MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 8 : Midnight Talk

I glanced at the wall clock hanging just above the television. It's already 11 pm and the devil's not home yet. I am not worried, okay? It's just that naninibago lang ako. Usually, he gets home before 10 or 8.

I am currently watching some dubbed movie and got bored. Napahiga nalang ako sa sofa na tinulugan ko the night I got here.

I stared at the ceiling for a very long time that I started to form images. I was doing literally nothing and the thought of my family back in Oregon crossed my mind. The night is long and I am starting to hate long nights. Long nights means you have more time to think and I hate what I'm thinking right now.

To divert my thoughts, umakyat ako sa rooftop ng bahay ni Cross. There's a hammock there which I just discovered recently nang maglinis ako doon. There are succulents na nakahilera doon which  I find wonderful.

Since it's already night time, I don't have to worry about the sun's heat. Agad akong humiga sa duyan and it was surprisingly very comfortable. I stared at the dark sky decorated with twinkling stars. It's been a long time since I stared at the night sky like this.

Back at home, lumalabas ako tuwing gabi and would place a blanket on our garden and just stare at the night sky. But since the Monarch started to infiltrate the palace, I don't get the chance to do it again. Oh there is one time I sneaked out and went to garden and ended up sleeping there. The second time I sneaked out to the garden only to find Cross Silvestre Strauss lying comfortably on my spot. Kaya wala akong choice kundi bumalik nalang.

Thinking about it, Cross stayed in the palace for a few days. We've seen each other multiple times and I've cursed him multiple of times. It never crossed my imagination that fate would tangle us up like this.

"The stars tonight are quite plenty, isn't it?" Halos malaglag ako sa duyan nang may marinig akong nagsalita. I roamed my eyes around only to see Cross comfortably lying in a reclined chair with his arms crossed on his chest. He was staring at the night sky too. There's a small table on his side and he's holding a bottle na malapit nang maubos ang laman. He's been drinking for quite some time judging from the empty bottles on the floor. Bakit hindi ko siya napansin?

Why is he drinking? Kung alam ko lang sana na narito lang pala siya, I should've made my way to my room and slept comfortably. Why did I wait for him anyway?

Tinungga niya ang isang bote at inubos iyon. Kumuha siya ng isa pa and easily opened it using the edge of the table. That was quite amazing, I must say. Why would a person drink so much like this?

Lumapit ako sa kanya and sat on the other reclined chair. Kumuha ako ng isang bote ng beer na nasa case and handed it to him. He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"I want to drink too. I miss my family." I muttered.

"You drink?"

"Yeah." I lied. I've never tasted a beer before.

Kinuha niya ang bote ng beer sa kamay ko and effortlessly opened it using the method he used earlier. He handed it to me.

"You won't miss your family less if you drink."

"You're one to talk. Your problems won't disappear if you drink." He was silent. Nang tingnan ko siya, he was just staring at the sky. I gazed at the night sky too. Hindi ako magsasawang tingnan ito. It has always been my favorite.

"I caught you once sneaking outside your room and sleeping at your garden. When you're still in the palace." Napatingin ako sa kanya. He saw that?

"Did you? I ended up sleeping there while watching the stars. Hindi ko na namalayan."

"Idiot. My Dad's men were feasting themselves watching you sleep in your silk pajamas so I have to -- nevermind." I raised a brow as I stared at him.

"What?" I asked. Ang ayaw ko sa lahat ay 'yong sinisimulan na, hindi pa tatapusin. Nakakabitin eh.

"Nevermind. Don't ask." He said at tinungga ang bote na hawak niya. Ginaya ko ang pag inom niya at tinungga rin ang bote. I suppressed myself to throw up nang matikman ko ang lasa niyon. It burned my throat. Why did I sign up for this? Pwede ko naman siyang iwanan dito.

"Cross, do you mind if I ask you something?" I aksed without looking at him.

"Shoot."

"Why did you end up here." Napatingin ako sa kanya and he looked at me as if I asked the most stupid question.

