Chapter 25:A Love To Defend

I went to Prince's home last night and now he asked Adam to get all my stuff from the house I used to spend my three days. Prince asked me to stay beside him and promised to drop me off at Carlo's company since he passed there to his office.

Pinagalitan ko rin si Carlo dahil sa ginawa niya sa akin no'ng araw na umiyak ako sa daan dahil sabi niya, umalis daw si Prince.

"'Twas not my mistake, okay? That's Adam. Bakit ako ang pagalitan mo?" depensa ni Carlo sa sarili niya nang kausapin ko siya sa opisina niya.

"May salamin ka na nga, hindi mo pa nabasa ng maayos!" sagot ko naman. Hindi niya lang siguro nabasa ng maayos ang text sa kaniya ni Adam na tatlong araw na silang may leave kay Prince.

Nahihiya ako ro'n sa ginawa ko. Tumakbo pa naman ako sa kalye tapos ang pangit pa ng mukha ko kapag umiiyak. Nag-panic pa ako no'n dahil wala akong nakitang guwardiya ni Prince sa bahay niya. 'Yon pala, may leave sila.

"Grabe ka naman. Hindi pa naman ako gurang, 'di ba?" He laughed. "Ang swerte naman ng kaibigan ko sa 'yo. Bukod sa maganda na, ang bait pa."

I just shrugged it off. Wala naman akong mapapala kung papatulan ko siya. Besides, hindi naman masyadong worst ang pang-aasar niya. Masasanay rin ako.

"Anyways, how was Tito Calisto? Is he fine now?" Muli niyang inangat ang ulo sa akin habang nakataas ang isang kilay.

"Prince told me that he will be fine," I answered.

"Oh, yes. He's strong. How was Prince?" he aksed and averted his previous question.

"Nakita mo lang siya kanina, kinumusta mo na?" I laughed.

"I mean... kumusta na kayo? Alam kong sinagot mo na siya. Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa 'kin," aniya. "At saka...alam mo ba? Ang suwerte mo sa kaniya. He's so handsome and kind."

I laughed to what he said. I didn't know that Carlo becomes Prince' supporter. He often told me that I deseve Prince. But, do Prince deserves me? Well, I don't know. Malay ko ba kung ako ang nagustuhan ni Prince? Sinabi ko na sa kaniya na mahirap lang ako at hindi katulad niya.

I smiled when I remembered how Prince moticates me to keep on going. I know that life is tough but he always made me feel that I am able to reach my dreams. He always supporting me in my every decision.

"Me and Prince are fine. Kaya hindi kita in-inform, tsismoso ka kasi," I said and laughed out loud.

His brows creased and pouted. "That's too much, Lev. I am not gossiper. I'm just helping my friend, duh!" Inirapan niya ako at ibinaling ang kaniyang tingin sa laptop.

I think I reach one of my dreams. I already happy with Prince. Akala ko mali ang napili ko. I thought it was wrong to love Prince. It was just really my thought. While days passes, I felt that without him, I am nothing. He filled the void inside my heart. However, I have something in my mind which made me overthink sometimes.

I noticed that Carlo has been silent after we talked. It's kinda weird for me. Naisip niya ba ang naisip ko? Paano nga ba kung pagkatapos nitong masasayang araw na 'to ay magiging malungkot ulit ako? What if Prince will be lost in my sight? God! I shouldn't overthink too much!

Ang bilis tumakbo ng oras. Parang kanina lang ako naupo rito, ngayon ay tatayo na naman at umuwi. I cannot imagine that time flies so fast. Noon, ang lungkot ko pa. Ngayon, parang ang saya ko na. Me and Prince happily living on the same roof.

I was waiting on him. I was standing on the parking lot besides Carlo's company when someone approach me.

"Ate Vina!" A girl running towards me with her brothers. Pagkakita ko pa lang sa kanila ay parang unti-unting tumulo ang luha ko. "Ate Vina, I missed you!" Niyakap ako kaagad ni Theara. She's now growing up.

