Falling In Love with Cinderella's Prince

Chapter 7

     NAPA-EMERGENCY LANDING SILA sa comfort room. “Did kuya kiss you?” Janice giggled.

     “If you only know the hell I’ve been through,” her eyes rolled momentarily but she briefly smiled too ng maalala ang moment nila sa motor.

     “I think the dance is starting,” tawag sa kanila ni Xyria.

     “What to do I didn’t even eat yet,” Eunice blurted and the two bursted another giggle.

     Ginuyod siya ng dalawa palabas matapos ma-retouch ang make-up niya, momentarily, she stayed beside the buffet munching some bite sized pastries and gulping up some juice habang pinapanood sina Janice at Xyria na magsayaw kasama ng mga partners nila. Star soccer player na si Tim ang ka-moment ni Xyria at kasamahan naman ni Adrian sa basketball team na si Jonathan ang ka-partner ni Janice.

     She eyed the whole ball for Adrian’s presence pero mukhang nawalang parang bula ang loko. Not until someone stood beside her, also getting some munchies from the table.

     “Adrian,” gulat at may bahid ng kasiyahan niyang tawag. She felt relieved na andito pa ito sa ball. “Where have you been?”

     “I’ve been to London to visit the queen,” he uttered maybe trying to irk her.

     Eunice stayed still, maybe after his hungry munching, he will have the delicadeza to ask her for a dance. That would be the highlight of the night, her being in his arms. Slow dancing under soft music…

     That would be a thrill…

     Napatikhim siya, waiting for Adrian to do something, but he just stayed still beside her. “Wont you even dance me?” lingon niya dito ng hindi na siya makatiis.

     “I won’t,” palatak na tugon ni Adrian, just eyeing her coldly.

     She didn’t know why but she felt a rabid intense pain struck in her chest, her eyes suddenly misted. “Really? Then what is the purpose of being your date?”

     “Your not even my date to begin with, remember? Napilitan lang ako.”

     Napatikhim si Eunice. Pinapahabaan niya ang pasensiya. “Fine Adrian, then what should I do now?”

     “You can dance with anyone else you like, or you can stay here as a wallflower.”

     “Will you really do that to me?” she gritted her teeth. And she realized what this is all about. This night is a punishment for her, for all her lies. It was just she is so gullible to really think she is a mere good replacement, but she was put as a replacement for a reason, and that is for her to taste what hell is like.

     “Iam doing it to you now, for you to reflect on your actions,” he replied.

     “There is no need for this,” she felt a stinging in her eye at pinahid niya ng mabilis ang luha na pumatak sa pisngi niya.

     “Tell me you aren’t crying?” nabanaag ang saglit na luha sa pinsgi niya ay napadilim ang titig sa kaniya ni Adrian. “Or is this another one of your lies?”

     “Can you just stop?” she hissed.

     “Then let’s dance,” he motioned and suddenly, he grabbed her palms, pulling her with him towards the floor. “If this is what you want, if this is what will make the dear princess Eunice happy.” He curtsied and suddenly they were around the middle of the dance floor.

     Nag-usap ang mata nila, they were obviously fighting with their stares, pero hindi na siya naka-reak dahil kinuha na ni Adrian ang palad niya at ipinatong na sa mga balikat nito. Nilukop ng bisig nito ang likod niya, placing his two firm hands in her soft dainty hips. Around them, almost everyone gasped, because they looked perfect together, but between them, they knew nothing perfect is happening.

     “You really want this right, you want me so much?” Adrian just sarcastically smiled.

     To this, Eunice is just purely dumbfounded. By any second now, all her affection or crush should have evaporated, but hell no. Because she is just mesmerized, mesmerized by how close they are and how close his gaze is now in her face.

     Just like in the motorcycle, she could almost smell him, she can feel his breathing inches away from her face, and can stare openly at him that she even wanted to whisk away her gaze because she can feel that she is blushing. Yes indeed, she wanted this so much…and felt that this night seemed surreal.

     Hindi niya alam kung saan nagsimula ang lahat, where her emotions started to grow, but maybe it was all those times that she was visiting Janice at their home when they were younger. Musmos pa lang ay nahipo na ni Adrian ang puso niya dahil sa kabaitan nito. He was helping them with their assignments and helping them with even little matters. He would always smile at them, anything na kelangan pag may emergency at ihahatid andiyan ito para sa kanila. All his kindness melted into her heart and formed a young and dearly affection and admiration.

     Mas naigting ito ng lumalaki na sila, nang mas makilala niya ito, ang talino nito at kagalingan sa sports. Everyone around Adrian has only good words for him. He is the charming boy next door vibe that everyone would love to be around, just charming with his smile and his dimples.

     And slowly, she would catch herself falling for those charms like everyone else. He is different from everyone else. But only a few weeks ago and tonight, she saw this side of him, this vengeful and his dark searing gaze. But even this, cannot make her affection go away in a snap. She still adored him, she still cherished the Adrian who was always there for them, for her…

     “I have a crush on you,” pag-amin niya, “I guess you already heard it before,” sagot niya. “And yes I want this,” their feet glided across the hall, dancing and moving along the soft slow tones.

     “But I don’t want this, I don’t want you, I want to experience this moment with another person,” Adrian aired.

     She felt something has stabbed her heart again, and stomach. But she kept her face straight. “The you can stop dancing with me, you can go to her, you can just dance with her.”

     “She doesn’t want to do that, and you know the reason why, and it’s because of you,” he gritted his teeth, eyes more darker.

     “Do you really want her so much?” she asked achingly. “So much that you would hate me?”

     “Because I only have one request Eunice, and you know what it is. Na sabihin mo sa kaniya ang totoo, sa kapatid mo, na si Cindy. Pero hindi mo ginawa, you didn’t even consider or was even apologetic about what you did, you were happy that you got what you want in the expense of others. And that day, nagbago ang tingin ko sayo. I’m just respecting you right now dahil kaibigan ka ng kapatid ko, but that’s it. Iyon na lang ang role mo sa buhay ko. I don’t associate with selfish and lying person.”