"I threatened your little sister. I infiltrated your palace." Tama siya. But he wasn't that bad. One time, me and  Mom was tied and he volunteered himself to watch us ngunit kinalasan niya kami ng tali. He was scolded by his father but being a random jerk that he is, he just told his father the lamest reason the humankind has ever heard. He was bored that's why he freed us from being tied.

And one time too, he helped Samantha escape that night when Samantha sneaked into the palace.

"You're right. One thing. Why are you drinking?"

"I won't answer that. It's my turn."

"We did not agree on that--"

"Why did you come here?" I looked at him waiting for him to change the question. I don't want to narrate my stupidity. Ngunit wala siyang planong bawiin ang tanong so I guess I have ro answer it.

"Pierce, Ares and Samantha sneaked us out of the palace. We encountered a little problem and I got lost. I have never been outside the palace borders without any companion so I got lost. I slept on a box and the moment I woke up, nasa kalagitnaan na ako ng dagat. And it arrived at a port. I walked kilometers and I found this island. My first impression is that this island is paradise as I heard the upbeat music and the happy atmosphere but as I landed on your shore, I was not welcome." Tahimik lang siyang nakikinig habang nakatingin lang sa langit.

"Then you came and made me your prisoner." Dagdag ko. Tinungga niya ang bote at naubos na niya iyon. Ako na ang kumuha ng isang bote at binigay iyon sa kanya. Agad niya itong binuksan at tinungga.

"You're an idiot as always." Kung hindi lang siya mukhang problemado kanina ko pa siya sinapak. How many times has he called me an idiot tonight?

"My turn. Why do the people here feared you?"

"I don't know." He drank from his bottle. "My turn. Were you betrothed?"

"What? No! No way!"

"I thought you were. Isn't that how it usually works in your family?"

"It is. But it wasn't me. It was Ares. Alright, devil, my turn."

"Shoot."

"What is your past with Yuan Flux?"

"He's not my boyfriend if you're thinking like that."

"You know what I mean devil."

"I am no longer capable of answering your questions." Iniiwasan niya ang topic, I see.

"Alright, alright! Magtatanong nalang ako ng ibang tanong." He did not react so I took it as a yes.

"Why are you drinking?"

"Tsk." He eyed me because he already said he won't answer this question. He heaved a sigh that I took as a sign of defeat and answered it.

"I'm celebrating."

"Celebrating?" Ibang klase rin siya magcelebrate ah.

"Birthday." I looked at him wide eyed.

"Birthday mo ngayon?"

"No. My Mom's."

"Oh." It was all I could mutter. The way he said that it was his Mom's birthday was full of sadness. Hindi na ba niya nakikita ang Mama niya? Is it because he's here in Urathra's island? I remained silent as I burned my throat again nang inumin ko ang inumin na hawak ko.

I hummed a happy birthday song habang nakatingin ako sa langit. In my periphery, I saw him looked at me at kalauna'y tumingin na rin siya sa langit. I continued humming hanggang sa matapos ko ito.

"You should've told me para nakapagbake ako ng cake."

"There's still tomorrow, Princess. You can bake tomorrow."

"Oh, I surely will." I looked at him and I did not regret doing so for I saw him smiled. His eyes smiled too. It was a real and genuine smile. He looked at me habang nakangiti pa rin and I almost cursed nang makita ko nang maayos ang mukha niya. I am not hallucinating, aren't I? He's smiling, right? Why does he look...cute smiling like that? Epekto ba iyan ng alak? Kung ganoon, I should make him drink everyday.

Binawi ko ang tingin ko nang bigla akong kabahan. That feeling I've always felt whenever I speak to the public. Na parang nagrarambolan ang loob ng tiyan ko. Naramdaman ko rin ang pag init ng mga pisngi ko. I touched it dahil mukhang sasabog na ito. What the hell is this feeling?

"What are you doing?" Narinig kong tanong niya. Napansin niya sigurong parang hindi ako mapakali sa inuupuan ko.

"Are you flirting with me, devil?" I asked and looked at him. Thankfully, hindi na siya nakangiti. I did not know a smile could flip my insides like that. His smile was both a blessing to the eyes and a punishment for the heart.

His brows furrowed.

"Why do you say so?"

