UNO

"MS. Ash, your father just called at pinapasabi niya ho na gusto ka niyang makausap." itinaas ko ang sunglasses na suot ko.

"Do I need to go?" Tanong ko sa Secretary ko, tumango siya bilang sagot. It's the first time that my father called me to the palace.

For Christ's sake! They all know how much I hate him.

"I'll prepare your plane, Ms. Ash," saad niya and made her way outside to make a call and came back to talk again. 

"Okay! Ano na naman kaya ang kailangan niya? Oh I know, my throne!" sarkastiko kong sambit.

"Silly, by the way, I gotta go. May pupuntahan pa ako." akmang aalis na siya nang may maalala, "And please, wear nice clothes tomorrow." bilin niya nginitian ko lang siya at bumalik sa pagkakahiga.

She knows everything about me, take note when you say 'everything' it includes my personal life. She's been my Secretary for almost 5 years, I really trust her on everything. Our relationship was not just a boss and secretary, we're best of friends. Halos lahat na ata nang pangyayari sa buhay ko ay alam niya. Our meet was an unexpected thing, we met in Japan where Nagare and Lia were fighting the devils. That's when I plan on joining them, Lia and I were assigned to kill the clans that were under the devils but we still need to leave three clans. 

-Flashback- 

"We need to kill them, Nagare!" hearing that I peeked through the side of the wall and there I saw two women with a gun. 

 "We can't, Lia. That's not in the plan, besides- wait.. is someone there?" I cursed under my breath and came out with my gun, they're not the only ones with a gun. 

"Sorry to interrupt, I didn't mean tho. Duck!" I fire at a man that was about to stab Nagare, sunod-sunod na naglabasan ang ilang mga lalaki at sabay na sumugod. Good thing that our has silencer, or else people will panick. Nang makitang ubos na ang lahat napagdesisyonan ko nang umalis nang bigla na lamang akong tawagin ng babaeng nagngangalang Nagare.

"Wanna join?" I gave her a smile before accepting her hand, this is gonna be fun.

-Flashback ends-

Nagsimula na akong mag isip kung bakit pinapatawag ako ng aking ama, I lost contact to him since I left. But now he's calling me? I hate my father for being an a-hole and coward, honestly, he's not a father to me anymore.  

After kong mag bihis tinawagan ko agad ang nag iisa kong kaibigan, Nagare. A very secretive and dangerous woman, she's the one na hindi mo nagugustuhin pang makasalubong daan. She may look like a sweet bird outside but trust me, she's the most deadly phoenix I've ever seen. 

After two rings she picked up...

["Hey!"]

["What do you need, Ash?"]

["Great, I need you to come with me."]

["Why and where?"]

["Switzerland, because my father just called and wants to talk with me. I need you, para may rason ako na kailangan ko nang umuwi agad."]

["Tss, fine. Send me your Herikoputā."]

["God! I'm not a Japanese, Nagare."]

["Send me your elicottero."]

(Elicottero is a helicopter in Italian)

["You have freaking cars, why do you need my helicopter?!"]

["Just send it!"]

["Fine!, bye I love you."]

["Yeah, love you too!"]

Nagare Mitsuhe is my best friend, ganun man kami sa isa't isa pero alam naming mahal namin ang isa't isa. Lia, her, and I were best of friends, we met in a deadly battle and gladly we are still alive. Natapos ang araw na puro trabaho ang ginagawa ko, wala naman akong ibang gagawin bukod sa pumatay at mamahala sa mafia clan sa Itlay at Japan. 

"Ms. Ash, nakahanap na ba kayo ng isusuot bukas?" Tanong ni Lia, pauwi na kami. 

"Tss, Lia alam mong ngayon lang ulit ako uuwi diba? So please, ikaw nalang ang maghanap ng damit." sambit ko, napailing si Lia knowing kung gaano ako katamad.

SA sobrang lakas ng hangin ay kailangan kong hawakan ang dulo ng damit ko upang hindi tumaas, kung bakit ba naman ngayon pa tinamad si Nagare mag drive. I'm now at the other side of the place where my plane is.

"Hey Nagare! C'mon ayoko ng malate." sambit ko at hinigit siya. We were already walking nang mag-salita siya.

