A princess should be perfect. I should be the epitomy of perfection.
“Chin up. Straight your body then one, two, three. One, two, three.. Like a swan, Meteor! Dance like a swan!” My ballet instructor pat again her stick to my leg then my arm. I tried to dance gently and swiftly, and to tell you I already wanted to give up dancing right now.
A princess can perform all kinds of dances .
“A surprise test would spice up your day, Princess. Here’s a 100-question test about vocabulary and grammar. Answer this within 15 minutes. After that, you’ll make an on-the-spot speech about our kingdom as of today,” she handed me thick questionnaires and winked at me. Oh damn! Not with grammar please!
A princess should have proper grammar, wide vocabulary and can speak well.
“Let’s have an activity today, shall we? I’ll ask you questions and you should answer it within three minutes. Ready? Question number 1..” What? Hindi pa ako nag-aaral ng past lessons namin! How am I supposed to answer those questions?
A princess should be alert and smart.
“Let me hear the soothing sound of the piano. For today’s piece, let’s have Mozart playing,” my music teacher placed a music sheet in front of me. I have nothing against music and I always wanted to play instruments. The problem is, my hands won’t cooperate. “Wrong note, Meteor! Play swiftly and smoothly!”
A princess should know how to play different instruments.
“Tall and proud! Don’t let the books on your head fall. Now walk,” I tried to walk slowly and balanced the books above my head. “Faster, Meteor!”
“I’m trying but whoaa~!” I can’t help but to fall down. Sheesh, I hate this part with books.
A princess should have proper posture.
“What kind of style is that?!” the word ‘shock’ would best describe my stylist’s face today. “Gown paired with rubber shoes? OH NO NO NO!”
“But I’m comfortable with these than heels!”
“Whether you like it or not, you should be used to heels!”
A princess should have a sense of fashion.
Iilan lang ang mga traits na iyan sa dapat kong taglayin. Just imagine how much of that work you should do everyday for the rest of your life. It’s hella tiring.
I threw myself up on the bed as soon as I reached my room.
“Seriously, why do I have to do this everyday?,” I whispered. Bakit ba mahirap maging prinsesa?
I heard a knock on the door. “Come in.”
“Princess? You just have one more agenda and you could end this day already,” I heard Casey from the door.
“Oh yeah. The dinner. I almost forgot,” I got up again, still tired from the day’s work. “Okay! Let’s end this.”
~~~**~~~
“Ooohh~ Been awhile since we had a family dinner.” I told them as I approached the wide table.
“Meteor!” Dad’s warning tone halted me from speaking more. I just ignored him and sat across my brother, Astro. He gave me a ‘don’t-you-dare-say-a-single-word’ look.
“Can’t help it. Quite unusual for us to have this kind of time,” I honestly confessed. My brother and I always end up eating alone. Palagi na lang kasing busy sina Mom and Dad in ruling our kingdom. Walang silang oras para sa amin.
“Princess,” I saw mom’s smile. Instantly, I shut myself up. You could tell I’m more afraid of my mom than my dad. Yes, she usually smiles and probably you might think she doesn’t know how to be angry but I’ll tell you what, she’s definitely not the lady you want to mess with.
“So what’s up?,” Astro asked, breaking the tension in the air. Astro is the type of guy perfectly fit to be a model prince. Kung tutuusin, magkabaligtad kami ni Astro. Imbes na siya ang sakit sa ulo and the black sheep of the family, ako ang nasa pwesto niya. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against him. In fact, he’s a good brother to me. Ironic lang na kung sino pa ang babae, siya pa ang pasaway.
Though he has his own flaws. Astro doesn’t know how to fight and he doesn’t want to get into a battle. Mas gugustuhin niya pang magcooking class, o tumugtog ng instrumento kesa matutong makipaglaban. Unlike me who wants the other way around.
“So let’s have it this way. This discussion is for you, Meteor,” Dad started. Tss. I hate it when he talks especially about me. I don’t know why but my Dad and I aren’t as close as the other families. We barely talk to each other as a father-daughter. We haven’t had a bonding. It’s just that, he’s my dad by name, blood and flesh.
“This coming Sunday, the other kingdom has invited us to go to their son’s 18th birthday. At that time, he will pick the princess that will suit to be his fiance. I want you to present yourself as the princess of Sirius Kingdom and marry--.”
Bigla akong napatayo sa kinauupuan ko. “Marriage?! Hell no, Dad!” irritation filled my voice.
“Manners, Meteor! You’re in front of the food.” Mom scolded me again but I ignored her. Seriously? Gusto nilang makipagflirt ako sa kung sino mang prinsipeng yon? Yun naman ang gusto nilang iparating eh. That I should win his heart and I should have him marry me.
“You’re selling me away?! Oh my damn it!” I bursted out. I don’t care if they heard my ‘words’ not good for a princess like me to say but hell! This is too frustrating!
“And since when did you learn how to speak that way, Meteor Flare?” Dad shouted at me. Ever since, we always get into arguments. That’s why we haven't got ourselves into good terms.
“Since the day that I learned that being a princess is actually the worst thing that ever happened to me. Unfortunately, I was born in the wrong family,” I retorted back.
Dad pointed at me, “You don’t know how to respect me, do you?! Kailan ka ba titino, Meteor? Kailan mo ba matatanggap na isa kang prinsesa at kailangan mong gawin ito?!”
“Kailan mo rin ba matatanggap, Dad, na I have the right to control my life?!”
“Enough! Both of you!,” Mom declared. Both Dad and I sat, instantly and wait for mom to speak.
“Could we, at least, just have a fine dinner tonight and talk about this properly?” Mom added. “I don’t want any more of your childish acts from both of you.”
“Now, Meteor honey, your Dad doesn’t mean that way, to force yourself marry that prince. We will just attend the ball and that’s it. Introduce yourself to them being the princess of Sirius Kingdom. If you attend that ball, I’ll give you your two-day free time next week.”
“Fine. If you’ll excuse me, I already lost my appetite.” I left them at the table and run towards my bedroom.
At least tomorrow, I could finally escape this whole life of mine even just for a day. Tomorrow, I’ll have my life the other way ‘round.
Royal 1
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