Echoes of Love, since 1898: A Love Transcending Time and Reality

Chapter 16

Zendaya

Philocalist. A lover of beauty.

Art is long, and time is short. From time to time, I always make sure that, even though I am tied up with my work and school schedules, I still do things that I am passionate about. When you do what you love, it makes sense because you are doing it to feel happiness and satisfaction without making yourself uncomfortable by doing things you don't want to do. Besides, now that I am able to make my own decisions, I have no regrets about leaving the palace. There's no such thing as permanent life; only those things that you made an impact on while you were living in this world would remain.

"Holy cow! What a perfect sketch, dude!" Cleo praised what I was doing. We are currently here at the cafeteria. Our first class today will be later, at 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. We are just too early to go to school because she said that Vivienne will catch up with us before the first class starts.

"Crazy! Hindi pa nga tapos yung ginagawa ko eh. Stop looking nga, I might go wrong," I said to her while continuing to sketch. Yes, I love drawing, or should I say art overall? By doing this, I can take my own time to think and pause about what is happening to my surroundings.

"Girl, never ka naman na disturb o na distract habang ginagawa yan!" She stated while rolling her eyes at me. Tusukin ko yan, eh!

"Anyway, why the hell did you leave Professor Ansaldó class yesterday? You didn't even bother to explain when you got home. Lucky you, I'm sleepy and have no energy to kulit you." She curiously asked again. Here we go again. I just want to have time to myself. Pero, mukhang never na mangyayari 'yon because everywhere I go, Cleo's presence is always near.

"Oh, you leave my older sister left hanging? What a brave woman you are, Z!" Vivienne suddenly burst out, causing me to look at her. I checked her out again. Damn! That's why she's fucking familiar! She doesn't wear her big eyeglasses, just like last time. I could fully see her from head to toe, compared to the last time that I saw her. She looks like none other than Sofia!

"Here you are, V! To answer your question, yes, she did." Cleo answered for me. Tss! To be honest with y'all, Cleo has no idea that I took Professor Ansaldó to get by her place last night. I think that Vivienne doesn't have a clue either. After what happened last night, I did not bother to talk with her again. Para saan pa?

"You're sketching? Who's that?" Vivienne suddenly asked me while looking at my sketch. I look at her, and while she thinks about who I'm sketching, only then did I realize that it was a portrait of Prinsesa Eleanor that really looked like Professor Ansaldó. Cleo snatched it from my hand, and they are both busy looking at it. Damn it!

"It's Professor Ansaldó but wearing traditional wear. Oh, crush mo siya, 'no kaya ka nag walkout? HAHAHAHAHA!" Cleo said and teased me. Vivienne also made fun of what Cleo said to me. Damn, these two women are in front of me.

"You admire my ate? Gosh ka, Z!" Vivienne questioned me while wiggled her eyebrows.

"It's not Professor Ansaldó, okay? It's Prinsesa Eleanor." I answered and rolled my eyes in them. They confusedly look at me. Neither did I.

"Teka, I'm confused, ha! Who's Prinsesa Eleanor?" Vivienne confusedly asked me.

"It's her love chuchu raw noong 1898." Cleo answered Vivienne's question.