"Do you really want to go? Akala ko ba hindi ka na muling tatapak pa ng Switzerland." sambit niya, sumakay muna ako sa plane bago siya sinagot. Well, it's true but I need to go. 

"I'm still a princess at may mga tungkulin pa rin ako, ayoko namang ipahiya ang pinakamamahal na royaltiya ng mga Nicola." sarkastiko kong sambit, I saw her smirk while sipping her wine.

"You better brace yourself, you will be 25 next month. It's your time." pinaikot ko ang mata ko dahil sa narinig. She's talking about me being wedded.

"Shut up."

"Ayaw mo nun? Magkaka asawa ka na." she really emphasizes the word 'asawa', teasing me. I rolled my eyes before speaking.

"Do I have a choice para tanggihan yun? Alam mong wala kaya wag kang ano."

"Just prepare." 

"F*ck up" papalatak kong sabi, she just laughed and started drinking her wine while talking to Lia.

NANG makarating agad kaming sinalubong ng royal guards, they greeted me like a princess which I hate. Stepping outside the plane was already hard for me, eto pa kaya?

"Princess Ashiera, welcome back." bati ng isa sa mga ito, they all followed and bow respectfuly. 

"Thanks." sambit ko at ngumiti, agad nang pumasok sa bahay.

"Sa laki ng palasyong ito, bakit hindi ka gumawa ng boundary? Umalis ka pa," natatawang sambit ni Nagare, I glared at her.

"Just walk." Nang makarating sa sala, sinalubong kami ni Mamma na halatang busy sa mga gawain niya. 

"Oh god! My figlia is back." masaya akong niyakap ni Mamma, she's the only one that I miss here.

(Figlia is daughter in Italian; it is pronounced as filya)

"Because Dad called me." malamig kong sambit...

"Right, he's waiting for you in his office."

Umakyat na agad ako dahil hindi ko na kayang magtagal pa dito, nang makarating ako ay kumatok muna ako. I feel suffocated here, remembering the past that I buried a long time ago was slowly flashing back.

"Entra," 

(Entra is enter in Italian)

Agad akong pumasok, hindi ko na siya hinintay na paupin ako nagkusa na ako. 

"Let's make this fast, what do you need?" Walang emosyon kong sambit, he sighs knowing that I'll show no respect to him.

"You will meet your fiance now." he answered directly, shocked was not the right word to explain my face now.  

"What?! Ridicolo," natatawa kong sambit, hindi na din ako nagulat dahil pagtapak ko pa lang dito ay malaki na ang posibilidad na kasama na ni Daddy ang mapapangasawa ko.

(Ridicolo is ridiculous in Italian)

"Mouth, Ashiera" suway niya, I rolled my eyes and just crossed my legs.

"I expected it, so, where is he?" 

Pagkataong ko ay agad na may pumasok, hindi ko maiwasan ang ngumisi dahil sa lalaking nasa harapan ko. The man who denied every woman in ever royal family, Khai Balderik Kristofell.

"Prince Khai," bati ko, walang emosyong umupo siya. Weird that each princesses in this country has a crush on him. I mean, he's cold.

"Akala ko ba ayaw mong ikasal?" Bulong ko, he can understand tagalog dahil may bussiness din siya sa Pilipinas.

"I have my reason." sagot niya, napatango tango naman ako. Tumikhim si Dad kaya humarap na kami sa kanya.

"You will be officially announced on your 25th birthday, only Nicola and Kristofell Royalty knows this," paliwanag ni Dad.

"Is that all? I gotta go home. I have a lot of things to do." tanong ko, napailing na lang si Dad sa akin. 

"From now on, kasama mo na lagi ang fiancé mo. He will go with you when you go back to the Philippines." agad na nakuha ang atensyon ko nang banggitin ni Daddy ang bansang tinutuluyan ko, no one knows where I am except to Nagare and Lia. 

"So you know? Sai in quale paese vado?" Sarkastiko kong sambit, he looked straight into my eyes.

(Translation: Alam mo kung saan anong bansa pumunta)

"You're still my daughter." 

"Stupid! Now, you're saying that I'm still your daughter?" galit kong tanong, rinig ang galit at hinanakit sa aking boses.

