Juliet and Cinderella (Book I and II)

The slow tune of the music is playing on the background as the students start dancing with their partners. It is serene, it brings tranquility with my already troubled heart. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. The big hall is designed intricately, it looks livelier tonight. There are balloons scattered around the corner, and some are hanged at the ceiling. The lighting illuminated the entire area with a few blinking lights with different colors on the inviting dance floor. What I find awesome is the music─it is live. The school rented a few bands─also, the school's band─to celebrate the night and I won't deny that this party, I consider it one of the best.   Maraming mga estudyante ang nagpapagandahan ng mga gown nila at papormahan ng mga tuxedo. Mas complex ang design, mas may class. Mas pricey, mas maigi. Mas maganda, mas elegante. Everyone are stunning in their own way, I know that majority of them really prepared themselves to this once in a lifetime ball. Lahat ay excited malaman kung sino ang magiging Prom King and Queen ngayong gabi. Ang iba ay nangangarap na mapili at may iba na kuntento nang makasaksi ng ganitong event. In my case, I'm more excited to have a dance with the one I love when the clock strikes at twelve in the midnight—a dance with my beloved Romeo. This may sounds cliche pero simula nang makita ko siya noon, nagustuhan ko na siya. Who won't? Romeo's like woman's living fantasy. If perfection can be compared to him, malamang, sasabihin nilang tama sila. And now this will gonna be my one and only chance to confess my feelings for him. That I like him a lot. Bahala na kung ma-reject. Ang importante, masabi ko sa kanya itong nararamdaman ko.  Iyon na lang ang paulit-ulit kong sinasabi sa sarili. "Juliet!" Napalingon ako kay Dianne na tumawag sa'kin. She looks happy. Happy because she's with her girlfriend, Trisha. Hindi lesbian si Dianne. Sa katunayan, straight talaga ito as a ruler. Nagkataon lang na na-in love siya sa kapwa niya babae. Naalala ko pa yung sinabi dati ni Trisha that she's just a girl who likes girls. Wala namang kaso sa'kin kahit ano pa ang s****l orientation nila. I still love them as my friends. I stare at these lovers, they both look dashing on their royal couple gowns. Black ang kay Dianne and white naman kay Trisha. I, myself, look dashing as well in a cerulean colored gown. "Juliet? Bakit ganyan ka makatingin?" nagtatakang tanong ni Dianne. "Wala naman." Napailing naman ako. I'm lucky to have these two as my friends. "May kailangan kayo?" "Wala naman din." Trisha smiles loosely. Her face etches with worry. "Have you found your Romeo na ba?" "Not yet." I stare at my watch. It's already close to midnight already. I have to hurry up. "Sige, hahanapin ko lang siya." Patakbo akong lumabas ng hall. Hindi ako tumigil sa paghahanap kahit na nahihirapan ako dahil sa gown ko. Kailangan ko nang magmadali para makita siya or I will not be able to tell it. Kailangan ko nang masabi ito habang may lakas pa ako ng loob. I'm literally checking every students that I see around hoping one of them is Romeo. Some of them even greeted me, some are smiling to acknowledge my presence. I am rushing and yet I still greeted them back. I'm known in this school but I never bragged the fact, it's just that, I'm not really particular with the popular status. I'm just being polite. Habang naghahanap, naisip ko na naman kung gaano ka-cliche itong ginagawa ko─not to mention na Romeo ang name niya at Juliet naman ang akin. It's funny thinking about it. Hindi ko maiwasang mapailing sa naisip habang napapangiti. "Please accept my confession." I stop midway when I heard a familiar voice. Boses 'yon ni Romeo at nanggagaling 'yon sa likod ng isang building. Hindi gaanong rinig ang music na nagmumula sa hall sa part na ito. Napangiti ako ng malaki. