Chapter 20: A Spiky Roses

Simula no'ng tawagin ni Carlo si Prince, gusto ko na lang lumabas at dalhin sa bahay ang pagkaing nasa harapan ko. Gusto ko pa namang kumain dahil gutom na ako. Pero paano? E, nandito sa loob ang lalaking umiwas sa 'kin kanina. I was worried about him but when I found him with Thalia, I told myself that everything was just fine.

I just bit the bottom of my lips and glimpse of Prince. He found my eyes and he put his hands in his pocket and walked towards us.

"Sky, are you okay?" Prince asked and tapped Carlo's shoulder.

Did they plan it all? Pero...bakit 'yon ginawa ni Prince kanina? Hindi niya man lang sinabi sa 'kin kung ano ang dahilan kung bakit niya ako iniwang nakatayo ro'n.

"Ayos lang naman." I nodded.

"Can I sit beside you?" he asked, still holding his smile.

"Naku! Puwede lang 'yan. Pero saglit lang, couple?" singit ni Carlo.

Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata. I balled my fists because I was now trapped.

Hindi pa ako nakasagot ay umupo na siya kaagad sa tabi ko. He hugged me without thinking that Carlo was just watching us. He was giggling and swallowed the food in his mouth.

"I'm sorry. You're so funny," ani Prince at mas hinigpitan pa ang pagyakap sa akin. Parang nasasakal na nga ako dahil sa higpit no'n.

Gusto ko siyang suntukin dahil sa ginawa niya kanina. But his hug always made me calm. He remove my thoughts in my mind! Paano ako magagalit sa kaniya kung pinapatahan niya ako sa mga yakap niya?

"Galit ka ba sa 'kin? Sorry kung hindi kita pinagbuksan kanina. Akala ko kasi mag-uusap pa kayo ni Merlina. At saka...'yong si Thalia..." Prince said and loosened me up, he looked at Carlo and made a serious face. "She was just my friend. She asked me for dinner pero hindi ako pumayag."

Carlo dropped his spoon. "Oo, kasi tumawag siya sa 'kin na may surpresa raw siya sa 'yo. Kaya kita tinawagan dahil plano niya 'to. Hehe."

Oh? Mali pala 'yong nasa isipan ko kanina? Napangunahan lang siguro talaga ako ng takot kaya ko nagawang isipin ang mga 'yon.

"Ay, ayos lang sa 'kin 'yon, Prince. 'Di ba sinabi ko na sa 'yo na ayos lang sa 'kin kung hindi mo ako kayang hintayin, eh," I said, sniffing the scent of Prince. Dumikit na ata sa damit ko ang pabango niya.

"Hindi ka ba nagseselos?" He was grinning.

Carlo stood up. "Excuse me, may kukunin lang ako."

Umalis siya sa harapan namin at lumabas sa VIP room. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa mawala siya sa aming paningin.

"Sinabi ko na sa 'yo, kaya kitang hintayin kasi mahal kita. Whatever you heard from Thalia, it was all not true. Kung ano pa man ang kinuwento ni Carlo sa 'yo, the girl I was waiting is you." Umakbay siya sa akin at hinaplos-haplos ang aking likuran.

I pouted. "Bakit hindi mo nga ako binuksan kanina? Tapos ang pangit pa ng mukha mo?"

Umayos siya ng upo sa tabi ko. He clasped his hands and swallowed hard. "I made a deal with Carlo," he said. My brows creased while seriously looking at him. "I send Thalia to her home, sa bahay ni Valir."

My head was pumping when I heard Tito's name. He is not Thalia's relatives but she had the guts to approach them? Pero kung ano ang nasa bahay nila, para akong alipin? Why some people around this world are cruel? Bakit hindi patas?

"Ah...gano'n ba. Sabayan mo na lang akong kumain—"

"Opps! Mag-order 'yan. Pagkain natin 'to." Naglakad si Carlo papunta sa amin at may bitbit pa itong red roses.

Tinapunan ko 'yon ng tingin bago inangat ang tingin sa kaniya. "E, ano ba 'yan?"

"Rosas."

"Oo nga, pero aanhin mo 'yan?"

"Kay Prince 'to galing. Ibibigay raw sa 'yo," aniya at inabot kay Prince 'yon. Akala ko para sa 'kin, bakit kay Prince niya binigay?

I just smirked and continue eating. Ang gulo na nga ng buhay ko, dagdagan pa nitong Carlong 'to.

Naalala ko na may ipapatulong pala sa 'kin si Carlo. Binilisan ko ang pagkain ko at uminom ng tubig. Gano'n din si Prince. He still have the roses on his hands.

