TITLE: Sweet Chaos
WRITTEN BY: @twilight_moonacre

"Hey, have you found your special someone?"


That was the question that rang on Sopia's ears for years. They were seven at that time when her classmate in princesses' asked her, and it was the time when she knew about the numbers.


It was said when you saw your special someone for the first time, a number will be engraved on a part of your body which will symbolize how much you like or even love the person. It'll increase eventually, as your admiration grows.


You can never unlove a person that made the numbers count-even though they didn't have the same feelings. Elders says that it was the fates' will, and it couldn't be broken. Some were destined to be alone and some were fated to be together with their love.


Cruel, isn't it? You can never choose to unlove someone and move on, because it was destined from the start.


Sopia was ten when her eyes landed on his being-hazel brown eyes with sunkissed skin, oh, how she couldn't forget that boy. The boy who triggered the numbers on her midriff. The boy with the beautiful eyes, drawing a sunset on the pavement near the castle.


It was merely seven seconds before she was taken away by her Governess but it was enough for Sopia to save him on her memories. And since that day, sunsets were everything for Sopia the princess of Tussah, and so as pencils and paints.


Her gaze turned to her midriff which was engraved with a number "7". It wasn't growing since then and it's because she can only see him again in her memories. She doesn't know where the sunkissed boy is, or if he was dead or alive.


But silently, as she stared in the sun on her eye level, she prayed to see him again even though she didn't believe in any gods. She wanted to talk to the boy. She wanted to see those gleaming eyes once again.


And then, Sopia did.


The man who was hanging on her windows with his wiper-he's annoying, she thought. But her heart beats on Mach speed when he started talking to her, introducing himself, Acer Topaz.


The princess didn't know how did a name sounds so lovely and how a gaze feels like deja vu when it was the freaking first time their eyes met. But how dare he throw Sopia's sketch book!


She didn't know what to feel that time. To be annoyed or what but the 'what' part intrigued her and yes, it dawned her. He is that boy because suddenly, the numbers on her midriff displayed "107" mysteriously.


That day, the sun sets beautifully than ever in her eyes.


The number continued to grow larger and larger as time passes by. She got to know Acer, the fallen artist as well as him knowing her. Sopia liked to think that they were more than friends, but she knew the boundaries she'd never dare to cross.


She kept disobeying the castle's rules, and fuck princess etiquette, it was more fun in the outside and it's good to troll at midnight. They shared the escapades together, and Sopia kept pissing off the Governess she dared to defy. She already found the courage and home in him, what else could she lose?


The moon started to rise and her eyes gleamed when the last of the sun for the day sets. I'll see Acer soon, she thought excitedly. Sopia's smile turned upside down when the thoughts of Acer having another woman in his heart came to her.


But worrying about that thing became useless when the worst thing she never expected happened.


A pandemic ate the half of Tussans in one night. The whole Tussah was home quarantined so they will be safe and sound. Worry scattered on her whole being, knowing Acer Topaz and her friends outside wouldn't be safe.


Acer doesn't have a fixed home because he moved into places wherever and whenever. He was a free-spirit, after all.


She didn't know what to think. Her mind was in chaos and heart never calmed down. Every person on their castle noticed this but she just ignored them.


Her room was quite a mess, as if it was ran over by a tornado. Every sunset since then was dull and she never, ever, bothered to look at the scenery outside her windows again. It was already enough that every single thing reminds her of him, and a setting sun will just hurt her even more.


Sopia let out a loud sigh as she finished her sketch of a man she haven't seen or heard in weeks. She never tried to escape since the quarantine was issued, because men with armalites were scattered at the castle 24/7. And it made her even more crazy.


The sun sets gloomily again. Sopia was on her bed staring at the ceiling for hours again. Her mind was blank as a paper and her eyes was devoid of life. It was already 2:00 AM and she's still wide awake when a certain person knocked through her window.


And there she saw her special someone. She felt her midriff burned and her eyes wets as she open her window.


The boy muttered, "Shall we run away?"


"Do you really have to ask that?"


When Acer asked that, she knew she wouldn't hesitate to take his hand. Of course, she'll grab it as much as she wanted to have his heart too.


And of course, it was because it's Acer Topaz that was asking her. She wouldn't say 'no'. And if she does, she knows she is lying a big time.


What else could she lose anyways? She's wiilling to risk it all for a man where she found home.


That night, they escaped the chaos together. Temporarily.


They passed through a secret tunnel that Acer made. They easily got out, as if it was planned very thorougly. The two were quiet until they reached their destination, the place where freedom lies. It was the place they used to go to at their night escapades.


