabi n’yang dumaan muna sa veterinary clinic bago sa Palace.

“For what?”

“To make sure…” he said and lifted the cat’s body “…she’s healthy and if she needs some medical help.”

Once we reached the veterinary clinic, I found out that the clinic is also affiliated with Great Amber Animal Welfare Association. At nagulat na lang ako na may papeles na binigay sa amin habang chine-check-up pa yung pusa.

“Ano ‘yan?” Tanong ko kay Clinton dahil s’ya yung kumuha.

“Pet adoption papers.” Sagot n’ya. “Kung gusto mo, bilhan mo na ng gamit yung pusa habang inaayos ko ‘to.”

Magtatanong pa sana ako kaso narinig ko yung paghiyaw ng pusa kaya napalapit ako kung nasaan yung pusa.

And wow.

The cat also got its bath so I can see its fur cleaner than it was before. A red spotted cat. A cat breed I usually see in animal shelters.

“So the cat’s name will be—”

Napalingon ako nang marinig yung nagsalita at nagsalubong yung kilay ko dahil hindi itinuloy ng veterinarian yung sinasabi n’ya.

“What did you name the cat?” Baling ko kay Clinton.

“See for yourself after the papers been processed.” Sagot n’ya.

So I didn’t ask further. Ang hiling ko lang ay sana matino yung pangalan na nilagay n’ya.

“Can I see the papers now?” Tanong ko kay Clinton nang nasa sasakyan na kami.

We got the cat a few things. It feels a little on the spot actually. Adopting the cat, buying things for the cat, buying cat food, and everything. And I still don’t know what Clinton named the cat.

Usually kasi kapag naga-adopt sa animal shelter, may pangalan na sila. At sa pagkakaalala ko, sabi nina Anne at Sandy ay walang common name sa pusa. Pasulpot-sulpot lang daw yung pusa.

Actually, kung ako nag-fill up sa adoption form, Mushroom ilalagay kong pangalan.

“Here.” Ani Clinton at inabot yung copy namin ng adoption form.

Napangiwi ako nang makitang parang nagmamadali si Clinton makalayo. Pagbukas ko ng adoption form ay nakita kong sa aming dalawa yung pangalan na nakalagay as pet owners. Pero nang bumaling yung tingin ko sa isang papel, kung saan nakalagay yung pangalan ng pusa, I had this urge to tear the paper in my hands.

“Clinton!” I squealed.

Vicky yung nilagay n’yang pangalan ng pusa! And I don’t have to ask him to confirm that he got Vicky from my name!

***