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad palapit kahit na excited na akong malapitan siya. "Romeo." I almost stop on my track when I heard another voice. Nagtago ako sa may likuran ng malaking puno hindi kalayuan sa kanila. Kitang-kita ko si Romeo—at may kasama siyang babae. Magkayakap sila. Yung yakap na minsan ko ring hiniling na maranasan sa kanya. Bumibilis ang t***k ng puso ko. I touch my chest and breathed slowly. Nervous. I'm nervous na baka tama ang hinala ko sa mga nangyayari. "I love you, Romeo." "I love you, too." I bit my lower lip. At tama nga. They justified my hunch. Okay na 'yong narinig ko, eh. Dinagdagan pa. After that confession, they sealed it with a kiss like what usually happens in a fairytale or any other romantic story. That kiss is the most passionate kiss I have ever seen. Unti-unting bumagal ang t***k ng puso ko hanggang sa halos wala na akong maramdaman. It's a heavy feeling like the gravity is pulling my heart down and it hurts. Can it be possible? Ganito pala kasakit ma-brokenhearted. Kahit ready ka sa pain, iba pa rin yung impact. Alam mo iyon, para kang binagsakan ng hollow blocks sa ulo sa sobrang sakit. I want to turn my back and go but I can't. Ang hirap naman nito. Parang napako ang paa ko sa kinatatayuan ko. Ano bang laban ko? They love each other. I'll just be a hindrance and I don't want that. Kahit gusto ko lang siya, masakit pa rin. Ang lapit na kaya, konting abante na lang, oh, mai-in love na ako. Can I say that love is also a matter of time? I am breathing heavily. I can feel  my eyes watering. Damn, I have to stop it but how? I don't want anyone to see me like this. I'm brave, and I know my place. I should resist the idea of crying. Biglang may nagtakip ng mga mata ko nang akmang tutulo na ang luha ko. Natigilan ako. Ang lambot ng kamay. That's what I noticed. I bit my lower lip, I was seen! "Tanga ka rin, 'no." wika nitong nagtakip sa mga mata ko. Medyo maangas ang pananalita nito pero may lambing. I frown when I realized that it's a girl. "Masakit na nga, tinitingnan mo pa." Inalis na niya ang kamay sa mata ko and she pull me away instead—away from that scene that is breaking my heart. She never let go of my hand. I don't know why but I just found myself running away with her. I don't even have any ounce of hesitation, it's like her presence is so enough to make me follow her. It take us a while bago makarating sa isang kubo na property pa rin ng school. I'm panting a bit. Medyo may kahirapan din naman kasing tumakbo ng naka-gown. Pumasok na kami sa loob at umupo. Katabi ko lang siya pero hindi ito nagsasalita. She looks arrogant despite the sweet face. "Thanks for saving me there." I smile a bit. Tinaasan naman niya ako ng kilay na ikinatigil ko. Ang amo ng mukha niya kanina, biglang naging masungit. "Anong thanks?" Umirap siya. I stop myself from smiling. I don't even know kung bakit ako napapangiti. Tinatarayan niya ako. "Ayoko lang makakita ng umiiyak nang dahil lang sa lalaki. Si Romeo pa talaga, eh, ang sikat no'n masyado!" Natawa ako ng kaunti, ang cute niya kasi mag-react. "Nope. Yung kasama ni Romeo ang iniyakan ko." I lied, fine. Mas okay na iyon. Ayoko na may iba pang makaalam. Besides, hindi ko rin naman kilala 'to. Maybe I'll just purposely tell her the wrong idea. In this school, it's normal that a body of female students fall for Romeo. Alam ko namang hindi ako nag-iisa. There are many guys, and even girls, who likes me as well pero I only see him. But right now, he loves someone who isn't me. And I will gladly back down kahit masakit. "Oh?"Para naman siyang nagulat. Napakamot siya sa sentido. "Kung sabagay, hindi na rin naman bago yung mga ganyan." Ngumiti siya sa'kin, yung walang halong judgement. Kahit alam kong straight ako, natuwa ako sa naging response niya. "Makaka-move on ka rin. Maraming magaganda riyan! Sa harap mo pa nga lang," Pasimple niyang tinuro ang sarili at humagikhik. "May maganda na, eh." Natatawa naman akong napaturo sa kanya. "Ikaw, maganda?" "Ikaw ang may sabi niyan." Natawa siya. I look at her intently as she laughs. Yeah. She's pretty nga. Simple lang ang ayos niya. Straight ang itim na buhok na hanggang bewang, maamo ang mukha kaso mukhang mataray especially when raising an eyebrow, and she looks gorgeous on her red gown. "Paano ko naman sila mapapansin kung siya lang gusto ko?" tanong ko. Makikisakay na lang ako sa gawa-gawa kong kwento. Maybe I can learn anything to move on. Parang ewan lang. Hindi naman naging kami ni Romeo pero may nasasabi pa akong pagmo-move on. "Ewan." She shrugs her shoulders. "Kusa naman sigurong mafe-feel 'yon. And gusto mo lang naman siya, 'di ba? Hindi mo pa siya mahal pero malapit na. Ang sakit nga no'n." "Ang gulo mo naman, eh." I reply. Napakamot ako sa sentido ko. "Aba malay ko ba, 'di pa naman ako nai-in love," walang ganang sagot niya. "Kaya pala ang lakas mo manermon." Napailing ako. "Sus!" She waves her hand in a dismissing manner. "Mai-in love rin ako, tiwala lang. Kering-keri." sagot niya. She looks like someone who's