Hello! I unpublished the previous Chapter 11 that I published yesterday because it was too short and I was really bothered. Anyways, here's the longer and final version of the chapter. Enjoy! 🤍
ps. The next few chapters will be throwback scenes. :))
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For a long time, I've always wondered what love was. I watched a lot of movies about princesses with their prince charmings, and growing up, I wanted to experience it too. I dreamt of being a princess, and that someday, I get to meet my own charming prince.
And as early as the age of five, I think I already found him.
Zayden Ace. My best friend.
I was five when I met him, then I realized that I liked him when I was thirteen. I mean, how could I not? He treated me like a princess. For me, he was my definition of a prince charming.
And the more time we spent together as we grew older, the deeper I fell in love.
"Zayden, what do you think of this new dress that my mom bought for me? It makes me look like a princess!" I said excitedly and twirled around. I giggled when the skirt of the dress flowed smoothly with the wind.
"Ano yan? Pangit." lumapit si Zayden at inayos ang tali ng dress ko sa likod. "Hindi mo pa na-ribbon nang maayos."
Napanguso ako habang hinihintay siyang matapos sa ginagawa. He even fixed my hair after fixing my dress. Nang matapos ay pinaharap niya ako sa kanya. He stared at me from head to toe and I smiled sweetly at him. Napasimangot siya at pinitik ang noo ko.
"Aray!" I whined. He rolled his eyes and laughed after.
"Arte mo kasi! 'Di ka naman mukhang princess!" pang-aaway niya. "Mukha kang witch. Sino na ulit yun? Si Maleficent? Kamukha mo yun!"
I glared at him and he just stuck his tongue out while showing me an L sign with his fingers placed on top of his forehead to spite me.
Nang akmang susugurin ko na siya ay kaagad siyang tumakbo palayo, at nang habulin ko ay paikot-ikot na kami sa meadow na naghahabulan.
I was wearing heels and my dress was pretty long so after a while, I tripped down and fell.
"Ouchie!" I cried. Napalingon naman si Zayden at nang makitang nadapa ako ay tumakbo palapit sa'kin.
"Yan! 'Di kasi nag-iingat eh!" sermon niya at tinulungan akong tumayo. "Does it hurt?" he asked, now he was worried. I glared at him and pulled his hair.
"Ouch! What was that for?!" he groaned, still holding me carefully.
"Kamukha mo si Gaston!" I fought. He chuckled and helped me sit in an open space near us. Inangat niya ang dress ko to check my knee and when he noticed that it didn't have any scratches, he felt relieved. The whole garden was covered with grass so my fall didn't really hurt me that much.
Zayden took my heels off and stood up, walking away with it. Nagtataka ko siyang pinanood habang naglalakad siya palayo at papasok sa bahay nila. A few minutes later, he came back with a pair of flat doll shoes.
"Wear these instead, Cinderella. You're still not very good with heels." he said and kneeled to put them on me.
"Saan naman galing yan? And ayaw ko yan! Hindi na pang princess yan!" reklamo ko.
"Mukha ka pa'rin namang princess ah? Matatakpan din ng dress mo 'to." sabi niya bago umupo sa tabi ko.
"Talaga? Mukha akong princess?" I smiled widely. Umirap siya pero tumango din naman.
"Eh paano kung walang dress? Kung pambahay lang, gano'n? Mukha pa'rin bang princess?" I asked, excited about his answer.
"Hindi. Pangit na, mukhang nanny ng princess." he smirked to tease me.
"What?!" I stomped my feet. Natawa naman siya at inayos ang buhok kong nagulo.
"Oo na, oo na. Kahit ano namang suotin mo, mukha kang princess." he smiled softly and pinched my cheek.
"Ihh, epal ka talaga!" tinulak ko palayo ang kamay niya at tumawa.
I knew what we had was something special. I don't know how I came to the conclusion that I love him, but well, I guess I do.
But then again, I was young. I wasn't sure yet. I started thinking that maybe I was just attached to the thought that he's always been by my side, or that I got used to his company. In my mind, I still often wonder what love really is anyway.
Me and Zayden have been friends since we were kids. We met and became close because of our parents. Mas nakakasundo ko kasi siya kaysa sa kapatid niyang si Zack. Kapag kasi may parties at gatherings noong mga bata pa kami, ako palagi ang kinukulit niya para agawan ng desserts kapag nauubusan siya. Then as we grew up, we kept in touch. I don't even know if our parents knew about our closeness kasi hindi naman namin binabanggit.
He was two years older than me, but that didn't really matter. Every afternoon after school, he would pick me up and we would go home together. I told my mom that I wanted to experience public transport para hindi na niya ako ipasundo sa driver, then me and Zayden would commute together pauwi. Nung college naman, niregaluhan siya nila Tita Alice ng sariling kotse kaya mas dumalas ang paghatid at sundo niya sa'kin.