Napapikit na lamang ako nang maramdamang gumapang ang maliliit niyang palad sa likuran ko. When I opened my eyes, her brothers were standing in front of me. Their eyes were teary and without seconds, it rolling down their eyes.

"We've missed you a lot, Ate Vina! How are you?" Truze Rance, their brother hugged me. I can hear him sobbing in my arms.

Parang ang emosyonal kong tingnan ro'n dahil sa tatlo. Akala ko tuluyan na nila akong nakalimutan. Hindi ko na yata mainda ang mahigpit nilang yakap at parang nasasakal na ako.

"Aw, sweet..." Napalingon ako nang may magsalita. My heart races when I found Thalia behind me, smiling like a devil.

Kumalas ang yakap ng tatlo at nagtago sa likuran ko. Si Truze naman ay humarang sa pagitan namin ni Thalia. He wide open his arms and I thought he will going to hugged this wrecker.

"Don't come over her. I'll kill you once I grow old," Truze said and he looked straight to Thalia.

"Oh, c'mon boy! I won't hurt her now. I'll gonna ask something." She smirked and went over me.

Tinitigan ko siya at naramdaman kong parang unti-unti nang bibigay ang mga tuhod ko dahil sa kaba. "You've done too much to me, Thalia. What else you need?"

"Prince and... money," she said directly. Sng lakas ng loob niya. Hindi pa nga siya nauutal.

I will fight for Prince. He fought for me, he Defend me so I must do what he has done to me! Wala na akong pake kung madurog muli ako sa labanang ito. Total, nagsisimula pa lang ako, I don't care if I will get hurt. I'll gonna save our relationship and I won't let anyone will ruined us.

I balled my fists and my lips shivered. "Money can be seen anywhere and I won't against with you. But...when it comes to Prince, whatever happened, I'll hold him."

He flip her hair to her back. Pinantayan niya ako at hinawakan ang aking balikat. "Don't you remember how I ruined your family? I'll gonna ruined your life too, Levina. Don't worry, I won't gonna hurt you physically but mentally."

"Nakuha mo na sina Mommy sa akin, pati pa naman si Prince?" I shouted that almost of the van drivers looked at us.

"I'll talk to you next day. Bye, poor!" Kumaway pa siya at nag-flying kiss.

How can I defend Prince? How can I guard him if I can't even do it to myself? Wala akong laban sa reyna ng mga kahalayan. I can't even imagine that she got my mom's attention. Nakuha niyang lokohin sila dahil may pera siya. She got my mom's trust and love even though she was just their goddaughter.

"Don't worry ate Vina. Kapag may mangyari sa 'yo, suspect na 'yon siya!" Lumabas si Theara sa likuran ko at sinundan ng tingin ang babaeng papasok sa sasakyan ng Phoenix group.

Phoenix group was created when we were college. Prince has no idea about it since he was already graduated that time when I was hurt by them. Naagaw ko lang ang position ni Thalia bilang valedictorian sa section namin, pinabugbog niya ako. That Phoenix group made a lot of scars to me. No one can beat them.

"Sky!" I heard a man's voice behind me. When I found him wide open his arms, I am shaking.

He shouldn't be here! Alam kong may binabalak si Thalia na agawin siya sa akin dahil iyon naman ang kalikasan ni Thalia. To wreck someone in once with a happy family.

Sa ngiting 'yon ni Prince, hindi ko mapigilang maluha dahil baka balang araw, hindi ko na siya kayang protektahan pa dahil hinang-hina ako. Wala akong lakas para lumaban. Pagkakita ko pa lang sa mukha ni Thalia at ng Phoenix boys, nanginig na ako.

I was still standing while my tears rolling down my cheeks. Hindi na masyadong malinaw ang mukha ni Prince sa akin at naramdaman ko na lang siyang niyakap ako. That hugs will be faded soon.

"I'm here, okay? Pshh... don't cry."

The last words I heard before I finally closed my eyes. My heart is so heavy and it seems my happy days collapsed and shattered into pieces. I thought it was my luck.