Bare (Royal Society #2) COMPLETED

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Avoidance of Battle

I impatiently tapped my fingers on the table as I waited for Izaac to finish his business in the area. Ito na ang huling lugar na pupuntahan niya sa araw nito. 

He looked so different whenever he is facing these people. Sure, you can feel the easy-going vibe in him but in here, you can see how warm kind of person he is. He was fist-bumping and ruffling some boys' hair. As for the girls, she treats them like a Princess, he will twirl them around and carry them in his arms whenever they were asking. 

The elders loved him, I can see that. Whenever he speaks, they all listened to him as if he was story telling. They really looked interested to every word he says. He really has the town-people aura in him, yung tipong hindi ka magaalala na masayang oras mo kapag sinabi mo sa kaniya ang problema dahil alam mong hindi niya iyon ipagsasawalang-bahala.

They treated him as their family and I am happy that I get to witness this another side of him.

But I'm still not over with him using this trick. We haven't talked about it yet dahil hindi naman kami magkasama papunta dito. After all, he is a Prince. 

"Why are you frowning, hmm?" 

I just smiled at him but I know my eyes says the otherwise. Dahil hindi naman ako pwede magkalat dito. Causing a commotion would probably cause a ruckus in the Upper Clan. And that's something we should avoid at all costs.

He grimaced when he noticed my eyes. He looked at the other side na parang iniiwasan tignan ang mata ko. Then his butler came into the scene. 

"Your Highness, it's time to leave," Butler Ace said.

He sighed. "I wish this never ends," he whispered and shook his head before leaving me here.

"What does he mean, Dawn?" Napatingin ako kay Butler Ace nang tanungin niya ako pero wala naman akong masagot. Hindi, ayaw ko pala sagutin. I know exactly why Izaac said that, because he knows I will grill him after this.

I just shrugged at him and looked at the sunset in front of me. For some reason, looking at it gives me peace. The thought of ending the day is saddening but you can still look forward into seeing that sun the next day. Sa ganoong paraan ko naaalala na may katapusan ang lahat ng bagay tulad ng sitwasyon namin ngayon.

Someday, we'll get the chance to live for ourselves.

Someday, we'll no longer be hindered into achieving our goals.

Someday, we'll be free and far from being caged to duties.

And I can't wait for that day to come.

I heard his fake cough from behind habang inaayos ko ang damit na gagamitin niya para bukas. Dapat talaga sa chamber ko ang mga gamit niya but he insisted na mas gusto niya itong nandito sa kwarto niya.

Dahil dito lang niya ako pwede makausap.

Kala ba niya hindi ko alam ang mga bulok niyang paraan? He even manipulated his schedule para lang matakasan ko yung exams.

"Hey, don't ignore me."

I stopped moving and faced him, he looked taken aback when I just did what he ordered. 

"Oh no, not with that eyes, Arlaise!" He said, almost panicking.

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "Why do you have to do that, Izaac? I'm fine with taking my exams kahit na hindi ako masyado nakapag-aral. Sanay na ako don."

"But you don't know how the exams works in here."

I nodded, accepting his reasoning. "But how could I learn kung iniiwasan ko iyon? Paano sa susunod? Hahatakin mo ulit ako para makaiwas?"

He stood up from the couch and walked towards me. "No, I won't do that, Arlaise. Contrary to your thinking, I don't romanticize the avoidance of situation. I will face it, head-on," he sighed before continuing. 

"It's just that I can't let you face it without any preparation. You'll fail, no doubt, because lack of preparation leads to failure, Arlaise. You said you did that several times in Midaestas and you are used to it..."

"But it is different in Regium. Students spend their whole week in reviewing, it is a must because having a failure mark will kick them out of the school. You think you can answer the exams just because you managed to finished your paper? It doesn't work that way, Arlaise."

His face is so serious that I had the urge to slap his cheek because I hate that look. It scares me but he doesn't need to know that.

And I know I cannot do that so I turned my back just to avoid his face.

"Back in Midaestas, competition is not known to us. Simply because, our goal was to strive for that year. Hindi naging madali kasi kailan ba naging madali ang buhay namin? Some of my classmates are working at the Bureau and will always be late to our class and some will sleep throughout the class because of exhaustion."

"Swerte ko lang dahil naka-break si Mama ng ilang taon kaya naging full-time student ako. I don't have to think about the duties. But I always think about those who suffers the most. I helped them in a way, they will still learn on their own and not depend on me."

"Did they learn?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes. Every break, instead of eating, we will sit on the floor and discuss the topics they have difficulties with. But our time is limited kaya yung mga pinakaimportanteng concept lang lagi ang sinasabi ko para atleast kung hindi man nila masagot ang iba, may masasagot sila sa major component ng exam."

He hummed. "So you are some sort of model student there?"

"Upper's Lister," I answered. "But I'm not the only one. There's Carrine, my enemy," I chuckled, thinking about her.

"Enemy? I thought no competition?"

I nodded. "There isn't but there is a war between us. We always debate over petty things, argue over small things, and hate each other's guts."

Then I faced him and smiled. "But you know our common denominator?"

"We don't let our classmates to be left behind."

"I'm thankful for your concern but I'd appreciate it if you let me face my own battle, Izaac. I don't want to be babied nor to have that kind of connection wherein I see you as my outlet toe escape my battle."

He smiled and went towards me to ruffle my hair like what he did to those kids. "I got worried over nothing. I can see your conviction and determination which is why I'm going to step back from now on. But it doesn't mean I won't care anymore because I will always do."

I pursued my lips, fighting my smile but I failed. A smile broke in my face and he chuckled when he saw it. Napailing na lang siya bago ako dinala sa couch para maupo.

"I heard this was suppose to be the second prince's duty," I said as I sit on the couch.

He gave me nod before sitting on the arm of the couch I'm sitting on. "Yeah, but I know he doesn't want to leave."

"Because of the Princess, right?"

I was looking at him... and I saw how he took a deep breath before answering me. "Yeah."

"Attendants said she only went there once because visitation to Prince's home is not allowed, not until the Coronation. But she is goddess, they say."

He nodded and didn't reply kaya nagpatuloy ako.

"Elizabeth Serene, isn't?"