I was in my first year of college when he told me he loves me. I remember that day very well. We were hanging out at his condo unit, which was also a gift from his parents, and he was cooking my favorite sinigang for me.
My music was on full blast, a soft piano instrumental playlist of all of my favorite Disney songs was playing in the background.
"Done na?" I asked when he took his apron off. Umiling siya at naghugas ng kamay bago yumakap sa'kin.
"Ten minutes."
I nodded and hugged him too, gently rubbing his back. "You're extra clingy today." I giggled and looked up at him. He just smiled and dragged me near the refrigerator. He opened the fridge's door and the light automatically went on.
"Dance with me." he said softly.
"Really, Zayden? Sayang ang kuryente." I laughed lightly. Ngumuso naman siya at umiling.
"Ngayon lang naman eh. And besides, this is the closest we could get to a ballroom light." aniya bago humiwalay. He dimmed the main lights hanggang sa mas maliwanag na ang ilaw galing sa ref.
"May I have this dance, Princess?" he asked and offered his hand. I grinned and nodded, taking it.
We swayed slowly with the music, dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light. It was a weird moment, but with him, it didn't feel that way. It felt magical instead.
A few moments later, lumayo siya sa'kin at pinatay ang niluluto niya. Then, he reached for my phone and switched the music.
"My favorite!" I beamed when I heard the intro for Tangled's "I See The Light".
He held me again and hugged my waist.
All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
"What are you doing?" tanong ko nang piringan niya ang mga mata ko gamit ang panyo.
"Shh, just trust me." he said and I felt him cup my cheeks. I nodded and smiled.
I felt a kiss on my forehead bago niya ako sinabihang maglakad. I didn't know where we were going, but it's okay because I trust him and I was holding his hand.
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be
My jaw dropped when he removed my blindfold. His whole bedroom was set up for a cozy movie date. There were fairy lights on the ceiling na may nakasabit na lanterns gawa sa papel, may print pa ng sun symbol, kagaya ng nasa movie ni Rapunzel.
My favorite candies and chocolates were all displayed on a table beside the bed, at sa taas ng kama ay isang dress na medyo kahawig ng kay Rapunzel. And his TV was playing the boat scene from Tangled.
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you
"I know you're fond of a lot of Disney movies, but I'm sure that this is your favorite one, am I right?" he asked me.
I nodded, my eyes already bloodshot because of my unshed tears.
"You did all of this for me?"
"Yeah, well, I wanted to surprise you." he chuckled. "Do you like it?"
"I love it." hinarap ko siya at niyakap sa leeg. Kaagad naman siyang yumakap sa bewang ko at siniksik ang mukha sa leeg ko.
All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time, never truly seeing
Things the way they were
"I have one more surprise." he whispered in my ear.
"Really?" I pulled away from our hug but my hands were still wrapped around his neck.
He reached for his pocket and took out a white velvet box. He slowly opened it and revealed a beautiful ring that looked like a tiara.
"Is that..."
"A mini version of Rapunzel's crown? Yes." he took my hands off of his neck and held it instead. "You wouldn't shut up about how you wanted one, right? So I had this specially made for you."
He slowly slid the ring on my finger and it fit perfectly. He kissed the ring and met my gaze, his lips still pressed against my knuckles. He looked illegally handsome, I hated it.
Now she's here, shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here, it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go
"Stop staring at me with those eyes." sita ko. Natawa naman siya at nilayo ang kamay ko sa labi niya.
He caressed the ring and smiled. "I promise to always be by your side no matter what. I'll never leave. I'll always be here, through the lows and the highs. I will love you endlessly, 'till forever falls apart. Please consider this ring as a symbol of my promise to you."
He cupped my cheeks and stared at me intently. He kissed my forehead, my nose, both my cheeks, and rested his forehead on mine after.
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
One by one, my tears fell. He didn't say a word and just kissed them away instead. At that very moment, I finally knew what love really meant.
Love is when he cooks sinigang for me. Love is when he never makes fun of me for loving the things that I love. Love is when he calls me 'princess' because I told him that I wanted to be one. Love is when he would stay up late to watch Disney movies with me. Love is his efforts to make me happy.
Love is the immense feeling that I feel everytime I see him.
Love is... him.
My Zayden.
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
"I love you, Celestine... Do you love me too?" he asked slowly.
I nodded with a smile, my tears flowing nonstop. "I love you, Zayden."
His tears fell and before I even got the chance to wipe them away, I felt his lips on mine.
I had to smile, knowing that my first kiss was my prince charming.
"I love you." he told me when he pulled away.
My eyes softened as I caressed his cheeks to wipe his tears. "I love you more."
He smiled and kissed me again. "I love you most." he uttered like an oath.
All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you