I went back to my seat as so was he and handed me those roses. "For you, it is spiky yet beautiful. I hope you love me."

My eyes darkened. "What just you say?" I asked, but honestly, I badly want to say that I'll do... I'll do love him too.

"I mean... I hope you like them." He smiled at me. I heard it clearly so I just smirked.

"Salamat sa mga bulaklak," I said and let my legs swaying. I put the flowers on my lap and pursed my lips.

"You're welcome, Sky," he answered, giving me a sweet smiles. If his face is the sun and I am the ice, I am pretty sure that I am now melted. He's really hot and good-looking.

Matapos kaming kumain ay sabay na kaming lumabas. Sinabi sa 'kin ni Carlo na tinulungan niya lang daw si Prince na surpresahin ako. Oo nga, na-surprise nila ako. I thought that Prince would choose Thalia. I was really mistaken of that thought.

Pinuntahan na rin namin ang bahay kung saan doon ako pansamantalang titira dahil malapit lang 'yon sa kompanya ni Carlo kumpara sa bahay ni Prince. May kalayuan 'yon. Pero magbabayad pa rin ako. That would be fair since I don't really want to live at Prince's house.

Hinatid pa namin si Carlo sa sasakyan niya at sabay na kami ni Prince umuwi sa bahay niyang mala-palasyo ang dating. Dagdagan pa ng mga ilaw na parang araw-araw ay pasko dahil sa ganda ng pagka-assembled no'n sa bahay niya. Para nga siyang prinsipe ro'n kaso lang, wala 'yong prinsesa niya.

"Kapag doon ka na titira, always lock the door," Prince spoke beside me. We we're both sitting on the couch while watching movies. "Hayaan mo na 'yong bintana, doon lang ako aakyat, eh." Tumawa siya at sumubo ng popcorn.

Hindi ko siya nilingon at focus lamang sa TV ang mga mata ko. Wala naman akong mapapala kung makikipag-debate pa ako rito.

I just heaved a sigh and played my fingers.

"Joke lang. Isara mo lahat para hindi ka pasukin ng magnanakaw ro'n." Umusog siya sa tabi ko at umakbay. Balak ko pa sanang tanggalin 'yon pero hinayaan ko na. "Ayos lang na nakawin lahat ng gamit ko, kaso...natatakot ako baka madamay ka. You're not thing but you are more than gold to me."

Tumawa lang ako sa sinabi niya. Grabe naman kung makapagsalita. Para ko na siyang Mama kung magsalita, ah? Sa Dinami-daming tao sa mundo, kay Prince ko unang narinig ko. I badly want to cry, to hug him and to thanks for coming into my life.

"A-Ako rin...I mean...you must lock your doors, your windows and kindly include your heart. Because you said that I am already inside your heart. In case fate will try to part us away, your heart won't break." I tapped his arms, as if we were casually talking for something important. "Kasi kapag nasa labas ako niyan at kumatok, kung hindi mo pagbubuksan ay baka masira. Kaya...lock your heart."

He nodded such a kid. He carefully listening to me while paying attention to my words.

"Didn't you told me that I must find a girl who deserves me?" he asked which made me froze for a while. I've said it to him before that hs deserves a girl who will truly loves him.

"Yes," I replied. "But if someone you deserve will come into your life and knock to the door of your heart, don't think too much for it. Don't let yourself suffer because I had told you that you must lock your heart. Let her enter and I hope you will enjoy, celebrate and live well, Prince Dale."

"Seriously?"

"Yes." I nodded and bit the bottom of my lips. "Don't waste your time on the person who doesn't deserve you."

"I mean...if you are gonna leave, take my heart also so that whenever you go, you will have me," his words crept into my mind and it is echoing inside. "You said that people die, but love doesn't."

I smiled and wiped off the tears that falls from my eyes. It dropped on my palm. "Yes. I said that. Decide for yourself and...love yourself."

"Can I include you?" He raises his brows and looked at me seriously. I hope he didn't see my watering eyes.

"What—Why?!" Gulat na tanong ko sa kaniya.

"I mean...I decided to include loving you," aniya.

I just shook my head and took some popcorn snd put it on my mouth. The moments having him around is peaceful. Kahit na nagbabangayan kami, komportable pa rin ako sa kaniyang tabi. That feeling of having butterflies in my belly when he was around, having a colorful and animated objects when he appears. I wish he didn't change and can bare to wait me. I wish...he wouldn't remove and let me out from his heart.