Symphony of the Seas

Kabanata 17

Sabi ko bukas ako mag-a-update kaso wala, eh. Harot ni Luci, 'di ako pinapatulog hahaha! Enjoy, anyway!

xxx

Kabanata 17

"You're sad again? Cheer up, Cathalina!" Gabriela, my cousin, exclaimed when she saw me spacing out again.

"I am happy, Gab." I said and flashed a smile.

She chuckled, rolling her eyes at me. "Stop lying to me, your highness. I know when you're really happy."

"What?" I chuckled. "What do I look like when I'm happy, hmm?"

"Your eyes smiling too," she said and I stopped when I realized that. I shifted my gaze to the mirror and tried smiling but it won't reach my eyes.

"See?" She said, sitting beside me after pulling a chair.

I watched her take my hand and squeezed it.

"Are you really okay?" She asked when she noticed my silence, I raised my head to look at her nodded.

"I'm really okay, Gab."

"Ever since you came back, you were never the same." She said. "You're always spacing out, lonely. Nana and Enrico said you weren't even eating right."

I sighed and squeezed her hand back.

"I just missed the people I am with back when I am still free," I said. "I was really happy Gab, I realized while I was away that I didn't need luxurious things to be happy. I realized friendship and genuine happiness is what I really wanted."

"The palace aren't the same when you're gone. The king is frantic, he's always mad. Your disappearance also kept in secret. Even Giovanni didn't know you were gone."

I nodded at that and listened to her.

"Meanwhile, Rosetta and her mother's happy." She pouted and I rolled my eyes at that.

"Of course, they are." I said, mentioning my step-sister and her mother. "If I know, they didn't want me back."

"As if they can get the throne if you won't return," she muttered and we both laughed at that.

"Cathalina?" My eyes shifted to the door and my smile widened when I saw Nana.

"Hi, Nana." I muttered.

"Are you ready? The parade will start any moment from now."

I nodded and smiled, standing from my seat.

"Gabriela, you're here!" Nana greeted my cousin who grinned at her and walked for a hug.

They greeted each other for a while before Gab bid for a goodbye, saying she'll go to the parade first.

"Cathalina?" My smile fell when I saw Nana's concerned eyes at me.

"Hmm?" I hummed and tried flashing a smile.

"Are you alright, anak?" She asked, slowly cupping my cheek and touching it with her fingers. She's smiling at me, her wrinkled forehead is showing yet she looks beautiful.

"S'yempre po, Nana." I told her.

"Are you ready for the parade?" She asked and I nodded.

"I got no choice but to get ready, the people's suspecting I am gone these past few months and it's my responsibility to show them my face."

"I understand," she sighed. "Hindi ko lang talaga makuha, hija, kung bakit pa nila isasama si Giovanni sa parada."

I bit my lip and I shrugged. "For the show?"