Loving the Nation's Idol

#WTMH Roll 9: The 'PAWN' versus The 'Queen'

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A/N: ⚈ ̫ ⚈ OY! Magbasa at Mag-vote. ⭐

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"Joaquin!" Habol ni Marga sa prinsipe. "Joaquin! Wait!" She lifts the skirt of her gown as she runs after him. "Joaquin!" Takbo niya sabay hablot sa kamay nito. "I said wait!"

Lumingon ito sa kaniya at halatang-halatang galit ito sa pagmumula ng mukha nito at pagtaas-baba ng dibdib. He looks away, avoiding her eyes.

"What are you thinking?! Bringing Isaiah here?" She's trying to make him look into her eyes. "Joaquin!!"

Yumuko ito sa kaniya na nagpipigil sa galit. "Siya naman ang sponsor di'ba? Bakit? May mali ba doon?"

"Yes!" Singhal niya. "You know how the Miller stands on Grandma's list! You're bringing trouble here in Scotland!" Nilingon niya ang mga nagkukumpulang mga tao sa di-kalayuan na mainit na sinalubong si Isaiah. Binalik niya ang tingin sa kaharap. "What if the Queen --- "

"You're such a hypocrite!!" Matalim na bintang sa kaniya ni Joaquin. "Trouble? Really?" Nameywang ito at tumingin sa langit, nagtitimpi na wag masigawan ang prinsesa. "Ako ba talaga ang naghahanap ng gulo, Marga? In the first place, why did you ask for his help, huh? You even lied that it was Hunter!"

Ramdam ni Marga na may iilan sa mga tao ang lumingon sa direksyon nila kahit medyo naka-pwesto sila sa malayo. Hinawakan niya ang braso ni Joaquin. "C-Calm down --- "

Winaksi ni Joaquin ang kamay niya. "Calm down?!! When will you keep this as a secret, Marga?!"

Sinapo niya ang noo. Like a suspect faced with a lot of evidences that positively pointed at her, she can't answer straight.

"Ha! And you said, what? Trouble? Didn't you look very happy when you saw him jump off the chopper?!"

"Joaquin --- "

"So, it was true... something did happen in America?"

Nanlaki ang mata niya. "What --- WALA NGA, OKAY?!!" Sinalubong niya ang nagbabaga nitong tingin.

Umiling si Joaquin. "Honestly, I don't know if I should believe every word you say from now on. You said no, then it was it was the opposite."

Yumuko siya. "I'm sorry." She looks at him with sincerity. "I am sorry. But trust me, nothing happened when I was there. I was with Alban the whole time! You can ask him." She, herself, doesn't know why she was explaining herself. But she owes it to him for lying. He had every right to get angry. Especially that they are engaged, and they are dealing about an ex-lover of hers. Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito. "Joaquin, believe me... I came there with clean agenda in mind and that's for the villagers here. Nothing else."

Di sumagot si Joaquin bagkos nag-iwas ito ng tingin. Nasa mukha pa rin nito ang pagkainis sa nangyari.

"I-I accepted the bid... with the villagers in mind. I-I didn't told grandma because I am a hundred percent sure she won't allow it. I didn't told you because... b-because..."

Niyuko siya ni Joaquin. "Because?" Usig nito sa kaniya na ipapagpatuloy ang sasabihin.

"Because I know you'll get hurt." Diretso niyang sagot. "A-And it would be di-disrespectful on your part."