"Show some respect, I'm still your father!" Tumayo na din si Dad dahil sa sinabi ko.

"I'm done respecting you! Since the day that you traded my sister's justice for the name you hoped for, I've ended the way of respecting you! You don't deserve it!" galit kong sambit.

"You know nothing. Khai brought my daughter home. Take care." sambit ni Dad at bumalik sa pagkakaupo, galit na kinuha ko ang gamit.

"Ridiculous!" Sigaw ko at agad na lumabas, nakasunod lang si Khai sa akin, pag kababa ko nakita ko si Nagare na kausap si Mamma.

"Let's go, Mamma I can't stay for so long but I promise I will come back." wika ko, niyakap niya ako bago tuluyang nagpaalam.

Nang makasakay sa eroplano, halata ang pagtataka kay Nagare dahil sumama si Khai hanggang sa eroplano na may dalang maleta.

"What are you doing here?" Tanong ni Nagare, alam kong hindi sasagot si Khai kaya ako na ang sumagot.

"He's my fiance." tawa ang sinagot ni Nagare na ikinainis ko.

"Told you," 

"Tss" palatak ko.

Ikwinento ko lang sa kanya ang lahat ng nangyari kanina, si Khai naman ay walang kibo. Tango lang ibinibigay sa akin. He looks like a walking standee.

GABI na nang makarating kami sa Pilipinas, humiwalay na si Nagare sa amin. Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta ni Khai kaya't hinayaan ko na siyang sundan ako.

"Where are we going?" 

"In my house, wala tayong bahay kaya sa bahay ko muna." sagot ko, nang makasakay kami ng kotse.

"Then we'll buy tomorrow." walang hirap niyang sabi, well, he's a prince after all.

"Tss, so, tell me ano ang rason mo kung bakit napilit ka nilang magpakasal?" Tanong ko.

"Dahil ikaw ang mapapangasawa ko." napangsihap ako dahil sa lapit ng mukha niya sa mukha ko.

"T-that's stupid" nauutal kong wika, sh*t!

"Kanina curious na curious ka sa dahilan ngayon namang sinabi ko na hindi ka naniniwala." magkalapit pa rin ang mga mukha namin. Lumayo siya sa akin at rinig ko ang tawa niya ngunit hindi ko na iyon pinansin.

Nang makarating kami ay ipinakilala ko na agad siya sa mga tao sa bahay ganon na rin kay Lia, bago umakyat at itinuro ang kwarto niya.

"That's your room, and this is my room." itinuro ko ang katabing kwarto, tumango siya bago pumasok.

Nang makapasok ako agad akong nagpalit at naghanda para magpahinga, akmang hihiga na ako ng biglang may pumasok sa kwarto ko.

"What the he--" 

"Shut up, kailangan na masanay ka nang katabi ako dahil ikakasal na tayo." sambit ni Khai at basta basta na lang humiga.

"Tss," singhal ko at humiga na lang, pinatay ko na ang ilaw at pumikit. Nahigit ko ang hininga ko nang maramdamang umibabaw sa akin ang katabi ko.

You gotta be kidding me!

"Hmm, pretty I see." sambit niya, iminulat ko ang mata ko at laking gulat na lang nang makita kung gaano kalapit ang mukha namin.

"What are you doing?" 

"Looking at you" simpleng sagot niya, itinulak ko siya dahilan para bumalik siya sa pwesto niya.

"Just sleep, for Christ's sake!" Singhal ko at pumikit na, narinig ko pa ang mahina niyang pagtawa.

Unbelievable...

Humarap ako sa pwesto ni Khai, nakapikit lang siya at parang ang tahimik ng buhay niya. I know he's up to something, hindi siya basta-basta papayag kung wala siyang magandang dahilan.

"Why does a Khai Balderik Kristofell agreed to be married? Anong kailangan mo?" tanong ko sa sarili.

"We just have the same wants and needs" nagulat ako ng magmulat siya ng mata, he heard it.

"Then what is it?" 

"Revenge." Halata ang galit sa tinig niya, ngunit sang-ayon ako sa kanya. We really have the same wants and needs.

"For Valentina," sambit ko...

"For Vanessa," sagot niya...

I just want something, and that is to take a REVENGE.