Sunshine

XXXVI

THE month of April just came in and summer is fast-approaching, and so is the summer break. Schools are now busy with the school year end activities and depending on your grade or level, it’s either you’re excited and out and about shopping swimsuits or drowning (with school works and all stuff related) even before seeing the beach― and it’s always the latter for university students and graduating students.

It’s the finals week at Kahilom University and it’s that time of the year again where students filled the libraries and coffee shops, if not on a daily basis. It’s either they brought coffee to books or books to coffee―in short, everyone’s on the fight with exams and thesis and terror professors and is arming themselves with the necessary knowledge. While coffee here is that much needed help.

“Ah, hi. I’m sorry to disturb but can I share a table? The place is filled and there’s no other available chair already.”

And inevitable conversations among strangers on filled cafés also comes like this. She observed the woman sitting on the two-seater table throw her a quick glance as she nodded and cleared the half of the table to give her enough space. She did everything hurriedly not really removing her eyes on the book in front of her.

“Thanks,” she said and sat on the vacant chair, deciphering the words written in bold black across the pink notebook owned by the busy woman in front of her. “Alex.”

That made Alex look at her. She pointed the pink notebook before she could ask anything. “You’re Alex, right? I’m Olivia, by the way.”

Alex slowly nodded, silently taking note of the name of the talkative fashionable pretty woman which the shades on top of her tied messy bun blonde head is grabbing her attention in front of her. After that she went back to reading her textbook. Olivia on the other hand started taking out things from her bag. Silence enveloped them as they focused on each other’s business.

“You can’t really remember me? We already met before.”

Once again Olivia made Alex look at her with questioning eyes. But more than trying to think where she saw her like Olivia claims, she’s more drawn to the white canvas Olivia’s slowly filling with charcoal pencil she’s gripping lightly.

“You’re drawing bikinis instead of studying?”

“I’m a fashion design student. But I’m not really supposed to draw this but dresses.” Olivia let her pencil roll over the sketch pad dropping it. “But aren’t you supposed to ask where we met instead?”

“Yes, that too.”

Olivia nodded then explained.

“We met once at the College of Arts building. And I still haven’t thanked you for your help that day.” For the first time today and for the first time ever they met eyes. Olivia’s smile to her made Alex’s wrinkled forehead melt.

“And for my long overdue thank you please let me buy you coffee.”

“A good day to you, sir.”

“Captain Rivera.” Mayor Costales straightened his back on his chair and fixed his barong, keeping his composure. His eyes followed the Police Captain who suddenly appeared on his government office unannounced. His steps are heavy and emphasized, as if he’s trying to leave a mark on the office. Rivera’s announcing his presence in the strongest way he could.

His manner is different from the first time they met on the very same place, the mayor took note. Costales reminded himself to stay alert. “Yeah, good day! What can I do for you?”

Rivera stood straight, hands on his back. His eyes wandered around the office in no reason particular, as it may seem. But it sure succeeded on making the Mayor keep himself on his toes in his own territory.

That was actually the intention. Rivera came to squash the old man’s fantasy that he’s bigger than the police and the law it imposes.

“I come here as your another constituent. But you know, a policeman is supposed to carry their badge all the time.”

Rivera looked at Costales more intently. He kept his proud smile on the back of his head. It still works.

“Oh, well. Please do take your seat.” Mayor Costales offered. He then called the attention of his secretary to give orders, then asked his surprise unwanted visitor. “How about some coffee?”

“It depends.” Rivera took the offered sofa seat. He once again roamed his eyes and landed it on Mayor Costales who stayed sitting at his own desk. “You think we’ll be talking long enough to finish a cup?”

SILENCE filled the Mayor’s office the moment Captain Rivera took his leave. Mayor Costales stayed staring at the left open office door, not really sensible to anything. His mind twirled and swirled on Rivera’s words. He froze on his seat and on his thoughts.

The words Rivera left succeeded on its intentions― warning. It succeeded on making Costales worry for his life and all of his possessions.

Slowly Costales heard a noise, slowly pulling him back to reality. Later on he recognized those were the sound of a heeled shoes against his office’s tiled floor. His reality flushed to him in an instant.