It used to be packed and crowded but now, it was a lonely room. They were the only ones there, and Sopia's mind couldn't help but to wander in many places she thought she wasn't capable of thinking.


"I am the only one left. Others, well, they're...on the other side."


Sopia dropped her bag in shock. It was then when she started to hate their system even more. Privileged were prioritized and those who were on the bottom was neglected. She also started to loathe her family and herself also-because they're the leaders of Tussah.


They were quiet for at least, an hour or more. Acer broke the silence. "It ain't your fault. The system sucks-"


"It was. I bear the surname of Gallego, after all."


The silence engulfed them both once again. Sopia heard Acer chuckled.


"What?" she asked.


"Nothing. Wanna change the system together, baby?"


Her whole being stopped on the word 'baby'. She knows it wasn't a news of him calling her names but this is Acer Topaz we are talking about, folks. The person who can bring out the chaos in her.


Being loss for words, she just nodded and replied, "Yes."


"Let's plan out then, Pia."


A day after another, they were still together. Sopia couldn't talk straightly and Acer was busy drawing and babbling about the plan. But Sopia's mind wanders to what happened at their first night here.


Sopia was staring outside when he heard him laughing his ass off.


"Are you really this whipped for me?" Acer asked, holding out her sketch pad.


Her eyes widen and she snapped at mach speed. She tried to take it from him but she couldn't because the bastard was tall.


"Give that back!" she yelled.


"Hey, hey, Sopia. This is just me, Acer." he laughed heartily again. It was driving Sopia crazy because his mouth was near her ear.


The princess then stopped abruptly for a second. "Fuck princess etiquettes and the family rules."


She kicked Acer's balls hard and it was enough for her to take her sketch pad on his pad because Acer was on his knees. "Did I go overboard?' guilt was consuming her but nope, Sopia Gallego doesn't know how to apologize.


"You deserved that, stupid Acer." she whispered as Acer whimpered in pain.



***



"SHOOT!" Acer clicked his tongue as he drag the poor princess with him. Gallego family's bodyguard were now chasing them and Acer almost trip because of the damn rock getting on their way. The two of them was just looking outside earlier for food, and the guards saw them.


They were fast enough to be away from the guards for some distance, but no, it wasn't enough. The sun was setting and it was beautiful, but the two ignored them for a while.


"ARE WE NEAR ON THERE YET?!" Sopia asked loudly.


"YEAH!" he answered and grinned. If it was another area, he couldn't grin like a fool. But nope, this is were he belongs. The forest he grew into. The dangerous forest everyone avoided.


A series of turns and jumps and curses were made from the two before they finally lost the guard. Acer wasn't sure if they'll last long before they got caught, and he could just surrender because it'll happen anyways.


But something tells him that it is not yet time and things will happen if they're together for some more time.


The two walked inside the cave where Acer led her. Thankfully, Sopia had her flashlights ready with batteries. Acer teased her for being such a girl scout but she just raised his middle finger, not minding princess etiquettes.


"Hey, I'll just go and get some foods and stuffs, princess. Wait here."


Sopia just nodded and put on a towel she brought with her before sat down. Her mind wanders endlessly yet again. And she just came into realization how much she have changed.


The demure, kind, and soft Sopia. Where is it now?


All there's left was chaotic heart and mind and soul of Sopia and her love for A-


Her cheeks stings when she slapped it to avoid the thought. She shook her head to not think about it again but it keeps coming back so she let it.


'I wonder if you've seen your special someone. Is it me?'


As her mind ask questions she shouldn't ask, her conciousness was slowly taken awake.



***


"Oh? You're awake?" Acer asked.


She rubbed her eyes until she saw a sillhoutte of a man in the cave. There was already a small fire between them and the man's back was the thing she can see.


It wasn't the fact that her love was half naked that made her stop. But it was the number on the back of his right arm.


"Five hundred..." her breath hitched. "thousand and two hundred four?"


Her hands shook uncontrollably. For whom? Who is the girl? That number is huge! He must've love that person for so long. He must've really love her.


A tear escaped her eye by her thought as Acer kept on changing his clothes. Fuck, she never thought it was this painful knowing the number of her love and knowing that the chance it might be her.


'Damn, we only met for about six months.' she thought.


"H-hey, Acer," she sobbed. She couldn't control it nor she cared about being exposed. She just wanted to know who the person is. She just wanted to let her emotions out this time.


Before Acer turned to her, Sopia hugged him tightly. Acer froze.


"Five hundred thousand two hundred four," she whispered. "the person was fucking lucky, Acer."


"...she was loved by my dream. My home. My everything. So fucking lucky."


