Taking Good Care

Prince doesn't know how to take care of somebody. He was lost for everything that has the definition of warming someone. Prince never hugged tightly, or even embraced someone. It was never his thing to touch someone else aside from himself.

Just now, he couldn't explain this feeling. Why his heart ached for a while, that he has been longing to do it? Prince broke off a lot of promises after meeting Aria, and it's getting hard for him to recover. To get back on his feet was something he was never done to deal with.

Prince doesn't like to recycle the plans he discarded in the first place.

Aria was a plan, and he's nearly disregarding it. Prince wanted to end it as much as possible. Pushing her on the edge of the cliff was the only solution he had inside his mind. Aria trusted him too much. Prince should have run away the moment he saw her bleeding.

What good the connection they both have if one of them was pulling the other to death?

Prince looked up at the sky, searching for the answers written in the night clouds, but it's only full of dust and smoke. There's nothing to really see. The noise of the wind blustered around, the leaves scattered around the park crumbled underneath the soles of their shoes, and the trees swayed by the cold breeze.

Along with those peaceful tunes were the sobs Aria made. Prince closed his eyes, sighing deeply, unknowingly having doubts if he was the perfect fit for that comfort she longed for. With Bryce's absence, half of her heart must have torn to pieces.

Prince wouldn't be able to be serene for a night. If he moved and crouched down, he wouldn't be able to control himself anymore. Prince would just relieve her stress by touching her. Or even worst by kissing her, and it was just right for them to get closer to each other.

Does that mean that they both have reached the final step and let Aria confess her feelings?

If it happened, what would Prince do? He doesn't know. Aria was the one who ruined the plan, not him, or better yet, put all the blame to Bryce. Prince wouldn't come up with this swerve if that guy had taken the matter well.

Aria fell down to the floor, cocooning like a baby, and her tears streamed down continuously.

Prince bit his bottom lip, and eventually gave up. There's nothing that can pull him back.

Even though someone was listening, his comrades would deliberately shrug it off. Prince tried to be as transparent as he could be. The second he leveled his head with Aria, Prince reached out, holding her wrist, and removing it gently from her eyes. Prince didn't have some time to think over, but when he decided to move further, there's no turning back.

"Aria…" he whispered.

Aria sobbed, her cheeks and nose have gone red, and her eyes still produced with angry and devastating tears. She's cradled there, all hurt, and the pain was sipping the strength out of her body. Aria never thought this could be the effect of the trauma that Bryce initiated into.

Both of them stared into each other's eyes, all steamy and exchanging fires.

Aria would never resent the fact Prince can see her weakness. All in all, she had been weak.

"Tell me, Prince. Do I deserve this kind of suffering?"

When she spoke those words, a rock must have slammed his head to the ground recklessly. Aria's tears, her pain, all the care she get deprived of, and the things she never had done but obtained the worst results... made her think she's weak enough.

Prince couldn't help but to stare at her for a long time. They're at the middle of the Maple Park, surrounded by the dried and orange leaves, and he's holding her wrists. For sure, Bryce was listening to them, far away from the park, or even nearby, watching the scene unfolding in his eyes.

He shouldn't answer honestly. He wouldn't do it at all.

Prince warmed up himself tainted with lies. His identity has been hidden for a long time. It was nothing to be proud of. His defense mechanism was to hide. In his entire life, being a shadow became a motto that has been alive since he was born.

With his father inside the prison, Prince needed to be careful.

Or else, he'd run into Tim and Nadine Espino, and get killed off with their hands.

Prince wouldn't allow it. He has a fair share of sufferings, and it was the same with Aria.

"Aria, suffering is a myth of survival. How can you survive when you hadn't been through the difficult times? When everything's easy for you? That's not how life works, Aria. We have to strive harder to be independent."

She shook her head. Aria tried to writhe out of his grasp, but Prince held onto it. She looked at him with flaring nostrils, angrier than she has been, and brushed off, "Don't care about me."

Prince squeezed her wrists, forcing it down his lap, and took a seat down in front of him. Both of them was already on the dirty ground, and Prince doesn't seem to care. No amount of dust would unbearably leave them hanging.

Prince wouldn't be able to sleep this night if he doesn't resolve this.

"No, Prince. I thrived hard every day and I still end up suffering. Even though the task was easy for me, I still end up in a lot of pain," she retorted. Aria relaxed her hands at the top of her knees, with Prince's holding her. She wanted to thank the Heavens for letting them have a conversation once again.

Prince shook his head. "It wasn't because the task is easy, Aria. It was required for you to be strong."

Aria whined, "Do you think I'm strong enough to keep this baby inside me?"

It was one of his fears today, adding it to the list that might be unfathomable in the future. Taking good care of Aria and the kid inside him was a difficult task to do.

Prince had to play the role of being the father, when in fact… the true bearer was a leading man who got through all the darkest times to spread it along the fragile, slender woman who loved him to bits.

Aria's lips trembled as she reached out for his hand, held it firmly, and placed it in front of her abdomen. Prince froze, and bit his bottom lip, surprised by the actions Aria manifested. Why does he feel the slightest beat of her pulse in that belly? Was it hers? Or was it the baby living inside?

Prince blinked several times. "Can you… take care of the baby and me?" she hushed.

Nowhere close to the Maple Park was Bryce, sitting down at the bench with his cell phone on and earphones tuning in the distant voices. He was nearby, but Prince and Aria was caught up to each other, having their drama midway to the exit of the Maple Park.

Bryce propped his elbows at the top of his knees, closing his eyes. The tears fell down silently.

All of Prince's lies and his plan had gone right.

"It was time to say the truth, Prince," Bryce whispered, turning his head to the people in the center.