Falling In Love with Cinderella's Prince

Chapter 4

     “W-WHY?” KURAP NI EUNICE. Still unable to grasp the extent of her action.

     “Ngayong umaga,” singhap ni Adrian, still trying to keep his cool, but somewhere along the line, his teeth has gritted, unable to keep his hold, sinuklay niya ang buhok niya, “Cindy talked with me. Ayaw na niya kong maging ka-partner sa prom. She told me I should partner with you instead, since ikaw naman daw talaga ang gusto ko at para bang ginamit ko lang siya para mapalapit sa ‘yo.”

     “Oh,” napalabi si Eunice, still trying to keep her always cool and sarcastic face. “Sinabi niya iyon?”

     “And then she told me that I kissed you, in the cheeks,” his fce darkened, “yes I did. But I think you misunderstood, Euice.”

     Her mouth just hanged opened and then closed again. “Well, maybe,” she gasped for air, just being close to Adrian make her pulse quicken. He is much handsomer this close, and he smells good too. What is his perfume? She would like to gift him a perfume…ah, gosh, what is she thinking, nawawala na siya sa huwisyo niya, pinanatili niyang naka-pokus ang tingin sa binatilyo but it would just make her blush more.

     “Maybe she just don’t like to attend the prom or be with you,” kibit-balikat niya.

     Suddenly, Adrian’s palms are in her shoulders, twisting her, making her almost wince. “Why would you even tell her about this lie? Na inaya ko siya sa prom para mapalapit ako sayo. I know now na crush mo ako, but this is too much, Eunice. I thought I was very clear about us yesterday.”

     She tried to wriggle away his hands, which he did took away the moment he noticed na may dumadaan nang ilang estudyante.

     “Ipaliwanag mo sa kaniya ang totoo, tell her the truth,” Adrian asked.

     Pero nanatiling stoic and mukha ni Eunice. “For what, Adrian? Isn’t it evident to you, ayaw ka niyang makasama,” she smiled lightly. “And I think you should accept that.”

     “No, she likes me. I can feel it. Pero may sinabi ka sa kaniyang hindi totoo. Now, take it back. If you still want me to respect you as a dear little sister to me-“

     “Dear little sister…” singhap ni Eunice. Ewan ba niya, pero sobrang nasasaktan siya pag sinasabi ng binatilyo ang ganoon. “Pero magka-edad lang naman kami ni Cindy.”

     “Akala ko ba naintindihan mo na ang explanation ko? Don’t take this against you. You are special on your own. Look, I’m trying not to be angry with you. Gusto kitang intindihin, pero sa inaasta mo ngayon, I’m beginning to really feel bad towards you. This is the reason why I liked Cindy, she would never lie like you.She told me the truth.”

     Napapitok si Eunice. The last line was the first and last blow. Adrian should have never said that, and now, she is on the spot, being compared again to her dear angel sister. Making it worse, sa bibig pa mismo ni Adrian galing.

     “Talaga ba?” pihit ni Eunice.

     “Because why would you even do that, Eunice?” Adrian was exasperated. “You lied, and you were selfish. You were selfish of your sister’s happiness.”

     “Tapos ka na ba?” she rolled her eyes and gave him the best ‘I don’t care whatever you say’ look she can muster.

     “Yes,” tikhim nito. “I’m finish and I’ll make sure you learn from this and grow up from this.”

     Madilim ang titig nila sa isa’t-isa. “What would you do?”

     “You’ll take her place. Tutal, iyon naman ang gusto mo, ang ikaw ang ayain ko. So the spot is yours,” sarkastiko nitong tugon.

     “I wouldn’t go, for sure, napilitan ka lang,” irap niya.

     “Oh I would, and you would,” he coldly said. “Not unless gusto mong makarating ang pagsisinungaling mo kina tito at tita-“

     Her eyes grew wide, unbelieving at what he just said. He is blackmailing her. Alam nito na takot siya sa mga magulang niya, she has so many minus points already this year at ayaw na niyang madagdagan iyon lalo na’t gusto niyang magpabili ng bagong model ng Iphone.   

     “See you in the prom night, wear something nice,” he aired before leaving her dumbfounded beside the locker.

     “Oh my gosh,” she whispered, “oh my gosh…” Ibig bang sabihin niyon ay siya na ang prom partner ni Adrian?

     “What happened?” aniya ni Janice at Xyria.

     She beamed. “Your brother just asked me to be his prom date,” she confidently flaunted.

     “Oh my god,” tutop ng bibig ng dalawa. Parang nakikiliti sila sa kilig.

     “You should wear the best dress, the nicest, the most elegant,” aniya ni Xyria. The two giggled. Speaking of the two, naanyayahan rin ang dalawa ng mga miyembro ng basketball team, kaya’t silang tatlo ang dadalo ng prom night kasama ng mga dates nila.

     Except that the circumstance of her date, hindi niya man maamin, ay iba ang story, kumbaga ay napilitan lang siyang i-proxy ni Adrian dahil umatras si Cindy dahil na rin sa kaniya.

     Ganunpaman, ay natutuwa siya. She could dance with Adrian, she could show him how beautiful she is during that night. And maybe, just maybe…he would change his mind. That he would think it’s all for the better that Cindy stood him up. That they were the one destined to be.

     Her eyes are shining when she strotted the corridor. See you in the prom night, wear something nice. Pabalik-balik iyon sa tenga niya. Wear something nice, see you in the prom night.

     Uwian na at nagkita ulit sila ng ampon na kapatid niyang si Cindy. Ibang section si Cindy, magka-klase dapat sila this year pero nag-request siya sa teacher nila na ilipat siya ng section kung saan kasama niya ang mga kaibigan niya. So nasa first section si Cindy, na binubuo ng mga talented at mga matatalino, habang nasa next section pababa ang mga may mediocre performance, o yung mga puro ganda lang.

     Okay na rin iyon, nabuwisit siya noon noong magka-klase sila kesyo lagi silang kinukumpara ng class adviser nila. Ayaw na niyang mangyari iyon.

     “Hi,” she curtly said at napansin niyang parang namamaga ang mata ni Cindy. Oh, umiyak ba ito? Marahil ay dahil kay Adrian. Pathetic. Ito rin naman ang may kasalanan, sobrang pabebe ito at sumuko agad.

     “Okay ka lang?” aniya at tsinek ang sarili sa pouch mirror na kinuha niya sa bag.

     “I’m okay,” mabilis na sagot ng kapatid na napatanaw sa labas ng bintana.

     “You know this morning, Adrian asked me to be his prom date,” walang preno na giveaway ng impormasyon ni Eunice. For a moment, she saw how Eunice’s face contorted, distorted and it feels like something has hit her sister’s face with a slap. She smiled triumphantly.