She rested her head on his back. "Who is the person, Acer? I wanted to know. I just wanted to know, why it couldn't be me."


"...because damn, Acer. You don't know how much chaos you brought into my being. Fuck you."


She cried even more. Acer was just quiet until the princess told him to look at her.


"S-sopia-"


"Look," she ordered him firmly as she raise her shirt up to her midriff. The number was at its thousand place and it keeps on rising just by looking at the person in front of her.


"...you're the reason for this," she said and chuckled. But her tears fell. "Damn, the fate really hates me."


Only the sniffles of Sopia can be heard on the cave. Acer was looking at her intently but she doesn't know it. She was too absorbed by the fact she wasn't destined to have him.


Acer sighed. "Dude," he mumbled and scratched his head. "I can't believe I have a huge crush on a woman with dramatic confession. And assumes wrongly, at that."


Sopia froze. Her hands stilled on its place as her eyes widen.


"What did you-"


He took off his shirt again and pointed at his arm on the back. The numbers gets higher than earlier. "That's my love for that someone who accused me of loving another girl earlier. My love for the certain person who kicked my balls. Who could that be?


"M-me?" Sopia asked pointing at herself.


"Maybe-"


The princess' hand came in contact with Acer's biceps and it created a loud sound. "O-of course, it's me. It should be."


"Yeah," he nodded and immediately hugged Sopia. "Only you, stupid princess. Aw."


Sopia embraced him more. "Until when?"


"Probably, when I was four. I can still remember when my dad and I came to the castle and my arm right here burned. And I cried. My dad said I fell for such a young age." he then laughed.


She looked at him, shocked. "You still remember when it happened? I mean, you're still four at that time!"


He pouted. "Yes. That's why this number grew drastically because I always see you. That time, we lived near the castle. I even saw you secretly cutting the Governess' roses when I was young."


Sopia frowned. "You're too whipped for me."


"Says the one who made me a portrait." he teased her.


"Yep, Acer. I am whipped. So whipped." she agreed. How shameless of her, she thought.


Acer paused and caressed her face. "I'm glad. I'm glad that I'm the reason for your chaotic heart and mind. I'm glad that it's you I've fallen for."


Sopia was too ecstatic to even answer. She just look at him in the eye and both of their numbers were increasing high. The burning sensation in his arm and on her midriff felt so good. And they knew that they wouldn't dare to let go of each other.


Their lips was an inch away from each other. Their nose are touching, heart beating fast. Hell, if there are no cages in their hearts, it might've run wild. As they lips almost touch a curse was heard all over.


"Fuck! Gallego princess and artist bastard! The fuck are you two?! This is kinda heard, you know?! Y'all guys are dead for defying the rules! You should've stay at home and the princess will surely be punished severely!"


It was Giver Lancelot's voice who was forced to stay in Gallego's household for the quarantine. He was ordered to find the two and there wasn't a choice for him to refuse.


"That jerk," Sopia hissed. Acer clicked his tongue.


"Are you ready to execute our plan, Gallego?" he whispered.


"Hell yeah, Topaz," she answered quietly. They talked this over a few days ago. A plan to bring down the system, for Gallego family to do something about those poor ones in Tussah.


Acer moved swiftly and kissed Sopia on the forehead, nose, and lips. "Let's go."


She froze for a bit and nodded quietly. That was smooth.


"HEY, 'YO, GIVER! We're here!" Acer shouted and his lips curved into a smile. But he pursed it and turned it into a grim line. The guilt of lying to his friend was killing him inside. He shut off his eyes.


'I'm sorry, princess. I'm Acer, the man who cried wolf. Play along with my lies for a while, please? I need you for my plan. To bring down Gallegos. And to see your cousin.' he thought.



***


Pia closed her eyes for a bit. She felt tired of reminiscing it all, the good ol' days. She heaved a sigh deeply.


At the end, she was never destined to be a princess with her knight, nor to have a happy ending with someone she thought was her home.


She was destined to be alone for eternity.


And she was fated to be the Queen of Tussah to reform her place.


She held her chin up as the huge doors opened. Applause was heard and the noises of her people welcomed her.


"ALL HAIL, QUEEN HANA SOPIA GALLEGO OF TUSSAH!"


The Queen stopped abruptly when her eyes caught someone. It was Acer, with her cousin. They were fated for each other. Sopia smiled and so as he.


She feld her midriff when she felt it burn. After all this time, it's still Acer. He might've hurt her but she still thank him for giving her the drive to lead Tussah.


It was the sweet chaos he gave him that turned her into a Queen.


'I didn't regret anything that happened in the past.'

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