not in a rush to fall in love. Most girls wants to have someone, pero siya, mukha siyang sanay na siya lang. Nasa aura niya, eh. I don't know how to explain it but I can sense it based on how she talks to me. "What if you didn't?" nanghahamon kong tanong. "Hmm, paano nga ba?" She pouts her lips sideways which I find cute. "Kahit crush never pa, eh." I'm a little surprise to know that. May mga ganitong klase pala talaga ng tao. I bet we're of the same age, majority of the girls will probably have an answer kung nagka-crush na ba sila. "Ah, alam ko na!" She beams like a bulb pops in her head. Tumingin siya sa'kin at ngumiti ng nakakaloko. "Kapag nangyari nga 'yon tapos nagkita ulit tayo, then, tayo na lang. Maganda ka naman, eh." Natawa siya sa sinabi niya. I, on the other hand, felt my heart throbs loudly. "Baliw na yata ako. Kung anu-anong pumapasok sa isip ko, sorry." Napangiti ako habang pinapanood siya. Ang cute niyang tingnan habang pinupukpok niya ang sarili. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling but I can't. Why does it feel like I loved everything she said? My heart is beating loud. Alam kong biro niya lang iyon pero mukhang magandang idea. "Okay." "Ha?" Mukhang na-slow ito. "Kapag nagkita tayo ulit at nagkataong hindi ka pa nai-in love...sa akin ka na." I grin. I'm staring at her, my attention lands on her lips but only for a few seconds. Suddenly, I have the urge of kissing her but that will be so weird. Her face becomes red. My stomach churns with the sight. She's so cute! "B-baliw! Nagbibiro lang naman—" I lean and kisses her on the cheek before she can even finish her sentence. I wink at her. "See you next time." Tumunog na ang school bell, sign na midnight na nga. Cool, I didn't get the chance to dance. But it doesn't matter now. Iniwan ko siyang nakanganga sa kubo. She's probably shocked. Masaya akong naglakad paalis habang naiisip ang mga pinag-usapan namin. Hay, salamat! I am finally okay—miraculously—thanks to that girl. Bumalik na ako sa hall. Na-announce na rin yung Prom King and Queen. Si Romeo at yung girl na kasama niya ang napili. Odd. Kinapa ko ang dibdib. Wala na 'yong sakit. I moved on that fast? Nag-aalala naman akong nilapitan nina Trisha at Dianne kaya medyo natawa ako. "What kind of face is that?" "Juliet, alam naming brokenhearted ka." Dianne says. She looks sad for me. "Okay lang 'yan." Napatingin ako sa kanila at tumawa ulit. Ang priceless lang ng mukha nila. Imagine, they really look worried for me na parang anytime ay nagbabalak akong umiyak at magmukmok. I understand them though, I am supposed to be sad because first, I didn't get to confessed and second, Romeo has already someone. But because of that girl... Napahawak si Dianne sa kamay ni Trisha. "Baby, baliw na yata ang best friend ko." Inalu-alo naman siya ni Trisha. "No, baby, hindi niya lang matanggap iyong nangyari kaya ganiyan siya." Lalo ko silang tinawanan. What's their problem? Can't they see na I'm happy na? "Ano ba kayo, okay lang ako. I'm fine as hell." Natatawang sagot ko pa rin sa kanila though I laced the assurance over my jolly voice. "Hindi ka brokenhearted?" Trisha asks. "Kanina, oo." I answer. I bit my lower lip, remembering that cute girl na medyo masungit. "Ngayon hindi na." "Weh?" sabay nilang tanong. "Promise!" I raise my right hand. "Cross my heart." "How did that happen?" tanong ni Trisha. "Let's just say na may nagugustuhan na akong iba." I shrug. I offered them a meaningful smile, both of them look at me like I grew another head or something. "Or maybe, I'm in love already." Sa sinabi kong iyon ay muli na namang nagpakita sa isip ko ang imahe ng babaeng kausap ko kanina. She's really beautiful. I wonder why I haven't seen her before. Maybe I got too focus on Romeo and I didn't get to notice anyone. Sabagay, all I thought I'm straight, who'd expect someone can bend me in just a snap? My heart beating rapidly is an indication of how I'm feeling, I can't deny this one. Wow, this is new to me in some sense, but I like it. "Wala, lokohan na 'to." Inilingan ako ni Dianne habang inaangkla ang braso sa kasintahan niyang mukhang tingin sa akin ay nasisiraan ako ng bait. "Baliw na si Juliet." Natawa na lang ulit ako. Oh, well, I can't force them to believe me. Basta ako, masaya ako. All I have to do is to find that girl. I forgot to ask her name, I'm stupid for that. But surely I can find way, I'm not Juliet Parker for nothing. Time is my enemy here─again. _____