“They know. They know.” Costales managed to croak. The sound of the heels grew louder but it slowly got covered by his deafening beating heart. Costales felt like he had to talk louder to be heard, and so he did. “Stephanie, they know already.”

The sound of the heels stopped. Costales titled his head to the direction of her daughter standing still in front of him. “They’re close. They’re getting closer.”

“Rivera,” Stephanie Costales looked straight at his father’s eyes, reading it. There’s an emotion so loud reflected on it. But she stared for a while, taking long to point it out.

That’s it. Fear.

“The arrow is pointing north finally, eh?”

In almost out of reflex his throat immediately moved down. If Romualdo Costales was standing , he knows he would have taken a step back. Though he too finds the thought ridiculous over his own blood.

“Will there be really nothing to scare you?”

Amidst his own turmoil Romualdo in his efforts tried to observe his own daughter. He tried reading her and understanding her, like a father would do.

But then he never knew how to be a father and never understood how to be one. So he stared in confusion.

“Of course there is, Dad. And it is to see the empire I built crumble down. But don’t worry.” She offered her father a smile, a small one.

“As long as you’re the appointed king of my kingdom nothing can bring you down.”

“WHAT the hell is Rivera up to.”

The sound of Stephanie’s heels grew rapidly quick against the marble floor. She is on her phone, calling as the Queen’s Spear everyone knows. But unlike her quick steps her voice is slow and deep, warning enough to send anyone shivers down their spine. It was the voice she worked with practice and craziness. She remembered how she practiced that voice in the mirror trying to scare herself.

Stephanie believed she could only be scary to other people if she scares herself enough. And yes, she’s scary enough. But still not the scariest form she could, she believe.

“Did I fail to reach my message to you loud and clear?”

Queen’s Spear is the identity she made and all she gave the authority and power Stephanie Costales could have. What Stephanie Costales only have on her name is the daughter of the town’s Mayor. While Queen’s Spear is the Queen. And a self made one.

As obvious as it is, she would choose to live as the queen forever.

“I definitely forbid him and his team to investigate the case―”

"Then you failed to warn them enough.” She kicked her office door open and also kicked it close. The continuous banging sounds made Lieutenant Colonel Catalan stood straight on the other line, though that wasn’t the intention. “But I am sure you are well warned of my capabilities. Act accordingly.”

The Queen’s Spear ended the call immediately. After a while she then heard the door on her back creak open. She tilted her head to the direction, watching the door open slowly.

“Queen.”

Her visitor stood there by the door idly for a moment. But she kept quiet, and waited for him to come in, close the door, and stand in front of her. The Queen Spear’s eyes stayed on the now closed door. But her ears are open. It waited patiently for the words that would escape his mouth.

“I just thought of wanting to see you.”

Adrian first said those words hesitantly, almost stuttering. Then he cleared his own throat and repeated it, now with most certainty. “I wanted to see you.”

The Queen’s Spear stood straight to look at Adrian properly. Their eyes met and stayed locked for a while. They didn’t know how to define the look they had for each other now. After trying to put some on it, they both knew their stares meant nothing.

Stephanie took the required steps to her table and gently put down her phone. Then she turned around and leaned on it. “And why is that?”

That made Adrian quiet again, lost in his thoughts. Stephanie then added. “What are you thinking hard about? Are you trying to give me the answer I would want to hear?”

“You could say that.” Adrian replied. “I’m wishing to say the perfect words but I’m just not the man for that.”

Stephanie chuckled. “And why would you wish to be that man to me suddenly?”

“Because you’re always been a woman to me.”

Their eyes met again. This time it’s now capable of conveying to each other. Adrian took the invitation and grabbed her in a kiss. They shared it with most intensity.

“My name’s Stephanie. That’s the name given to me.”

In lips trembling she managed to say. Those words broke their kiss. Adrian stayed staring at her, supporting himself with his hands on the table behind the woman in front of her.

“That’s a beautiful name,” Adrian whispered. Stephanie took Adrian’s hands from the table and guided it to her back. She let those hands crawl on her bare back. Snap.

“Do you want to be my king?”