Chapter 17
Another music was played.
Say can no longer remember that she changed partners or that one of her male cousins followed to dance with her. Then her uncle until she did not notice that it was her father now dancing her for the 17th dance.
“Samantha, are you okay?”
“Dad? I thought I’m dancing with somebody else.”
“We have been dancing for a while. The Dance with my Father song is actually coming to an end now. Have you just noticed that I am here? ”
“Ah, sorry. I'm just..." Say tries to make up words for her dad. " I was just wondering what .... the contents of the guests' gifts...yes that's right. ”
Their conversation with her father was interrupted when the song changed and when the host spoke to signal the last dance.
“And so...ladies and gentlemen, presenting the debutante’s last dance...the most special man in her life!”
Say looked at the crowd. She sighed and bowed her head in sadness when she couldn’t see the face of the guy she was waiting for all night.
Won’t you really be coming?
Then she heard the crowd made some chatter and noise.
“Who is that???”
“Is that a son of someone we don’t know, perhaps some politician’s son?”
“What an ugly thing he is wearing...I thought it's supposed to be a regal attire? And that flower, it looks like he just picked it in some garden..."
A hand extended Say a pink rose. She knew the hand. When she raised her face, she saw the smiling face of her handsome boyfriend. Nick was wearing faded blue long sleeves and black pants. His attire was far different from the royal outfits worn by all of her guests but for her, Nick is still the most handsome man in the hall.
“Happy birthday, Say. “
“Nick! You came...” She quickly hugged him with great joy.
“I won’t miss it for the world, my Queen...”
“Nick...Why are you here?”
Nick looked up and only then did he notice that Say's father, Governor Antonio De Plaza, was still there next to her with a serious face. The governor doesn't obviously like what is happening.
“Governor...” Nick almost choked his words.
“Dad…” Say quickly removed her embraced from Nick but was still holding his hands.
The crowd continues to chatter. Then they heard the voice of the host again.
“Uhurm, the last dance of our pretty debutante is –“
“...is me!”
Everyone looked at Drex who was in the middle of the floor and now is followed by a spotlight. They all applauded as they recognized the handsome basketball team captain as the final dance of the beautiful debutante. Drex was wearing a well-embellished tunic with goldwork thread in his kingly robe.
“OHHHHH! It’s Drex Reyes, the basketball superstar!”
“Good thing Drex came, his attire matches with Say’s!”
“Drex! Drex! Go and dance with Say!” chants most of the people in the ballroom hall.
Confused, Nick looked around at the governor and at Say. The governor then came closer to Nick and told him, “Nick, there must be some kind of miscommunication – “
Say burst out, exasperated. “Dad, no, I invited—“
But Drex, now in front of them in his royal look and is holding a large bouquet of roses, interrupted the conversation.
“Back off, poor janitor guy...”
“Drex!? What are you doing here?” Say retorted.
“Drex, good thing you’re here. Let me talk to the host. Say, please settle this thing.”
Say's father momentary left them and then approached the host and instructed the floor director. The music died and the large Ballroom Hall lit up. Everyone, then saw Say, Nick, and Drex in the middle of the hall.
"Who is that man who is still not leaving the middle of the dance floor?"
Say heard more chatter in the music-less hall. She catches the look of Nick who was more confused about what is happening.
She no longer knows what is going on and what to do next. The man she wished to be here, is HERE with her, but Drex is also around. Nick's handsome face was full of uncertainty while she saw the faces of the people around her who seemed happy with what was happening.
“What else are you doing? Why are you still standing there in front of Say? ” Drex scowls at Nick who was still standing on the floor.
Nick looked around. His eyes darted at Drex and then to her, baffled. S-Say? What is this?”
“Tell him, Say…” Drex held her hands as he mockingly smiles at Nick.
Say removed Drex's hand before answering. “Drex...what are you talking about –“
“Well... Janitor or whatever your name is. Wait - it was Nick, right? Okay, listen... Your fifteen-minute fame is up, Mr. Pauper. For Queen Say, there is only one man fit for a queen and that is a king...that is me. I’m the King, and you’re but just a pauper...so leave the party.”
Tori, Lilac, and Cheska approached and pulled Say. “Say, please come here a bit. Let Drex talk to Nick about the situation.“
“What situation? Tori, did you invite Drex? I will talk to –“
“The guests are getting bored. I guess I'll just give a little speech for the guests to be entertained. " Drex said then went straight to the podium and took the mic from the host.
“Lilac, what is happening?” Say continued to ask her friends.
“Say, your plan is over. We've completed what we, your smart friends, have arranged for you as per your approval, right Ches and Tori? ”
The previously confused Nick spoke again, "What do they mean Say?"
But the ballroom hall began to darken again and the spotlight focused on Drex who was on stage.
“Hello, guests! Ladies and gentlemen, sorry about the little confusion earlier. That man... ” He points in the direction of Nick, who now has a second spotlight focused on him while in the center of the hall. Everyone was so intrigued by the whole scenario.
“He is Nick. He is the cook’s son here. So you see, he loved our Queen...who doesn’t love Queen Say? Everyone loves her, right?”
The crowd chants her name in unison. Say wanted to stop Drex from what he was doing but her friends stopped her. And Drex continued to speak.
“...but sorry man, this was just a bloody setup. You embarrass Say. You made her a laughingstock in the library, and she wanted to make you feel how it is to be a laughingstock for once. So congratulations on making yourself the main source of fun tonight. You are not the last dance, but I am. You can’t be the last dance of someone like Samantha Yvette de Plaza, the Governor’s Daughter, do you think so, ladies and gentlemen?! ”
Guests shouted in agreement. Everyone was looking at Nick and was ridiculing him, laughing at him. Say was scared of what they would do to Nick, so she quickly approached him even though her friends stopped her.
But Say saw Nick's fists clenched. Nick stepped back before she was even able to hold him. She tried to hold him again against his will.
“N-nick...L-let me explain...”
Say held his hand. The rose that Nick should have given to her was held tightly in his hands. Now, the thorns were starting to make his palms bleed. And then she heard his painful voice …
“I-is it true?” He cut her off icily.
“It was...it was...”
"Is everything that they're saying true?!" The pounding of Say's chest throbbed when she heard the anger in the voice of the man she loved.
“T-the truth is…When the plan was made, I…I did approve it. But Nick, I took it back and ---"
“ENOUGH.”
Say felt Nick slowly remove her grip on his hand. His face was hardened, emotionless. He was looking at her face like he doesn’t recognize her at all. She could see his emotions change from someone bewildered to disbelief to anger and then hurt. When he finally talked, it was his defeated but defiant voice she heard.
“Congratulations on your grandest plan. It was very well-executed. A warm of applause to all of your friends who helped you, my Queen.” Every word that came out of Nick's mouth was full of hate. “Finally, you have had your most awaited revenge. Now, I hope that makes you H A P P Y."
Say quickly chased Nick as he turned away from her and the hordes of the mocking people in the hall. Crying, she tried to hold his hands again to beg. “Nick - please listen, I didn’t mean it to ---"
The strong pull of Nick from her grip made her fall and spun around, in tears, she called his name.
“Nick—“
“Enjoy your party, your highness. Don’t ever try to talk to me again.”
And as she shouted his name in front of the many guests in the hall, Nick didn’t even bother to look at her or at everyone as he heads towards the door. He did not even hear the entry and the loud voice of the cook Aling Maring asking for help.
“Help! Help! Sabina is having a heart attack!"