To break her reality bound by rules, Letizia impulsively participates in a project communicating with a stranger and shares the life she desires behind the name "Juliette". Can she keep up with the lies about her perfect story and not fall for the m...
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"LETIZIA, por favor . . . please speak to me."
I stared at the dish in front of me. I didn't even know what it was called. I would much rather eat adobo or sinigang right now. Wala akong gana kahit na alam kong oras na upang kumain ako. Ni hindi ko kayang tagpuin ang mga mata ni David na kanina pa nakatitig sa akin.
Hindi ko alam kung galit ba ang nararamdaman ko kay David. I just felt . . . betrayed. Siguro hindi si David ang dapat kong sisihin pero may bahagi sa akin na gustong umiwas muna sa kaniya.
Alam ni David ang lahat ngunit tinago niya sa akin na alam nina Papá ang lokasyon ko at maging ang plano na ikasal kami sa hinaharap upang pagbuklodin ang aming mga pamilya.
I felt the same in Spain—I was locked away again. Rules and responsibilities haunted me, and I could never say no. And it was happening again.
I turned my gaze at the spacious room. We transferred hotels after we spoke to my father. Nasa isang suite na kami sa isang five star hotel.
Doon ko nalaman kung ilan ang nakasunod sa akin sa tuwing umaalis ako ng hotel. I thought I was doing a great job. Sadly, I was oblivious to my surroundings.
Lagi pala na may nakasunod sa akin na sasakyan sa segundo na lumabas lang ako ng hotel. Kahit ang pagbili ko lang ng pagkain sa karinderya o sa convenient store ay nare-report na. Nakasunod na sila mula pa noong umalis ako ng Espanya. Sa airport pa lang ay inalarma na nila si Papá at sa halip na pigilin ako, hinayaan nila ako ngunit bantay-sarado ang bawat galaw ko na para na rin sa seguridad ko.
Hindi rin nila ni-lock ang card ko kahit kailan. And here I thought I had done all necessary precautions so they wouldn't be able to track me, yet I failed. I felt stupid.
"Letizia, please . . . " pagsumamo ni David.
Sinubukan niyang abutin ang aking kamay ngunit mabilis ko itong binawi. Agad akong tumayo upang bumalik sa aking silid-tulugan ngunit bigla akong natisod at napaluhod sa sahig. Tumama ang tuhod ko sa konkreto kaya napangiwi ako sa sakit.
"Letizia!" hiyaw na pagtawag ni David sabay luhod sa aking tabi. I felt his hand on my arm.
"I'm fine . . . " Nang-iwas ako ng tingin kahit gusto kong magsisigaw na masakit ang tuhod ko.
"You're not fine," makahulugan niyang sagot. "You can't lie to me, Letizia . . . "
That stopped me as our childhood memories flashed before my eyes with his words.
I remembered that day when the sky was sad and dark. I didn't know what time it was. Basta parang pang-horror movie ang kadiliman sa labas. I had intrusive thoughts like I was kidnapped. Tumakas ako sa Spanish tutor ko dahil wala siyang pahinga sa pagtuturo sa akin.
I was just seven years old when I was made aware of my real identity. Hindi ko pa lubos naiintindihan noon bakit kailangan ako magtago sa publiko. It took years before I had a full grasp of my environment.
Back then, I imagined having my parents beside me—a family to call my own.
Umasa ako na parang nasa fairy tales lang ang buhay ko nang mga sandaling iyon—na may fairy godmother ako at bibigyan niya ako ng wish at darating ang prince charming ko sa hinaharap.
Back then, I was lost and had no idea where I should be heading. David suddenly showed up to help me out. He didn't need to stay or be friends with me, yet he did. Our history has been embedded in my mind. It was irreplaceable.
"I told you that if you hate the thought of this engagement, I will help you break it," seryoso niyang sambit, reminding me of his words from not so long ago.
"W-what?" I lifted my head. As I met his eyes, I could see how serious he was.
"I cannot bear to see you like this, mi princesa. If marrying me will make you miserable, I'd instead break it off and stay single all my life . . . " Mapakla siyang ngumiti.
"David . . . "
"You don't need to answer me today, Letizia. You can take as much time as you need," aniya sabay ang pagsipit ng aking buhok sa likod ng aking tainga. "If they push you for an answer, let me know, and I can even drag this out for as long as you need.
"You know that you'll get in trouble."
"And that's okay with me as long as I know there's even a 0.1 per cent chance that you'd say yes to marrying me."
I could feel my eyes heating up and starting to get watery. I had always said it . . . na masuwerte ang babae na mamahalin at magmamahal kay David. I didn't expect it would be me.
"Shall we go home?" Nilahad ni David ang kaniyang kamay sa aking direksiyon.
Home . . . David wasn't referring to any other place but back to Spain. It seemed to be where we met and how our story would continue.
"Do we have to go already?" I asked.
Umiling siya. "We can take our time, mi princesa. If you'd like, we can even celebrate your birthday here."
Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya. He was right; my birthday was coming soon, yet I received the surprise way in advance. Once more, I was reminded of the past. David never forgot about my birthday. Sa katunayan, siya pa parati ang nagpapaalala.
David was my sanctuary. He had always been beside me through thick and thin. Siya lang ang naging kakampi ko noong mga sandali na wala akong kakampi. He would lowkey do things he shouldn't do for me, even though he knew he would get in trouble.
Iyon nga lang, hindi ko alam na higit pala sa pagiging matalik na magkaibigan ang tingin niya sa akin. Or maybe my gut could sense it but I chose to ignore it because of the label of our relationship—our friendship.
I raised my hand and held his. A part of me was still tangled up in the reality that I was engaged with him.
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Don't forget to read Sole Mate: Rome by Imcrazyyouknow for Rome's POV!
