15: brewing feelings

“So, class. We will be having a group activity for this quarter,” our English teacher announced that made us curious and my classmates went whispering because of that.

“It will be a short film.”

My forehead wrinkled then massaged it while my classmates seemed excited for that project.

“Leaders, please come forward to choose your script.”

After our teacher said, I stood up from my seat and went forward. I’m one of the five group leaders in our class. There were rolled pieces of paper on the table prepared by her and told us to pick one, so we did.

“The Princess and Her Angel?” I whispered as I read what’s on the paper. Then I gave it to our teacher and she gave me the script afterwards.

I went to my groupmates after that and we’re the fifth group.

“You only have a month to do everything,” she announced again.

“Okay, guys. What we got was The Princess and Her Angel, and the one that I want to play as the Princess is Mariya. Is it okay?” I stated.

“Okay, Roma,” she confirmed.

“How about you, Pia? Wanna play the Angel role?”

“Okay. No problem,” she affirmed.

“I’ll be the director and the rest will be on the production team for making props and costumes. Okay?” Then my groupmates agreed to everything that I said.

“We’re going to start tomorrow. And you’re also aware that I’m removing lazy and uncooperative members, right?”

They nodded as a response.

--

“Hmm, scenes on the balcony of a palace?” I whispered while reading the script that was assigned to our group.

“What is that, Roma?” Caden suddenly asked while comfortably lying on my bed and eating nacho chips.

“Our script for our short film project. We need a balcony and a court room on a palace, also a garden.”

“And you,” I raised my brow as I told him.

“You’re scattering nacho chips on my bed!” I yelled.

“Of course not,” he denied while still chewing food. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“What will be your role there?”

“Director.”

“Oh. Can I read it?”

I gave him the script and he read it.

“I know somewhere you can shoot these,” he said.

“Really? Where?”

“Here. At the mansion.”

My eyes widened, “What? Here in your mansion? It’s okay with you?”

“Yeah, of course. Also, my atonement for helping me to save Kiara the last time.”

“Oh. Okay.”

--

“This is really the place, Roma?” my classmates queried.

“Yep.”

All my groupmates were here and they’re astonished while looking up at the tall sturdy white gate of the mansion.

“I think this is really a palace,” one commented.

Morgenstern’s mansion was in modern Western-style.

Today was Saturday and because we don’t have classes during weekends, we decided to do our first shoot today.

“Oh, you’re here. Come in,” Caden said as he popped out from the gate.

“Roma, who’s that? He’s dashing like some prince who lives at that palace!” my female classmates gushed over Caden after seeing him.

“He’s Caden. Someone that I know.”

I noticed that his forehead wrinkled after I said that.

“Ah, what an acquaintance you have, Roma,” one giggled.

I just shrugged my shoulders then we proceeded to go inside the gate. My classmates can’t help but to feel wonderstruck of how wide and exquisite Morgenstern’s mansion and vicinity was.

Caden brought us at the back of the mansion and it was also a wide landscape of garden.

“You can practice here. Just tell me when you already need the balcony and court room,” he reminded me.

“Okay, honey?” he jested then aggressively rubbed my hair.

I frowned from it and the way he called me. He’s really a moron.

Moments after Caden left, I suddenly realized where am I going to let my groupmates change?

“Uhm, wait for me here. Okay? I’m just going to find Caden,” I told them before I left.

I rushed inside the mansion and thought of going to his room because it’s the first place that I thought of where he was staying.

I was about to go upstairs when I felt someone touched my shoulder and I flinched because of that.

“Oh, Chester,” I uttered after I turned around.

“Hello, Roma. Looking for me?” he joked.

“Ha? Uhm, I’m looking for Caden. I just want to ask him something.”

“What are you going to ask him? He might be busy.”

I was stunned while staring at his eyes. It looks mesmerizing and he also has a pretty smile.

“Chester. Roma?”

We looked at that someone who suddenly spoke.

“Caden.”

“What are you doing here? You need something?” he asked me.

“Please excuse me,” Chester bade before leaving.

“Where would I let them change? We’re going to start shooting a scene now,” I told him.

Caden crossed his arms against his chest and narrowing his eyes at me.

“What?”

“Why are you looking at Chester differently earlier, huh?” he asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw you.”

“Whatever. Just answer what I’m asking you.”

“Come on. I’ll show you where,” he stated then he walked ahead of me and I just followed him.

--

“Groups one, four, and five. They are the only groups that submitted their work on time. How about groups two and three? You’ll have an automatic deduction for being late,” our teacher announced.

Thank goodness that we made it on time. We have a little inconvenience because Pia, who’s playing the Angel role, suddenly got sick during our last week of filming. We have no other choice but to have a substitute so we decided that it should be me for I already memorized the script.

After a while, break time had rung and as usual, my friends were already at the door waiting for me.

“Congratulations for completing your project, Roma!” Josephine greeted me.

“I don’t know that you can act?” AJ commented.

“You’ve seen it?” I queried.

“Of course. We have the same English teacher, right? She let us watch your work,” AJ answered with a little laugh.

“Hi, Roma.”

“Chester? What are you doing here?” I was surprised to see him here.

“I just wanna see you. Can I talk to you for a while?” he asked.

I looked at my friends like I’m telling them that I’m excusing myself. Then they gestured that it was okay. They also looked starstruck at Chester.

He brought me outside the school where his car was parked.

“Do you want something for snack? Just tell me,” Chester offered.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Then we strolled until we reached a convenience store nearby. Chester ordered two chocolate sundaes.

“For you,” then he handed me one.

“Thank you.”

We sat at the bench in front of the store while eating this sundae.

“So, you’re my brother’s fiancée,” he uttered.

I just nodded as a response.

“Do you really want to marry him?”

I was startled from his question. I thought for a sec and remembered that I can’t tell him about the agreement between me and his brother about breaking our engagement because that’s what I promised.

“It’s okay if you can’t answer me for now. I just want to know you better. If it’s okay with you.”

“I understand. He’s your brother so you must know every people who come into his life.”

“No. Not just that,” then he looked at me.

“I’ll tell you soon.”

A silence went between us while we’re looking at each other’s eyes. Then I felt something strange within my chest. My heartbeat went fast all of a sudden.

--

I’m walking home after school when I decided to stop for a while in a park nearby to take some rest even just a bit. I sat at the ground covered with short grass and put my bag beside me.

“Sometimes, Chester is being weird,” I uttered.

I put my elbows on my lap then my chin over my palms while watching the sunset. Good thing that people around here right now was just very few so I can still enjoy the peaceful ambience and picturesque scenery.

“What a beautiful sunset. Oh, I know.”

I grabbed my drawing pencil and blank notebook from my bag to draw the sunset.

“Ms. Grumpy?”

I was startled when I heard someone spoke all of a sudden and quickly looked up.

“You again?”

“Hi, Ms. Grumpy. Who would have thought that I’m going to meet you here today,” Daniel replied.

He sat right next to me. “Sketchpad?”

“Yep. Isn’t it obvious?”

“You’re sketching? May I see?”

“No.”

“Please?” he pleaded.

“There,” then I gave him my blank notebook that I made as a sketchpad.

And he started to check every page of it.

“Wow. So, you’re an anime fan, huh?” he commented.

“Your sketches are amazing, Roma.”

We’re just quiet while he’s checking my sketches then he spoke.

“Wait, how long are you going to stay here? It’s getting dark now.”

After Daniel returned my sketchbook, I put it back inside my bag. Then I hanged my bag on my shoulder and stood up.

“I’m going now,” I bade.

“Okay, take care,” Daniel said before we parted ways.