"Bigla bigla ka nalang ngumingiti eh hindi ka naman pala-ngiti kaya nakakabigla 'yong ngiti mo kanina. Are you flirting with me?"

He smirked and looked at me.

"If I were flirting with you, you'd be lying on that cold floor beneath me, shivering and screaming my name in pleasure while soaking...wet."

Halos ibalibag ko na ang lamesa sa sinabi niya. Has it always been his habit talking dirty like that? I couldn't say na epekto iyon ng alak for he talks dirty too kahit hindi siya lasing. I should say, likas na manyak ang demonyong 'to.

"Have you always been a p*****t?"

"No."

"Why the hell are you talking dirty to me?"

"I'm not. It's the truth. That's how I flirt. Want me to try?"

"No thanks!"

I heard him chuckled and I found it surprisingly sexy. Ano ba, Muriel! I slapped my face secretly. Tiningnan ko ang bote ng beer. It's the effect of this alcoholic drink, isn't it?

I decided to stand up para matulog kaysa makinig sa kamanyakan ng lalakeng ito. Inubos ko muna ang isang bote kahit na halos mabutas na ang lalamunan ko dahil dito. I saw him watching me as I emptied the bottle.

"I'm going to bed." I said. He did not answer. He just drank from his bottle and emptied it too. Kumuha pa siya ng isa ang opened it. Napatingin ako sa case na naroon. May mga walo pang bote na hindi pa niya nagalaw. Don't tell me plano niyang ubusin lahat iyon?

I heaved a sigh. I guess I can't stop him from doing so. It's his Mom's birthday after all so he should celebrate. Nagpaalam ulit ako sa kanya and nagsimula nang maglakad but as what I've said multiple of times, Life has always been against my side. Natapakan ko ang isang bote ng beer dahilan upang madulas ako. And of all the places I could've landed, I landed on Cross' lap. Automatically, ikinawit ko ang mga braso ko sa leeg niya for support and him on the other hand has his arms wrapped around my waist for support too.

We stared for a few seconds and I don't know kung epekto ba iyon ng alak o ano but I felt his face inch closer. I inched my face away kaya napatingin siya sa'kin. Damn how did he get this handsome? Why is he handsome? Damn what am I talking about? He stared at my lips as I stared at his face. Hindi ko napigilang titigan din ang labi niya. It was wet probably because of the alcohol he was drinking. I wonder how would it taste-- damn Muriel!

I felt him inched closer again and I was about to stand up ngunit hinigpitan niya ang paghawak sa bewang ko kaya hindi ako nakatayo.

"Stay." He said huskily and my insides flipped. My breathing hitched as I felt him get closer again. Hindi ko alam kung naapektuhan na rin ba ako ng alak because I just closed my eyes. I  closed my goddamn eyes!

He took that as a signal and I felt his soft lips pressed against mine. I closed my eyes tightly until I felt his lips moved. I answered his kisses with equal intensity and I felt myself getting drunk. I'm not sure kung dahil ba iyon sa alak na nainom ko kanina o sa alak na nasa bibig niya o dahil sa halik niya. I think it's the last one.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa leeg niya and his other hand transferred to the back of my head habang ang isa'y nasa bewang ko pa rin.

His kisses transferred to my neck and I found myself gripping his soft hair. Both his hands are massaging my back. He found my brassiere's hook and unclasped it in an instant without even lifting my shirt! I lifted his chin and kissed him on the lips. He ended the kiss again. We were breathing heavily as we stared at each other. He kissed me once again but it was brief. Without inserting his hands inside my shirt, he hooked my brassiere again.

"Let's stop. I might end up flirting with you." He said with a heavy breath.

I felt my cheeks flushed. Nakakahiya ang nangyari kanina. But I also hated him for stopping.

I told you earlier right? Na ang pinaka ayoko sa lahat ay 'yong sinimulan na, hindi pa tatapusin. It's annoying. And I am very annoyed right now.

I stood up and walked my way to the door without looking back at him. I just want to strangle him right now. That flirtatious jerk.

I went to bed mumbling. Sana lamukin siya doon or malaglag sa reclined chair o madulas sa mga boteng nagkalat sa sahig. I would be very happy if one of those happens.

Man, that was embarrassing.